How Jenna Ortega Turned Her Wednesday Wardrobe Into a Global Goth Moment
Jenna Ortega has become a flagbearer of gothic style and aesthetics. Her latest press run, promoting Netflix’s Wednesday Season 2, hasn’t strayed far from this signature style. The actor has reinforced her status as a goth fashion icon with a wardrobe curated alongside longtime collaborator Enrique Melendez.
Ortega’s looks, part method dressing, part rock star, and always on theme, are a masterclass of fashion eras and trends. Archival pieces, niche designer items, and the kind of out-of-the-box glam only Ortega could pull off have marked her promotional appearances. To no one’s surprise, she’s even reignited interest in moody style and aesthetics. Now, everyone is getting ready for a goth-fashioned fall.
Jenna Ortega is the goth girl of our time
Since she rose to worldwide acclaim as a Tim Burton muse, Jenna Ortega has become the poster girl of goth style. Inspired by her characters, but without sacrificing her personal mark, Ortega has shaped a stylishly dark style. For her debut as Wednesday Addams, she pioneered Wednesdaycore, a type of aesthetic that combined preppy fashion with goth elements. Meanwhile, she championed the dark coquette trend during the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice press tour, combining juxtaposed styles.
The Wednesday star has gone the extra mile for Wednesday’s return. Every public appearance has breathed new life into a fashion subculture that has never really gone out of style. For decades, the gothic movement has been a recurrent inspiration for fashion and pop culture. Runways, TV shows, and even celebrities have, to varying degrees of success, introduced goth-inspired fashion and beauty into the mainstream. In 2025, you’ve probably come across headlines announcing the resurgence of goth and adjacent aesthetics like medieval and castlecore.
Well, Jenna Ortega is at the forefront of the goth renaissance
A Gen Z icon by all means, Ortega is leading this new wave of gothic fashion. Her take is sleek, refined, and fashion-forward. In her lookbook, sharp suits, haute couture, and vintage treasures co-exist with beauty statements like bleached brows and smoky eyes. Her hair, styled by Latino hairstylist Cesar Deleon Ramirez, doesn’t go unnoticed either. Messy ponytails, spiky buns, and lived-in waves are part of Ortega’s goth beauty repertoire.
The actress kicked off this new goth-glam era in June at Netflix’s Tudum event. For the occasion, the actress nodded at the Addams Family fictional universe, with a tribute to Debbie Jellinsky (Uncle Fester’s wife in the Addams Family Values movie). The look, consisting of an ombre leather coat by Chinese brand Mark Gong, embodied goth sleekness. To tie the inspiration together, she sported skinny oval frames and covered her hair with a silk scarf. This styling channeled Debbie’s character in Ortega’s terms and teased the plot of Wednesday’s new season. It also brought a modern and elegant twist to the classic goth style.
Reinventing goth style with every appearance
Each public appearance has been a chance for Ortega to push the boundaries and reimagine goth aesthetics. At the Wednesday Season 2 global premiere on July 30, Ortega took her style a step further. Dressed in an Ashi Studio snakeskin dress, the actress reinvented gothic glam with a reptilian touch. The star of the show, however, was the glam — bleached brows and a low ponytail. Nodding to the medieval and Romanesque elements influencing goth fashion, the hairstyle featured a braided section. Needless to say, this look struck the perfect balance between avant-garde, stylish, and dark.
Elsewhere, Ortega leaned on more traditional goth territories, opting for an Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood corseted gown. Bringing the most classic goth elements to the function, the dress featured long sleeves, a ruffled neckline, and a long skirt. Ortega’s team complemented the outfit with a black leather belt and a large cross pendant. When she stepped out for a Wednesday immersive experience in Paris, fans and the media were quick to label the style as “Siren Goth.”
In other instances, Ortega put a suited spin on goth with tailored ensembles. One of them, a Willy Chavarria set, was equal parts Pachuca tribute and gothic CEO proper. The outfit reimagined the zoot suit via a black pencil skirt and lilac jacket with Juliet sleeves and oversized lapels. Of course, her look couldn’t be complete without a large wool hat, platform pumps, and sunglasses. We call this one Pachuca Gothic.
Black is the ultimate goth chic staple
Naturally, Ortega has also made black her go-to color. Whether stepping out for fan screenings in New York or posing against traditional architecture in Seoul, the actress has rocked black like no other. Slip gowns with ruffles and deconstructed details, leather corsets, and tweed skirts adorned with chains have been part of Ortega’s all-black closet.
Not to mention that the actress has the right footwear and accessories to match every style moment. In New York, the star stepped out wearing dramatic lace-up boots by the Spanish brand MIISTA. In Seoul, she matched her Simone Rocha bodysuit — a grim but playful piece featuring the “Lady With a Bird” painting by Genieve Figgis — with Mary Janes.
Ready to embrace a gothic wardrobe this fall?
Though gothic-infused style is ever-present, Jenna Ortega’s reprisal of Wednesday Addams (and her accompanying wardrobe) is reinvigorating the hype around it. This revival aligns perfectly with fashion’s current fascination with all things vampy, dark, and romantically goth. Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, and even Dior (in Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Fall-Winter 2025 show) have introduced dark aesthetics, castle-leaning visuals, and gothic elements on the runways. Likewise, stars such as Chappel Roan and Gabriette are making a case for goth-imbued looks.
If you’re devising a goth fall wardrobe, take a page or two from Jenna Ortega’s lookbook. Your approach can be as literal or abstract as you want it to be. If you prefer the traditional goth look, opt for corseted blouses, long layered skirts, ruffled dresses, and your fall-favorite boots. If you’re into modern-day twists, go for deconstructed items, leather pieces, and accessories such as chokers and skinny sunglasses.
The corporate girls can draw inspiration from the #corporategoth hashtag on TikTok. The looks range from black tailored outfits to casual long skirts and sweater combinations. Outerwear, including trench coats, leather jackets, and blazers, is also non-negotiable during fall.
As long as you do it with confidence, nonchalance, and nonconformity, just like Jenna, you’ll be rocking any goth style with ease.
