‘Lessons In Chemistry’ TV Style Guide: How To Rock Flawless Retro Chic

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Winter is the best time for binging new shows, and with multiple streaming services vying for our attention these days, the content is plentiful lately. Apple TV+’s release of Lessons In Chemistry in October 2023 was heavily anticipated—partially because it starred both Brie Larson and Aja Naomi King, and partially because it was already a beloved book before the show was made. 

The adaptation of Bonnie Garmus’ best-selling novel follows the somewhat tragic love story of two chemists, Elizabeth Zott (Larson) and Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman), and without getting too spoiler-y, the quest of their daughter to help uncover a mystery in her father’s past. Focused primarily on Zott, a female scientist working in Los Angeles during the 1960s when there were no female scientists, a more welcoming venue for her precision and experimentation pops up in a nightly cooking show. Intrigued yet? Did I mention all this is unfolding while Zott’s neighbor, Harriet Sloane (King), is fighting against a discriminatory motion to build a freeway through the historic Black neighborhood of West Adams? Oh, and there’s a rowing subplot, too. 

But even without the excellent storyline, the outfits are so good that the show could be gibberish for all I care—it’s worth drinking in for the clothes alone. Striking the perfect balance between period pieces that evoke that retro ‘60s feel and a hint of contemporary cool, every single character in this show gets a chance to shine with the most compelling outfit in the scene at one time or another. Costume designer Mirren Gordon-Crozier, who has been working with Brie Larson for a decade, landed the gig because Larson herself recommended she come onboard—and as in most other things in life, Larson’s instincts were dead on. 

Obviously it’s the big three characters Elizabeth, Calvin, and Harriet, who have the best duds, so we’ll give you some recs for how to nail their looks, along with a few extra styles that were too good not to include.