What can we learn from Kat as a society?
10 things I hate about you was, in our opinion, one of the most iconic films of the '90s. This film actually inspired our founder to start Reckless Cosmetics, and not "be who they wanted [her] to be". Kat is a true idol for us at Reckless HQ. Kat is unapologetically herself, and that is exactly what being RECKLESS is all about🤗
Anyway, enough about us…
- Be you and wholly you.
The movie introduces Kat blaring, "I don't give a damn bout my bad reputation", and we LIVE for it. Throughout, Kat puts up a front of being fearless. Her character is strong, resilient, and independent, and she is a role model for any young girl watching her grow.
However, in one particularly moving scene, she reads a poem directed at Patrick (we can still recite it by heart). For a character who spent much of the film hiding how she truly felt, Kat breaks down crying as she reveals how deeply she cares. The scene shows that even when she is most vulnerable, Kat still doesn't care about her reputation, showing us that to be strong and 'not give a damn' doesn't always mean being a cold b*tch - there is just as much strength in emotion than without emotion. The real power comes from not being afraid to show all sides of yourself.
- "You don't always have to be who they want you to be."
Kat is everything we believe a strong, independent feminist had to be: a woman who felt no need to impress a guy, who wasn't afraid to be aggressive on the soccer field. Kat was radical not just because of the rebel girl trappings but because she seems so unaffected by her classmates' disdain for her unwillingness to play the part of a 'typical woman'. As she tells her sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik).
- Live up to your own expectations, no one else's.
As a society, many of us are guilty of living with the fear that we won't be accepted if we don't 'live to please'. Whether it's trying to fit a particular body type, or getting through 5 years of university studying medicine, and then realising that you only went because it's what your parents expected from you. Living to please others is a waste of your happiness and everyone's time. Those who love you will accept you for who you are, your dreams and everything else that comes with it!
- Be unapologetically sassy!
In real life, it's unlikely you would've heard it said this exact way… but the point is to never go a day without your voice being heard! Regardless of gender or race, don't let yourself be interrupted. When you are speaking, it's your turn to be heard.
- Listen to loved ones, but leave room to grow.
This one might be a little more relevant for our younger audiences, but throughout life, your loved ones (parents, partners, friends) will often give their two-piece on what you do with your life. They may think they're helpful, but there's only so much advice that many of us are willing to receive. You need the space to make your own conclusions, leaps of faith, and your own mistakes.
So in the words of Joan Jett, “you’re living in the past, it’s a new generation”, and we’re feeling this vibe as it becomes more acceptable to express exactly who you want to be, unapologetically. We can thank the 90s for movies like 10 Things I Hate About You for teaching us to live outside the rules and expectations society puts on us, to embrace our weirdness within and know that it is totally ok to grow and change.
Be you, Be true, Be Reckless⚡.