The Costume Designer for 'He's All That' Was Very Clear on Her Inspiration

One of the most anticipated films of the summer is Netflix’s He’s All That, a modern-day genderbending take on 1999's She’s All That, starring influencer Addison Rae. In the new film, Addison’s character, Padgett Sawyer, is a popular teen influencer, not unlike Addison in real life. And like in the original film, Padgett makes a bet that she can make anyone over into the “Prom King.”

But as far as outfits are concerned, how much of He’s All That is inspired by the original film? There are a lot of Easter eggs and callbacks to She's All That, both in casting and costuming, and it's especially evident in the outfits worn by the characters in the new Netflix flick.

Plus, the costume designer has a unique tie to the original film, so she had some significant input when it came to outfit inspiration.

The costume designer for He’s All That was actually also the costume designer on the original She’s All That. Denise Wingate returned to the reboot team along with screenwriter R. Lee Fleming, Jr. and original cast members like Rachael Leigh Cook and Matthew Lillard.

While the influencer protagonist played by Addison Rae appeals to Gen Z, many of us who watched She’s All That in its heyday are searching for Easter eggs.

And costume designer Denise Wingate wanted to make sure to pay homage to the original film while drawing inspiration from modern-day fashion for He’s All That. “It’s very subliminal,” Denise told Fashionista. “But it's actually very, very, very thought out.”

Right away, the outfits pay homage to the original She’s All That in more ways than one. Padgett’s pink palette of crop tops and baby cardigans is a nod to Taylor Vaughn’s (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) wardrobe. There are some other outfits that pay respects to the original, as well. Padgett’s red prom dress is a clear nod to the red dress that Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook) wears in her big reveal.

Plus, Laney’s original style is seen throughout He’s All That. Her iconic vintage overalls outfit is worn in the reboot by Cam’s best friend, Nisha. “I love that style anyway,” Denise explained. “It also felt very international, like her Guatemalan jackets, which is what I did in the original.”

Not only are there references to the original She’s All That in the new movie’s outfits, but Denise also made sure to make the movie feel modern and fitting for the characters. Some styles have totally come back around, like the ‘90s grunge that Cameron dons pre-makeover.

“He was a mix of this cowboy punk,” Denise shared, “wearing his G.G. Allin hardcore punk rock T-shirt with his cowboy boots, coming from Wyoming and working with horses.”

And how could we have a movie starring an influencer about an influencer without some influencer fashion? “Because it's Addison, a lot of people wanted to give us stuff and people were really generous,” revealed Denise. “It just worked for this movie, because [Padgett] was an influencer.”

Denise had a legitimate excuse to scroll endlessly through TikTok to find the right outfits, and wanted to make sure to include some influencer-heavy brands like Alo Yoga, iamkoko.la, Spiritual Gangster, and American Eagle.

She especially had fun planning outfits for Jordan Van Draanen (Peyton Meyer). Denise wanted to make some of the more “questionable” influencer styles even more outrageous on Jordan, and found most of his outfits in L.A.'s Santee Alley, an outdoor flea market. Denise remarked that Peyton, the actor, reminded her of his predecessor, Paul Walker, in that they were both great sports.

Whatever you think of the She's All That revival, one reason to keep asking for reboots and modern takes on classic favorites is the fashion. And Denise’s costume design in He’s All That does not disappoint.