In Which I Recreate Leyla Sancak’s Style In The Protector (Hakan: Muhafız)
Ayça Ayşin Turan as Leyla in The Protector, Season 2, Episode 6
HELLO PALS,
Today is the first of many Exciting Episodes where I’ll look at a movie/TV/etc. character’s style, Analyze It, and attempt to recreate it from things I already own!
There are a few different goals here: 1) to figure out the basic elements of a character’s style and what the costume design says about them; 2) to figure out what I like about it and how to bring those elements into my own style; 3) to create new outfits I’ve never worn before; 4) to teach other people how to do the same with their own sources of inspiration; and (bonus) 5) to introduce some of my favorite stories to More People, because I am always willing to Discuss them. All pictures in this article (besides the ones of Yours Truly) are screenshots from Netflix used for Illustrative PurposesTM.
The Protector (aka Hakan: Muhafız) was the first Turkish Netflix production, and stars Çağatay Ulusoy as Hakan Demir, a Very Ordinary Guy who dreams of opening an antique shop. Hakan’s idol, businessman Faysal Erdem (Okan Yalabık), ends up hiring him as a security guard. Faysal’s general coordinator, Leyla Sancak (Ayça Ayşin Turan), is UnimpressedTM with Hakan at first (#same), but they eventually fall in love…which gets complicated when Hakan finds out he’s a superhero, Faysal is more than he seems, and Leyla is caught between them. Despite her initial standoffishness, we learn that Leyla is soft-hearted—she talks to her houseplants and supports her sick mother—but tenacious. “Cactuses can survive even when they’re not taken care of,” she tells Hakan in Season 1, Episode 5. “They’re tough,” he agrees. “Just like you.”
I was not nearly as tenacious the first time I tried to watch The Protector—I started it in 2019, right after finishing a show Very Near And Dear To My Heart, Maral: En Güzel Hikayem (Maral: My Most Beautiful Story). I stopped watching about 2-1/2 minutes into the first episode when I realized that Cankat Aydos, who I’d loved in Maral as the male lead’s nerdy-but-loveable BFF/voice of reason (below left), also played Hakan’s cousin who looked like THIS (below right). Also, the story wasn’t super interesting so far.
Cankat Aydos as Taso and Aras Bulut İynemli as Sarp in Maral: En Güzel Hikayem, Episode 3
Cankat Aydos as Memo and Çağatay Ulusoy as Hakan in The Protector, Season 1, Episode 1
After taking approximately one (1) year to mentally prepare for this LookTM, and in the meantime watching a mafia drama called İçerde (Inside) that was a much better introduction to Çağatay Ulusoy, I was ready to give The Protector another shot—and I’m glad I did, because it Significantly Improved after the first couple of episodes, and my group of five friends from five states enjoyed watching it for our weekly Saturday Night Movie Time during lockdown. Is it the greatest show I’ve ever seen? No. But is it easily-accessible for an English-speaking audience, and did I enjoy it? Yes on both counts, and I Appreciate it for that. Also, Leyla’s style is A+.
LEYLA’S STYLE
Leyla has the most realistic work wardrobe of all the Female Characters In Turkish Dramas I’ve seen so far—she wears some sleeveless shirts and sandals, both of which are Not Allowed in my office, but I think most of her outfits would be acceptable under a slightly more relaxed dress code. She has a very classic, simple-but-elegant style, which contrasts with the edgy leather jackets and combat boots favored by other female lead, Zeynep (Hazar Ergüçlü). (I will Absolutely be writing a post about Zeynep’s style too.)
Ayça Ayşin Turan as Leyla and Hazar Ergüçlü as Zeynep in The Protector, Season 2, Episode 4.
Leyla also repeats shoes and jewelry across different outfits, which is a really interesting detail—instead of having a brand-new look each day, she seems like a Regular Person with a Regular Closet. (I’m curious how much of this was character-driven, how much was to save on costume costs, and how much has to do with the show being a Netflix production, vs. a dizi like İçerde where clothing brands sponsor the main characters’ wardrobes.) When Leyla stays at a seaside cottage in Season 2, her outfits look like they could have actually fit in her small duffel bag—she wears one pair of jeans, one pair of espadrilles, a few shirts, a dress, and a bathing suit. (This could be the basis for a Leyla-Inspired Capsule Wardrobe—a small number of pieces which can be combined into several outfits.) Throughout the series, we also see her in a lot of the same types of pieces: cropped pants, boxy casual shirts, colorful blazers, and white sneakers.
Top Row: Season 1, Episode 1 | Season 1, Episode 1 | Season 1, Episode 4 | Season 1, Episode 4
Middle Row: Season 1, Episode 5 | Season 1, Episode 6 | Season 1, Episode 7 | Season 1, Episode 7
Bottom Row: Season 1, Episode 9 | Season 2, Episode 1 | Season 2, Episode 3 | Season 2, Episode 4
OUTFITS OF NOTE
Here are a couple of my favorite Leyla Outfits:
Season 1, Episode 5 - I love this outfit. I love the paper-bag pants, the matching belt, the color combination, and the fact that she’s wearing the same (or at least very similar) sandals as she does in the plum-and-black Season 1, Episode 1 look above. I will make an effort to combine plum and khaki Immediately.
Season 1, Episode 1 - We only get a quick look at this outfit, but the skirt looks similar to the one she wears in the Season 1, Episode 2 look below. I like the style of shirt, the subtle edge of the leather skirt, and her NAIL COLOR. I am convinced it is the Best Color For All Makeup.
Season 2, Episode 6 - Wearing a shirtdress as a bathing suit coverup? GENIUS. I am 100% trying it this summer. Thank you, Leyla, for this Clever Idea!!! (Also, thank you costume designers for giving her shoes that she’d actually be able to run in, instead of expecting us to believe she could race around in flip-flops or something. Truly the most realistic part of this superhero series…besides Hakan eating the potato chip while working at a Fancy Party.)
RECREATING LEYLA’S OUTFITS FROM MY OWN CLOSET
Season 1, Episode 2 - Model PhotoTM courtesy of the wind and not being able to take my phone camera off Burst mode!!! Since my only pair of black heels feature dog toothmarks and that is NOT classy, I pulled out these shoes that, because they’re open at the sides, I cannot wear to work. HOWEVER, I would definitely wear this outfit for some other occasion.
Sweater - JC Penney Worthington Tall Women’s Turtleneck, bought 10/2021 - still available in some sizes/colors, wearing size Large Tall
Skirt - Covington, hand-me-down from my mom Many Years Ago
Shoes - Adrienne Vittadini Nocera, bought 6/21 - still available, true to size
Season 1, Episode 8 - I got this blazer when I first started this job and have not yet found a way I’d want to wear it to work UNTIL NOW!!! I didn’t have white pants and shoes like Leyla, so I used a tan base instead for the same Effect. I am a Fan.
Blazer - Banana Republic Long and Lean Fit Washable Wool-Blend Blazer, bought 1/2021 - other colors still available on final sale (for way more than I paid), wearing size 12 Tall with arms shortened
Shirt - JC Penney Worthington, bought in 2019 or 2020
Pants - Old Navy High-Waisted Pixie Ankle Pants, bought 2/2021 - similar color still available, wearing size 12 Tall
Shoes -Christian Siriano for Payless, bought in 2019
Season 1, Episode 9 - I didn’t plan on recreating this outfit until I realized how similar in shape this shirt was to Leyla’s boxy short-sleeved button-up. That’s been one of my favorite parts about recreating character styles—sometimes it’s a very close recreation, like the first look; sometimes it’s using the same color concepts, like the second, even if the colors themselves are different; and sometimes it’s a silhouette, like here. Also, since Leyla wears her jeans cropped higher on the ankle than mine are, I just folded the hem under for a Custom Fit.
Shirt - Kohls Draper James RSVP, bought 3/2022 - still available, wearing size Small (oversized fit, runs EXTREMELY large)
Jeans - American Eagle Hi-Rise Jegging, bought Several Years Ago - similar styles still available (I consistently wear a 10 X-Long at AE)
Shoes - Adidas Grand Court (I think???), bought in 2019 or 2020 - same or very similar still available, true to size
Season 2, Episode 2 - A perfect look for sneaking into a museum when you want to look Absolutely Not Suspicious!!! This is the same shirt and heels from the second look and the same jeans from the third. (Should I write a Tangential Article about a Leyla Capsule Wardrobe? Possibly I Will!)
Jacket - Venus Lace Trim Utility Jacket, bought 3/2022 - still available, wearing size Large (probably could have gotten Medium)
Shirt - JC Penney Worthington, bought in 2019 or 2020
Jeans - American Eagle Hi-Rise Jegging, bought Several Years Ago - similar styles still available (I consistently wear a 10 X-Long at AE)
Shoes - Christian Siriano for Payless, bought in 2019
Sunglasses - Target, 2016
Season 2, Episode 6 - This look was part of the reason I bought this shirt. (I’d also had a similar shirt saved on Pinterest forever, and I need more summer clothes. I don’t normally gravitate toward stripes, but for whatever reason, I like these.) Besides the shoes, my version is the same outfit as Look #3.
Shirt - Kohls Draper James RSVP, bought 3/2022 - still available, wearing size Small (oversized fit, runs EXTREMELY large)
Jeans - American Eagle Hi-Rise Jegging, bought Several Years Ago - similar styles still available (I consistently wear a 10 X-Long at AE)
Shoes - BOC, bought in 2019 or 2020
Season 2, Episode 6 - This is the same outfit as the one above, just with a different shirt. It’s another one of the looks Leyla packs for her trip to the cottage, along with the dress/bathing suit outfit. Even with a small bag, she’s prepared for different occasions or weather conditions—we only see her wearing the dress as a bathing suit cover-up, but she could wear it as its own outfit too. My shirt is less slouchy and more structured, but it’s another outfit I didn’t intend to create until I realized l had a fairly similar piece.
Shirt - JC Penney Worthington Long Sleeve Essential Shirt, bought 4/2020
Jeans - American Eagle Hi-Rise Jegging, bought Several Years Ago - similar styles still available (I consistently wear a 10 X-Long at AE)
Shoes - BOC, bought in 2019 or 2020
IN CONCLUSION
I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey through Leyla’s style—the Meticulous Planning part of my brain loves to Research and Analyze, and the Absolutely Winging It part loves to grab clothes I’m not sure will work together and throw them into new outfits. In some of the Next Installments of this series, you can expect to see the Color Palette of an undercover police officer; the Edgy Vampire ClassTM of a mob wife; what a biker chocolatier and a restaurant CEO can teach us about Outfit Uniforms; how a dancer dresses for hot weather; and Who Knows What Else!!! (You will NOT see Memo from The Protector.)
Which characters’ styles do you admire? Have you ever tried Analyzing A Style? Does your workplace allow Sleeveless Shirts and Sandals? Let us know in the comments!
I remain,
YOUR PAL.