Millie Bobby Brown questioned Eleven’s season 5 look — and fans are right there with her

Stranger Things’ final season has barely landed, and one of the biggest talking points isn’t a monster, a mystery, or a portal — it’s Eleven’s outfit. Viewers have been buzzing about the character’s noticeably off-beat, “why-does-this-work?” look, and it turns out Millie Bobby Brown had the same reaction.

Costume designer Amy Parris, who has shaped the show’s style for the last three seasons, said she fully expected the chatter. Speaking to The New York Post, she joked that she’s already hearing fans ask, “Shorts over sweats?” — a question she knew was coming.

According to Parris, the layered athletic combo — a cropped sweatshirt, shorts pulled over joggers — isn’t a random experiment. It’s pulled straight from real ‘80s fashion, inspired by The Goonies’ Josh Brolin, Punky Brewster, and even old yearbooks. “It was absolutely a thing,” she said, adding that she deliberately pulled references from everyday teens of the era, not just movie icons.

Eleven’s emotional state also shaped the look. With Max still in a coma, Parris noted that El no longer has a friend “guiding her” through what to wear. The character isn’t thinking about style so much as trying to piece together something that still feels “fashionable enough,” even if it comes off a bit mismatched.

And yes — Millie Bobby Brown pushed back at first. Parris revealed that Brown emailed the Duffer Brothers after seeing the concept art, asking, “Are you sure about this?” During a later fitting, Brown even joked, “I’m so glad I’m married!” before eventually embracing the outfit once she saw how it worked on camera. Comfort, Parris said, was the big selling point.

The Duffer Brothers, meanwhile, regularly remind Parris to keep Eleven’s style firmly uncool — or at least not too cool. With Brown’s growing star power, they want the character to feel real, grounded, and distinct from the celebrity wearing the clothes.

The first four episodes of Season 5 dropped on November 26, kicking off the show’s final run. Episodes 5 through 7 arrive December 25, with the finale closing out the series on December 31.