Why Eleven Abandons Her ‘80s Mall Rat Style in “Stranger Things” Season 4

Eleven wears this casual outfit to school to present her diorama of Hopper’s cabin, and you can actually shop a recreation 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 recreated 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, Indiana, 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; colours and prints that she’s not worn before,” Parris told 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 teamed it with her signature Reebok sneakers and socks.

Sites like Hot Topic created button-downs with similar swirling patterns, a testament to Elle’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,” Elle 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, Elle 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 school 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 recreations of her pink dress regularly popping up on costume sites and Etsy shops alike. The pleated dress with a smocked bodice and white Peter Pan collar is layered under a casual blue jacket for a bold contrast.