As the highly anticipated final season of Stranger Things arrives, a surprising detail has captured fan attention: Eleven's unconventional new costume. The character's athletic, layered look has sparked online debate, with many calling it "not so fashionable." Behind this bold style choice is a deliberate creative decision rooted in 1980s authenticity, which even star Millie Bobby Brown initially questioned.
The Inspiration Behind Eleven's Controversial Look
Costume designer Amy Parris, who has defined the show's visual style for the last three seasons, fully expected the outfit to generate strong reactions. In an interview with The New York Post, Parris explained that the ensemble—a cropped sweatshirt with shorts worn over joggers—was directly pulled from real 1980s fashion references. She described the inspiration as "a mix of Josh Brolin from The Goonies and Punky Brewster," aiming for a retro, thrown-together teenage style.
Parris conducted thorough research, studying yearbooks from the era to find examples from "actual people, not just Josh Brolin." She emphasized that this layered look represented "a very specific '80s moment." Despite knowing it would provoke discussion, the creative team committed to this authentic direction, even as fans began asking questions like, "Shorts over sweats?"
Millie Bobby Brown's Initial Reaction and Acceptance
Even the actor portraying Eleven, Millie Bobby Brown, had reservations. Parris revealed that after seeing the initial concept art, the 21-year-old privately emailed the show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, to ask, "Are you sure about this?" Later, during a fitting, Brown humorously commented on the outfit's silhouette, joking, "I'm so glad I'm married!"
However, Parris described this exchange as "funny" and noted that Brown eventually came around to the look. The actress embraced it after seeing how it appeared on camera and realizing how comfortable and easy to wear it was. "You know, once she saw how cute it looked on her. And it's definitely a fashion risk for the time. She got into it, I think, once she realized how comfortable it was, and how easy it was to put on," Parris stated.
Keeping Eleven Grounded, Despite Millie's Stardom
An interesting challenge for the costume department has been balancing the character of Eleven with the massive celebrity status of Millie Bobby Brown. Parris explained that the Duffer Brothers regularly remind her to avoid making Eleven too stylish. "Millie Bobby Brown is kind of an entity in herself," Parris said, noting the directive is to make Eleven's clothes "less cool" to ensure audiences stay connected to the character rather than the famous actor playing her.
"[They told me] to keep the audience from thinking about her as a celebrity. We want to remember that she is this character. So, we always pull back from making her a little bit too cool," Parris elaborated. This philosophy ensures that Eleven's wardrobe remains authentic to her story and the show's 1980s Hawkins setting, rather than reflecting contemporary fashion trends or Brown's off-screen fame.
The first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 were released on Wednesday, November 26. According to Netflix's fan platform Tudum, as reported by PEOPLE, the final season consists of eight episodes in total. Episodes 5, 6, and 7 are scheduled to drop on December 25, with the series finale arriving on December 31, bringing the beloved sci-fi saga to an end.
