Like most good style evolutions, Jenna Ortega’s transformation into Gen Z’s resident goth girl didn’t happen overnight. No, it happened quietly — a lace cuff here, a slash of kohl there. And then, somewhere between Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wednesday season two, Jenna Ortega stepped fully into the gothic renaissance.
The terms 'tourdrobe' and 'method dressing' have been bandied around for a while now, and it’s hardly a new phenomenon — even if Margot Robbie’s Barbie press tour wardrobe really did put it on the map. The danger here, though, is in turning a fashion moment into a costume when what you want is a cultural touchpoint. It’s a line Ortega and stylist Enrique Melendez have balanced with deft precision.
Dressed in an arsenal of sculptural silhouettes, shadowy sheers, and inky velvet, Ortega’s wardrobe has turned into a masterclass in what I’ll henceforth be referring to as 'elegant macabre'.
This is not Hot Topic goth (no offence), nor is it the gaudy Halloween redux that haunted the 2010s — and for which I, thanks to a beloved pair of purple-and-black striped knee socks and Emily the Strange, fell victim to. Instead, Ortega’s take on dark dressing feels authentic and spine-tinglingly chic.
Many have compared her to ’90s-era Winona Ryder — she did, quite literally, play her daughter in last year’s Beetlejuice sequel — but acting pedigree aside, she does have that glamorous, ghoulish quality that Hollywood so loves (see also: Angelina Jolie).
From the lace and satin gown by Ann Demeulemeester to a Sleepy Hollow-style dress by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, Ortega is carrying the gothic torch (or should I say lantern?) with a refined edge. Sure, there are elements of goth girls of yore — Nina Ricci, Winona, Rose McGowan — but it’s also a continuation of her own now-signature aesthetic, just elevated: no longer simply 'Wednesday-core'.
The trend isn’t confined to Ortega, either. Goth It Girls are stalking the streets of Los Angeles, London, and other cities beginning with the letter ‘L’ that I can’t currently think of. The runways have been equally spellbound. Rick Owens’ Fall/Winter 2025 collection nodded to ecclesiastical glamour in black tulle and structured leather (honorary mention for Rick Owens and Michèle Lamy — fashion’s preeminent harbingers of haute noir), while McQueen under Seán McGirr is embracing asymmetry, decay, and romance in ways that feel both timeless and true to McQueen’s darkly romantic legacy.
Even red carpets have gone moody, with celebrities like Zendaya and Mia Goth (another actress with an underworld aesthetic) leaning into Victorian silhouettes, rich textures, and a kind of worn-in drama.
But right now, Jenna Ortega is the reigning gothic princess. With her dark lipstick, 'tired-girl make-up' and deliberately undone hair, her fashion choices reflect a new generation's current mood: disenchanted, theatrical, and unbothered by conventional Hollywood glamour.
It’s no longer just about looking pretty; it’s about looking hauntingly good.
Scroll through for some of Jenna Ortega’s most elegantly macabre outfits — and where to shop similar sultry styles.
Jenna Ortega’s most elegantly macabre outfits
