‘Stranger Things’ Had Lucas and Max Pay Homage to Another TV Couple
Max and Lucas are one of the cutest couples in Stranger Things. And in season 3, the teens wore outfits that subtly paid homage to another adorable TV couple.
In ‘Stranger Things’ Season 3, Lucas and Max pay homage to ‘That 70s Show’
Stranger Things is set in 1980s Hawkins, Indiana. And the style of the characters on the show reflects the fashion of the era and the region.
Most of the teens on the show wear nostalgic pieces, including ’80s-era sneakers, t-shirts, and jackets. But in Season 3, Episode 8, Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) are wearing outfits that pay homage to the sitcom, That ’70s Show.
In the scene, Lucas sports a bright green t-shirt with white and yellow stripes on the shoulders. The shirt represents Hawkins High School colors. But it’s also almost exactly like the shirt Eric (Topher Grace) wears in That ’70s Show.
In the same scene, Max dons a navy blue, long-sleeve v-neck with green, red, and yellow stripes across the chest. The shirt is identical to one Eric’s girlfriend Donna (Laura Prepon) wears in the FOX sitcom.
The Stranger Things cast and crew hasn’t commented on the similarities. But fans are convinced it wasn’t a coincidence, and this was the show’s way of paying tribute to the beloved TV couple.
The ‘Stranger Things’ costume designer reveals the inspiration behind the show’s fashion
Stranger Things costume designer Amy Parris hasn’t addressed Lucas and Max’s That ’70s Show homage. But she did explain how she gathered some of the show’s fashion inspiration from real yearbook photos.
“We looked at real kids from the time period,” Parris told Harper’s Bazaar. “I spent lots of time on Classmates.com, which has assorted yearbooks, gathering images of real students in different parts of the country. I also found lots of D&D club group photos which lent lots of inspiration for the Hellfire Club.”
Unlike cities like New York and Los Angeles, Hawkins is a small Midwest town that isn’t up-to-date on fashion. So, when designing the Hawkins’ kids’ wardrobes, Parris opted to keep them a little behind the trends.
“Hawkins would have been almost a decade behind in fashion, seeing as there was limited connection to current fashion pre-internet,” she explained. “So we edged closer to the earlier ’80s.”
Many costume pieces used in ‘Stranger Things’ are vintage
To give the Stranger Things characters an authentic ’80s vibe, Parris opted to use vintage pieces. She searched for items like jeans and jackets in vintage clothing outlets. And for some, she even dug into Winona Ryder’s childhood closet.
“The show is all about being authentic,” Parris said in her chat with Harper’s Bazaar. “We even used Winona’s own personal ’80s jeans from her parent’s closet! They were already the perfect amount of distressed and worn-in.”
“We avoid using anything new or contemporary unless it’s absolutely necessary to have multiples and if we don’t have time to make it ourselves,” she continued. “About 90 percent of the show is vintage or built from scratch.”
