‘The White Lotus’: Portia’s Outfits Were Meant to Be a Little Terrible
The White Lotus finished its second season, and a third one is on the way. After the season finale, a portion of viewers thinks Portia deserves to be with Albie as a couple. Meanwhile, others continue to comment on her choice of fashion.
Portia’s outfits are anything but plain and boring, and the clothes can seem off. The response from viewers may not feel surprising to the creators. The show’s costume designer admitted that the character’s wardrobe was intentional.
Portia’s notable outfits from Season 2
Portia entered the show in Season 2 as Tanya’s young assistant, and she drew the audience’s attention with her style. Each outfit is unique, but some stand out more than others. For example, she wears a cropped rugby shirt with short sleeves in an episode. The character pairs the shirt with green pants that have an elastic waistband.
Another outfit that fans talked about was a bikini top. At one point, Portia sports a zebra-print bikini top with a pair of white shorts and a crocheted bolero. Of course, she wears other styles that make her stand out in the crowd.
Some viewers have not forgotten a vest that featured swans or Portia’s neon shirt. She mixes and matches clothes due to a lack of a dress code for her job. Nevertheless, fans discuss whether her fashion choices are good or bad.
Despite the debate, fans can agree that it is hard to describe Portia’s style in general. However, her outfits do reflect the character being a member of Gen Z who frequents social media. The ensemble of clothing was intentional.
Portia’s fashion is supposed to be bad
According to The New York Times, costume designer Alex Bovaird explained that Portia’s chaotic fashion was purposeful. She noticed how some Instagram influencers put together wardrobes in a “haphazard but accidentally cool way.”
Bovaird also used brands on Instagram and TV contestants as inspiration. Of course, she wanted to make the character’s appearance seem a little off. Therefore, people may see Portia with the wrong pair of shoes or an abundance of accessories. She is supposed to be “a bit of a mess.”
Portia’s messy look reflects her status as a young person who constantly is on TikTok. In addition, she is not that rich and tends to make poor decisions. Therefore, her clothing relays the information to the viewers.
Bovaird thinks Portia looks cute sometimes, and she obtained the clothes from outlets like Urban Outfitters and House of Sunny. While the fashion screams Gen Z, the clothing items were from the ’90s and 2000s. Bovaird was able to use vintage clothing to highlight a generational divide.
What fans think of Portia
Besides comments on Portia’s wardrobe, fans have criticisms about her character. Throughout Season 2, Portia gripes about her work multiple times. While she has to worry about hiding from her boss’s husband, viewers think her job is not terrible.
According to GQ, some fans feel as though her job is easy and that she does not do anything. Not to mention, her work location is at a wealthy resort in Italy. At some points, Portia may come across as naive or self-centered. However, the actor behind the character sees her differently.
In an interview, Haley Lu Richardson explains that Portia is a relatable assistant. At the same time, she seems like a younger version of Tanya. Perhaps, almost being a mini version of her boss made fans dislike Portia. Nevertheless, she might get development if she appears for Season 3.
