Mavis Beaumont: How She Reinvented Her Own Sense Of Value Through Her Styling Business – And What EVERY Woman Out There Can Take Away From Her Journey Of Self-Sabotage And Inner Beauty

A woman’s value is constantly being diminished by none other than men. We saw how this very thing played out in Legally Blonde. Elle, the main protagonist played by Reese Witherspoon, was undermined by literally everyone in her life, including her boyfriend Warner, strictly based on the ways she looked and her bubbly personality. He even broke up with her for that very reason.

More than 20 years since the movie was released, it doesn’t seem like things have changed at all for women. We women are still faced with the realities of constantly and tirelessly having to prove our worth in a world that has no faith in us. That’s relevant in both our personal AND professional aspirations. This very fact leads a woman to self-sabotage and ultimately lose faith or respect she ever had for herself.

This is exactly what happened to Mavis Beaumont in season 2 of Survival Of The Thickest as she faced self-sabotage, notably by sabotaging a promising romance with Luca and facing career jeopardy following a viral incident with a designer. Despite these setbacks, the series focused on her resilience, with a focus on self-discovery rather than self-hatred. To break it down more thoroughly:

Key Instances of Mavis’s Self-Sabotage and Struggles:

• Romantic Missteps: Mavis started season 2 in a difficult position after ruining a relationship with Luca by secretly accepting a proposal from her cheating ex.

• Professional Turmoil: Following a viral protest against an inclusive-but-exclusive designer, Mavis’s attempts to defend her stance on a podcast backfired, leading to a tarnished reputation.

• Overreach and Misinterpretation: A conflict arose regarding Mavis attempting to style a celebrity, which some viewers saw as a misinterpretation of her professional boundaries rather than pure discrimination. 

Despite these moments where she lost respect or footing, the show focused on her growth and navigating these mistakes. The biggest mistake that she made in her personal life was accept a marriage proposal from her ex and then run away to Luca’s arms straight away. Luca was someone who truly valued her and saw her for exactly who she was. He accepted her without trying to change a single thing about her.

Luca was a good man. He was someone who genuinely believed in Mavis and everything she stood for. It was Mavis who didn’t believe in herself. That was exactly why she accepted her cheating ex’s proposal. She settled for less than she ever deserved. When she realized what a mistake she made, she quickly tried to undo it and gain Luca’s trust again. She stayed with him in Italy for a few weeks, and though he tried to make himself believe that everything was fine between them, he just couldn’t do it. He couldn’t lie to her anymore. But more importantly, he couldn’t lie to himself.

In the final act of season 1, Mavis gave a speech at the queer prom she’d planned. In it, she said, ‘We think that life should be a certain way, but I hope your wildest fantasies become your truest reality, because dreaming big… it makes life worth living.’ When I initially watched Mavis’ fiasco in her love life unfold, frustration and agony began pouring into my mind and heart. But then, empathy and compassion came rushing through.

I understood where Mavis was coming from when she accepted her ex’s proposal. Right at that moment when he proposed, she was essentially stuck between her past and her future. She built an entire life with her ex. She envisioned spending her lifetime with him. She was in her late 30s, and as she knew she wanted to have a baby, she, in hindsight, saw it as an opportunity to settle down and make the life she’d envisioned for herself. At that moment, it didn’t even matter that it’d be with the wrong person that she’d spend the rest of her life with. She wanted stability in her life, and this her opportunity to get it.

When her phone broke, Mavis went to a repair shop where she was asked if she wanted to repair the broken phone or upgrade to a new one. Mavis decided to upgrade to a new one, and applied that same logic to her relationship. She broke up with her ex and returned the engagement ring. What followed was Mavis rushing to see Luca in Italy.

Michelle Buteau, who portrays Mavis and also co-wrote and executive produced the series, previously opened up to Decider about the messy love triangle, ‘Triangles happen more than we admit. Sometimes, people will go for the person that looks good on paper… the safe choice… the choice that everybody wants for you. What happens when you just take a chance on someone who you don’t know at all, but you just feel like they’re home even though they’re so far away? Why would you trust yourself and stick up for yourself in these other chapters of your life, but not follow through on this? It’s like emotional accountability. If you’re going to do it, do it. And if it doesn’t work out, then at least you know. But, living in regret… no, that will age a bitch. Don’t do that. That and water. Drink water and make good decisions.’

Season 2 of Survival Of The Thickest took Buteau’s word very, very seriously. Not just in Mavis’ personal life, but professionally too. Season 1 already saw her take great risks in her styling business. She turned down an opportunity to work for Lizzo in a big shoot with Essence that would’ve involved her working with her cheating ex. Another time, she turned down a client’s offer of $10,000 a month to be her personal stylist, just because she didn’t want to share her with others. Mavis, on both occasions, had to put her boundaries first and said no to the opportunities because her self-respect was worth more than money. 

Mavis is a fucking badass; in the mind of a business, that is. I just wish she was just as confident in her personal life like she’s been in her business. I think the biggest reason for her being so fearful in her personal life had to do with her fear of being alone. She felt that she was on a timeline because her biological clock was ticking. She was willing to sacrifice her own happiness in order to have a baby with someone who was completely wrong for her; with someone who disrespected her and broke her trust just because he gave her a ring.

Accepting her ex’s proposal was an easier road to getting her version of a happy ending. I was so proud of Mavis in season 2. During a heart-to-heart with her best friend Khalil, she confessed that she was planning to have a baby on her own, without having a man in her life. It was the most powerfully beautiful moment of the entire series. She finally took matters into her own hands and decided to take the untraditional approach to motherhood rather than trying to forcefully making herself believe that the traditional way was the only way to do it.

Nothing about Mavis was traditional. Not in her background; not in her relationships; not in her friendships; not in her business; not in her appearance; not in her lifestyle. She was messy, but that was exactly what made her so fucking great. She was a woman who didn’t conform to straight sizes and idealistic beauty standards. Time and time again, she was made to feel like she should be grateful when someone found her desirable. Mavis switched the narrative entirely. She made it entirely clear to those around her that she was a badass of a woman, and she was worth a lot more than what anyone was willing to offer her.

Season 2 of Survival Of The Thickest saw Mavis as a mostly single woman following her separation from Luca and leaving Italy behind her. I loved that for her. Season 1 was all about the fear of starting over at an age where society tends to tell women they’re too old for growth. Season 2 was all about thriving and proving society wrong. Following her leaving Italy, Mavis didn’t rush into another relationship just so that she wouldn’t miss her mark when it came down to her biological clock. Instead, she was focusing on her work.

Fashion and the science behind it was always the core of the show, but even more so in season 2. The final two episodes were actually the most interesting and inspiring, as Mavis faced off against a high fashion designer, Charles Renee. He promised a plus-size collection but didn’t deliver. Instead, he created some dresses that weren’t nearly catered to plus size women beyond a size 12. Mavis was furious. She spent every penny she had on the dresses. But despite her frustration, she refused to back down. She went on a podcast and talked about what had happened. Charles Renee was quick to make himself seem like the innocent party during her interview, as he was the more powerful and influential one between the two. The public believed him over her.

Even then Mavis refused to back down. She decided to make matters completely into her own hands. She practically forced Charles Renee to listen to what she had to say. It wasn’t much that she had to say, but the little that she did say spoke volumes to him. Through a PowerPoint presentation, she reminded him his exact WHY in starting his fashion brand. As it turned out, it was his sister, who was plus-sized herself, who was the inspiration behind his fashion career when she couldn’t find a dress that fit her. Being reminded of that influenced him to change his mind about collaborating with Mavis.

In the midst of all the chaos and challenges Mavis was facing in her business, Luca came back into her life. For her, it was all very sudden. For him, on the other hand, it was all planned. He moved back to the US from Italy to be with her. He came to her telling her he loved her. Feeling touched, and even somewhat shocked, by his words, Mavis kissed him and they almost slept together. But she stopped anything from happening before it happened. She just couldn’t do it. Her gut instinct was telling her it wasn’t right. Luca, though heartbroken, respected it.

The very last scene of scene of season 2 was just after the conference where Charles Renee and Mavis announced their collaboration. Luca was there to support Mavis from afar even though he had zero understanding of what exactly she did in her work; even though they weren’t even together. He just wanted to be there for her. She (very awkwardly) thanked him for being there, got into her cab and said goodbye. Luca went the other direction. Suddenly, we see Mavis call his name and inviting him to the car as they “were headed in the same direction”.

The ending was open. The ending was reflective. It wasn’t this romantic moment between two people. It didn’t give a clear insight as to what really happened between the two characters. And yet, it was optimistic. The very last few seconds of the second season, both Mavis and Luca were smiling, and I, while watching them, was smiling with them. It would’ve been the perfect ending to the series altogether, but I’m glad we get to experience another season together again. Not for the romance between Mavis and Luca, but for the love story between Mavis and her business.

Women often face significant, systemic challenges in being taken seriously in business, a phenomenon frequently described as the “authority gap”. This disparity stems from deeply ingrained gender biases, where men are assumed competent until proven otherwise, while women are often assumed incompetent until they prove otherwise. Based on research and studies in the business and entrepreneurial sectors, here is why women have a harder time being taken seriously:

1. Persistent Gender Bias and Stereotypes

• The Competence Gap: Women must often prove their competence repeatedly to earn the same credibility as their male peers.

• The “Double Bind”: Women in leadership face an “impossible tightrope”: If they are too assertive, they are labeled “aggressive” or “abrasive.” If they are too soft, they are not respected or taken seriously.

• Benevolent Sexism: Research shows that seemingly positive, condescending attitudes—viewing women as gentle, fragile, and in need of protection—can lead to underestimating their ability to lead.

• “Male-Default” Mindset: Many industries still associate leadership and entrepreneurial success with masculinity, making women seem “role-incongruent” in senior roles. 

2. Lack of Access to Funding and Resources

• Underestimation by Investors: In 2022, female founders received only about 2% of all venture capital funding. VCs often ask women “prevention-focused” questions (highlighting risk and loss) while asking men “promotion-focused” questions (highlighting potential and gains).

• The “Like Me” Effect: Because most investors are men, they tend to invest in people who look and think like them, leading to a bias against women-led ventures.

• Networking Disparities: High-level business networks are often male-dominated, leaving women with fewer opportunities for mentorship and strategic partnerships. 

3. Devaluation of Authority in Daily Interactions

• Interrupting and Dismissal: Women are more likely to be interrupted, talked over, or have their expertise questioned in meetings compared to men.

• Undermining Expertise: Women’s ideas are sometimes ignored until they are repeated by a male colleague.

• Mistaken for Junior Roles: Women are more likely to be mistaken for someone in a much more junior position. 

4. Societal and Structural Hurdles

• Caregiver Bias: Society continues to place the majority of caregiving responsibilities (childcare and eldercare) on women, leading to assumptions that they are less committed to their business.

• The “Too-Afraid-to-Fail” Syndrome: Due to societal pressure to be perfect, women may be more cautious, while being perceived as “risk-averse” unfairly reduces their perceived credibility.

• Self-Doubt/Imposter Syndrome: Persistent undermining can erode confidence, leading to a “confidence gap” where women may, in some cases, not ask for the same funding levels as men. 

5. Intersectional Factors

The authority gap is wider for women of color, disabled women, and women from working-class backgrounds, as they are further from the traditional “white male default” of leadership. Despite these challenges, women are consistently proving that their businesses often outperform those led by men, making the case for breaking these biases essential for economic growth. 

This was exactly what Mavis had gone through in her styling business. Fashion is aimed to be only of value for women who are size 0. Fashion tells us that only women of a certain size are attractive. Mavis challenged this concept of beauty. Through her styling, she showed that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. She showed that beauty was about confidence in one’s self, represented through clothing. She’s the representation we all need – “fat” or not.

I’m not considered to be plus-sized, but I am a woman with a physical disability. I live in a world that defines me by this disability. Time and time again, I’m reminded that I’m not good enough because my body looks different than the norm. Time and time again, I’m told by other people that I’m not as worthy; that I’m not as valuable to society because my body looks different than what society is used to.

Watching Mavis fight for opportunities she was constantly denied because of weight was inspiring. It reminded me that no matter how many times I, as a disabled woman, am denied access to what I believe is my own right, I should fight for it. No, I actually NEED to fight for it. If I don’t see my own damn self as valuable or worthy or deserving, no one else will. There’s no such thing as perfection. It’s only a myth that exists in the universe and it’s a flawed mythology that exists today. But if I present myself as the confident, intelligent, beautiful woman that I feel that I am, then others will too. That’s what real, raw and pure inner beauty is.

A woman can be the ugliest person alive on the outside. But if she’s beautiful on the inside like Mavis is, then she’s the most attractive woman alive. Sophia Loren, another fashion icon, once said, ‘Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.’ That’s something every woman, and man, should remember in their lives as a person who is capable of judgement. Integrity comes from within. Kindness comes from the heart.

I’m now nearing the age as Mavis is in the series. And it’s only thanks to her that I feel confident enough and even excited about reinventing myself. Watching her made me feel inspired to make something new of myself and start completely over; whatever the fuck that means. If it means going back to school, changing careers, or even just getting out there and doing something I’d never done before. No matter who I aspire to be, the only person who’ll ever limit me is myself. Mavis, to me, was a reminder that I could never let that happen. Not in a million years.