4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Here's where every outfit in Netflix's ‘Sirens' is from, worn by Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock and Julianne Moore
How did we spend our weekend? Binge watching Netflix's new TV show, Sirens, of course. The all-star cast includes Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock and Julianne Moore, but truly, it's the fashion throughout the five-part series that had us tuning in until the final episode. Talk about a dramatic ending!
Don't worry – no spoilers here. The only info we'll be revealing is the deets on where you can get your hands on the exact outfits seen on screen. If you have yet to watch, the show is based on Molly Smith Metzler's 2011 play, Elemeno Pea, and follows Devon, a woman with more than a little baggage, as she attempts to reconnect with her troubled younger sister, Simone, in an effort to get her to leave her glamorous life and return home to Buffalo, New York.
Located in a Nantucket-esque wealthy coastal town, the outfits by costume designer Caroline Duncan deserve their own subplot, IMO, providing relevant but unspoken context, speaking to each character's individual arc and revealing all-important clues. Below, all the info on the best Sirens outfits and where you can get the look.
Let's not forget, Simone is trying desperately to carve out a new life for herself after escaping her tragic past, so it makes sense that she has fully adopted the same style as her new contemporaries in an attempt to ingratiate herself and fit in with the crowd. More than just a trend, the preppy patterned dresses worn by Simone and all those in the cult – we mean conservation charity group – signify the luxury and lifestyle associated with society's elite who can afford to vacation for 3 months of the year.
This pink dress from the Lilly Pulitzer x Goop collection, released in 2019, is as preppy as they come. It's one of many Lilly Pulitzer designs featured in the show, along with similarly patterned designs. 'Simone's got to be obnoxious,' costume designer Caroline Duncan told Refinery29. 'It's like the dial is just turned up way too high. She's vibrating far too brightly, and she's trying way too hard to fit in. So everything about her feels extra, and she is in a hotter colour than everyone else in that world.'
If Blair Waldorf taught us anything, it's that a headband is not optional, so naturally, Simone is repeatedly seen wearing one in the first few episodes. An Ashley McCormick mother-of-pearl cuff with seashell motifs nods to the coastal location, but it's her locket (with an identical necklace later gifted to Devon by Michaela) that provides the finishing touch while serving to identify the inner circle.
As the episodes progress, so too do Simone's outfits. Sure, she's still wearing Lilly Pulitzer, but her shirt is a soft butter yellow. Paired with white linen shorts, there's a more relaxed feel to the ensemble, with Castañer cap-toe espadrilles worn on her feet and also a Jacquemus raffia bucket hat and white Miu Miu oval sunglasses at an early point in the episode.
'If you look closely, you can notice that there's such a journey within each character, within the costumes that they're wearing and the colours that they're wearing,' Milly Alcock, who portrays Simone, tells Town & Country. 'Simone goes from heels to flats, and it's symbolic of her being more grounded.'
This journey is most evident in the final outfit we see Simone wear. Gone are the bright, brash prints and in their place is an asymmetric draped gown that's not quite silver, not quite blue. 'Blue very much felt like a moment, a marker for Simone feeling more in control. She starts to feel a little bit bolder and a step wiser,' says Duncan of the custom gown. It's a departure from what those around her are wearing and more in line with Michaela's aesthetic, as is her pin-straight hair worn down and around her face.
Devon's head-to-toe black and stompy combat boots set her apart, and you better believe it's intentional. It's a look she returns to throughout the series, every time she leaves Cliff House.
At the end of episode one, when she's banished from the property's grounds to a nearby hotel, all expenses paid for, we see Devon take advantage of the opportunity and buy a slinky crimson dress accessorised with a Jonathan Simkhai Birdget Oyster Shell bag and Christian Louboutin black peep-toe suede platform heels.
The Francesca Miranda design featuring a custom monochrome red lining is sultry and sexy, standing out for all the right reasons. 'It felt like Devon would love that dress, because it's exoskeletal and it moves and it's bold. It moves so beautifully, and the colour is so defiant,' says Duncan. Plus, the Buffalo Bills (Devon's oft-referenced team) wear red, making it a nice tie-in to her pride around her roots.
Of all the characters, Devon's style goes through the biggest evolution as she attempts to infiltrate and extract her sister from the cult. This includes donning her own Lilly Pulitzer frock complete with, you guessed it, Alice band and locket. 'Pulitzer is a great visual. It's so iconic, everyone understands,' Duncan told Vogue.
Devon's Rodebjer yellow patterned summer dress feels like it falls somewhere between the two camps of her genuine self and new alter-ego. The relaxed, floaty maxi silhouette is less in keeping with the Stepford Wives, while the injection of colour aligns with the pretty colour palette of the town of Port Haven.
Similarly, her choice of a brown striped Breton top and jeans in the final episode is one of the few IRL wearable outfits in the entire show. It's a normal outfit for a young woman that doesn't feel loaded with status or stigma.
Despite leading the pack, Michaela – or Kiki, to the anointed – shuns the typical colourful, preppy attire favoured by her adoring followers. Instead, she favours a wardrobe consisting of loose, floaty silhouettes and neutral hues. 'Everyone else around Michaela is in this flutter of beautiful colour, and she's this visual pause,' says Duncan. 'Which, of course, means that she's the person you're looking at, at all times, in the room.'
Most of Julianne Moore's costumes were custom-made by Caroline, like the ivory halterneck top made from vintage silk paired with coordinating flowing wide-leg trousers that Michaela wears in episode one. 'Our intent was to always have the audience questioning what the mythos surrounding her, and the lore of her, was,' says Duncan. 'I wanted her to feel like she was always floating and above the fracas of the real world.'
Her clothes scream quiet luxury. She adds colour through her accessories, favouring statement jewels – like the Solange oversized necklace and earrings set worn with an Alexander McQueen strapless draped marigold gown by Michaela for the gala – and chunky gold pieces that add further elegance. When items were sourced and bought, it's no wonder they were from labels that nail this aesthetic, like The Row, Vince and this one-shoulder caftan gown by Halston.
Her muted colour palette, including this linen Proenza Schouler top, also provides a contrast against Devon's black attire. As the two women battle for Simone's allegiance, their clothes visually state their opposition. 'It was very intentional that she not wear the colours of her posse,' Duncan explains.
Cue a rewatch!
Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there's nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she's passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
