Dress like a Throwback Traditional Wednesday Addams

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Character Costumes Costume Themes

Acting the Part: Get to Know Wednesday Addams

Wednesday Addams was initially made iconic by Christina Ricci in The Addams Family (1991), but her character began in the one-panel cartoons created by Charles Addams in 1938. Her character received further development when that popular comic turned into a popular television show by the same name in the 1960s. It was the movies made in the ‘90s, however, that really brought a modern spotlight to this nearly century-old family. Now, the Netflix show Wednesday has brought renewed vigor to the Charles Addams creation, but let’s not forget the Wednesday Addams that really defined the character.

Christina Ricci’s portrayal of Wednesday in 1991 The Addams Family movie as well as the 1993 Addams Family Values turned the character into who we know and love today. Wednesday Addams is obsessed with death and incredibly brilliant with a penchant for science—specifically performing scientific experiments on her younger brother Pugsley. Much like the rest of her family, the creepier things in life—such as spiders, the Bermuda Triangle, and death—are her bread and butter, so the more emotionless and creepy you can act while in costume the more authentically you’ll be portraying this timeless character.

Looking the Part: Putting together the Costume

Wednesday is most often seen in a primarily simple knee-length black dress with long sleeves and a white collar. The dress doesn’t have to be solid black, but for simplicity’s sake, it might be easiest to find one without a pattern that fits the character. In the movie, we see that she frequently wears dresses with very minimal floral patterns that have a Gothic or slightly Victorian feel to them. She is always seen with her long black hair in pigtails, so if you happen to have long black hair and know how to braid then you’re all set—but if you’re like the rest of us you might need a wig! Wednesday also always wears either opaque black tights or stockings and finishes off the look with a pair of comfortable black boots. Suffice it to say, when the movies came out the character spoke to a lot of us Gothic youths when the norm was brightly colored anoraks, velour tracksuits, and butterfly clips.

Whether you’re an adult or a kid wanting to dress like Wednesday Addams, the costume is the same—the size, however, will vary quite a bit. So we’ve provided options for both!

Adult’s Wednesday Addams Costume

Kid’s Wednesday Addams Costume

Bonus Adult Wednesday Costume

If you’re interested in doing a true throwback of Wednesday Addams and want the look that Lisa Loring sported in 1968, then have a look at this Officially Licensed costume—it’s almost a full set, including the dress, tights, and Wednesday’s headless doll, Marie Antoinette. Just pair it with a black braided wig and some black combat boots and you’ll be all set to do the Drew!

To Finish the Look

Since the traditional look for Wednesday Addams is based on a young girl’s character, there isn’t much in the way of makeup that needs to be addressed. Unless of course, you’re interested in obtaining that pale-as-death skin tone to really complete the costume, consider trying a white foundation.

Since this Wednesday Addams portrayal is aimed at capturing the more traditional character, we’ve also created a guide on how to create a costume for the more modern Wednesday Addams. Don’t forget to check out our article on how to create a costume for Wednesday Addams from the hit Netflix show Wednesday (2022).

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Dress Like Wednesday Addams from the hit Netflix Series

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Character Costumes Costume Themes DIY Costumes Lifestyle

Ever since the show Wednesday debuted on Netflix in late 2022, it has experienced huge success, especially in the re-imagining of the character Wednesday Addams herself. Wednesday Addams has come a long way from her origins in Charles Addams’s dark, yet humorous comics. To dress like Wednesday Addams you will first need to decide which look to follow.

From Lisa Loring’s charismatic stage presence in the 1964 television show, Christina Ricci’s reprisal of the role in 1991 and 1993, and now Jenna Ortega’s 2022 Wednesday series on Netflix, we have seen this macabre and intelligent character grow from a mere child to a young adult. This makes this character age appropriate for children, teens, and adults.

In no small part due to the most recent re-invigoration of Wednesday’s character on screen, her look has not only become a popular costume concept (again), but her character’s style has become the trending look for Gen Z Goths everywhere. From her now-viral dance—you know the one—to her Gothic Prep casual style, it seems that everything she wears is uniquely representative of who she is.

Her modern interpretation, embodied by one of the genre’s newer Scream Queens, Jenna Ortega, remains distinctive—even from that of the more traditional Wednesday renditions. Since we get to see Wednesday in so many different situations than we might otherwise not get to be acquainted with, there are so many new costume looks to choose from—so let’s take a look and see how to transform ourselves into a modern Wednesday Addams without breaking the bank.

Updated Wednesday Throwback Look

This particular look will probably be the most recognizable for those familiar with the original Wednesday as well as those who were introduced to the character for the first time with the 2022 Netflix series. It features a simple long-sleeved dress, either solid black or with minimal Gothic/Victorian floral print, a start white dress collar and cuffs. While the original Wednesday was more likely to be found in a pair of matte black flat Mary Janes, we’ve gotten an update to match the Goth trend appropriate to the time.

Nevermore Academy Uniform

While every other student running around Nevermore Academy is dressed in two shades of blue, Wednesday’s outfit is especially colorless, which decidedly makes her stand out amongst the rest of her peers. To dress like Wednesday in her Nevermore Academy Uniform you will need a few core pieces.

Casual and Comfy Clothes

When it comes to being casual, it’s clear Wednesday seeks comfort while still adhering to her personal no-color policy. She favors the over-sized tops and opts for sneakers over dress shoes, but don’t let this comfy look fool you—it’s probably the most involved costume out of the bunch! Dress like Wednesday Addams comfy feel.

Formal Dance Dress

While the dress that Wednesday wears to the Annual Rave’n is from the Alaïa Fall 2020 collection, most high schoolers don’t have four figures to drop on a dress to wear to prom. So, thankfully, there are already recreations of it within a reasonable price range. Surprisingly, considering the formal look of this costume, it’s likely the easiest to pull off.

Regardless of which modern Wednesday look you choose to dress in, you’ll need these to complete your transformation, down to the details.

We hope you have fun putting this costume together, but if you’re looking for a more traditional Wednesday Addams look, consider checking out our article on how to dress like Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993).

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