Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Season 2 of The White Lotus.Haley Lu Richardson's Portia in The White LotusSeason 2 has a tumultuous style, to say the least. If one were to type "The White Lotus - Portia," into Google right this second, one would find discussion about her outfits everywhere.
But picture this scenario: You broke up with your significant other a week ago and are down in the dumps. You haven't left your house in a few days, and when you did, it was to grab a pizza or something easy. Meanwhile, your friends (single or not) are out having the time of their lives. One friend halts the party, missing your presence, and comes to your house. They find you in your sweats, re-watching your "comfort show" with the days-old pizza box next to the trash can. It's a sad sight but a necessary slump to process the event. Being a good friend, they sit next to you on your new bed, the couch, and say something to the effect of, "Get dressed! We're going out." You put outside clothes on for the first time in days, and changing your clothes gives you a sense of rejuvenation. It may not have fixed the problem, but looking at oneself in their most confident outfit does at least trick the mind into feeling better.
Clothes are an intriguing thing. Your clothes or your style can tell a lot about you to others. Clothes can reveal confidence, economic standing, or even intrinsic values. For example, a fully thrifted outfit can say that its wearer longs for uniqueness, is environmentally conscious, and is financially prudent. Similarly, athleisure can communicate wellness, body-positivity, and fashion awareness. Style is vital because it tells others precisely what you want them to know about you without having to say it. As Meryl Streep venomously pointed out in 2008's The Devil Wears Prada,a persistent lack of fashion awareness still communicates fashion awareness.
Watching The White Lotus Season 2, it's obvious: Portia has no static style and what style she has makes a statement that says, "I genuinely have no clue who I am or what I'm doing," and it is absolutely perfect. If style can convey to others how you wish to be perceived, then Portia's style tells the dedicated viewers of The White Lotus precisely what they need to know.
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Portia Is Overworked in 'The White Lotus'
From the moment Portia steps off the boat in Sicily at the beginning of The White Lotus, her style is noticeably confused. She pairs an oddly-seasoned House of Sunny Swan Lake sweater vest with a pair of jean shorts and beige sunglasses reminiscent of Bad Bunny.Portia already seems over being in Sicily, despite being able to travel abroad for work. Her boss Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) has brought her along on a trip with her husband, which is not well received by the latter. By the end of the first episode of The White Lotus, it becomes clear why she's shown with such an apathetic attitude, as she is ordered to stay in her room for the duration of the trip. She is explicitly instructed to "stay close," but not too far, leading to a breakdown.
The intricacy of Richardson's performance in The White Lotus is communicated perfectly. It can resonate with anyone who has ever functioned as a personal assistant (official title) and life support (unofficial title) to their employer. The job of a personal assistant can offer many benefits but is not without its pitfalls. Although Portia is in an exciting new place and is getting paid, she is on call whenever Tanya needs her. When she does choose to explore some of Sicily with the Di Grasso men (Michael Imperioli, Adam DiMarco, and F. Murray Abraham), she is summoned back by Tanya shortly after. Given her reaction to Tanya's call, this isn't the first time something like this has happened.
The trouble with this type of schedule is that even though it is often accompanied by exciting work, its demanding nature leaves little time for oneself that isn't also tinged with the possibility of being asked to do some form of work. The result is constant mental stress that can later lead to burnout. Portia is nearly burnt out and has had little time to develop a personal style. As Portia will soon see in The White Lotus Season 2 finale, there are far worst problems to have, but it's apparent that this is the worst possible problem for her. Pain is relative, which must be addressed for The White Lotus's entire messageto be understood.
Portia Is Unsure of Herself in 'The White Lotus'
Admittedly, part of Portia's burnout derives from personal uncertainty. Throughout this season of The White Lotus, Portia debates many things, from whether she likes the Stanford alum Albie Di Grasso, to whether she wants to quit her job. This uncertainty is manifested physically in her outfit choices in the form of influencer-inspired pandemonium. In a moment that communicated greater self-confidence, Portia wore a zebra-striped bikini beneath a bright, striped bolero with white shorts. It's giving effortless TikTok star that's unapologetically herself but still reckless.
What's interesting about this fashion choice is that it foreshadows the life-threatening journey she's about to go on by the end of The White Lotus. Portia makes the less-safe decision to seemingly forget about her flirtation with Albie in favor of hanging out with the charismatic Jack (Leo Woodall), the nephew of Tanya's new weirdly unnerving friend, Quentin (Tom Hollander). Life-changing situations ensue, but somehow this choice makes more sense. Jack is categorically the opposite of Albie and seems to be in a similar position to Portia in that he is there alongside his "uncle," brought along for the ride. They differ in that Jack seems to enjoy the variability, happy to be on "the best planet at the best time."
Portia Is Freaking Out, Okay?!
Portia's final outfit in The White Lotus has seen the most scrutiny, and it's not hard to see why. With an outfit that looks like she threw on different trends of the early 2000s, Portia pairs a two-tone purple and pink top with a blue patch worked skirt, baseball cap, scarf, and beige sweater around her waist. Once again, Portia's outfits communicate the chaos within. She has just discovered that Jack and Quentin were a part of a nefarious plan that should have resulted in her and Tanya's murder. Her thoughts are more likely scattered as she tries to process what happened.
In a way, this outfit being so unjustifiably bad represents the build-up that has been brewing in Portia since the first episode of Season 2's The White Lotus. It's as though the crescendo of her uncertainty and stress has come to the forefront. Fittingly, this occurs just before she makes her way back to the equally sheltered Albie, who has also gone on a frenzied journey. Both characters have changed dramatically during their stay at The White Lotus, and they may never be the same. They exchange numbers, but their moment may have passed, which would be appropriate for The White Lotus. Regardless of what the number exchange may result in, hopefully, Portia finally found the self-certainty she so needed.
