Eleven's style has certainly evolved through each season of Netflix's "Stranger Things." Since she first debuted on our screens as the telepathic hero with a heart of gold, Millie Bobby Brown has pulled off every distinctive '80s trend with ease, shifting from rolled denim to edgy shackets to vibrant graphic tees. Now, we've arrived at season four, and Eleven's closet, according to costume designer Amy Parris, is more confusing than ever.
"Eleven is a mix of a variety of clothing and hand-me-downs from Joyce, Johnathan, and Will," Parris tells POPSUGAR over email. "Max (Sadie Sink) is no longer with Eleven to help her with what would be contemporary fashion of the time, so she's a bit clueless and confused by her new style."
At school in Lenora Hills, CA, where she goes by Jane Hopper, Eleven's clothes are all over the place. Parris drew inspiration from Sarah Jessica Parker's character Patty Greene from the 1980s sitcom "Square Pegs." Like Greene, Eleven is having trouble fitting in at her new high school and trying to figure out which clique she should belong to. Her outfits help convey that identity crisis.
Eleven's wardrobe in season four runs the gamut from a colorful pinafore dress to an oversize flannel. As far as accessories go, she still keeps her classic Reebok sneakers in rotation, though we may see far fewer scrunchies and suspenders now.
Ahead, get a complete breakdown of Eleven's style transformation from season one until now, guided by key information from Parris.
Eleven wears this casual outfit to school to present her diorama of Hopper's cabin, and you can actually shop a re-creation of her "Strawberry Festival" graphic tee. Her men's red-and-navy flannel was a purchase from Walmart.
Eleven wears a mishmash of layered tees underneath an oversize flannel when she runs into some trouble with the law. She styles her tops with high-waisted white jeans and brown leather vintage Reebok sneakers, speaking to her "confusing" fashion phase throughout season four.
Eleven's pinafore dress, curiously worn over yet another plaid shirt, has classic '80s graphics and has already been re-created on many costume sites. The clashing combination is worn for a trip to the roller rink when Mike comes to visit her in California.
When Max Mayfield (played by Sadie Sink) arrives to introduce Eleven to the Starcourt Mall in Hawkins, IN, she tells her, "You just try things on until you find something that feels like you."
Eleven chooses a bright neon scrunchie and suspenders. "The mall rats of the '80s were wearing these criss-cross belts and accessories were a huge thing. She just gets excited to pile it all on: colors and prints that she's not worn before," Parris tells Fashionista of the moment.
One of Eleven's most popular outfits from season three is her abstract-print jumpsuit, which was an original vintage piece, complete with a belt. She teams it with her signature Reebok sneakers and socks.
Sites like Hot Topic created button-downs with similar swirling patterns, a testament to El's style influence.
In an interview for Netflix, Parris taps into the playsuit's history: "It's a one-off — we didn't have multiples of that. We got really lucky, because you often need [multiples], especially for kids and stunts in water and whatever else she got into that season. But there's only one. I've looked everywhere. It might have been dead stock and made its way into a costume house. But right now, it's in Eleven's closet."
In season three's "The Battle of Starcourt," El wears a bright-yellow aztec-print shirt that Levi's launched alongside similar pleated, belted, high-waisted trousers so fans could get the look.
Throughout season two, El veers toward a rugged look complete with overalls, tough shackets, and other edgy style staples. From her smoky eye makeup to her rolled denim, it was easy enough for fans to collect (or DIY) similar pieces for a Halloween costume.
Eleven's three-quarter-sleeve polka-dot dress with a red belt cinching the waist comes at the end of season two at the Hawkins Middle School Snow Ball dance. Some Etsy users have handmade replicas of this look.
Throughout season one, when Eleven is not in her classic pink dress, we see her in a lot of hand-me-down oversize graphic T-shirts, like this one.
Perhaps her most famous outfit throughout the series is Eleven's original look, with re-creations of her pink dress regularly popping up on costume sites and Etsy shops. The pleated dress with a smocked bodice and white Peter Pan collar is layered under a casual blue jacket for a bold contrast.