So, Apparently Pretty Little Liars Aesthetic Is Back (2024)
Got a secret, can you keep it? I'm a fashion writer, but growing up, I was the farthest thing from fashionable. I can admit, this was largely due to my lack of trying; being the quirky lit kid that I was, I spent more time dreaming up fictional worlds than I did my dream wardrobe (essentially, I was Rory Gilmore in her oversized cream sweater). But that all changed when Pretty Little Liars premiered on ABC Family in June of 2010, serving as a masterclass in personal style for its young adult audience every Tuesday night.
Being an early '90s baby, I was too young to watch Sex and the City when it premiered, and I was a few years late to the Gossip Girl fandom (though I did make an effort to channel Blair Waldorf my senior year of high school — despite having only seen a few episodes of the show). But Pretty Little Liars caught my attention immediately, with its thrilling plotlines, steamy romances, and, as far as I was concerned, some of the most covetable outfits on TV. And though it's been a whopping 10 years since the show first premiered, I still reference the aesthetics of the four main characters — Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings, Emily Fields, and Hanna Marin — when I'm in need of outfit inspiration.
Evidently, I'm not alone.
Mandy Moore's 'Ugly' Cardigan From A Walk To Remember Deserved Better
Once again, the internet has spoken, and Pretty Little Liars is trending. Yes, you read that right. It's 2022 and Pretty Little Liars is cool again, according to Pinterest search data and TikTok trends. Perhaps it's because another spinoff, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, is set to premiere on HBO Max this summer, starring Bailee Madison and Chandler Kinney among others. But either way, my teenage heart can barely contain its excitement.
It is worth noting, though, that I didn't just watch the OG PLL. I read the books. I studied the clues. I drew my own fan theories and read countless forums comparing notes with other watchers. And, yes, I shopped the looks of my favorite characters. Actually, I shopped the looks of all the characters. But I wasn't just shopping for dupes.
There's a Sneaky Way to Shop the Exact Outfits From Shows Like The Nanny and Friends
After each episode, I'd flock to Pretty Little Liars Closet, a Tumblr page established in 2013 by fans of the show who had a knack for identifying the exact clothing items worn by the girls, categorized by season and episode. Unfortunately, most of the pieces are long sold out today (unsurprisingly, being that the show ended in 2017). However, the website still lives and can be used as a kind of encyclopedia of the Pretty Little Liars aesthetics. It can serve as an inspiration board and point you in the direction of which brands to shop in order to nail a specific look.
Plus, as we begin welcoming back trends from the 2010s, such as twee and mid-section belts, it doesn't hurt to determine your own Pretty Little Liars aesthetic. Below, I've broken down each of the core four Liar's look and where to shop to mirror her aesthetic.
01of 04
Aria Montgomery
Aria Montgomery (played by Lucy Hale) had the most eclectic fashion sense of the Liars by far; you never knew what this artistic character was going to piece together from her wardrobe. The only thing that remained consistent across her outfits was their quirkiness, a reflection of Aria's edgy-meets-whimsical taste.
Wishi stylist Caroline Machand tells InStyle the liar's closet is comprised of "unique shapes, fun prints, and feminine frocks, layered with fishnets and heavy hardware to create the ideal grunge girl look." She wasn't afraid to mix and match wild prints and color patterns or layer funky accessories and had a flair for overlapping aesthetics. She also loved a punk moment (never forget the pink stripes in her hair circa season one), and according to the show's costume designer, Mandi Line, you can thank Aria for the resurgence of black and white stripes in the early 2010s.
"That's all Aria wore first and season the second season. It's everywhere now," Line told Entertainment Weekly back in 2013, crediting the feather trend to a last-minute PLL styling decision, too. "It was totally unsanitary," Line says of the moment when she took off her own feather earring and put it on Hale. Sometimes, it really is the small details that make the greatest impact; both Aria and Line are great examples of this.
Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) was meant to be portrayed as a preppy teenager. Line understood the assignment and went above and beyond to get herself a gold star. Spencer didn't just live up to the country-club, prep-school stereotype, she personified it, but in a way that made the somewhat "stuffy" aesthetic cool and age-appropriate.
Throughout the series, there were definitely moments where dark and light academia shone through Spencer's outfits — think pleated skirts and knee-high socks, button downs with a sweater vest or a blazer, a tailored dresses and long coats over top. Wishi stylist, Wendy Wei points out there were also times when Spencer incorporated more sexy silhouettes and boho styles into her wardrobe, and often served Kate Middleton vibes.
RELATED: Since Miu Miu's Micro Mini Is Trending, Here Are 9 Pleated Skirt Outfits to Wear Now
Still, what set Spencer's definition of preppy apart from the traditional dictionary summary was her love for animal print. And by animal print, we're not talking zebra stripes and cheetah spots. We're talking about actual animals printed on clothing, like elephants, rabbits, and horses. "The real fans would notice I always put animal prints on her," Mandi told Seventeen.com back in 2014.
Out of all the Liars being discussed in this list, I think it's safe to say that Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) underwent the most dramatic style transformation from season one to the show's finale. But her wardrobe changes reflected the growth of the character.
When viewers first meet Emily, she's wearing a blue, green, yellow, and white-striped tank top and a matching cropped cardigan over her shoulders, paired with a basic denim skirt and clean white sneakers. The look is feminine and athletic — and a stark contrast to the moody color palettes and the more masculine pieces that start to pop up in her wardrobe each season.
If I had to break down a "get the look" guide for Emily Fields, my best tip would be to establish your capsule of basics, then find pieces that have a bit of an edge to dress them up, like a cool jacket or tough footwear (i.e. boots with chain detail, studded sneakers, etc.). And according to costume designer Cameron Dale, who stepped in for Mandi in 2016, I'm on the mark.
In an interview with TeenVogue.com, Dale revealed that a combination of "jeans, worn-in t-shirts, and leather jackets," was her go-to formula when shopping for Emily.
When I think of Hanna Marin (played by Ashley Benson), I think of someone who lives for a trend, who dresses according to what the runways dub hot and not from season to season. And she loves to shop — anywhere and everywhere, from Forever 21 to Net-a-Porter. In no way, shape, or form is she a minimalist. No, this girl is maximalist and proud of it; the world is her runway, and she has the closet to perform.
RELATED: 8 Fall 2022 Trends You Already Have in Your Closet
For Hanna, it's always better to dress up than to dress down. She loves to make a statement with her jewelry, be it chandelier earrings, a fun pair of shoes, a chunky belt, or a long necklace. She's also never without a fabulous handbag, so arm candy is a must. That being said, like Emily, Hanna goes through a style transformation of her own, "to the dark side," as Line described to E! News back in 2014:
"[If you want to dress like Hanna], the old Hanna would do a really bright blazer, beautiful earrings, and heels. She never walks out the door in flats…She couldn't be more glam."
Aria Montgomery (played by Lucy Hale) had the most eclectic fashion sense of the Liars by far; you never knew what this artistic character was going to piece together from her wardrobe.
HBO Max's brand new show Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has yet to cement any direct ties to its predecessor, but that doesn't mean fans of the original Pretty Little Liars aren't on the hunt for Easter eggs.
In the novel series, the first and original "A" was revealed to be Mona Vanderwaal. The second, and final, "A" is revealed as Alison Dilaurentis and her helper as Nick Maxwell. In the television series, the first and original “A” was revealed to be Mona Vanderwaal.
According to Lucy, the main cast all wanted to be “A,” but it was not to be. "I wanted Aria to be 'A'. I think we all wanted to be the bad guy,” she said.
Spencer Hastings' style is preppy, but she's not rocking pastel polos and pearls on the tennis court; her style is a modern take (with some vintage inspiration) on the classic East Coast prep look.
1 Hanna Marin Hanna Olivia Marin is a fictional character created by Sara Shepard for the Pretty Little Liars book series, and later developed for the Freeform television series adaptation by I. She has this vixen features and her eyes are just too beautiful .
Spencer is the most academically brilliant of the Liars, with excellent grades and an unmatched study streak. She has perceptive in ways other characters do not, and although it makes her a bit more paranoid, she has every right to be.
Wednesday's episode of Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists revealed what fan-favorite couples “Haleb” and “Spoby” have been up to since PLL wrapped in 2017 — and that was just the beginning. The show revealed on Thursday (via social media) that Aria and Ezra have welcomed a baby girl.
Showrunner Roberto Aguirre Sacasa confirmed Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin and Riverdale are technically set in the same universe. No text from "A" could ever leave us this shocked. The latest episode of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin reveals a connection to another teen drama—in addition to its predecessor.
Millwood, Pennsylvania. September 1996 - The Millwood High School class of 2000 enter as freshmen year including: Angela Waters, Davie Adams, Sidney Haworthe.
Alex Drake as "A.D." "A" is the main antagonist of the novel and television series Pretty Little Liars. They are an anonymous antagonist that target the main characters, the Liars, for their own motive and will stop at nothing to get what they want.
For Bailee Madison, playing pregnant teen Imogen Adams on Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has been a real pain in the back. “I wore the fake stomach for nine months, so basically full term, and it affected everything I physically did on set,” Madison tells TVLine.
Officially introduced in the series finale, Alex Drake is both the identical twin of main character Spencer Hastings and the previously anonymous identity known as "A.D." In childhood, Drake was adopted by a wealthy British family that later abandoned her, forcing Alex to bounce around foster homes and orphanages.
Lucy Hale actually ad-libbed her now-iconic "shh" at the end of the show's theme song. "[My] shushing the camera was actually a spur-of-the-moment idea that happened to make the final cut," she said in the same Cosmopolitan article. She later tweeted that she hated how her finger was off-center on her mouth.
Mona asks A.D. who she/he is, which inadvertently confirms that he/she isn't Mona. Aria tells Ezra she can't have kids, and that's why she doesn't want to marry him. Ezra assures Aria they'll do whatever it takes to have a family: adoption, surrogacy, etc.
Some fans think that Spencer's twin is left-handed while Spencer is right-handed, which has been marked by her watch appearing on different wrists throughout the season.
Peter Hastings is the father of Melissa, Jason, Spencer, and Alex Drake. He had an affair with Jessica DiLaurentis which resulted in the birth of Jason DiLaurentis. He also had a one night stand/affair with Mary Drake (who he thought was her twin sister, Jessica), which resulted in the birth of both Spencer and Alex.
Aria's loyalty to Ezra and even the girls (despite it being broken for a few episodes, she did have limits and showed remorse.) attracted Alex to her, and Alex who probably chose Aria just because of Team Sparia found someone she really liked.
In "A is for Answers", it is revealed that the person who Toby saw with Alison is Ezra. Ezra was mad at Alison for lying about her age. She goes to leave, but Ezra tells her that he really likes her and that she won't be seeing him anymore.
Throughout the series, different main characters interacted with different significant others, but Emily and Toby were the ones who were really and truly friends. They lived next door to each other. They went to prom together. And they were both sensitive and sweet individuals.
Ian Thomas (Ryan Merriman) was one of the rare characters in "Pretty Little Liars" who was actually killed in an on-screen death. Ian was a coach at Rosewood High and the love interest, and eventual husband, of Spencer's older sister Melissa (Torrey DeVitto).
Spencer Hastings is an ENTJ. She's analytical and direct and doesn't take kindly to being messed with. Spencer is often the brains and strategist behind the Liars and their various schemes, and she isn't afraid to take charge when necessary.
Alison DiLaurentis is an unhealthy ENFJ personality type. She is emotionally manipulative, controlling, and insecure. In a subtle way, she causes others to feel guilty about themselves. Alison does things for others simply to get something in return and she is resentful of the people she helps.
Ezra and Alison "didn't do anything," and in fact she lied about her age when they first met at a bar; he dumped her when he found she wasn't 21. So, Aria and Ezra didn't sleep together until he quit his job at the high school. Aria regretfully ended their relationship because it was becoming too complicated.
Out of the four girls, Spencer is the last one to lose her virginity. She lost her virginity with Toby in The Lady Killer. Spencer was the third of the four liars to be visited by Alison. She appears to her in the Hastings' living room in "If These Dolls Could Talk".
It has been heavily implied that Betty has bisexual leanings in the regular timeline, but 1950s Betty only cares about the fact that her boyfriend Kevin doesn't seem interested in her (because he's gay, Betty!). The only time Clay/Kevin and Cheryl/Toni get to kiss is in a fantasy sequence.
Sasha Pieterse was just 12 years old when she filmed the pilot for Pretty Little Liars, which began its seven-season run in 2010. Even at a young age, she commanded the room as Alison DiLaurentis, the series' original mean girl and queen bee.
To be fair, the show was decent for its first two seasons. It was only after Pretty Little Liars Season 2 when things went downhill. However, the show was set up for downfall as early as Pretty Little Liars Season 1 Episode 1 and Pretty Little Liars Season 1 Episode 12.
3x14: We learned the person trying to save Aria was Jason. He got stabbed on his side, which leads me to believe he was putting his body on top of the crate/box to prevent it from falling over the edge. Before she stabs him, you see a dark shadow go over the box.
In the Season Four Finale: "A is for Answers", Jessica was reveal as Alison's Burier and murdered by her twin sister Mary Drake and was later found by her niece and adopted daugther, Charlotte, who then buried her in the Hastings' backyard. Her body was later found in "Whirly Girlie".
Ian Thomas knew that Alison was still alive... So at the end of season 1, when he's struggling with Spencer at the bell tower, someone wearing a hoodie comes in and he says, "What are you doing here?" At the end of season 4, Alison says that she pushed Ian.
PCOS was responsible for her puzzling weight increase, giving her extreme anxiety. PCOS is a hormone imbalance that can produce irregular and extended periods and excess male hormones that can cause excessive facial and body hair, severe acne, and hair loss.
A turned out to be CeCe Drake, the adopted sister of Alison DiLaurentis, who went missing and was presumed dead by the end of the show's pilot episode.
Cochran by her mother, Mary Drake, and later given up for adoption. Because of this, she never knew that Spencer or Charlotte existed, and neither did anyone else. Alex is younger than Spencer by only a few minutes. Her birth mother once said, "I was born first, and she was born jealous".
Melissa was unaware of Spencer's adoption and thought they were biological sisters. They are actually half-sisters, as they share the same father but different mothers. They are also adopted sisters since Veronica adopted Spencer. They share a half-brother, Jason DiLaurentis.
During "Kingdom of the Blind", Veronica discloses that Melissa has a dilemma, but it isn't stated what. It was also revealed that for sometime Melissa had been faking a pregnancy due to the fact she had a miscarriage. Melissa had miscarried the day after she found Ian's body.
Ms. Hambly, who describes her style as “a mix of cottagecore and dark academia,” sewed a strawberry dress using a free pattern from Mood Fabrics and fabric purchased from Etsy and Silk Baron, and posted the experience on TikTok.
spunky, witty, and intelligent. Aria is book-smart, but she also harbors a deep understanding of people. She's very empathetic, kind, and caring, as well as loyal to her friends and family.
* Jughead has a lumberjack/grunge vibe when it comes to the style of his outfits so there's no doubt when I say stock up on your flannels. Unlike Archie, Jughead is known to wear darker colors like blacks and greys but with flannels, dark greens and reds are exceptions.
The milkmaid style is all about a midi length.puffy sleeves and a square or sweetheart neckline. For an added cotttagecore aesthetic, look for a style that nips in slightly under the bust at the waist or has comfortable shirred (also a micro trend) stretchy detailing is what makes this dress flattering on every body.
This style is what we think of when we think of pin-up fashion, and it can be a huge asset to any wardrobe. It is called wiggle style because the dresses or skirts that are considered wiggle have a hem that is narrower than their waist, forcing the wearer to "wiggle" a bit as they walk.
Teuta Matoshi is a designer known for her colorful combinations of lace, tulle, and embellishment in her feminine designs. Intrinsically feminine, her work often incorporates custom boning and elegant corsets to add an element of couture-like structure and sophistication.
Well, according to the fan who runs the KillerAriaIsA Tumblr, Aria may have a multiple personality disorder and had been a patient at Radley in her youth. If Aria was a live-in patient when she was younger, of course an orderly would have gotten to know her, thus remembering her only a few years later.
Address: 5789 Michel Vista, West Domenic, OR 80464-9452
Phone: +97313824072371
Job: Education Orchestrator
Hobby: Lockpicking, Crocheting, Baton twirling, Video gaming, Jogging, Whittling, Model building
Introduction: My name is Rob Wisoky, I am a smiling, helpful, encouraging, zealous, energetic, faithful, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-545525336-2000-7ed2f4e9218e45dfa5a08ebd1d46e174.jpg "So, Apparently Pretty Little Liars Aesthetic Is Back (1)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-119252491-2000-2175d3833de249b58bc3749723723a0a.jpg "So, Apparently Pretty Little Liars Aesthetic Is Back (2)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-175750459-2000-f3054dad4a2f4fad8a680996357e0248.jpg "So, Apparently Pretty Little Liars Aesthetic Is Back (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-102658784-2000-335d167f39754db3b54268bd94cd5fbc.jpg "So, Apparently Pretty Little Liars Aesthetic Is Back (4)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-583822320-2000-a101c36afe974add9417a421ba00ebb7.jpg "So, Apparently Pretty Little Liars Aesthetic Is Back (5)")
