Those who haven’t pinned Jenna Ortega to their fashion mood boards yet, it’s about time you made some space for the 21-year-old actor, as she’s shaping up to become fashion’s latest crush. No mean feat, given the actress hasn’t spent too much time in the limelight yet: if you didn’t spot Ortega in her roles in Jane The Virgin or in the Disney Channel series Stuck In The Middle, she will have definitely hit your radar as preppy goth girl, Wednesday Addams in the Netflix hit series Wednesday - a role that sent her stratospheric in the ranks of Hollywood, featuring that viral dance scene that held the internet in a chokehold.
Naturally, said stardom comes with a matching wardrobe. Taking cues from her on-screen characters and working with long-term stylist Enrique Mendelez, Jenna Ortega has perfected the gothic-glam aesthetic, often wearing custom looks from Dior, Dolce and Gabbana and Thom Browne. Mendelez has delivered a 101 in method dressing, evolving Ortega's style from her early stage glitz - which featured rhinestones and various shades of pink (hello Met Gala 2022) - to a high-polish preppy-cum-goth look that packs a punch. And as the promo tour for the sequel of the Halloween cult shocker Beetlejuice - Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice - rolls out, Ortega, who plays Astrid Deetz, sister to Winona Ryder’s iconic character Lydia Deetz, has already begun to turn out looks that demand our attention, including vintage Vivienne Westwood corsets and Jimmy Choo platform heels.
Wondering how to get the Ortega look? Take note of the signature style details with every look: a corseted waist, platform heels and a lot of black. See for yourself and keep scrolling to see all of Ortega’s best outfits so far.
See: Jenna Ortega's Best Red Carpet Outfits
Continuing the London leg of the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice press tour, Jenna Ortega brought the shade of the season, oxblood red, into the mix, wearing a burgundy tuxedo dress with cherry red tights and trademark platform heels.
Attending the London premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Ortega stepped out in a Harris Reed goth-glam gown accessorised perfectly with a custom Ozais bag designed specifically for the occasion. Look a little closer and you'll quickly notice this top-handle bag is an exact replica of Tim Burton's iconic Beetlejuice house, now that's what we call attention to detail.
Stylist, Enrique Melendez brought yet another iconic reference to the red carpet for the Venice International Film Festival 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' premiere with a custom Dior red tulle gown inspired by Winona Ryder's blood red wedding gown as seen in the original Beetlejuice film. Genius.
Arriving in Venice ahead of the Film Festival, Ortega channelled her inner preppy goth girl - reminiscent of her previous role of Wednesday Addams - wearing a checked blazer and pleated skirt by Tod's, finished off perfectly with Jimmy Choo loafers. Eagle-eyed fans spotted this is yet another reference to an outfit worn by character Adam Maitland in the original Beetlejuice movie, even down to the red top worn underneath.
Ortega is a close collaborator of the American designer Thom Browne, who is known for his obscurely preppy aesthetic, and even wore a custom gown made by him to last year’s met gala, so seeing her attend promo tour events for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes as no surprise. And in a tongue in cheek twist, Ortega made a subtle nod to the upcoming movie with a custom bag by the brand Ozias that reads ‘handbag for the deceased’. Into it.
It’s not only Jenna Ortega’s red carpet outfits that sing of Hollywood. Her on-the-go outfits pack just as much star power - like this Dolce & Gabbana pinstripe suit, which she wore to a photocall earlier this month.
Ortega shows range: professionally and sartorially - to star in Sabrina Carpenter’s latest music video for the song ‘Taste’, the actor went high-octane glam, perfect with Jimmy Choo platform heels.
Jenna’s proclivity for archival Vivienne Westwood looks is a match made in fashion goth heaven. And there are no surprises here: Westwood’s signature corsets were made for the actor’s cinched-in signature style and so this dress from the spring/summer ‘09 collection was an apt choice.
Even Ortega sometimes goes off course with her outfits and opts for pieces that are more reminiscent of her first outings. Take this Haute Couture Christian Dior corseted gown for example, it’s a far cry from her usual glam-gloth looks but looks just as spectacular.
To attend the men’s Saint Laurent show in Paris earlier this year, the actor channelled her inner Eartha Kitt, and attended the fashion event in a body-skimming, hooded gown. In black, of course.
One could have thought Ortega had received fashion’s memo on the return of Boho when she attended the Golden Globes in a floaty Gucci gown. But harness elements and cut-out details quickly brought this dress back into the realms of personal, edgier look.
This Dolce & Gabbana look featuring a supersized collar, tie and waist belt feel quintessentially her. Swoon.
For the premiere of her hit show Wednesday, Ortega took the brief literal and stepped out in a lace-y Versace gown, topped off with a black veil. Now this is what you call commitment.
You can say what you want but when she commits to something, she sticks with it. Or, perhaps, she’s really found the style that works for her. Either way, this lace dress and leather coat (and platform heels), are what springs to mind when you think of ‘Jenna Ortega’s style’: classic and dark with a defiant dose of va-va-voom.
Her first Met Gala outing was a far cry from the Jenna Ortega we know now. Pink rhinestones and even romantic hair clips seem a distant memory now, but that doesn’t go to say that we didn’t enjoy this.
Henrik Lischke is the Senior Fashion Features Editor at Grazia.