This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
We have known that Tim Burton is an excellent filmmaker for a while now, but his gothic fairytales, filled with unconventional characters and surreal landscapes, helped shape not only a visual language for cinema, but also a lasting influence on fashion. The “Burtoncore” aesthetic, inspired by his creations, has been in full swing since the releases of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) and season 2 of the Netflix show Wednesday earlier this month.
At its core, this aesthetic thrives on contrasts. Think Victorian lace dresses paired with combat boots, sharp tailoring softened by ruffles, monochrome palettes with quirky patterns, and makeup that’s dramatic, yet intentionally unpolished. It’s a style that balances eerie with elegant, proving that gothic fashion can be playful, romantic, and even a little dreamy.
Pinterest boards dedicated to “Tim Burton core outfits” are filled with corsets, lace gloves, chokers, and dramatic eyeliner, showing how easily the aesthetic can be adapted into everyday style. What makes it so appealing is its flexibility: you don’t need to go full costume to channel it.
Burton’s impact on style is impossible to ignore because so many of his muses also became fashion icons in their own right. Helena Bonham Carter turned eccentricity into her signature style with her layered, almost chaotic ensembles that feel ripped from Corpse Bride (2005).
Eva Green brought in the mysterious glamour, with her dramatic silhouettes and bold makeup echoing the sophistication of characters like Miss Peregrine.
And now, Jenna Ortega has given this aesthetic a new generation of fans: her role as Wednesday Addams not only revived the character but also went viral on TikTok, where countless creators recreated her gothic schoolgirl vibe with oversized collars, braids, and all-black fits.
But the aesthetic isn’t limited to the filmmaker’s muses; it also inspires celebrities far outside of his movies. Model Bella Hadid, for example, showed up to a halloween party in 2018 dressed as Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice (1988), while Brazilian pop star Anitta also paid homage to the character in the music video for her song “Boys Don’t Cry”.
Before landing her role in the sequel, Jenna Ortega had already named the film among her favorite horror classics, and she continues to channel Lydia Deetz’s gothic energy on red carpets, blurring the line between character and personal style.
The aesthetic is also spilling into fashion week runways and everyday wardrobes alike. Designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Schiaparelli have played with Victorian silhouettes, while Rodarte and Marc Jacobs have embraced whimsical darkness reminiscent of Burton’s worlds. Exhibitions have also embraced the aesthetic, like The World of Tim Burton at London’s design museum, which showcases over 600 objects from his films and their fashion influence.
In a world where minimalism and clean-girl aesthetics often dominate, burtoncore embraces the opposite: a celebration of the strange, the dark, and the wonderfully imperfect. It invites us to embrace fashion as storytelling, where every outfit feels like a character waiting to be written. So next time you’re picking out an outfit, maybe skip the beige blazer and ask yourself instead: what would Tim Burton’s muse wear today?
The article above was edited by Larissa Buzon.
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