The Menendez brothers serve ‘old money’ style inspiration for Gen Z
Their style is killer.
Erik and Lyle Menendez — the two brothers convicted for the murder of their parents who are also the subject of the hit series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” — have become somewhat of style icons after the release of the Ryan Murphy show.
The Netflix series, which scored over 1.7 billion viewing minutes in the first four days of its release, has propelled actors Cooper Koch, who plays Erik, and Nicholas Chavez, who plays Lyle, to heartthrob status, the latter of which is the focus on a NYC-based lookalike contest this weekend.
But the Hollywood hunks have also inspired viewers to adopt the country club chic worn by their characters, whether for everyday wear or just for Halloween.
Online, TikTokkers are recreating the Menendez brothers’ preppy, ’80s fashion — also dubbed “old money style” — with Polo shirts, popped collars, white slacks, pastel colored sweaters draped over their shoulders and aviator shades. On Reddit, fans are attempted to source pieces from the series’ wardrobe.
“POV: you want to dress like the Menendez brothers a little bit too much after watching the series,” a creator named Julian wrote in a video, where he is dressed in an Oxford button-up layered beneath a knit.
Meanwhile, creator Vincenzo Melisi emulated the Beverly Hills brothers’ fashion with a white Polo tee, white pants, a beige sweater tied around his shoulders and loafers, his curly hair coiffed similar to that of Erik’s, prompting viewers to swoon.
“Although the story is crazy, Erik and Lyle’s fits are not one to play with,” a creator who goes by @fashionjfer said in a TikTok video.
He applauded the brothers’ “rich boy style” as “so clean,” and argued that “because of the show,” their fashion is back en vogue.
Nicolas and Emiliano, content creators who are also brothers, recreated some of the fashion from the series together in a viral video that has scored over 148,000 views, sharing a handful of looks from prison garb to the vibrant sweaters worn during the scenes of their court appearance.
While the overwhelming consensus appears to be positive — many viewers said that they “love it” — the trend hasn’t been well-received by all.
“This is weird as f–k they are not an aesthetic,” one critic wrote in the comments.
“Can we not. These are real victims, not TV show characters. Y’all truly need to get a grip on reality,” chastised another.
“Can we not role-play as the Menendez brothers? It’s kinda weird,” someone else said.
Even LA Times writer Lucía García condemned the fad, writing, “By participating in these TikTok trends, users trivialize the tragic events that shaped the Menendez brothers’ lives.”
The brothers — who alleged in court that their father sexually abused them — were convicted on two counts of first-degree murder after the 1989 killing of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
But, in part thanks to the Netflix series, the brothers are not only the focus of wardrobe revamps but also a celebrity-backed movement to free them from lock-up after being behind bars for more than three decades.
