Style study: Elena Greco (My Brilliant Friend)
Cool mom era
This summer I went on a trip to Italy for the first time. In a half-assed attempt at some bare minimum preparation I spent a few afternoons on Duolingo to pick up some basic Italian phrases, then decided to watch an Italian show to see how it all works pronunciation-wise. I landed on My Brilliant Friend. After about five minutes I realised that the majority of the show was in Neapolitan rather than Italian, but by then I was already too invested to switch to something else as this show is a thing of beauty.
It portrays the ever changing friendship dynamics between two girls from an impoverished Neapolitan neighbourhood. Their intelligence is what brings them together in primary school, while also being the very thing that drives them apart later in life. Elena is very clever, studious and proper, top of her class until she meets Lila: rough around the edges, yet incredibly gifted. Elena admires Lila’s quick ability to effortlessly absorb not only facts, but also ideas. What follows is a turbulent friendship that quickly grows from a shared pursuit of knowledge into a story of competitiveness and insecurity, but also love.
Given the fact that Elena’s played by the same (very young) actress from her teenage years up until her mid-thirties, fashion is used as a means to show where she’s at in life and how she feels in her own skin (and in relation to Lila) at any given point in time. The show is a visual feast for vintage lovers as its first three seasons cover a period from the fifties up to the seventies, with beautiful cinematography, locations and music bringing it all to life.
For this style study, I’m focusing on looks I liked from Elena. If you haven’t seen the show but are planning to (which I wholeheartedly recommend), please know this post won’t be entirely spoiler free. I will be providing some general context for each of Elena’s “fashion eras” and you might catch a glimpse of some supporting characters in the screenshots I provided. Proceed at your own discretion.
#islandlife & Summer looks
I’m skipping the true childhood years and the outfits Elena wears as a teenage schoolgirl, since her clothing at that time just shows that she’s uncomfortable in her skin. She mostly wears drab colours and awkward frumpy silhouettes until she gets to spend the summer on the island of Ischia, away from Lila and the neighbourhood for the first time. Her awkward matronly style makes way for a more relaxed look, with salty tousled hair and pastel-coloured summer dresses. These laid-back looks remain summer staples over the following years. The silhouettes and fabrics are very simple yet timeless and similar styles can be found in slow fashion brands’s summer collections to this day.
Day at the beach
A blue cotton dress.
A straw bag.
Leather slippers.
Beachy waves (no sea salt spray needed.)
To the grocer’s
A sage green short sleeve shirt.
A duck egg blue skirt.
Brown leather sandals.
A cotton tote (we stan a low-waste queen).
A ray of sunshine
A yellow dress (my pale ass is quaking).
Brown summer sandals.
…that’s about it?
Get the look (sustainably)
TwoThirds Ratti dress | Bottines Rena sandals | notPERFECTLINEN Dijon shirt (more colours) | Ace & Tate Saul glasses | TwoThirds Lin skirt | notPERFECTLINEN Perth dress (more colours)| Alohas Palmette straw bag
The scholar years (a.k.a a feast of coats)
Lovers of the dark academia aesthetic, rejoice! Once more, Lenu breaks free from her roots and continues to follow her own path, which leads her to university. Sartorially, we see another stylistic departure from her previous style, opting for classy academic looks straight out of The Secret History instead. The metamorphosis is complete with a drastic haircut - indicative of a woman determined to change her life, if the cliché is to be believed.
Mischief managed
A blue trench coat.
A leather saddle bag.
An emerald green shirt under a grey cardigan.
A burgundy skirt.
Loafers.
50 shades of brown
A structured brown coat.
A mossy green skirt suit.
The trusty saddle bag.
Mid-heeled loafers.
Making headlines
A camel coat.
Why carry one bag if you can have two?
A shirt in restrained paisley print.
A chocolate coloured knee-length skirt.
Loafers.
More highlights
Get the look (sustainably)
Sézane Pierro shirt | Ekyog Charlio coat | Sézane Roméo bag | TwoThirds Aratika knit | Sézane Scott trench coat | TwoThirds Tenarunga skirt | Ace & Tate Bobby glasses | Sézane André loafers | Ese O Ese Beatle skirt
The cool mom era
Marriage becomes her. With a voluminous blowout (Tiktok’s hot roller devotees could NEVER), all the printed silks you can dream of and -finally- some trousers, Elena looks like she’s got her shit together. But does she?
At this phase in life, Lenu’s struggling with the balance between her career and her family, and simultaneously her new lifestyle versus her roots in the neighbourhood. At first glance she seems to tick all the boxes indicating one has “made it”, but she’s by no means at ease with where she is. During this time, she develops somewhat of an obsession with fashion, using it as an affirmation before facing situations she feels insecure in. Meeting Lila at her big shot job? Subtle glam. Struggling to write? Scholarly look. Trying to impress someone? Better wear something unexpected. As long as she looks the part, she’ll keep her eyes on the prize. Some great fashion moments ensue.
She means business
A sand-coloured skirt suit.
A blue pointed collar blouse.
A silk scarf.
Tall leather boots + matching handbag.
Groovy mama
A flowy pair of red flares.
A blouse with a sunny diagonal stripe pattern.
A bouncy blowout.
(Two cute kids in somewhat-matching outfits.)
That coat
A dusty pink summer coat.
A polo neck jumper.
A knee-length skirt.
A pair of mid-heeled loafers.
Jetset chic
Italian leather luggage.
A toffee-coloured blazer that ties at the waist.
A dress in jewel-toned geometric print.
Even more highlights
Shop the look, ethically
Elise Chalmin Vanessa dress | Ace & Tate Neil glasses | TwoThirds Starbuck shirt | EseOEse Donna dress | Alohas East boots | Sézane Bettie skirt | Sézane Johnson coat | Sézane Alice pumps | OMyBag Kate bag
Conclusion
If you’re a lover of Italy, vintage European fashion or excellently written dramas, don’t miss this one. I had a blast analysing the crap out of it for the time being and I can’t wait for the final season which should air in March if I recall correctly. If you haven’t yet caught on, what better time than now?
I’m also looking forward to doing more of these style analyses, so keep your eyes peeled. Thank you for reading!