There aren’t many theme tunes as iconic as the rhythmic clicks associated with The Addams Family, and there aren’t many family units (save for the Kardashians, perhaps), as instantly recognisable as Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday and Pugsley Addams. After numerous adaptations (the clan started life as a cartoon drawn by Charles Addams in 1938), everybody’s favourite fictional family is back in a new Netflix series, Wednesday, which follows teenager Wednesday Addams as she navigates life at a new school, and the sinister events that unfold as people start to mysteriously disappear.
Starring Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gwendoline Christie and Christina Ricci (who, fans will know, played Wednesday in the hit ’90s movies), and directed by Tim Burton, it possesses the stylised, gothic quality that is so distinct to the director’s work. And of course, this monochrome-tinged lens has also been extended to the costumes: from Morticia’s plunging black gown and poker-straight locks, to Wednesday’s buttoned-up blouses and kohl-lined eyes. As it happens, the Addams’s aesthetic is right on trend. Just take a quick glance at the fabulously funereal designs of Rick Owens and the darkly retro frills of Alessandra Rich, and you could be forgiven for thinking that the costumes in Wednesday had been lifted directly from the catwalks.
Take fashion girls’ current penchant for head-to-toe black, with an emphasis on patent leather (particularly in knee-high boot form). Add to that the fact that summer 2022’s moody aesthetic was so pervasive it even infiltrated wedding-guest dressing (traditionally a floral and pastel zone), and the show could not be more well-timed.
How to integrate some Wednesday styling into your own winter wardrobe? Wearing black-on-black is an easy entry point, and can be achieved using pieces already in your wardrobe. Top tip: try experimenting with different textures—wool against patent leather, cotton against silky satin. Or, if you’re wondering what to wear for your next black tie event, then why not consider channelling a Morticia with a vampish, floor-skimming black gown and deep berry lipstick? A surefire way to stand out amongst froufrou feathers and primary-coloured frocks.
Scroll down to shop our Wednesday-inspired edit.
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Paris Texas Black 95 patent keather knee boots, $893
Available at Net-a-porter.
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Alessandra Rich Lace-Trimmed Polka-Dot Silk mini dress, $1,563
Available at Farfetch.
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Maximilian Donna draped stretch-jersey maxi skirt, $554
Available at Net-a-porter.
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Noir Kei Ninomiya ruffle-trimmed tulle blouse, $595
Available at Mytheresa.
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Commando high-waisted stretch-patent midi skirt, $163
Available at Selfridges.
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Ganni Combat boots, $343
Available at The Outnet.
This story was originally published on British Vogue.
