Stranger Things costume designer Amy Parris revealed that Eleven’s look in Season 5 was inspired by a character from a popular 1980s film. In a recent interview, Parris shared that Millie Bobby Brown‘s character’s outfit in Season 5 was inspired by Josh Brolin‘s look in The Goonies. Notably, The Goonies was released in the same timeframe in which Stranger Things takes place.
Stranger Things costume designer confirms Goonies inspiration behind El’s Season 5 look
In a recent interview with The New York Post, Amy Parris discussed Eleven’s look in Stranger Things Season 5. She said that the character’s attire — a cropped sweatshirt and shorts over joggers — was inspired by “a mix of” Josh Brolin’s look in The Goonies and Soleil Moon Frye’s appearance as Punky Brewster in the 1984 sitcom of the same name.
Parris said that she had anticipated a “reaction” from fans after they saw Eleven’s look for Season 5. “It’s funny, because I’ve been starting to get comments from people that are like, ‘Shorts over sweats?’” she shared. “And I’m like, it was absolutely a thing in the ‘80s! I knew this would be the reaction.”
Further, the costume designer revealed that she had gone through yearbook photos of “actual people” from the 80s who wore similar outfits and “not just Josh Brolin” while designing Eleven’s look.
Parris stressed that Eleven wasn’t “thinking about fashion” due to the absence of Max‘s guidance. She emphasized that although Eleven wasn’t thinking of fashion, she tried to make her appearance “as fashionable as she [could].”
Paris also revealed that Millie Bobby Brown was skeptical of Eleven’s clothing in Season 5. “She saw the concept art originally, which I showed to [series creators] the Duffer brothers,” Paris recalled. “And once we settled on an idea, we emailed it to her. I found out later that she had side-emailed them, like, ‘Are you sure about this?'”
Paris further recalled Brown making a joke about Eleven’s outfit being seen as unflattering during a costume fitting and saying, “I’m so glad I’m married!”
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. Volume 2 will drop on December 25, 2025, followed by the finale on December 31, 2025.
