STYLE ANALYSIS: EUPHORIA EDITION- MADDY PEREZ
Maddy Perez, the breakout star of the highly acclaimed HBO MAX series Euphoria, is the IT girl of Euphoria high, as well as the baddie and the girl who will tell you like it is. Portrayed by Alexa Demie, the IT girl herself, Maddy Perez is a force to be reckoned with as she donnes the best fashion looks, has one of the best lines in the series and sets trends for everyone and their bestie to follow, Maddy Perez is that girl.
As a child Maddy Perez competed in beauty pageants which instilled a sense of confidence and competitiveness into her all the way up into her teens leading her to become the bold and compassionate girl we know and love. In season one we meet Maddy and are introduced to her upbringing. Having to live in a toxic household and be in an off again on again relationship with Nate, Maddy has always had this combative nature about her.
Maddy is notably the most extroverted character on Euphoria and is oftentimes the center of attention, which is something that she revels in, even as a cheerleader, she is seen donning extravagant hair and bold makeup looks to accentuate her bold demeanor. Incredibly direct and ready to fight anyone, Maddy is a force to be reckoned with and when in her element she cannot be stopped.
• MADDY'S WARDROBE STAPLES
In euphoria season 2 we see that Maddy has made a drastic change in color palette while still sticking to the ultra sexy body on silhouette that she is most known for.
Maddy, as seen in both season one and season two of Euphoria, is not afraid to use her sexuality to her Oren advantage. Her appearance is carefully selected and curated by both Alexa Demie and Heidi Bivens (euphoria custome designer) to curate a selective image of Maddy, making her sexually appeal to the masses, whilst still keeping true to who she is.
Maddy’s signature outfits are her two piece sets. They are so prevalent within Maddy’s style that when Cassie begins to copy her in season two it is the first thing we Cassie wear. These matching sets that Maddy wears reveal just how structured Maddy’s wardrobe is and how just a two piece set can be meticulous to a character. Many of the sets that Maddy wears are solid colors ranging from purple to monogram printed sets which represent Maddy’s creature of habit nature when balancing her relationship with Nate and making decisions that get her in trouble.
With her two piece sets it is important to note that Maddy’s style is derived off of 90s and early 2000s style. Maddy is seen sporting low rise jeans, halter tops, and mules. In season two Maddy is seen sporting a vintage cropped Blumarine top from the early 2000s (which was just re-released due to it being worn by Maddy) while babysitting for a wealthy woman. Maddy is also seen deliberately referencing notable celebrities from these different eras in fashion, from Aaliyah, Mariah Carey, Selena and Eve, Maddy references these women a lot throughout her wardrobe and somewhat through her confident and strong personality, it is undoubtedly known that Maddy is inspired by these strong women.
In season two of Euphoria Maddy is seen wearing many designer brands like Jaquemus, Blumarine, Jean Paul Gaultier, Fanci Club, Dior, and Versace, just to name a few. It’s obvious in reality Maddy more than likely wouldn’t be able to afford these pieces however it does tie into Maddy’s materialistic view point of life, and her passion for fashion.
While Maddy is usually seen in solid colors when she is seen rocking prints they are usually more feminine, such as cherries, dainty flowers and leopard print. Animal print, for many decades has been associated with female sexuality whilst also being a symbol for wealth and status which is what Maddy wants for herself. In season one we see Maddy wear a lot of cherry printed and dainty flower pieces, which both embody youth and innocence. In season one Maddy is seen on many occasions wearing exclusively pink lingerie with lots of lace, ribbons and ruffles, which as we know isn’t truly Maddy’s style as she is just playing into the role that Nate wants her to be. However, throughout the course of the second season of Euphoria Maddy’s color palette evolves to darker tones, ranging from black to green whereas in season one she was wearing more into blues and purples.
“Well her vibe this season is definitely darker. I think she also is feeling more grown up. She has seen a lot in her short amount of time, so she’s jaded and is imagining herself in the next chapter of her life, and is even fantasizing about what it’s going to be like to be out of school and have more freedom. Moving up in the world. She’s a little bit more mature than her age this season...”
The most notable fashion moment in season two is episode one where Maddy donnes a body hugging black cut out dress and gloves by the small independent Mexican brand AKNA Store during the infamous New Years Eve party of season two, episode one. It is practically known that maddy lives in an array of body hugging clothes that accentuate her body so it’s not far fetched that this would be a Maddy wardrobe staple.
“Maddy’s outfits are a clear reflection of her abrasive and callous demeanor; only she could get away with wearing a two-piece rave set in the school hallways or a slinky tube top while babysitting. For much of the first season, Maddy practically lives in an array of body-hugging sweatsuits by Akna, a high-school mean girl staple. Her first scene in the second season sees her wearing a sexy cut-out dress by the Mexican label at the infamous New Year’s Eve party, while trendy designers such as I.AM.GIA, Dion Lee, Jacquemus and Balenciaga make appearances later on.”
— Heidi Bivens (Vanity Fair)
As noted Maddy is usually seen in solid colors, more specifically purple, which is a symbol of royalty, which is what Maddy Perez truly is. One of the most notable Maddy looks is the custom I AM GIA looks that she wore in the carnival episode. It’s iconic outfits like this that makes the character Maddy so unapologetic and true to self. This specific color also comes back around in season two when Maddy is doning the purple gown from Minka Kelly’s character that she is babysitting for. This purple gown from Minka Kelly’s character represents Maddy’s arc to self righteousness after Nate’s toxcity towards her and the ending of her friendship with Cassie.
Maddy is also notably seen wearing a lot of green looks. From her Jacquemus bodysuit to the green bathing suit set made by Alexa Demie’s sisters own brand ROME by Falize. The many green looks worn by Maddy reflect her journey in growing into the person she has always wanted to be and renewal. In the finale of season two, Maddy talks about leaving town so this may be a slight glimpse into that.
Makeup. We all know that Euphoria is known for their creative, eye catching makeup and the IT girl herself makes no exception to this. Maddy in the show is seen donning different makeup looks being recreated on social media today. From TikTok’s to YouTube videos, Maddy’s signature makeup looks are what make up the character.
Throughout the show Maddy’s makeup is very precise with dramatic eyeliner and rhinestones, which are Maddy’s signature eye makeup look. Many of Maddy’s makeup moments coordinate with her outfits showing Maddy’s meticulous attention to detail. Maddy’s makeup evolution from season one to season two is very noticeable. Starting out softer and sweeter then becoming more bold and darker as she develops more into her womanhood and season with her toxic relationship with Nate. With Maddy’s aggressive and bold nature, many of Maddy’s looks consist of sharp eyeliner looks which almost look like a knife ready to cut you at any given minute.
In season one there was a lack of nail art, however in season two it is more prevalent which I, along with everyone who absolutely loves the show, loves and appreciates. These nail looks pay even more attention to detail than the outfits and makeup looks themselves, being rather meticulous and detail oriented.
Maddy’s nails, which are a staple to the character, are seen in bold intricate designs ranging in her signature Rhine stones and bold designs.
From her iconic fashion moments to her bold makeup looks, Maddy’s nail art is another staple true to the character and her bold nature. Done by Natalie Minerva, many of Maddy’s nail looks in season two portray the most notable traits of Maddy Perez. Like her makeup, Maddy’s nails also coordinate with her iconic looks. The most marble being her iconic Balck cut out dress for the New Years Eve party in episode one of season two. Or the infamous showdown between Maddy and Cassie when maddy confronts cassie during Lexis play and seen later icing her foot with a Coca Cola soda can.
The nail art seen on Maddy is intricate and detail oriented as the nail art is seen matching Maddy’s outfits and complimenting her makeup beautifully. With Alexa Demie’s own input into Maddy’s image these nail art moments wouldn’t exist. From the overflow of mail recreations seen on TikTok and Instagram, this decision was the best thing the show creators ever made.
Maddy’s looks in the second season of Euphoria are drastically different from season one, however they truly reflect Maddy’s journey and the unsettling trauma that she has endured as she continues into the next chapter of her life as a fierce young woman. Maddy is most definitely my favorite character on Euphoria. From her bold looks to her unapologetic personality, she has always been my favorite character since she popped up on my screen since the pilot episode of season one.
From her extravagant makeup looks, iconic fashion moments and bold nature, Maddy Perez is the girl that everyone wants to channel when feeling like the best versions of themselves and I couldn’t agree more.
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