![Amazon Prime's We Were Liars Fashion [Amazon Prime]](https://www.chicstylecollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Chic-Style-Collective-Hero-Image-182-960x650.jpg "Chic Style Collective | Inside the Old Money Wardrobe of We Were Liars Fashion Outfits: 10 Questions with Costume Designer Amanda Riley")
Interview with We Were Liars fashion designer Amanda Riley
When Amazon Prime’s We Were Liars hit screens, viewers were instantly captivated by its haunting story of family, secrets — and the sumptuous, quietly luxurious wardrobe of the Sinclair dynasty. At the helm of this sartorial storytelling was costume designer Amanda Riley, whose vision brought three generations of America’s “old money” elite to life with pitch-perfect detail.
In this exclusive 10 questions with interview we sat down with Amanda Riley to discuss the We Were Liars fashion style behind the fiction — from her Slim Aarons inspiration boards to the lemon-covered couture in that unforgettable garden party scene.
1. How did you approach dressing three generations of the Sinclair family, and what guided your visual storytelling?
Creating a series with beautiful people in beautiful clothes was a dream come true. Dressing the Sinclairs was like building a time capsule of American aristocracy. I pulled style references from Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Jane Birkin — women who embody classic, feminine elegance.
Each family member needed a wardrobe that whispered wealth through subtlety: nothing too trendy or logo-heavy. I focused on timeless summer silhouettes — linen tailoring, cotton sundresses, delicate knits — and layered personality through fabric choices, color palettes, and accessories.
2. The Sinclair wardrobe blends brands like Brunello Cucinelli, Ralph Lauren, Doen, and LoveShackFancy. How did you curate such an elevated mix?
I love using fashion as character development. Dresses are my favorite garment — they can be effortless or opulent with a single zip. Penny, for instance, has a refined, luxury-oriented eye, so I leaned into elevated pieces from designers like Brunello Cucinelli and Dries Van Noten. Cadence, the teenage heir, would realistically shop at places like Doen in New York.
The key was to make every look feel as though it truly lived in their closets — passed down, curated, or lovingly chosen.
3. The show spans two pivotal summers. How did costume design reflect Cadence’s emotional and physical transformation?
Summer 16 was all sun-drenched innocence. Cady’s wardrobe was airy and romantic — soft florals, breezy dresses. But after the accident, her appearance changes: darker hair, moodier tones, longer hemlines. As she begins to remember, glimpses of her former self return in lighter fabrics and softer shapes.
In the finale, she wears a structured dress that blends the two timelines — a symbolic reclaiming of identity. For a Sinclair, appearances matter, even in grief. The costumes helped carry that unspoken code.
4. Tell us about the custom dress Cady wears during the dramatic fire scene. How did you pull that off?
Designing that dress was nerve-wracking and exhilarating. Halifax isn’t exactly the fabric capital of the world, so I relied on my East and West Coast teams to send swatches. But a swatch isn’t a gown, so we built five full dresses from the shortlisted materials.
Sandra, our in-house wizard, worked magic. When we fit Emily in the final version — a blue dress that shimmered like sea glass — we all felt it. That was the dress.
5. Where did you draw cultural inspiration from to shape the Sinclair aesthetic?
Slim Aarons was my north star. His photography captured the quiet luxury of affluent families vacationing in the Mediterranean — elegance without ostentation. I imagined the Sinclairs at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc or a private villa on the Amalfi Coast.
That vision informed the palette: linen whites, powder blues, muted citrus. Everything felt sun-faded, effortless, expensive.
6. Each Sinclair sister feels distinct, yet cohesive. How did you style Penny, Bess, and Carrie differently?
Penny is the fashion-forward matriarch — she wears clean lines and invests in avant-garde pieces, like Proenza Schouler, but always within a crisp, minimalist palette.
Carrie is the bohemian art lover, soon to marry a NYC gallery owner. Her wardrobe is vibrant and collected — one-of-a-kind pieces that hint at a worldly, well-traveled life.
Bess? She’s Nantucket perfection. Think tailored blazers, white trousers, and heirloom pearls. Her looks were harder to source — true quiet luxury doesn’t scream on the racks.
7. You mentioned sustainability. How did vintage and secondhand finds elevate the show’s elite aesthetic?
Sustainability was a huge priority. I turned to designers like Doen and Reformation, as well as luxury brands with ethical practices like Brunello Cucinelli. We also sourced stunning vintage pieces from consignment shops in Toronto and Nova Scotia.
Today’s secondhand market is a goldmine — you can find incredibly well-made garments that tell stories. And in a show about legacy and memory, that was very on-brand.
8. How did you use textures and tones to separate the Sinclair core from guests and staff?
When designing crowd scenes — like garden parties or beach gatherings — we kept the background wardrobe within the “wealthy summer” realm, but a notch below. The Sinclairs always stood out in richer textures, sharper tailoring, and deeper tonal harmony.
The guests were “rich adjacent.” The Sinclairs were legacy.
9. That lemon hunt scene was both opulent and hilarious. How did you manage that many characters in one iconic moment?
We built a full lemon-themed closet for fittings! Bethana, my assistant designer, even wrapped lemon garlands around the racks. Dresses with lemon prints, bowties with lemon motifs — the costume gods were smiling on us.
The visual was stunning: white and yellow fabrics dancing on the lawn. And then — Penny falls in the well! A perfect mix of pageantry and chaos. Very Sinclair.
10. What were the biggest challenges of dressing a luxury drama in Nova Scotia?
The logistics were intense. We shopped vintage stores in Halifax, made monthly buying trips to Toronto (we’d return with 6–8 massive suitcases), and had shoppers in LA, NYC, Vancouver, and Paris.
But shipping delays were constant — praying that a Ralph Lauren blazer or Loewe sandal would arrive on time was a weekly ritual. Still, fashion is problem-solving. Every piece — even a single polo — had a story to tell.
Amanda Riley’s work on the We Were Liars fashion outfits doesn’t just dress the characters — it defines them. Through carefully sourced couture, vintage finds, and timeless styling, Riley has crafted a world where fashion isn’t background, but plot. As Cadence searches for the truth, the audience is right there with her — unraveling memories, one silk hemline at a time.
To learn more about Amanda Riley visit her website or follow along on social media @amandalynn.riley for the latest updates and inspiring content.
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