A Witch's Wardrobe...

What do witches really wear? Do we all like to 'dress up' in ceremonial robes, furs, cloaks, and pointy hats? Does every witch own and wear silver jewelry, crystal pendants and lots of pentacles? Do the male witches dress like some Gothic combination of a caveman, Viking, and Albus Dumbledore? Does every female witch dress like Stevie Nicks???? I like dressing up....I like cloaks and long flowing gowns....I even like wearing black. But somehow, I wonder if this stereotypical image of witches helps or hurts the desire to be accepted equally? Does what we really look like match how we want to appear to the public? Do the clothes make the witch?

L to R-Sam & Endora from tv's Bewitched, Stevie Nicks, Laurie Cabot, Phyllis Curott, Dorothy Morrison.

I wondered about this, because in the past year or so, there has been a number of sites, Facebook pages and assorted blogs popping up dedicated to male witches proclaiming their path. Awesome that they are doing it! However, most of the pictures I've seen for those sites include pictures of men, in various states of undress with tons of tribal ink looking mysterious and seductive. While I can appreciate a bit of eye candy, I'm sort of insulted that this is how some male witches choose to portray themselves. I equate this with the photoshopped pics that men and women use when they put pictures up on dating sites. Really? Do you actually look like that naked guy, or do you just WISH you did and think that the public will accept you better looking like that guy? Do male witches all have long flowing hair like Fabio or do they have pot bellies and are a little bald? 

I take issue with women as well.... All manners of images featuring young, teeny avatars with huge boobs...or pictures of women dressed like they just came from the local Renaissance Faire. Stop it, chica....if you are not a 19 year old redhead with perky tits and no body fat, then why do you only present that for your image? Does using pictures of mysterious women roaming through the woods really speak to who you truly are in the world? What the heck are we saying here about how we see ourselves? Is this just a body image problem or a Witch image problem?

L to R-unknown, unknown, Mark Eadicicco, Chris Penczak, Scott Cunninham.

I believe, that not unlike any other group of people, we suffer from an image problem. Would you, could you, still practice your path if you didn't have all the accouterments that normally are associated with it? Meaning....could you still be a Witch without the witchy stuff? I've already had discussions with people who became pretty irate at just the idea. "Why should we have to? We have the same right as everyone else to dress however we want!" Yada, yada, yada.....pay attention, and don't deliberately miss the point because you don't like the idea of someone taking your stuff. I have no desire to take your magickal goodies away from you! I have some myself, and I enjoy my pretty things and I have taken to heart the symbolism that has been attributed to Witches in order to show solidarity for those persecuted (often unjustly) for being Witches.

 Old School Witches Tea Party?

What is Witch fashion and where did it come from? Do folks know that the pointed hat that has come to symbolize Witches is representative of the fashion of the nobility at the time? (The claim was often that the higher the cone, the more wealth and power were seen to be had by that family.) Cloaks...rather than some mystical outfit, were meant to keep people WARM and DRY before electricity and indoor heating! (Cloaks certainly weren't made out of crushed velvet which is very pretty, but not practical for keeping one warm). The same can be said for shawls, which were traditionally made of wool, and not many were sheer with long fringes (Ah, thank you for the inspiration, Ms. Nicks...you still wear them well!) Long gowns were worn by women as a way of showing modesty, not for any magickal purpose. Do modern male Witches still prefer to wear the furs of their ancient ancestors (who needed the warmth of it to stay alive)? Did every Witch in ancient history run around with a neck full of crystal pendants and pentacles that would have made a witchy Mr. T cry tears of joy and admiration? And someone tell me when BLACK became the official clothing color choice for a Witch? 

AHS Coven-Out for a stroll, all dressed in black.

Okay....stop hyperventilating....I told you I wasn't suggesting that we take your toys away! But I will challenge you to think on a few things. First-Why do you wear what you wear? I'm not speaking strictly ceremonially...I understand that some people were taught that you need those robes to get in the proper mindset and respectful space to engage in ritual. But do you know the real history of how that came to be how your tradition chose to practice?

Second-When I suggest you put your silver jewelry, amulets, crystals, etc away for say...a week....could you do it? Would you be incredibly uncomfortable without the jewelry that others see you wear? Why?

Third-How have you viewed others in the past who wore 'stereotypical' witch wear in public? I think back to when I first learned of Laurie Cabot's decision to wear 'traditional witch' clothing for her daily wear. I'll never know if it was truly a spiritual calling that led to that decision for a call for notoriety that prompted her wardrobe change. Part of me admired her gumption....the rest...not so much. There are some male witches now doing the same thing by appearing in dark eyeliner and ritual robes in public....but to me, I see more desire to be seen in their behavior...

Last-Why do YOU wear what you do? Do you feel certain things make you appear more mysterious, more powerful, more like a Witch? Do you keep jewelry hidden or openly displayed? Why? Do you subconsciously expect people to look at your when you are in your witchy wear? Have you ever thought about what your particular sense of style says about you as a person? As a Witch?

I  LOVE dressing up for all manners of occasions! I've been in ceremonial robes and Skyclad. I am as much a witch when wearing a pendant symbolizing the Water Goddess as I am wearing a silk flower in my hair. Sometimes I feel more witchy in a meeting at work wearing my power suit, and other times wearing my sweatpants and 'Out of the Broom Closet' t-shirt when I relax at home. 

Today I'm about being comfortable....come Monday morning I'm all business. Being a Witch comes from the inside out...and what we wear is often a reflection of how we feel about being Witches. No matter where we are or what we do, like all kinds of fashion, our clothing reflects how we want OTHERS to see us as well as how we WANT to be seen. Or have we learned, since jumping out of the broom closet, that our wardrobe can announce who we are more effectively than having to explain it to others? Are we content when fashion, stereotypes, and artistic clothing design make an entrance for us? Does your wardrobe accurately tell the story of the Witch and her wardrobe?