Ever since Netflix's To All The Boys I've Loved Before was released two years ago, Lara Jean has established herself as one of the most relatable characters in media. Based on Jenny Han's book series of the same name, To All The Boys features the hopeless romantic teenager navigating high school drama and the tumultuous experience of first love. She seems to always be caught in a love triangle — first with Peter Kavinsky and Josh Sanderson, and now with John Ambrose McClaren in To All The Boys I've Loved Before 2: P.S. I Still Love You. But despite the rom-com cheesiness, Lara Jean remains an accessible character that girls of all ages could relate to in some way. Here were some of her best moments in the movie — both cringey and sweet and everything in between. Warning: some spoilers are up ahead.
Getting ready for her first ‘official date’
Who can fault Lara Jean for breaking out into an iconic dance and lip-sync montage as she gets ready for date night with Peter? We definitely don’t. Aside from dancing her heart out (kudos to Lana Condor’s ballet background), Lara Jean is seen trying out different dresses for the perfect date night look. She finally settles on a cute red dress that she paired with a bold red lip. We love it, and Peter definitely did too, as evidenced by his starstruck gaze when LJ opened the door.
Gushing over boys with her bestie
Lara Jean and Chris are completely bestfriend goals and we get to see more of this supportive female friendship in this movie. Lara Jean and Chris are perfect foils to each other: LJ 's all soft and starry-eyed while Chris is more upfront and edgy. But in this movie, we see the softer side of Chris when she gets her very own love interest in Trevor Pine, Peter’s bestfriend played by Ross Butler of former Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why fame. The moment LJ and Chris shared when Lara Jean discovers the budding relationship is just too cute and reminds us of our own conversations with our BFF.
The moment of panic
Spoiler alert: it’s not all sunshine and roses in the Covinsky ‘verse. With the introduction of Jordan Fisher’s John Ambrose McClaren, LJ is confronted by the repercussions of her sent love letters. After organizing a meet-up of their childhood friend group at their treehouse, Lara Jean realises that having Peter and John Ambrose in the same room might not be a good idea. Cue some instant regret and panic.
Star Ball makeover magic
It takes you back to prom season, where you primp and preen for a night of dancing until your feet hurt. Lara Jean and John Ambrose organised the Star Ball for the residents at The Belleview, a residence for seniors where they volunteer after school. While LJ wasn’t planning on dressing up, the vivacious grandma-figure Stormy convinced her to get dolled up for the night. In a classic Cinderella moment, Lara Jean gets to sport a vintage-inspired makeup-and-hair look that goes with her ruffled mint dress (courtesy of Stormy, of course). She even gets to share a dance with John Ambrose. Swoon.
Her first heartbreak
Sadly, Lara Jean has a lot of growing up to do. Not only does she feel confused about the John Ambrose situation, but she also has some insecurity when it comes to Peter’s closeness with his ex-girlfriend (and LJ’s ex-bestfriend) Genevieve. Our sensitive female lead decides to figure out who she is outside of being Peter Kavinsky’s girlfriend, and decides to break up with Peter in a sad turn of events. Don’t worry though, the movie ends on a happy note with Peter and LJ getting back together. But we could all probably relate to that heart-wrenching feeling after a break-up.
(Cover photo from: @lanacondor)
Have you seen these To All The Boys I've Loved Before-inspired Sephora exclusives?
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