If the delusional wellness ladies of The White Lotus are the season 3 fashion villains, then Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood, is certainly the hero. From her first moment in Thailand, the delightfully ditzy character charmed audiences everywhere with her woo-woo intuition, fierce loyalty to her boyfriend Rick (Walton Goggins), cartoon-like facial expressions, and toothy smile. She’s an open book, unlike the rest of the ensemble, who seem to harbor ulterior motives at best and serious mental issues at worst, providing a much-needed “straight man” to the floundering rich people and petty drama of The White Lotus.
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The character is a fan favorite in every sense. Her outfits, from vintage cutout dresses to funky knit beachwear, go viral every Sunday after the latest episode drops. People actually want to dress like Chelsea (I guarantee her wanderlust vibe and closet full of crochet will inspire more than one Coachella outfit), not just talk about what her clothes might portend for the season 3 finale.
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Chelsea’s free-spirited nature and non-judgmental spirituality provided a potent mix of inspiration for costume designer Alex Bovaird, who wanted to keep the character down-to-earth, despite Chelsea’s willingness to party all night and lie by the pool all day. “She’s relatable and accessible,” says Bovaird, adding that she and her team chopped off dresses for the beach, shopped secondhand, and created custom wares the cool-girl wanderer might have picked up while couch-surfing.
A bit more DIY than her fellow resort-goers, Chelsea provides a welcome contrast to the show’s Cartier- and Valentino-clad trio of blondes, Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie, and the snotty prep stylings of the Ratliff family. “She doesn’t wear too much high fashion,” explains Bovaird. “She is a flea market girl, but with some aspirational pieces like her 18k ‘Stay Gold’ dog tag necklace.”
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Naturally, the costume designer looked to real-life inspiration to nail Chelsea’s wardrobe. Jane Birkin’s 1960s middle part and laissez-faire attitude, Kate Moss sunning herself in a black bikini in Ibiza, and even “real traveler girls I’ve met in Southeast Asia,” all made it onto the proverbial mood board. This is the type of girl likely to wear a knit vest with printed bell bottoms or an orange and pink matching crochet set rather than an outfit of name brand duds or 100% silk caftans. If you want to dress like this season’s most likable character, it’s more about posture and vibes than showing off. Of note? Chelsea-like items are available to shop in Bovaird’s White Lotus-inspired collection with H&M.
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Chelsea’s most viral fashion moment, which fans have been DM-ing Bovaird about since episode 5 premiered earlier this March, features glittery eye shadow fit for a rave, a show-stopping resin bikini, and a kooky T-shirt. The overall look was inspired by past and present full moon parties where vendors sell glow-in-the-dark makeup and day-glow tees.
When putting together Chelsea’s look, Bovaird channeled the energy of an OG full moon party, before merch and cell phones took over the yearly celebration. “I wanted to do our own versions that were cooler and more punk meets raver,” says Bovaird. “I’d been to the same party in the 1990s, so I got together with the artist Scooter LaForge, who makes wearable art, and we designed five T-shirts specifically for the girls with phrases on them like ‘bombed put me box.'”
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As for the unforgettable swimwear, Bovaird already had a special piece on hand. “The resin bikini she wears is a piece I had on deck in season 2,” she says. “I needed someone like Aimee to go, ‘Yes, I will wear that crazy thing!'”
Bovaird adds the effect is “primal, ethereal, and enchanting”—just like Chelsea herself.
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