What The White Lotus Wrong With Portia's Gen-Z Wardrobe
It's hard not to hate the characters of The White Lotus, the HBO show set in a fictional luxury hotel chain in Sicily for the second season. They are rich and almost all attractive, and yet miserable; an unbearable combination. Every week, viewers jump between who the most obnoxious guest is. Portia (Haley Lu Richardson), Tanya's Gen Z assistant, Jennifer Coolidge's impeccably acted "psycho" boss, tops many viewers' lists. Fresh out of college, whiny and addicted to doomscrolling on social media, she feels relatable, if a bit confused. Also receiving his share of the vitriol? Portia's wardrobe.
From the outset, Portia's clothes make her seem out of place. Against the grandeur of the hotel, she wears a knit cardigan covered in swans, paired with awkward length denim shorts. His look takes things a step further when seen alongside his employer, Tanya, who is wearing a floral print bodycon dress by Dolce & Gabbana. Portia uses a backpack while Tanya wears the same bag throughout each episode, a hot pink Valentino shoulder bag with a visible gold logo. ="inline" data-spacefinder-type="model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class="dcr-10khgmf">
Many Portia pieces look like they were found on Depop or charity shops. Her sweater vest is from Instagram-famous brand House of Sunny, a tie-dye sweatshirt that reads "No Problemo" is from Aries when she could have made her own beaded jewelry. While that seems pretty typical of Gen Z, who are conscious of where their clothes are made and care deeply about the environment, something about her look isn't quite right. Also: why was she wearing a sweater under the Sicilian sun?
TikTok pages for you are awash with instructions on how to achieve the "clean girl" aesthetic - dewy skin, a slicked back ponytail and a capsule wardrobe that reflects it. Take Matilda Djerf, the incredibly popular 25-year-old Swedish influencer with enviable hair (she has over 2 million Instagram followers) who couldn't look further than Portia's loud and chaotic wardrobe. Portia has no plain staples, beiges and neutral tones that you can pair with just about anything. She has contrasting elements and just seems to put them together. This is how she achieved her signature look, worn the first time she met Jack (Leo Woodall) at the hotel bar: a zebra print bikini and a Technicolor bolero.
It's hard not to hate the characters of The White Lotus, the HBO show set in a fictional luxury hotel chain in Sicily for the second season. They are rich and almost all attractive, and yet miserable; an unbearable combination. Every week, viewers jump between who the most obnoxious guest is. Portia (Haley Lu Richardson), Tanya's Gen Z assistant, Jennifer Coolidge's impeccably acted "psycho" boss, tops many viewers' lists. Fresh out of college, whiny and addicted to doomscrolling on social media, she feels relatable, if a bit confused. Also receiving his share of the vitriol? Portia's wardrobe.
From the outset, Portia's clothes make her seem out of place. Against the grandeur of the hotel, she wears a knit cardigan covered in swans, paired with awkward length denim shorts. His look takes things a step further when seen alongside his employer, Tanya, who is wearing a floral print bodycon dress by Dolce & Gabbana. Portia uses a backpack while Tanya wears the same bag throughout each episode, a hot pink Valentino shoulder bag with a visible gold logo. ="inline" data-spacefinder-type="model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class="dcr-10khgmf">
Many Portia pieces look like they were found on Depop or charity shops. Her sweater vest is from Instagram-famous brand House of Sunny, a tie-dye sweatshirt that reads "No Problemo" is from Aries when she could have made her own beaded jewelry. While that seems pretty typical of Gen Z, who are conscious of where their clothes are made and care deeply about the environment, something about her look isn't quite right. Also: why was she wearing a sweater under the Sicilian sun?
TikTok pages for you are awash with instructions on how to achieve the "clean girl" aesthetic - dewy skin, a slicked back ponytail and a capsule wardrobe that reflects it. Take Matilda Djerf, the incredibly popular 25-year-old Swedish influencer with enviable hair (she has over 2 million Instagram followers) who couldn't look further than Portia's loud and chaotic wardrobe. Portia has no plain staples, beiges and neutral tones that you can pair with just about anything. She has contrasting elements and just seems to put them together. This is how she achieved her signature look, worn the first time she met Jack (Leo Woodall) at the hotel bar: a zebra print bikini and a Technicolor bolero.
What's Your Reaction?
