portia walked so chelsea could run
white lotus looks that transcended seasons + 30 secondhand pieces to shop
This article contains spoilers for the final episode of White Lotus Season 3. All photos courtesy of HBO.
This past Sunday, all my text convos included some variant of are you watching the White Lotus finale tonight!?
I love collective TV moments like this. I find comfort in the knowledge that every Sunday night for the past 8 weeks, we were all ordering our favorite Thai takeout and burrowing into the couch, tuning into the percussive paranoia-tinged melody of the theme song.
And like everyone else, I was charmed by Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Her earnestness and smiley warmth was a refreshing reprieve from the fake rich bitches we have come to expect (and love lol) from the series. She just brought something different. A winsome quality, a pure heart, a devout belief in pop astrology. I just know she sends Rick Costar posts on IG with the message “so us.”
So yeah, I hated that she died. She was doomed because she was so optimistic and chose to see the good in everything and everyone. “Romantic fatalism,” as Mike White called it. Rest in peace Chels.
In the finale, I noticed that Chelsea’s outfit looked very similar to what Portia wore in White Lotus Italy.
Remember Portia? Our chaotic microtrend print-clashing Gen Z gal??
After some digging, I found more parallels between her and Chelsea’s outfits. Despite the outfit formulas being similar, Portia always ends up looking like a microtrend final boss, whereas Chelsea gives earthy sophistication.
I don’t know if costume designer Alex Bovaird did this intentionally—I haven’t read anything about past characters informing new characters’ wardrobes. Regardless, it demonstrates that White Lotus style transcends seasons. And it’s fun to dissect :)
Here are all the four style twin moments between Chelsea and Portia.
*Secondhand pieces inspired by characters are below the paywall.
1). Mint Green Tee + Blue Floral Midi Skirt
We see Chelsea on her last day at hotel breakfast wearing a pale mint green baby tee with her signature gold dog tag necklace. It’s a realistic, comfy “last day of vacation” outfit. You’ve exhausted your sparkly party dresses and just want to relax.
She’s telling Rick why a Cancer Venus and an Aquarius Moon would never work together when he interrupts her to get more food. She asks if he can get her a donut. He picks one with green glaze—people online have called it matcha flavored, but my money’s on pandan.
My interpretation was that the color of the pale green shirt signified rebirth, new beginnings, the cycle of life. It’s one of my favorite colors…hence why it’s in the Molehill logo.
We don’t see the rest of Chelsea’s outfit until shit starts going down.
She paired the tee with a blue floral midi skirt, worn low around the hips with a sash tie. And red flip flops. Overall, it’s nothing fancy compared to her other resort outfits, and I think that enhanced the tragedy of it all. It’s down-to-earth and easygoing.
Chelsea died wearing an outfit that was true to who she was.
Now, let’s revisit this outfit Portia wore for a day out with Albie and his family.
Also a mint green tee, though hers is a polo, and a blue midi skirt (old Urban Outfitters, according to wornontv.com). Portia gets a lot of flak for her disheveled fast fashion vibe, but I do like some of her individual outfit decisions—such as the chartreuse Crap eyewear sunglasses! I would totally wear those.
On paper, these outfits follow the same template.
But what distinguishes Chelsea’s ease from Portia’s chaos?
Below the fold, full analysis + 30 secondhand affordable picks inspired by my White Lotus faves (Chelsea’s pale green top, blue silk skirts, cool crochet, Piper’s love for “monastery orange,” etc). Sneak peek—
