I’m here again to rant about White Lotus.
A Very Niche Rant About White Lotus
I enjoy White Lotus because Rich People Behaving Badly is one of my favorite genres. However, it’s never been a perfect show. Show runner and creator Mike White’s refusal to work with a writers’ room often leads to poorly developed characters (particularly characters of color
Kate Manne recently wrote about the misogynistic portrayal of most (all?) of the female characters on this season of White Lotus (I particularly agree with Kate’s insight on Mook!!). And her excellent piece made me consider the Ratliff ladies in a new light. Their clothes in particular.
Both Victoria (played by the utterly iconic Parker Posey) and Piper (played by Sarah Catherine Hook) wear their fair share of classic rich lady resortwear. Victoria, specifically, loves a big botanical print and a slinky wrap dress.
But Piper is frequently dressed as a tradwife-in-training, and Victoria slumbers in nightgowns that might have been worn by Queen Victoria. Both characters’ costumes communicate something about the “power” of women whose lives are entirely shaped by their reliance on and adjacency to rich white men.
