Stefan Salvatore is the Mr. Good Guy of The Vampire Diaries but it’s really difficult being the ‘good’ vampire. Stefan, in spite of having an impeccable sense of fashion always got the short end of the stick in of sartorial options. He couldn’t dress as cool as his brother Damon since the latter had room to exude the bad boy vibe with his clothes; this already meant fewer leather jackets for Stefan. But Stefan has always stuck to a polished, urban and somewhat sporty memo.
And post Season 2 when the Original vampires rolled into Mystic Falls, it became very crucial to distinguish Stefan’s style from that of Klaus or Elijah since the Originals borrowed quite a few styling tricks’ from the ‘Salvatore Book of Moody Dressing.’ Stefan’s style always represented his benevolent and self-assured persona, and there are quite a few hints hidden in his fashion choices which are actually clues about his narrative.
Season 1: Hunting Couture?
Perhaps to establish him as someone who’s more matured and polished than high school kids, Season 1 Stefan was dressed in clothes that are sophisticated but did not come across as stuffy. We’re talking light-wear hunting coats, stand collar jacket, long collar pea coats, and interesting layers.
His clothes also needed to be really comfortable so he could come off as an effortless dresser. This is why layering is a really great strategy to make someone look younger and more interesting; it also worked for Stefan’s height because it made him look more towering and complemented his gait.
Season 1-3: Mr. Don’t Need a Job
It’s possible that all pop culture vampires dress the same way, and so did the Salvatore boys. If you look close, vampires do not want to mix into the crowd in of fashion; they need to fit in, sure, but they really have no interest in being the jock in a Letterman jacket.
Stefan dresses like he lives in an old mansion in a forest and that’s because he really does live in an old forest mansion; there’s an element of laid back entitlement to his entire wardrobe, so there’s a lot of relaxed suede, hike-up boots, sturdy jackets etc.
Season 1,2: Oh-so-dark
Of course 171-year-old vampires prefer darker colors over pastels or popping sunny hues and that makes sense. But Stefan’s wardrobe leaned into a more stylistic color symmetry, so it wasn’t just black and dark blue, but there was a strategic balance in tonality in each of his looks.
So, he would team up a really cool charcoal field jacket with a deep grey tee, or a black shirt with a light grey outerwear. This was more noticeable in Season 1 especially since makers tried to dress him in something head-turning and nothing too run-off-the-mill or mass-produced.
Season 2: The Thoughtful Salvatore
Stefan is clearly the picky dresser of the two Salvatores, especially since Damon was really unpredictable with his dressing. But Stefan usually stuck to his comfort zone, which actually helped his narrative as the responsible, good brother who makes careful fashion choices as well.
So, there’s an element of thought involved in each of Stefan’s fashion choices, which is so interesting to observe. Fans could tell that most of Stefan’s look had been put together carefully, and this was a sharp contrast to Damon who’d wear anything from a v-neck to a dad shirt to an array of leather jackets.
Season 2: Finally Plaids
As the show progresses and Stefan becomes more comfortable with the people around him he also gives the low-maintenance vibe a try. So in Season 2 we finally see him wearing some plaid shirts. It also makes sense that Stefan doesn’t need to stand out sartorially because he has gotten to know the people.
Plus, Season 2 is where the Original vampires come into town and the Salvatore boys have to run around town to save their own lives and also their friends. So plaid and dark khaki shirts are perfect because they make Stefan look more approachable.
Season 2,3: Not The Only Posh Boy In Town
Since the arrival of the Originals, Klaus, Elijah etc. it became very important to distinguish Stefan as the good guy, and the producers tried to do so via his fashion choices. It’s a little tricky because Stefan dresses so differently from Damon, who’s more of an effortless dresser.
Stefan couldn’t dress like Klaus either because they are total contrasts. But since Klaus was the bad boy in the narrative, Stefan had to look more grounded, so he made way for some really basic styling picks like V-necks, some grownup flannel shirts.
Season 3,4: More Lighter Colors
To establish Stefan as the most giving and selfless character on the show, especially Season 3 onwards, the makers decided to bring in some light colors into the mix; it’s a basic hack but it was effective especially because there were so many new characters on the show and there are only so many options for a stylish vampire.
Stefan would be seen in simple white shirts, light grey hoodies, light blue tees. This fashion tactic is actually a very handy one whenever a character’s tone has to be mellowed on any sitcom; in fact, in the TVD spin-off The Originals, Elijah Mikaelson’s narrative as a good guy was also established with the help of lighter, less broody colors.
Season 3: The Compel Closet?
when Klaus compelled Stefan and made him shut off his humanity? That was one the darkest phases of his life and to convey the sense of gloom and despair, Stefan was actually made to wear really dull hues.
He always wore darker numbers, but fans have observed that there was no flair to his dressing during the time he spent with Klaus, it was almost as if Stefan couldn’t feel anything or experience anything, which is actually in sync with the plot. So, he wears dull greys, rusty colors, even the leather jackets he wears are dusty and don’t look particularly expensive.
Season 1 and 2: The old school charmer
Pre-vampire Stefan was also a picky dresser and we have plenty of evidence to that statement. Throughout Season 1 and 2 there are several flashback sequences where the origins of the Salvatores are established; Stefan and Damon dressed like Southern gentlemen during the Civil War, and though there was a pretty steadfast code of dressing for men, the two brothers made their own fashion choices.
While Damon would keep it funky with pops of colors, Stefan would usually stick to monochromes even when he was sporting a three-piece suit, replete with an old school ascot and riding boots.
Season 6: The human touch
In season 6 while Elena and Damon’s lives are all chaos and turbulence, Stefan gets some space to come into his own on the show. His life is actually the least messy in Season 6 so he could afford to take it easy. This reflects on his wardrobe as well as he actually starts dressing less moodily and looks grounded and almost human!
Fans noticed a lot of V-necks (like a lot), Henleys, hoodies, denim jackets, etc. In Season 6 he also starts a meaningful relationship with Caroline so it was essential to show Stefan’s humane side.