In 2024, all the stars are going method, but we’re not talking about their acting techniques. Instead, the past 12 months has been defined by ‘method dressing‘ – from Zendaya’s sporty looks while promoting Challengers to Daisy Edgar-Jones’ earthy, vortex-inspired outfits for Twisters, and, of course, Margot Robbie’s epic Barbie run last summer. Now, with the press tour for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (out 6 September) officially under way, it’s clear that one of the sequel’s stars, Jenna Ortega, intends to keep the red-carpet fashion approach of the year alive.
So far, Ortega’s references have mostly been subtle. With the help of her stylist, Enrique Melendez, the young actress has winked at the source material, like when she wore a pinstripe Dolce & Gabbana set that reimagined “bioexorcist” Betelgeuse’s uniform, or when she hit the carpet in a molded leather ensemble from Lurline that was covered in skull motifs in tribute to Harry the Hunter’s shrunken head. However, Ortega’s newest look leaned all the way in, because it was a total re-creation of one of the outfits Winona Ryder wears as Lydia Deetz in the 1988 original.
This is particularly fitting given that in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Ryder returns as Deetz, while Ortega plays her daughter, Astrid. And who better to look to for style cues than your on-screen mother?
The specific outfit Ortega emulated is the one Lydia wears as she dances to ‘Jump in the Line’ by Harry Belafonte. For her modern reproduction, Ortega and her stylist turned to Thom Browne, who produced a long-sleeved cropped navy cardigan and a green plaid pleated skirt that looked just like the ones worn by Ryder.
To really mimic the ensemble, the label added custom gold bullion emblem embroidery to the cardigan, and layered a white oxford shirt underneath (giving it a modern touch by making it a crop top). Finally, the outfit was rounded out with navy and white spectator shoes, and Ortega carried a brown top-handle bag that referenced the Handbook for the Recently Deceased from the first film, bearing the perfect stylistic pun: “Handbag for the Recently Deceased.” Now that’s what we call a well-done homage.
