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DARK DRESS-UP
I transformed myself into Wednesday Addams from the hit show – people gave me dirty looks and were desperate to get away
TIM Burton's new hit Netflix series Wednesday turned goth core into an internet fad with Jenna Ortega's legendary portrayal of the spooky Addams family daughter.
As a fellow obsessor, I walked on the dark side and transformed myself into the main character to capture people's reactions – and they were definitely weirded out.
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Wednesday's winter debut turned budding holiday cheer into an overwhelming infatuation with comedic horror.
The successful eight-part series was released on November 23 and quickly became one of the most-watched shows on Netflix, ranking as the second-highest streaming premiere.
In the show, director Tim Burton focuses on the creepy-loving daughter from cartoonist Charles Addams' 1938 sketches of the original Adamms family.
Spinning high school norms, Wednesday attends Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for outcasts.
But there's a terrifying twist – aside from the disturbing 15-year-old.
The storyline consists of dark deaths, a monster murder mystery, and unlikely relations.
While Burton's binge-worthy plot captivated many, Jenna Ortega's performance as Wednesday captured the audience's love for the show and her character.
The 20-year-old actress left viewers with a dying need to braid their hair, wear a white collared shirt, and put on dark makeup.
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Wednesday's specific aesthetic boomed on TikTok and started a trend where people put together outfits they thought the character would wear.
Her haunted style consists of a simple black-and-white combo with the occasional disinterested remark and absolutely no blinking.
Almost every Wednesday look includes a sharp collar.
And the only hint of color on her face is a flush of burnt red under her eyes and a matted mauve on her lips – but both are still murky.
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Between thriving admiration for Wednesday's fashion, her kooky one-liners, and the fact that I had the exact shoes used in the show, pretending to be her was a no-brainer.
Also, my being her size at 22 years old may have factored in.
With tight braids, long black stockings, and a permanent glare, I headed for the streets of New York City as the iconic Wednesday Addams.
Getting into character meant I needed to be grumpy but focused. I had to act slightly agitated yet aware.
My presence would be solemn and eager.
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I needed to turn my heart into her little black one, and dressing dark certainly helped.
Wednesday's obvious distaste for human interaction was difficult to embody as my purpose was to engage with others fully.
I asked couples, families, and young adults if they knew who I was without giving any context.
Some of the younger individuals knew straight away, based on my blank expression and gothic outfit.
However, many people needed me to ask if they had seen the new Wednesday Netflix show before they recognized me.
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One woman thought I was Wednesday's mother Morticia, which is the biggest insult to my character.
The disappointing part: strangers seemed to like the show more than my Wednesday impression.
Anytime I had an overpowering vision that would thrust my head to the sky and take my breath away, the passersby would give me dirty looks.
And all I was trying to do was find a holiday market vendor that sold human flesh as Wednesday would want, yet the apple cider seller didn't even know how to answer when I asked.
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Eventually, she tried making friends with me, and I told her Wednesday doesn't make friends. Of course, this resulted in another look of astonishment and discomfort – mission accomplished.
My favorite reactions came from my urgent and unannounced leave from conversations.
If someone said something I didn't like, such as them being close with their mom, or accusing Wednesday of being behind the Jericho murders, I'd walk away without warning.
One guy even tried to question my ability to see into the future with my visions, so I got up and left.
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As you maybe assume, this caused them to be weirded out.
However, as Wednesday Addams, I believed it was the only appropriate response.
While people thought I was weird for asking them if they thought I was "kooky or spooky," they had mixed opinions on whether or not they liked the character.
Some related to her odd habits, and others couldn't wish me away faster.
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Those that weren't fans didn't realize that was a good thing.
"I act as if I don’t care people dislike me…Deep down, I secretly enjoy it," she says in the show.
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