August 29th 2024.
Jenna Ortega has been making waves in Hollywood with her latest trend of 'method dressing' to promote her upcoming film. This new trend has been the talk of the internet, with many speculating whether it has gone too far.
For those who are not familiar with the term, 'method dressing' is when an actor dresses in outfits inspired by the film they are promoting, or even the specific character they play in that film. Jenna has been walking the red carpets and attending public appearances in outfits that blur the line between fashion and costume, solidifying themed dressing as a modern staple in movie promotion.
Other stars who have embraced this trend include Margot Robbie, who wore pink constantly before the release of Barbie, and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who have been rocking the color palettes of their respective characters from Wicked. Halle Bailey also got in on the trend, donning Little Mermaid-inspired fashion for the live-action remake.
However, Jenna took this trend to the next level by consistently dressing like Wednesday Adams, her character in the hit Netflix show Wednesday in 2022. Her stylist, Enrique Melendez, has been the mastermind behind her spooky fashion moments, including a subtle nod to the original Beetlejuice film with a pinstriped Dolce & Gabbana skirt suit.
But one of Jenna's outfits sparked a conversation about when method dressing crosses the line from fun and entertaining to gimmicky. She wore a plaid schoolgirl skirt and navy blue cardigan, essentially recreating Winona Ryder's iconic look from the closing scene of the original Beetlejuice film.
Some fans felt that this was too on the nose, with one Reddit user saying, "At that point, it's not even method dressing anymore, it's just a glorified Halloween costume." Another user added, "Copying or heavily referencing a character's outfits for press runs is getting stale. It's not very creatively inspiring."
Zendaya, who has also been a major purveyor of the trend, faced similar criticism when promoting her film Dune. While her intergalactic fashion looks were widely acclaimed, her press appearance outfits for the film Challengers, where she played a professional tennis star, received mixed reviews. Some felt that the outfits were too gimmicky and took away from Zendaya's personal style.
This highlights that method dressing is not a one-size-fits-all strategy and can be more successful for movies with distinct aesthetics, like Dune or Barbie. When applied to more serious films grounded in realism, it can come across as forced and tacky. This was seen with Blake Lively wearing florals in the lead-up to It Ends With Us, a film about domestic violence.
The trend also highlights the disparity in Hollywood's expectations for men and women, with very few male actors participating in the trend. For example, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth were recently promoting Mad Max: Furiosa, with Anya dressed in a post-apocalyptic outfit while Chris wore a more casual ensemble.
Moreover, method dressing can also lead to actresses becoming conflated with their characters, which can limit their future opportunities. Perhaps it's time for actors to return to dressing like themselves instead of trying to embody their characters in every aspect.
In conclusion, while we have enjoyed seeing Jenna Ortega's unique take on method dressing, it may be time for Hollywood to rethink this trend and allow actors to express their personal style instead. What do you think? Share your thoughts with us.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
