There's no doubt that people change over time. The same can be said for anyone who joins the Real Housewives world and decides to stay for several seasons. That's certainly the case for this former Real Housewives of Orange County star. Now that she is leaving the franchise for good (well, at least for right now), it only seems appropriate to analyze just how Heather Dubrow changed between her first and last RHOC episode.
She first debuted as a Housewife in Season 7 when she met up with her fellow cast member Tamra Judge, who was showing Heather some real estate. Then, Tamra invited Heather to an event to meet the rest of the women. From that moment on, Heather "Fancy Pants" Dubrow became an official Housewife surrounded by drama for five full seasons.
It takes time to warm up to a new face on Housewives, including Heather. Immediately, fans recognized that she embodied class, elegance, and luxury. She came off a bit uptight, extremely reserved, and even somewhat pretentious. She was, as Tamra pointed out immediately, fancy and wasn't afraid to show it. However, as the seasons went on, Heather dropped her guard, relaxed some, and shined in a whole new way.
Heather definitely became more comfortable as a reality star and grew in the process. She also turned into my favorite. With that, let's talk about exactly how she changed during her time as a Housewife.
She Became Less Reserved
You know when Heather's holding Oreos over her boobs, she's a lot more comfortable around the women and being on camera. It took quite some time for her to get this to point, which is understandable. I can't even imagine opening up my life to cameras and inviting the world into my private space. If you think about it, Heather's closed off nature during her first season makes complete sense. She was getting used to the Bravo world, all while trying to fit in with a group of women she knew nothing about.
She Showed Her Sexy Side
Even by her last episode Heather didn't openly discuss her sex life with her husband, Terry Dubrow, nor did she reveal any details. However, Heather was more open about it and also used double entendres from time to time. She definitely wasn't seen taking a bath with him, unlike Tamra and Eddie Judge. However, she did show off her more scandalous side as seasons went on. That's a far cry front the Heather viewers first met who couldn't stop saying, "Oh my."
She Owned Her "Fancy Pants" Moments
From the get-go, Heather was dubbed "Fancy Pants." She likes fancy things and isn't afraid to spend big bucks. Hello, just take a look at her huge new mansion. As much as all of that may irritate you, Heather has never shied away from it. She learned to own her "fancy pants" moments and recognize that sometimes she was being way over-the-top. Though, that doesn't mean she's going to change her expensive habits anytime soon.
She Let Loose A Lot More
Like Vicki Gunvalson, Heather ended up having a lot of "whooping it up" moments by her end time on RHOC. Whether she was talking about bondage parties, showing off her bloody wounds after undergoing leech therapy, or carrying around a Chanel flask filled with fireball in Ireland, Heather managed to let loose from time to time.
She Became The Center Of All The Friendships
She started out as the newcomer, but soon enough Heather found herself at the center of all the friendships. Granted, she had her ups and downs with several individuals (ahem, Shannon Beador), but Heather pretty much became friends with most of the women.
She Let Go Of Her Pretentiousness
I mean, she is still somewhat pretentious, but you have to admit that Heather became more down to earth as the seasons went on. She stopped being so showy (save for her new house) and didn't really care what others thought of her — or if they were impressed with her richness.
She Stopped Trying To Come Off As Perfect
No one is perfect and that includes Heather. For example, during Season 11 she did not hide the fact that her marriage to Terry Dubrow wasn't without its flaws. It became a major topic of discussion for the Housewife, especially since she wanted Terry to realize how important it was for them to have more family time and for him to have less work time.
She Strived For Even More Success
Yes, everybody knows she's an actor. Who could forget that time she snagged a role on Malibu Country? You know, just like Gretchen Rossi almost did, too. She came on as an actor who continued acting, but broadened her horizons. Heather created her own champagne line called Colette, designed her own skincare line with Terry called Consult Beaute, and they even wrote their own book titled Dr. & Mrs. Guinea Pig.
She & Tamra Became The Best Of Friends
It only seems appropriate that Tamra introduced Heather to the group and now they are the closest of friends. They may not seem like they would mix well, but I think the fact that they are somewhat opposites is what makes their friendship work so well.
She Acquainted Herself With The Drama
Heather came on RHOC not really knowing what she was getting herself into. She started out meek and mild, but that all quickly changed when she started joining in on the drama. There was that one time she kicked Shannon out of her house, along with all of that other drama there once was between them. Then, there was that time she called Kelly Dodd "trash." Oh, and how about that sushi dinner where Heather lost it over Kelly? Yeah, Heather now knows a thing or two about drama.
She Turned Into The Voice Of Reason
Whether you like how Heather handles certain situations or not, she really does make a lot of sense when it comes to arguments, putting out fires, and shutting down drama. Really, she always has had common sense, but by the time her Housewives run was over, Heather knew how to handle most situations — and mostly reasonably.
She & Champs Bonded Even More
She started out loving champs and ended loving it even more. This isn't surprising whatsoever.
Heather definitely has changed quite a bit since her RHOC debut, hasn't she?
