From collars to gloomy garments: How to dress like Wednesday Addams for Halloween

Wednesday Addams is the Halloween costume you don’t want to miss out on this year.

The classic gory-loving teenage girl, with her dark braids and her panged makeup is the perfect character to portray on the scariest day of the entire year. Why? First crafted from the mind of cartoonist Charles Addams, then reimagined in the world of Tim Burton, Jenna Ortega became the “Queen of Creepy” last year when the Netflix series Wednesday It quickly became one the most watched streaming services in the entire world.

Wednesday’s gothic garments mirror her affinity for immoral behaviour and her inherent gloom. Her crisp collars and black ties are codes for what is typically referred to as “ivy-style”, with each suit stitched for the structure of a poised young woman – a contradiction to her otherwise raven-like characteristics and thirst for danger.

Not only does Wednesday’s clean uniform aptly juxtapose her morose character, but it’s also very easy to recreate from what you already own in your wardrobe, or could find for cheap.

Looking back at the eight-episode thriller, there’s only a few items needed to become the murder-solving Wednesday who’s captured everyone’s attention for the past year. Here’s some outfit options to embody the character of Wednesday Addams for Halloween.

The classic schoolgirl

Wednesday’s not someone to leave much up to chance. Her routine is consistent – minus the bloody extracurriculars and urge to break rules. Throughout the show, the psychic prodigy can be seen mostly in her Nevermore Academy outfit.

The uniform is similar to any other school uniform. It includes a fitted jacket with a white button-down shirt, paired with slacks, tucked into a grey sweater vest and a long skirt. Most of these items can be found at your local thrift store, if they’re not already hanging in your closet. Don’t worry about colour, Wednesday doesn’t care much for it.

If you want to incorporate accessories that fully channel Wednesday’s character, buy a pair of chunky loafers ($70), sew a Nevermore patch ($14.90) onto your pinstripe jacket pocket, make sure your skirt is the same print as the coat, and get yourself a button-down with a long-pointed collar ($13.99).

The polka-dot dresses

Wednesday’s life was shrouded in mist from the start. Even before Wednesday switched to a school that specializes in the supernatural from public high-school, she wore dark colours.

The polka-dot outfit Ortega wore for the very first episode speaks volumes about her character. Walking through the halls and headed straight for the pool, with bags of piranhas ready to eat the flesh of her brother Pugsley’s bullies, Wednesday donned a long black dress with white polka-dots scattered all over. The garment was layered over her trademark sharp collar, and of course, her black tresses were pulled in two tight braids – never to be messed with.

If you’re feeling lazy and aren’t up for the second-hand hunt, Amazon’s replica of Wednesday’s dress ($29.99) comes with both the top garment and long-sleeve undershirt.

The fair

On her days off, she wore the same black-and-white colour scheme and only switched her Nevermore pinstripe outfit for a different print.

Luckily, embodying Wednesday’s character outside of school is straightforward and effortless if you have black and white mixed into your clothing collection. To embody Wednesday’s character outside of school, you only need black trousers, platform shoes, a black jacket with monochrome embroidery, and a sweater. To match Wednesday’s look she donned at the fair – where she encountered the hyde for the first time – grab a gray hoodie and striped sweater.

Wednesday is a girl with a lot of habits. Most of her outfits outside of class include variations of black and white knitwear. Like this checkered sweater (41.96 dollars).

The school dance dress

It’s a rarity to see Wednesday with her guard down, following her heart instead of her head. Even when she does, the character’s self-confidence never wavers. Wednesday knows who she is and what she likes, which is why she knew the perfect dress for Nevermore’s dance when she saw it in the window of an old antique store.

The chiffon belted gown with a multi-layered skirt, sheer neckline, and buttoned black collar perfectly represented Wednesday’s desire to step out of her comfort zone while still staying true to who she is. It’s the kind of eerie elegance made for a night like Halloween.

You can find a layer of tulle, a belt in black, and a transparent top with a bodice in black, or buy the exact dress for $28,22. If you choose to do this, be sure that your hair is wrapped around your top and pinned into two braids. Find an opaque purple lip stain and dot some fake freckles over the bridge of your nose for Wednesday’s shadow-like makeup.

If you’re really feeling crazy, switch on “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps and give your friends a taste of Wednesday’s ominous dance moves.