How to Be a Manic Pixie Dream Girl

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A Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a type of female character in movies who teaches the protagonist of the movie to learn to embrace life and all of its infinite mysteries. She is a kooky, lovable free spirit. If you want to embody this character in real life, you'll need to adopt her personality, habits and style.

Part 1
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Getting the Manic Pixie Dream Girl’s Personality

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  1. Manic Pixie Dream Girls aren’t cynical. They’re the opposite of it! They are bubbly, high on life, and positive. At all times, they are positive!
    • A Manic Pixie Dream Girl "lives freely and loves madly." She is like a ray of sunshine into the otherwise drab world. Live every day to the fullest and always live in the moment. Be anything but ordinary.
    • The Manic Pixie Dream Girl doesn’t exhibit a strongly developed inner self beyond seeming happy and fun. However, this is what draws people to her. It feels good to be around her, and it’s always exciting.
    • Since the term was coined, people have found the Manic Pixie Dream Girl character in movies that date back into the 1930s. They include Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer (2009), Goldie Hawn in Cactus Flower (1969), Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby (1938), and Christina Ricci in Buffalo ’66 (1998).
    • More recent roles said to contain the archetype include Kate Hudson in Almost Famous , Charlize Theron in Sweet November , Natalie Portman in Garden State , and Anne Hathaway in Love & Other Drugs .
  2. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl has been described as “adorably daffy.” She’s bubbly and a little goofy, but always in an endearing way. She’s the kind of person who might say something that sounds nonsensical because she thinks it’s funny. Manic Pixie Dream Girls are spontaneous, free spirited, and impulsive (sometimes to a fault).
    • To be adorably daffy, you shouldn't take yourself too seriously. Be able to make fun of yourself or light of the world. Smile a lot, and joke around. Manic Pixie Dream Girls are carefree. They aren’t brooding. They are free spirits. Talk a lot. Don’t be shy. The character has been described as “a fancifully if thinly conceived flibbertigibbet.”
    • Manic Pixie Dream Girls don’t hesitate to admit that they are complicated. However, they will talk endlessly about small details and probably leave out anything really big and dark in their pasts. They skip over things that are painful, and focus on seeing the good side of life.
    • Be friendly, kind, and a little bit flirtatious . Manic Pixie Dream Girls aren't typically rude. They're lovable and generally have magnetic personalities. Go up to other people first. Strike up a conversation.
    • Manic Pixie Dream Girls are described as dorky and klutzy, but in a cute way.
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  3. Manic Pixie Dream Girls are usually very arty, creative types, which makes sense with their verbal abilities and their metaphorical minds. They are good at music, painting, writing, or art. If they aren't artists themselves, they like to listen to or watch other people be creative.
    • To be a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, embrace your creative side. Take an art class. Play music a lot. Write for a school newspaper.
    • The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is always saying profound things, like an artist would. She sees the intricacies in life, and she’s usually got something insightful to say. Try to say things that dig beneath the surface to help people understand their feelings and lives. [1]
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Acting Like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl

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  1. It’s fairly common for a Manic Pixie Dream Girl to focus on a love interest who is less free-spirited than she is, especially a man who is brooding but soulfully deep inside. [2]
    • The Manic Pixie Dream Girl may act as his foil, trying to lighten him up, so that he learns how to love and live freely. He’s her alter ego. She is the bubbly personality who breaks him out of his cynical shell.
    • The archetype is controversial because some believe the Manic Pixie Dream Girl is given a shallow inner life and is too dependent in some films, but that doesn’t mean you have to embrace those parts of it.
  2. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl’s key role in many films and TV shows is to help a male love interest come out of his shell. This might sound sexist, but that’s probably why some have criticized the trope as such.
    • The author who coined the term, Nathan Rabin, once described the Manic Pixie Dream Girl as “an archetype... that taps into a particular male fantasy: of being saved from depression and ennui by a fantasy woman who sweeps in like a glittery breeze to save you from yourself, then disappears once her work is done.” [3]
    • That doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the Manic Pixie Dream Girl’s loving and caring nature. At her best, she deeply cares for those around her, and desires to help them achieve her own sense of happiness and outlook on the world.
    • In the best read, though, it’s OK to help others feel better about themselves, as long as you don’t forget yourself in the process. There’s nothing wrong with helping a depressed friend find a more positive way to look at life or to instill a sense of adventure in someone who could use it.
  3. The trope has been criticized by some who say that women should have independent goals, and the character is known for assisting a love interest. But you can borrow the character’s bubbly and endearing personality without sacrificing your own needs and wants.
    • It's OK to insert your own personality into the archetype. Over time, as others have played with the archetype on film, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl has become less defined by others in her life.
    • For example, in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kate Winslet's character acknowledges she fits the trope, but then rejects it, saying, “Too many guys think I’m a concept, or I complete them, or I’m gonna make them alive.” But, she says, she’s just looking for her “own peace of mind.”
    • You can maintain your own independent goals, and create a richer inner and outer life while still borrowing the character’s best attributes, such as her sunny spirit. For example, you can have career goals of your own, and sometimes go out with your friends, doing things separate from your love interest. Don't hesitate to share your needs and wishes.
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Part 3
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Adopting the Manic Pixie Dream Girl’s Style

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  1. You’ll often see the character in something vintage but also a little girly. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is usually feminine. [4]
    • The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is also sometimes a little punk. You might see her mix and match colors, from bright leggings to a star bag. You might find her mixing materials, from a leather jacket to a vintage dress.
    • Wear lacy dresses, and retro clothes. Choose dresses with interesting fabrics, lengths, and patterns. You don’t see Manic Pixie Dream Girls wearing a lot of boring solids. [5] Toss a beanie on your head for good measure.
    • Try wearing pleated and full skirts, especially in fun patterns like polka dots or bright colors like lime green. [6] Wear a blazer with patterned shirt. Be a hipster.
  2. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl usually wears her hair with bangs. Her hair is often short or shoulder length.
    • Shorter hair with bangs is the most common style worn by a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Some Manic Pixie Dream Girls dye their hair a cool color, like blue or Kool-aid red.
    • The Manic Pixie Dream Girl sometimes wears hair bows and other accessories in her hair. Remember, she is known for being particularly feminine.
  3. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl isn’t going to listen to mainstream pop. She’s too quirky and cool for that.
    • You’re most likely to catch her listening to underground, indie, alternative or obscure music. She doesn't follow trends or listen to what everyone else is listening. Stay away from mainstream pop.
    • For example, she might listen to the Unicorns, the Submarines, the Pixies, or the Shins. She’s probably into music, and might often quote it.
    • When it comes to movie interests, she continues this theme. She’s probably interested in independent and foreign films, especially French films. She is adventurous when dining out too, always willing to try new cuisines.
  4. You won't seem like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl if you're too high-maintenance and always fussing around with your style.
    • A Manic Pixie Dream Girl isn't likely to overdo the makeup or have beauty queen style pageant hair, with every strand of hair sprayed in place.
    • She's unlikely to be seen wearing the latest trend just because everyone else is doing it. You're not going to find her wearing high heels during the day. She's more likely to shop at vintage stores and thrift shops.
    • The Manic Pixie Dream Girl's style is not too perfectly coordinated. She's not worried about making sure her shoes match her nails and her nails match her shirt. She's a laid-back girl with a thrown-together vibe that somehow works. Her makeup is light and feminine - a dusting of pink blush on the cheeks, and a little white or neutral colored eye shadow.
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  • Question
    Is it bad to be a Manic Pixie Dream Girl?
    Community Answer
    It's controversial when the character is defined as having little backstory and existing to improve a male protagonist. But there's no reason you can't take the most endearing traits of this character (her quirkiness, her individuality, her positive nature) and make them your own.
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  • Question
    Is there a shorter way to say this?
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    Community Answer
    MPDG is the shorter way of saying it.
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  • Question
    Is there a shorter way to say this character's type?
    Community Answer
    MPDG is the shorthand. People actually say that!
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      Tips

      • You can be a Manic Pixie Dream Boy, too. The phrase was originally coined to refer to women or girls, but more recently some film critics have applied the trope to males. For example, in 2014, a critic said Augustus Waters from the Fault in Our Stars was a Manic Pixie Dream Boy. Other characters said to fit this trope include the character Jesse in Pitch Perfect , who was such because he exists to break the main female character out of her depression without a full back story of his own. The key to being a Manic Pixie Dream Boy is to adopt a cheerful, helping persona.
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      • Be a little mysterious!
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      • Try not to be easily embarrassed. Go after everything with reckless abandon and do not care about what others think.
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      Warnings

      • Trying to be a carbon copy of a character that's meant to be unique may not be a great idea. Always stay true to your own self!
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.buzzfeed.com/annabellenyst/signs-youre-a-manic-pixie-dream-girl#.bay177Oj5
      2. ↑ http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ManicPixieDreamGirl
      3. ↑ http://www.salon.com/2014/07/15/im_sorry_for_coining_the_phrase_manic_pixie_dream_girl/
      4. ↑ http://theodysseyonline.com/wisconsin-whitewater/10-ways-spot-manic-pixie-dream-girl/107240
      5. ↑ https://hellogiggles.com/being-a-manic-pixie-dream-girl-is-not-a-bad-thing/
      6. ↑ https://www.pinterest.com/stephanita/style-the-manic-pixie-dream-girl/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      A Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a type of female character who is free-spirited, quirky, and mysterious. If you want to be like this character, there are a few ways to adopt the Manic Pixie Dream Girl lifestyle! If you’re already quirky, embrace it! Play up your goofy side by smiling, joking around, and flirting as much as you can. Manic Pixie Dream Girls are also usually artsy, so take time to focus on your artistic passions, whether that’s painting, writing, or music. If you want to dress like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, wear a unique mix of vintage clothing. You might wear a lace dress with bright leggings, a leather jacket, and a polka dot headband. You could also don a shorter hair cut in a fun color, like red or blue. Keep in mind that Manic Pixie Dream Girls are usually low maintenance, so don’t overdo the makeup or try too hard to be perfectly coordinated. Just be your unique self! To learn how to show off the independent side of your personality, read on!

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