Emmy Award-winning actress, Zendaya, posted a photo on her Instagram a day ago, teasing the return of HBO's Euphoria. The image was of Zendaya as her character, Rue, reflected in the eye of actress Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules on the show. The caption reads, "we really missed them" and informs fans that the producers will be releasing the highly anticipated two-part episodal bridge between Season One and Two on December 6th. The show's creators designed the two-part release to hold fans over, as Euphoria's Season Two filming schedule was upheld back in March due to the Covid-19 lockdown. As a way to celebrate the return of the fan-favorite drama in true The Psychology of Fashion fashion, we're going to be examining the wardrobe of Alexa Demie's character, Maddy Perez, through the framework of The Big 5 Personality Test. This test is also referred to by the acronym OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and is the most commonly accepted tool for understanding personality in the field of psychology. Using this framework, we can investigate what the sartorial choices of Maddy Perez reveal about her character and how they align with each of Maddy's individual personality traits.
If you haven't already watched Season One of Euphoria, watch out; there are spoilers ahead!
Openness: Moderate-High
Alexa Demie on-set during the filming of Euphoria, wearing a purple I Am Gia set. (Photo: instyle.com)
Maddy Perez is a character known for her propensity to express herself through fashion, a quality found in most people who score moderate-high on openness. Conveying Maddy's creativity on Euphoria was a collaborative effort between Alexa Demie and Euphoria's costume designer, Heidi Bivens. In an interview with The Cut, Bivens states that fashion-wise, "Maddy probably pushes it the furthest with what is acceptable," which sets her apart from the Queen Bees we're used to seeing on-screen. This adaptation of the Queen Bee’s wardrobe is primarily achieved with Maddy's signature twinsets, which hybridize the well-worn trope with a Bad Bitch flair. An example of this is Maddy’s I Am Gia twinset that she wore to the carnival in Episode 4. Additionally, Maddy’s I Am Gia cut-out jeans and matching jean crop-top that audiences saw her sporting down the halls of Euphoria’s highschool, Ulysses S Grant. This artistic effort to modernize Maddy Perez’s wardrobe, plus the character’s penchant for creative makeup styles, aligns with the aptitude for experimentation found in high openness scorers, suggesting that Maddy falls somewhere within the realm of moderate-high for this category.
Conscientiousness: Moderate
The costuming for Season One of Euphoria established Maddy Perez’s penchant for twinsets. (Photo: thecut.com)
In Episode 5 of Euphoria, "A Trip Down," we learn that Maddy Perez aspires to be adored, cared for, and do whatever she likes. She’s willing to sacrifice honesty for the sake of acquiring these aspirations, which isn’t something that a highly conscientious person who is concerned with their duty and responsibility to others would probably do. However, the Euphoria character does demonstrate grit, a quality associated with high conscientiousness, in other ways, like giving her all at cheer practice so that she can own her routine at the game. Maddy Perez’s makeup looks also reflect a detail-oriented mindset, which is another trait associated with high conscientiousness. This balance between high and low suggests that she’s in the middle for this trait, which is reflected in her wardrobe throughout the series. Maddy Perez’s Euphoria fashion ranges from casual, like her purple daisy mini dress, to more elevated and boss-like, like her peach and cobalt knit twinset. Even this experimentation, she never strays too far to either end of the trait.
Agreeableness: Moderate-Low
Maddy Perez’s time to shine during the season finale of Euphoria. (Photo: nylon.com)
"I don't know if your brain is all scrambled from like, all the molly you take, but I never said that. If you spread a lie like that, I'll f*cking come for you. We good?"
These infamous lines are from the scene where Alexa Demie's character threatens Sydney Sweeny's character, Cassie, at the lockers. It spread like wildfire on the internet and was possibly one of the most circulated audio clips from Euphoria; up against Jules's "what a f*cking p*ssy" line that went viral on TikTok earlier this year. Maddy's confidence and willingness to speak her mind are part of what made her character an instant fan favorite on the show. Whether she is confronting Nate's dad on the stairs, telling Kat that she's changed for the worse, or giving herself and Cassie a pep-talk in the house of mirrors, Maddy says what's on her mind. She also conveys how she's feeling through her fashion choices, which, for the most part, say You don’t have to tell me I look good, I know I look good. This idea is especially so with Maddy Perez’s prom outfit: a three-piece matching set made of chain-mail material and topped off with a feather-trimmed sweater. We have no choice but to stan.
Extroversion: Moderate-High
Sydney Sweeney and Alexa Demie pictured in their Euphoria character’s cheerleading costumes.
One of the first things we learn about Maddy when looking into her past is that she was a powerful competitor in pageantry as a toddler. She won titles and crowns during these competitions and was celebrated for her many talents until her family fell onto hard times. They could no longer afford her expensive hobby, but Maddy's self-confidence and performative nature had already solidified into her character by that time. Throughout the show, we see Maddy naturally finding herself at the center of attention during parties and at school, where she's a cheerleader who performs on the field during football games. Maddy's moderate-high extroversion plays out into her outfits with her penchant for bold prints and interesting cut-outs that set her apart from the other characters on Euphoria. Even while wearing her cheer uniform, she still finds a way to stand out with her eye-catching makeup looks and hair accessories.
Neuroticism: Moderate
Maddy Perez at cheer practice in her multi-colored monogrammed twinset. (Photo: thecut.com)
Alexa Demie's Euphoria character Maddy is often depicted as cool-headed and calm, making her the perfect candidate for a moderate-low neuroticism score. Still, throughout the series, she makes impulsive decisions to one-up her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Nate. These occasional competitions to make one another jealous that she partakes in contrasts with her calm demeanor; suggesting that Maddy actually is somewhere in the middle for this trait. This middle ground plays out in her wardrobe as she demonstrates intensity and artistry in her looks. Still, she’s also often shown in bright outfits to offset this, like her multi-colored monogrammed faux Louis Vuitton twinset that she wore to cheer practice.
Like many other characters in this gritty television series, Maddy is a complicated character. She goes through a lot in her dysfunctional and abusive relationship with Nate, which affects her headspace. However, this relationship isn't indicative or symptomatic of any of the traits working together. The Big 5 is merely a way to measure someone's personality, not how they react under compromising situations. Fingers crossed that Maddy breaks up with Nate in Season Two so that way, we can see her heal and him work on his issues. And hopefully, we get a clue as to what Maddy saw on Nate’s Dad’s tapes within these next two episodes, as Season One ended on that torturous cliffhanger. Until then, it’s time to re-watch Season One and get ready for all of the Euphoria Season Two makeup looks, iconic lines, new characters, and fashionable twinsets that will be coming at us next season.
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We use the ‘Driver’s License’ singer’s sartorial style to infer where she would score on the Big Five Personality test.