Jenna Ortega is one of my family’s favorite actresses because she’s so undeniably talented. She’s got cross-generational appeal. We also love that she is killing it in Hollywood, while exposing the challenges she’s faced getting cast because she is a Latina of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent. Oh, and then there is her fashion sense as seen on the red carpet.
Born on September 27, 2002, she landed her first acting gig when she was 9 years old. Her early start and success in the industry means she has already walked many a red carpet. It has been delightful to see her style evolution. I predict she will cement herself as a style icon as there is no doubt in my mind that she will continue to kill it on screen and on the red carpet. Scroll through these pics for proof that she’s got style and staying power.
At the Miss Me and Cosmopolitan Launch Event in 2016.
She looked adorable at the promotional event in honor of the launch of the Miss Me clothing brand at the Sunset Tower Hotel. All of 13 years old at the time, she paired a glittering top with a layered sheer skirt and kept her makeup minimal.
At the premiere of ‘Miracles From Heaven’ in 2016.
Look at her! She is beyond cute. I hope she can look back at pictures of herself at this age and be incredibly proud of how well she navigated being in the public eye. Brava! She manages to look poised and effortless at such a young age and that dress was adorable on her.
At the ‘Moana’ premiere in 2016.
She opted for an edgier look at the Los Angeles premiere of Moana. She wore a matching Tommy Hilfiger top and miniskirt that had a pirate-meets-marching band vibe going on. Her patterned tights added interest to the ensemble.
At the Kids’ Choice Awards in 2017.
OK, Jenna! I see that expert pairing of socks with high-heeled sandals you wore and I like it! It added a fun twist to the sophisticated minidress on top. The slicked-back hair and smoky eyes were very ’60s pixie approved.
At the 'Guardians of the Galaxy V. 2' premiere in 2017.
The long, pin-straight hair parted down the middle and shimmering dress were inspired by none other than Cher as confirmed by Jenna’s long-time stylist Enrique Melendez. I think even Cher would agree that Jenna looked wonderful.
At the Imagen Awards in 2018.
Keep in mind that Jenna wore this Oscar de La Renta dress years before she played Wednesday Addams. To me, this particular look is giving Black Swan meets Wednesday, what with the black feathers combined with sheer black fabric.
At the Golden Globes After Party in 2020.
Jenna was eight months shy of turning 18 when she attended the 21st Golden Globes after party in a Gretel Zanotti gold gown featuring a metallic corset and sheer skirt with a thigh-high slit and a delicate train. Her style is starting to take shape and I love it.
At the Netflix world premiere of ‘Wednesday' in 2022.
She really leaned into the whole goth aesthetic associated with Wednesday Addams, but it was more of corpse bride look than the schoolgirl situation that Wednesday rocks in the series. “I felt like if I was gonna wear black like everyone else, I probably should make a deal out of it,” she told Entertainment Tonight about her headpiece, adding, “I put it on and I just knew that this is probably what I should do. I think [Wednesday] would appreciate the veil.”
At the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2023.
She attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2023 in a vintage black Versace gown. If you look closely, you can see that the fabric on the asymmetrical dress has a kind of reptilian print/texture thing going on. It’s a goth look, but far more Jenna than Wednesday, I would say.
At the Golden Globes Awards in 2023.
Just when everyone was getting used to seeing her in black on black all the time, Ms. Ortega decided to remind everyone that she can look fantastic in an ethereal neutral-colored gown. She told Vogue at the time that the gown appealed because “it felt like enough of a departure from a lot of the darker looks I’ve been wearing lately.”
At the Met Gala in 2023.
The Met Gala theme for 2023 was “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” and it’s clear that Jenna understood the assignment when she showed up wearing a Thom Browne creation. The custom dress included pearl studded chains and adhered to the black and white style of dressing that Karl Lagerfeld favored.
At the Emmy Awards in 2024.
She was nominated for an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2024. What she wore, an embroidered Dior Couture sheer gown, made her look like a walking garden party in the absolute best way possible. There was something so delightful about her in this dress.
At the ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Venice International Film Festival premiere in 2024.
The spectacular red Dior dress that Jenna wore for her first visit to the Venice Film Festival was a tribute to the red wedding dress that Winona Ryder’s character, Lydia Deetz, wore in the original Beetlejuice film.
At the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2025.
She arrived at the famous party in a subline Donna Karan gown that fit her to perfection. The gown was in an unclassifiable shade of tannish-gold with greenish undertones. It had a double set of shoulder straps. One set held the dress up and the other more decorative set that fell off the shoulder.
At CinemaCon in 2025.
The Versus Versace combo that she wore is from the brand’s spring 2025 runway, but was inspired by a collection the brand debuted in 1997. However, the whole vibe is ’70s chic, which is why Jenna’s makeup, hair, and bleached brows fit the aesthetic so well. “Serving a modern Faye Dunaway 70’s reference with Taupe brows,” wrote her makeup artist Vincent Oquendo on Instagram. Nailed it!
Keep it coming, Jenna! Can’t wait to see your style continues to evolve while staying true to you.
