Carbon Costume

It’s the year 2000. In Hulu’s cringe comedy Pen15, Maya Ishii-Peters and Anna Kone are two best friends navigating the trials of seventh grade at the turn of the 21st century. At the core of the show’s hilarity are 30-year-old actresses Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle portraying fictionalized versions of their former selves while surrounded by a cast of actual 13-year-olds. Like most teens, Maya Ishii-Peters lacks self-awareness; but that’s what makes her perfectly endearing and oddly amusing. In the iconic garage scene of S1 E2, Maya dresses to impress in true Y2K fashion with layered choker necklaces, an embroidered tank, low-rise khakis, and a large plaid shirt (which most likely came from dad’s closet).