Set in the 1980s, the story centers around Aurelie, a young teenage girl who moves to a small Southern town with her quirky parents, Jeanne and Jim. Eager to fit in at her new school, Aurelie decides to get a perm to improve her looks and boost her self-confidence. However, the result is a disastrous, frizzy hairdo that makes her the target of relentless teasing and bullying from her peers. Meanwhile, Jeanne and Jim are dealing with their own personal trials. Jeanne is trying to adjust to her new job, while Jim is coping with the physical and emotional effects of his recent vasectomy, creating a complicated family dynamic.

As Aurelie navigates the social minefield of high school, she finds solace in unexpected friendships and learns valuable lessons about self-acceptance and resilience. The story weaves together themes of family, identity, and the struggle to belong, demonstrating how each character's vulnerabilities can be both their greatest weakness and their most endearing strength. Through humor and heartache, it portrays the ups and downs of growing up and finding one's place in the world.