Elizabeth Stonem, better known as “Effy” throughout Generation 1 and 2, is Tony’s quiet little sister. The first time we see Effy is in the pilot when she arrives home appearing to have been out all night. Smudged metallic makeup, bags under her eyes, skull and bones earrings, and platform boots… I mean how COULD you sneak back in with all that jewelry?
Like, seriously… she’s probably 14 years old here. I was a fucking nerd at this age and these kids are getting ripped on a school night.
Effy and her over-anxious friend in Season 1, Episode 8 “Effy” of Skins.
In episode one, her big brother Tony distracts their parents in a well rehearsed morning routine. You see, Effy does whatever she wants AND is respected by her big brother in some sort of mutual power bond between them. Effy’s episode in Season 1 is all about her mysterious disappearance into the night and the connection Tony has to his sister, when he frantically is searching for her in the middle of the night.
Effy’s night look is always smokey eyes and some glitter black eyeliner, apropos to her mysterious allure. The mystery of Effy all starts with her vow of silence throughout the entirety of Season 1 except for a few words uttered to in a drugged out state of mind:
“Sometimes I feel like I was born backwards… the people I should love, I hate… and the people I hate…”
We’ll never know where that thought was going since she falls backwards, unconscious in a dazed stupor.
All three of these looks look straight out of Dolls Kill and Hot Topic.
YEP, that’s Skins party for ya. People taking weird shit they find in their parent’s cabinet. Also, PSA: don’t try any of this at home for obvious reasons. The storytelling of Skins was heavily influenced on how teenagers self-medicated from all sorts of mental, psychological, and emotional traumas they were going through in their adolescent lives. That’s why it was so powerful to their audience… And the style just keeps improving throughout the series.
Effy and her new found lackey in Season 2 of Skins.
After Effy’s drug overdose scare, we see her more reserved by day in a very strict private school girl uniform…
…but she still is Effy the stoic grunge girl by night. This shot is from Effy’s episode in Season 2 when she tries to fix literally every one of her brother’s friends and babysits the news girl by taking her on a drug run.
Throughout Season 2 of Skins, Effy develops more into the brooding beauty, as she is so well known for in Generation 2, which she takes a more central role. She is also accompanied by her totally innocent sidekick, Pandora, a spaced out transfer student along for the ride for many of her errands. Effy is also the most selfless version of herself in this season. She takes care of her mum, who has fallen into depression, she tries to mend Tony and Michelle’s broken relationship and even forces Sid to do her schoolwork in exchange to get Cassie back.
Effy’s calm and collected selflessness maybe foreshadowed her total destruction in Generation 2… maybe not, but I think that is a FOR SURE conclusion. Her silence from Season 1 slowly wears off and she is very stoic and short with people, all the while being very elusive and pensive. SO GRUNGE, am I right?
Since this series was shot in the 2000s, I thought I would throw in an honorable mention to Effy’s room decor. She has strings of lights, bright colors, magazine cutouts and a small vanity.
Effy’s psychadelic room in Season 2 of Skins is the total opposite of her grungy/punk demeanor.
Shout out to every girl growing up in the 2000s.
The last shot of Season 2, the END of Generation 1, left a huge impact on viewers. The group has dispersed on their separate paths: Sid is searching for Cassie in NYC, Michelle and Tony confront their relationship and Maxxie and Anwar get on a bus to London. We see Effy in her brother’s bed (#nopervs) hair splayed out, clean face and calmly raises her eyebrows. This subtle end to the season, forays the beginning of a new generation of raucous partying, love, loss, heartbreak and rebirth for a new group of friends just trying to survive high school, or “college” as the Brits say.
That closes out the first section of the Skins style file. I’ll be moving on to Generation 2 with the Season 3 and 4 cohort next. There will most likely be a part 2 on Effy as her style does expand as she becomes more complex.
Here are some of the best pinned looks inspired by Effy in Generation 1.
Seasons 1 and 2 will always be my favorite for character development… but it’s time for the next round… Effy’s circle: so get ready for Naomily (Naomi + Emily), Katie, Pandora, Cook, Freddy, JJ and that epic mushroom induced camping trip. More style and favorite moments to come…
xx, The Wayback Closet
