Jenna Ortega takes method dressing to new heights for Beetlejuice press tour

Method dressing has been all the rage this year, which was officially kicked off by Margot Robbie’s immaculate PR run for Barbie, in 2023. So far, we have witnessed some genius fashion moments ranging from Zendaya’s sporty chic looks for the Challengers press events to Blake Lively’s Lily Bloom-inspired floral fits while promoting It Ends With Us. Now it is our five-foot edgy goth queen, Jenna Ortega’s turn to stun us, with the press tour for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice underway, and clearly, our girl and her longtime stylist, Enrique Melendez are taking it very seriously.
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The Wednesday star is known for her goth-girl aesthetic, with her stunning looks at several red-carpet events, including the Met Gala and she devours, leaving no crumbs every time! The star-studded cast of the sequel to the original 1988 film, Beetlejuice, including Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Michael Keaton, and of course, Jenna Ortega started the press tour in Mexico, and have been making their rounds in NYC. For Tim Burton’s latest flick, Ortega has chosen to pay subtle homage to the 1988 original and its characters, donning custom pieces from labels like Vivienne Westwood and Thom Browne.
The Beetlejuice aesthetic is all about a dark-romantic, gothic fashion vibe, made popular by Aggie Guerard Rodgers Burton, the costume designer of the original film. Jenna Ortega, who plays Astrid Deetz, the misunderstood teenage daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz, has been carrying forward the sartorial mood, going heavy on pinstripes, structured corsets, and black-and-white monotones. Here are some of her most eye-catching looks which prove that our resident goth girl has mastered the art of method dressing.
ALSO READ: From Shraddha Kapoor for Stree 2 to Blake Lively for It Ends With Us: Method dressing is back with a vengeance

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Jenna Ortega officially kicked off the press tour in Mexico City on August 13, donning a Vivienne Westwood archival midi dress, with black pleather details reminiscent of slithering eels, and cobweb-like organza draping, a nod to Beetlejuice’s underworld lair. Additionally, the dress was paired with custom snakeskin platform Mary-Janes from Steve Madden, inspired by a snake from the original movie.

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For a fan event in Mexico City on August 14, the actress chose a strapless, teal leather dress from Lurline, featuring a molded skull bodice and braided details along the skirt. “The leather corset and skirt feature subtle Bob shrunken head details, with draped waves that mimic the character’s wrinkled appearance,” stated Lurline founders Sarah and Siham Albinali.
 
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Ortega channeled Morticia Addams on August 17, stunning the NYC streets in a black pinstriped skirt suit from Dolce & Gabbana, a nod to her work in Netflix’s Wednesday.

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On the same day, she stepped out in another outstanding all-black Dolce & Gabbana fit – a lace maxi-skirt paired with a cropped blazer.

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Keeping the pinstripes alive, Jenna decided to stun New York again, in a grey and black Vivienne Westwood corset skirt and a matching cropped tuxedo jacket. The sheer, striped tights brought the whole ensemble together, giving an 80s spin to it.

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Recreating one of Lydia Deetz’s iconic looks from the original movie, where Winona Ryder dances to Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump in the Line’, Ortega donned a custom Thom Browne long-sleeved, cropped navy cardigan, paired with a green plaid, pleated midi-skirt. Adding more easter eggs, the outfit was accessorized with a brown top-handle bag that says, ‘Handbag for the Recently Deceased’, referencing the ‘Handbook of the Recently Deceased’ from the 1988 original.

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The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 19, in a custom Dion Lee ensemble, inspired by their 2024 Fall collection. The outfit included a glove-sleeved corset top, embellished with silver chains and a matching mini-skirt, again, giving spider webs.
Tim Burton’s highly anticipated Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which follows the Deetz family’s return to Winter River, will debut in theatres on September 6, starring Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder. Jenna Ortega is also filming the second season of the Netflix show, Wednesday, where she will be starring as Wednesday Addams, while also working as one of the show’s producers.