Speaking in a dulcet tone as Morticia Addams, Catherine Zeta-Jones says, “Please excuse Wednesday.” “She is allergic to color”. Since 1938, when Charles Addams, a cartoonist for The New Yorker, first drew the character, Wednesday Addams’ images have been characterized by gothic themes, sharp white collars, long raven hair, and Dark Academia influences. All of this imagery is absolutely black and white. The evil teenager has a new identity today, played by actress Jenna Ortega in the Netflix series of the same name, dressed in Tim Burton’s proposals, the filmmaker most qualified to pull off the trick of bringing a famous figure from our youth to the present day. If Christina Ricci’s Wednesday of the 1990s (who plays Professor Marilyn Thornhill in the reboot) or Lisa Loring’s Wednesday of the 1960s relied on monochromatic dresses and contrasting white collars, Burton’s images of preppy attire are enriched with new details, selected by costume designer and longtime Burton collaborator Colleen Atwood. From the recognizable fixed, eerie gaze, which was replicated through violet eyeshadow tutorials with the hashtag #deadeyes (35.5M views on TikTok), to the voluminous bangs and marble skin tone: Wednesday’s outfit has already gone viral, as has the video of her convulsive dancing during the school dance while engulfed in a cloud of tulle. “Because she shares my vision, Wednesday is one of my favorite characters”, the director stated during the series’ introduction.

With new Gen Z-friendly options that are still true to the character and her frightening costumes but with a touch of contrasting patterns and materials, such as stripes or checks, leather and organza, Wednesday’s classic wardrobe’s monotony is brought to life. I also utilized black and white, in addition to semi-reflective black. There is seldom any use of pure black. As an example, if a character is wearing a black jacket, Atwood told Harper’s Bazaar, “I match it with a white shirt beneath so you can see the arm peep out at the cuff, so it’s not just a blob of black on the screen.” The recognizable preppy “doll guillotine” within Nevermore Academy disappears into the gothic undertones of the Dark Academia aesthetic, which has been tagged on 3.2 billion videos on TikTok. Wednesday is wearing a mix of custom-made, Zara, and vintage-inspired clothing.

Wednesday’s daily outfit includes chunky sneakers from Naked Wolfe, Dr. Martens Jadon, or Prada Monolith derby shoes; strictly black and white, striped or checked sweaters from Miu Miu to Urban Outfitters; only The Cambridge Satchel & Co. backpacks; and minimal 90’s-style leather jackets by LK. Benett or Zara sleeveless puffers for outerwear. As for the famous black chiffon dress with ruffles worn by Alaa, Atwood was fortunate enough to witness it on a model in London and subsequently chose to wear it with a pair of Christian Loubotin Mary Janes. Jenna said that Billie Eilish was a part of her personal moodboard while discussing the sources of inspiration for Wednesday’s fashion in the new series: «We weren’t making her like every other adolescent girl,» she told USA Today.

The Face underlines that the murderous maniac style has already started to affect other platforms besides TikTok. With a focus on up-and-coming brands like The Vampire’s Wife, founded by Nick Cave’s partner, Dilara Findikoglu, Nensi Dojaka, and Edward Crutchley, who was inspired by the idea of a “gothic, queer god” for his fall collection, fashion’s renewed passion for all things black or goth has been reinforced. Established designers like Rick Owens and Ann Demeulemeester have gained new luster. Meanwhile, celebrities try to emulate Wednesday’s outfit by embracing their darker side: Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Baker, Kourtney Kardashian, but also Kylie Jenner’s recent outfits, including the Mugler dress and the JPG x Glenn Martens “Frankesteinian mummy”

In fact, fashion has frequently referenced Wednesday’s character, as shown with Prada’s FW2020 collection, which pays blatant homage to America’s gothiest adolescent. Anyone who has struggled with preppy fashion in its most extreme manifestations, from Vivienne Westwood to Thom Browne, to Tod’s, Saint Laurent, and Celine, cannot have failed to think of her at least once. If Dark Academia even exists, Wednesday is partially to blame.