by thecowl.ae on April 27, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
By Elizabeth Jancsy `18
A&E Staff
It is the year 2006 in sunny San Francisco, and a 23 year-old girl by the name of Sophia has found herself in a rut. She has no job, no respect from her father, and if she doesn’t think of a way to earn money fast, she will have to move home. With little time and no money, Sophia turns to eBay, where she finds not only money for rent, but also her true calling.
This is the true story of Sophia Amoruso and the plot to Netflix’s new series Girlboss. Amoruso is the founder of Nasty Gal, a popular retail website that, according to The New York Times, has gained over 550,000 customers in 60 countries since its start in 2006. The website offers hot new clothes and current brands, but also stays true to its original work in one of a kind vintage finds. Along with Amoruso’s success in her company, she has written a book entitled #Girlboss and started a foundation of the same name, granting scholarships to young women pursuing creative endeavors.
Although both the title of Amoruso’s book and the debut series share the same name, they are lacking in similarities. Unlike Amoruso’s book, that acts more as a “How To” guidebook in the world of entrepreneurship, the Netflix series provides a much more entertaining and comedic narration of Amoruso’s rise to retail fame. Starring Britt Robertson (The Longest Ride) as Sophia, viewers follow along as a youthful, spunky, and determined young woman builds her own empire from the ground up.
At times, the characters and plot lines can be a little cheesy, clearly reflecting the scriptwriters’ attempts to be funny and relatable, but they do warn viewers at the start of every 30 minute episode, “this is a loose telling of actual true events…very loose.” One episode is based around Sophia having to personally deliver a vintage wedding dress to a bride moments before she has to walk down the aisle, simply so Sophia can avoid a bad review on her eBay account. It is moments like these that one can’t help but appreciate the truer story line behind the comedic tale, and see the reflection of someone who worked very hard to make a dream come true.
Even if one isn’t into fashion, the show holds something for everyone. There is love between Sophia and a potential boyfriend Shane, friendship between Sophia and Annie, and comical moments between Sophia and her neighbor Lionel, played by the famous RuPaul Charles.
One can also expect killer music, reflecting not only the early 2000s, but also Amoruso’s love for music (as the name Nasty Gal was inspired by the 1975 album by Betsy Davis), and also beautiful snapshots of the city of San Francisco, where they filmed the series.
Although the series may not teach you how to run your own business and become the most powerful person in the business world, it does show you the trials and tribulations of a relatable young adult just trying to figure it all out.