Before, they were related but no real family structure had been established. 1964 thus marked the beginning of The Addams Family as we now know it. Charles' merger of comic and Gothic elements swiftly adapted to screen, becoming what Tredy calls a “monster-com7”, the union of sitcoms and the Gothic genre.
Originally conceived of as a “solemn” youth whose personality was defined by a gloomy yet deceptively sweet disposition, Wednesday evolved into a Goth icon by the end of the 20th century–a feat in large part thanks to The Addams Family movies directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and which starred Christina Ricci as a ruthless ...
She was the ultimate gothic pin-up, a testament to the fact that you can be both hot and sad at the same time. Even our nicknames were the same: Tish. Years later, there's still a lot to be learned from Mrs Addams.
Both always dressed in dark attires, their vampire-like appearance of perfection distinguishes them from any normal human in a way that their personalities would not. Indeed, their presence seems threatening, but, as soon as they speak, the gloomy and dark portrait disappears.
And even though the super dramatic, all-black, Victorian-inspired look might not be for everyone, there's no denying that there's a certain air of gothic glamour in the Addams's home.
The first Romantic Goths appeared in the early 90s, thanks to Morticia Addams from the movie “Addams Family.” The fictional image of the elegant and beautiful Goth woman, descended from the caricatures of the American artist Charles Addams, became fatal for the representatives of this movement.
According to Ortega herself , she drew inspiration from Siouxsie Sioux, & archived footage of dancers at goth clubs. So it seem like she definitely did her homework on this one, and made something that if nothing else, “Feels” authentically Goth, even if the song she was dancing too strictly speaking isn't fully Goth.
Romantic goths
The romantic goth was an early one to emerge, in the '90s, with Morticia Addams's look in The Addams Family movie pretty much nailing the idea.
Gothic and Victorian-inspired pieces are the main ingredient, but anything with a sense of history — especially of the eerie or unsettling variety — fits the bill. "We went out and hunted globally to find the most perfect items for Wednesday," the show's production designer Mark Scruton tells PEOPLE.
Characteristics of the Gothic include: death and decay, haunted homes/castles, family curses, madness, powerful love/romance, ghosts, and vampires. The genre is said to have become popular in the late 18th century with the publication of Horace Walpole's novel The Castle of Otranto in 1764.
The term “gothic” generally refers to an attitude and a lifestyle among many of today's young people, but it manifests in a certain type of fashion and music that displays a dark attitude and outlook on life. Generally, the gothic attitude is one of sadness and depression, but this is not always the case.
This representation (or lack thereof) parallels the disturbing lack of research on and acceptance of autistic people assigned female at birth in real life. While Wednesday is not explicitly autistic, she is certainly neurodivergent-coded and many autistics, including me, relate to her. She is sharp and talented.
He is depicted as being of Castilian extraction and Spanish ancestry, which was first brought up in "Art and the Addams Family" on December 18, 1964; in the episode, Gomez says his "ancestral land" is Spain and Morticia refers to him as a "mad Castilian."
Emo belongs to post-hardcore, pop punk and indie rock style while gothic rock is a form of punk rock, glam punk and post punk. Emo rockers preach release of primal energy with abstract and chaotic sub structures while Goth are recognized by emphasis on darkness in their tone, dress, hair dyes, make up, emotion, etc.
Style influences – gothic clothing takes inspiration from Victorian fashion and punk style, whereas emo clothing is much more pedestrian and accessible by the mainstream. Some would argue that the popularity of kawaii clothing has taken the place of the cute but deadly vibe that began with emo.
So, what really is the difference? Well beyond the music, there's the fashion. While both goth and emo folks generally dye their hair and paint their nails black, people on the goth side of this spectrum commonly dress entirely in black.
A dark, sometimes ghastly fashion and style of dress, typical Gothic fashion includes an unhealthy complexion with dyed black hair, dark lipstick, and dark clothing. Both male and female goths can wear dark eyeliner and dark nail polish most especially black.
The Wednesday Addams Glow-Up
First and foremost, Wednesday's signature look is a black dress or skirt and blouse. In the Netflix show, the character has a more modern and edgy appearance, mixing both vintage and contemporary styles.
That means a neutral smoky eye and a light berry lip with a more typically feminine grunge aesthetic and less OG goth style. So, grab your black long sleeve dress, choker, and tights, and learn how to get the soft goth aesthetic look from makeup artist Vittorio Masecchia.
The music preferred by goths includes a number of styles such as gothic rock, death rock, cold wave, dark wave, and ethereal wave. The Gothic fashion style draws influences from punk, new wave, New Romantic fashion and the dressing styles of earlier periods such as the Victorian, Edwardian, and Belle Époque eras.
Victorian Goth imagery includes dark-coloured Victorian-era clothing with a dull/greyed background. In Victorian Goth, the fashion and clothing is the focus. Dark Victorian dresses and suits are staples of this aesthetic, along with gothic accessories/makeup.
She shows sadistic tendencies and a dark personality and is revealed to have a deep interest in the Bermuda Triangle (which has remained an integral part of her interests throughout the adaptations) and an admiration for an ancestor (Great Aunt Calpurnia Addams) who was burned as a witch in 1706.
As the show continues, many of Wednesday's traits and actions can be associated with several mental health issues. The list of Wednesday Addams' mental illnesses can range from anti-social personality disorder to post-traumatic stress disorder and much more.
The current goth trends opts to mix and match elements of classic goth attire with other trending modern styles — “whimsigoth,” for example, has gone viral on TikTok, and takes its inspiration from an '80s and '90s iteration that combined goth with bohemian and hippie aesthetics.