20 Lessons We Learned From Clueless That Still Apply Today

It's the 20th anniversary!

By Seija Rankin Jul 17, 2015 10:58 PMTags
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It has been a whopping twenty years since Clueless first hit theaters. Twenty! And my how far the movie has come.

What started off as simply a hilarious chick flick has now morphed into a cult classic that manages to both speak directly to young women and stand the test of time. It's not many movies that can remain that iconic for so long—or that funny. Not to mention all that it's done for Paul Rudd's career; who would have thought that Ant-Man himself got his started playing the nerdy UCLA co-ed?

In order to properly celebrate the movie's big milestone, we started thinking about everything that Clueless taught us. Most of the flick's biggest fans were mere children when it came out, so watching Cher and Dionne navigate high school life in ritzy Beverly Hills, complete with wild parties, giant houses and, yes, sex, was incredibly eye-opening. (Literally. We couldn't even blink during that bedroom scene with Christian). It taught us so much about life and love and fashion, but we were but innocent know-nothings back then. Does Clueless' infinite wisdom stand the test of time as well as Paul Rudd's face? 

As it turns out, it does. We picked out 20 of our favorite lessons from the classic flick that are just as useful today as they were 20 years ago. No as if's here.

1. The freeway in Los Angeles is terrifying and you should definitely avoid it at all costs.

2. It does not say "RSVP" on the Statue of Liberty. (Did you hear that, Donald Trump?)

3. Boys your own age are never as mature as you are. Never.

4. There's nothing worse than being a virgin who can't drive.

5. Never take a ride from a sleazy guy. You might not get left at a gas station and robbed at gunpoint, but it's still sketchy.

6. Whenever a boy comes over, you should always have something baking—but more importantly, you should always set a timer.

7. Planning your outfits ahead of time can save you a lot of hassle in the morning.

8. Never accept someone's first offer...negotiate, negotiate, negotiate!

9. Pausing is more than enough when you encounter a stop sign.

10. It's important to find friends with whom you share similar interests.

11. A quality secret handshake can never be underrated.

12. A great way to boost karma points is to find two sad, old people and help them find love. 

13. Don't engage in any activity in which balls fly at your nose.

14. To find your find your best self, alternate Aerobicise and Buns of Steel, and read one non-school book a week.

15. Also do something good for mankind or the planet for a couple of hours.

16. Always be more picky about men than you are about your shoes.

17. Nothing good happens in The Valley.

18. Keep a Capable-Looking Outfit handy at all times, in case of emergencies.

19. Try to be P.C. whenever possible, like using the terms "ensembly challenged" or "hymenally challenged."

20. In boy time, "the next day" still means "Thursday."