3 fictional female characters every girl can take inspiration from 

There is nothing more powerful for a girl than having an older woman, who knows a thing or two, share her wisdom; it’s even better if the woman has lived a happy, colourful life. 

While some of us may get lucky with an occasional crazy aunt, eccentric teacher, or flamboyant grandmother to strut through some of the trickier moments in our lives, there are a few fictional female characters that serve as mentors and support systems to millions of girls around the world. Regardless of what our lives look like at any given point in time, we have some of our favourite and timelessly relevant female characters to fall back on and take advice from. 

Here's our pick of three wise fictional female characters that we all adore and aspire to be when we grow older. 

QUEEN CLARISSE OF GENOVIA, 'THE PRINCESS DIARIES'

 

“A queen is never late, everyone else is simply early.” 

Besides this iconic statement that every girl who’s watched The Princess Diaries has quoted as a justification for being late, Queen Clarice, played by Dame Julie Andrews, has given us girls many other words of wisdom.

She taught us that manners matter. Good posture, excellent dining etiquette, the perfect royal wave, and an aura of diplomatic calmness amid utter chaos always serve a girl well. 

In teaching us to live our lives to the fullest, not feeling defeated by minor setbacks, and making our own mistakes, she claims the status of queen and makes us all feel like princesses. 

VIOLET CRAWLEY, DOWAGER COUNTESS OF GRANTHAM, 'DOWNTON ABBEY'

 

“Edith, dear, you’re a woman with a brain and reasonable ability; stop whining and find something to do!”

The Dowager Countess, played by Dame Maggie Smith, is a force to be reckoned with. Consistently resilient and amazingly witty through the course of the six seasons of Downton Abbey as well as the two sequel movies, Violet Crawley was the kind of grandmother you always wanted. 

From never explaining herself, taking every comment made about her as a compliment, and refusing to be a defeatist, to proudly believing that a woman is allowed to have her share of fun before she gets married, Violet Crawley taught us the importance of resilience and confidence and that life is as rewarding as you choose to make it. 

JACQUELINE CARLYLE, 'THE BOLD TYPE'

 

“I expect you to have adventures. I expect you to fall in love, to get your hearts broken. I expect you to have sex with the wrong people, to have sex with the right people, to make mistakes and make amends, take a leap and make a splash. And I expect you to unleash holy hell on anyone who tries to hold you back, because you don’t just work for Scarlet. You are Scarlet.”

Jacqueline Carlyle, editor-in-chief at Scarlet Magazine, played by Melora Hardin, is more than just a boss. She is an inspiration to truly live your life with passion and feeling, to stand up for yourself, and not be apologetic if you haven’t done anything to be sorry for. She is a woman who gives a voice to other women. 

Characters like these women have become an inspiring part of our lives, teaching us to live with grace, courage, compassion, and resilience by example of their own lives. They remind us that ups and downs make life worth living and to stay calm because everything always works out exactly as it's supposed to—and we all need to hear that sometimes.