Before they were housewives

Before they were housewives, On Nov. 3, we celebrate "Housewife Day," which honors the importance of stay-at-home wives and moms. And since 2006, a very special subset of housewives has graced our television screens with their presence: "The Real Housewives" of Bravo TV. In honor of the "Housewives" who keep us entertained as we tune in to their dramas week after week, click through to find out how these reality TV stars spent their days before they were famous.

Tamra Barney

"The Real Housewives of Orange County" star  and California native has been quite public about her struggles as a young single mother of son Ryan, who was 23 when Barney, by then a mother of four, first starred on the show. One divorce , one marriage  a spin-off show and a whole slew of fans later, the Bravo star has come a long way from her humble beginnings.

Kandi Burruss

While her "Real Housewives of Atlanta" stint has made her a star in recent years, this Atlanta native  and singer/songwriter was making deals and breaking hearts long before appearing on Bravo TV in 2009.

Heather Dubrow

Bravo's "Real Housewives of Orange County" isn't Dubrow's first television appearance; the Bronx native  has an impressive resume of roles, from a guest part on this popular FOX prime-time show in 1994 to the lead on a CBS sitcom in the early 2000s.

Yolanda Foster

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star  traveled the world  before settling down in Los Angeles, marrying , having kids  and starting her own interior design business.

Brandi Glanville

Before "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star  became known for her ex-husband bashing and red-carpet faux pas, the Sacramento-native began a successful career in this biz at a very young age.

Camille Grammer

Born in Newport Beach but raised in this East Coast state, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star started her career as a model and actress before working as a producer and writer and marrying into fame.

Teresa Giudice

Currently steeped in serious legal troubles with her husband  and one of TV Guide's "Nastiest Villains of All Time" in 2013, "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star  came from a pretty drama-free upbringing, considering.

Vicki Gunvalson

The business owner and self-proclaimed first member of the "Real Housewives of Orange County"  isn't shy in sharing about her past struggles as a 20-something single mom  with no college degree trying to make a go of it, and the success she found as a result.

Joanna Krupa

The model, actress  and cast member of "The Real Housewives of Miami"  was getting cover deals and competing on this popular TV show long before becoming a Bravo celebrity in 2012.

Jacqueline Laurita

A member of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" since 2008, the East Coast mom of three has most recently become an advocate for this disorder after her youngest son was diagnosed in 2012.

NeNe Leakes

Second time's the charm for this  "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star, who recently married her husband again after divorcing him in 2011. But long before taking the spotlight as a television star , Leakes  was a single mom recovering from an abusive relationship.

LuAnn de Lesseps

The only "Real Housewives of New York" star to hold a title, the countess, Connecticut native and current New Yorker  became a licensed nurse and worked as a model before marrying into French nobility in 1993.

Adrienne Maloof

The former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star and daughter of this late billionaire got her start working in the promotions department of her family's liquor and wine business and eventually became head of marketing for the Maloof enterprise .  

Caroline Manzo

Known for her fierce loyalty and pride in her family, the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star  married husband Albert when she was just 23; almost 30 years and three grown children later, they're still going strong.

Sonja Morgan

The Albany, N.Y., native and token flirt of the New York City "Housewives" cast since 2010 was once married  to the descendant of a former US president.

Marysol Patton

The Miami native and recurring star of "The Real Housewives of Miami" is known for her fierce PR skills  and her psychic, "tell-it-like-it-is" mom .

Kyle Richards

The Hollywood native, longtime actress and mother of four got her start on TV when she was just 5 years old  – well before starring on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

Gretchen Rossi

The California native and graduate of this Texas university  was caring for her ill then-fiancé, Jeff Beitzel when she joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" in 2008.

Lisa Vanderpump

The London-born "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" matriarch  and her husband  have owned 26 restaurants, bars and clubs in London and Los Angeles , one of which is the subject of the restaurateur and former actress's spin-off show.

Kim Zolciak

Born in Florida to a military family and raised in this northeastern state, the former nurse and "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star had been married and divorced  and was a single mom of two when she moved to Atlanta in 2003. Today, she's married to an NFL player  and pregnant with her fifth — and sixth children.