Wicked-inspired fashion and how to emulate it at home

Beyond the stunning vocals of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, what’s special about Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of Wicked is the breathtaking costumes. From Glinda’s layered bubble pink dress to Elphaba’s witch hats, fashion in Wicked makes significant statements about the characters and honours the source material of Gregory Maguire’s book in stunning ways. Besides the movie, the press tour has also played an impressive role in inspiring fans to emulate fun Wicked-inspired fashion looks at home.

Considering method dressing has become a staple for celebrities today, it’s no surprise that Wicked‘s lead stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo also dabbled into it. Inspired by their characters, the actresses were seen imbibing shades of pink and green in their red carpet ensembles. While Grande embraced Glinda’s spirit by donning soft pinks and including tulle and flared skirts in her outings, Erivo gave a nod to Elphaba through her avant-garde wardrobe choices that ranged from shades of green to bold black outfits.

Here’s how you can take notes from the movie’s lead stars to nail wicked-inspired fashion at home.

Wicked-inspired fashion and how to emulate it

Embracing pink with Glindacore

Ariana Grande delivered some showstopping looks at the press tour of Wicked — wearing outfits that captured at times subtle and on other occasions strong callbacks to her character. From fairytale gowns that gave a nod to the iconic bubble dress from the musical to bejewelled heels and satin gloves, Grande embraced varying shades of pink on the red carpets.

At the Sydney premiere of the film, the singer wowed in a pink gown that mirrored the one worn by actor Billie Burke in the 1939 original Wizard of Oz film. Burke played the first rendition of Glinda — that Grande impressively takes on in the new adaptation. The dress worn by Grande was a custom Vivienne Westwood Couture creation, featuring a corseted bodice adorned with rhinestone detailing and puffy sleeves. She also added a gorgeous diamond butterfly choker with it to further enhance its princessy vibe.

Grande also spoke about her easy glam routine to transform into Glinda which took less time, unlike her co-star Cynthia Erivo who had to be painted green. Revealing how Glinda’s look focuses more on enhancing natural beauty, she revealed her prep for the role in a “Get Ready with Me” featurette, saying, “There’s no thick eyeliner. There’s no heavy crease. It’s just really warm and open and pretty.”

For those wishing to ace Glinda-core, there is a lot to play with in terms of textures, styles and hues of pink. Whether it is a peplum-style dress like Grande’s custom Louis Vuitton ensemble or a tiered dress with frills like her Giambattista Valli pick, the possibilities are endless to channel your own version of the beloved character.

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From Brat green to Elphaba green

While Charli XCX infused summer 2024 with the Brat green trend, the fall season is all about Elphaba green with Cynthia Erivo at its centre. The actress enlisted top brands like Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Versace to stand out with her exceptional looks all through the Wicked press tour. At the Los Angeles premiere of the film, Erivo picked a stunning green latex number by Louis Vuitton and paired it with a fringed neon cape to add more drama. In another look, she brought out an archival Marc Jacobs look featuring glittering green pants.

Beyond Erivo’s outfits, another fashion detail that caught everyone’s eye was her peculiar nail styling that shined with every look. Painted black with an ebony shade and touches of emerald green foil to provide a glimmering look her bold manicure changes were a highlight.

While much of Erivo’s wardrobe choices for the Wicked press tour dominated in the shades of green, she also chose black ensembles in her attempt at method dressing for the film. At the Mexico premiere of the movie, the actress truly echoed the vibe of the Wicked Witch of the West, in an all-black Thom Browne ensemble designed with an extra set of hands to add a spicy sorceress twist.

Subtly adding a touch of Elphaba green to her looks, while making a daytime show appearance, Erivo paired emerald green Jimmy Choo heels with an all-black leather dress and wide hat. Taking notes from the actress’ style choices to channel Wicked-inspired fashion, recreating the Elphaba look can be easy if you accessorise well. The limited-edition collection launched by OPI in collaboration with the film could be a start to attaining those emerald green nails. To pair along with your green or black ensembles, hats from the Eugenia Kim collection also make a great choice.

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The Wizard of Oz homage

Apart from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, another key cast member whose fashion choices from the press tour made headlines is Jonathan Bailey. The actor who plays Fiyero in the movie cleverly paid homage not to his character but to the Wizard of Oz franchise with his sparkling silver shirt mirroring the Tin Man’s metallic appearance and leather loafers similar to Dorothy’s ruby-red slippers.

At another premiere event, he donned a cream suit from Dolce & Gabbana with high-waisted pants, but it was his silk yellow top that matched the yellow brick road, making for a perfect tribute to the franchise. While channelling Fiyero’s charms should be left to Bailey, the actor’s Wicked-themed outfits serve as a great inspiration for men wanting to dip into the movie’s magical spirit. Something as simple as a pair of red loafers could also do the trick.

(Main and featured images: Cynthia Erivo/Instagram; Ariana Grande/Instagram)