“Fashion is like eating; You shouldn’t stick to the same menu.” – Kenzo Takada
Forgive me if I let my trans femme show a little too hard here, but this is a fun topic for me. As always, no right or wrong way to be fabul- magical, but I think it’s worth talking a little bit about a witch’s fashion when practicing. In the future I’d like to do a similar look at fashion when NOT practicing-but I could write about that forever…. And I’ve got other priorities for now.
The most important part about how you dress and accessorize for your practice is how you FEEL. If what you’re wearing makes you feel like a powerful sorceress that is shaping reality to her whim, it probably is at least helping to that end. If you need to wear that robe and hat combo that make you look and feel like Jafar’s do-good brother, I love that chaotic good energy for you. Have some fun, and find your own magical style!
Magical Style
“You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe” – Oprah Winfrey
Before I talk about some of the essential pieces of attire for practice, I’d liked to elaborate on what I mean by magical style.
If you have ever participated in theater, you may recall a moment when getting ready to preform where you cease to be you and you become your character. Maybe it’s while getting your makeup finished, perhaps it’s when you don your Act 1 costume. Perhaps for some reason it isn’t until the lights come up and you are suddenly living the Secret Life of Walter Mitty live (fun story I may tell some time). That moment you believe that you are the character, you transform and become them. Similar for sports, the moment where you switch to “game on” when you set foot on the field (or blade on the ice in my case), the noise of the rest of your life falls away.
With magic, it is much the same. That’s why it’s so important to be in the proper headspace to practice, and having a dedicated costume, or items you can wear to switch into your magical persona, your magical style, can help whatever shadows of the world might be weighing you down burn away so your spirit and magic can soar and shine bright.
Fabulous Fashion
With the above primer, I’ll first say you can wear whatever you want to practice just make sure it is something distinct from your day to day. Having a unique outfit, or piece of attire really does wonders for shifting headspaces. That said, if you’re looking for the traditional choices, look no further!
Robes: The classic hooded robe, flowy and elegant yet beautifully simple, some consider this the sole piece of attire required. There are many myths and beliefs of the importance of robes or hoods, but I personally believe they all circle back to the thought above about something distinct. Think of the robes worn by students and faculty at graduations, or the ceremonial robes worn by different religious leaders at services; they are not items to be worn everyday, they are items to be worn at specific symbolic times. A witch or wizard’s robe is much the same, it signifies a time to be magical. The hood is an additional layer of mystery or magic and harkens back to the times where practicing witchcraft required you to hide your true self. Your robe or hooded cloak is just as vital a piece of equipment as your wand or pentacle. As you wear it more, as you experience more with it, it will attune to your desires, until eventually the simple act of raising it over your shoulders is enough to immediately unlock your magic.
Hat: You know the one. The classic Quaker hat with a sharp point and a sturdy wide brim. Although the Quakers were a Christian faith, their persecution for having ‘radical’ ideas like women being spiritual equals led many to be accused of witchcraft and is believe by many to be the origin of this classic symbol of magic. You can find them in a variety of colors and materials, you can also find them in the more traditional cone shape or in a tall relaxed point like Gandalf’s and many more styles in between. Call me a sucker for the classics but I always have my pointed hat when practicing as I always feel so much more magical when wearing this iconic look. Perhaps it’s the history, perhaps it’s the distinction, whichever the reason I encourage you to embrace this traditional piece of garb!
Shoes: Pointed or curled toe shoes have long been a costume staple of witches, and having felt the allure of them myself I had to dig into the history on these. The origin of this association seems to date back to a multitude of beliefs held by the Catholic Church in Europe. Ranging from the pointed tips resembling something that might invoke…. “passionate” immoral feelings, to the points preventing the wearer from kneeling to pray and many more between, they were demonized throughout their rise in popularity during the 14th to 16th centuries likely eventually leading to their association with witchcraft. As a firm believer that shoes make the outfit, taking the time to find the right pair of pointed toe shoes, boots or booties for practice can be a fun experience, as you can slide on your magic slippers and embrace your power with each step. Having had a long relationship with a former podiatrist’s assistant, I will add that as adorable as pointed toe shoes or heeled boots may be, they’re also one of the worst choices foot/knee health wise so wear with caution and be mindful of any discomfort (won’t stop me from wearing my black pointed toe wedge booties almost daily, do as I say, not as I do).
Jewelry/Misc: You have a lot of freedom to accent your outfit with the jewelry or accessories that call to you. This could be rings, wire wrapped crystal pendants, leather cord or gemstone bracelets, piercings, belts, tiaras or crowns, makeup or masks. You really can add anything to your magical style to make it yours, experiment with what feels comfortable, what feels powerful, what feels safe. Develop your unique authentic magical style with as much or as little as you wish, and remember to only wear what YOU want, never feel obligated.
Rainbow of power
“Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” – Wassily Kandinsky
I’ll leave the explanation of using symbols on your attire to those more qualified to speak, as my knowledge is limited simply to the fact that there are certain sigils or insignia’s that can be worn to accent your attire. Instead I will spend a little time talking about how you can use color to unlock new magic.
Whether you are adorning yourself head to toe in blue to bring calm, or accenting your full black outfit with purple and red gems to provide protection, wisdom and courage respectively, you have limitless options on how to customize your appearance to attune with your intentions.
Red: In addition to representing fire, red is known to be associated with strength, passion, courage and charisma. If you are looking to cast a spell to confront a daunting situation with no fear, a red cape or ruby amulet may be exactly what you need to capitalize on that intent.
Yellow: One of the shades heavily attuned to the mind, yellow is often used to accent learning, memory and focus, intelligence and reason, it can also provide confidence and joy. Attempting to get your degree studying nights but want to take a break and cast a spell to give your mind some clarity? Grab some amber, topaz or citrine, attach it to your wand or tiara, and you’ll be set for success.
Green: Nature’s favorite shade. Green is the color of life and love, of growth and health, it is a reminder of all of nature’s majesty and power. I have a green moon cloak that I often will wear over my robes when I’m in need of an extra healing lift, and if you’re looking for any spell relating to healing or growth you can’t go wrong with some green, especially emeralds (maybe that’s just me as a May baby).
Purple: My favorite color. Often associated with royalty, it certainly helps me feel like a queen! It is a color often used to accentuate psychic abilities, expand knowledge and deepen wisdom. It can be very useful when used in divination rituals or for card readings or for just adding an extra level of regality or influence to your spells.
Black: Did obsidian get it’s powers from it’s color? It’s possible, as black is often consider a color of protection, grounding, transmutation of negative energy and serves as a wonderful base for any outfit. You can also wear the aforementioned obsidian or use it in your rituals to create a binding point to trap and cleanse the negative energy around you.
White: Pure and peaceful, light in it’s most basic form. As the color of the spirit, white represents our higher selves in ritual and can add an extra aura of purity and peace to your spells. I highly recommend having some clear quartz or another white accessory whenever practicing white magic, as, well… It is in the name for a reason!
These are just a few of the shades commonly used in magic, I encourage you to wear the shades you are attracted or called to, whether their believed benefits align with your intent or not. Be magical your way, and embrace your own magical style.
My personal choice for the majority of my practice is a black and purple robe that provides a solid layer of protection and boost to my mind’s awareness along with my signature grey cap adding an aura of cleansing purity and peace. My pointed toe black wedge booties provide even further protection and help me banish negative energies with every step. From here I customize with gemstone or crystal accessories to suit my particular needs at the time, though my default is a mix of silver accessories with rose quartz, amethysts and/or obsidian as accents. And I know I said I’d leave talk of the symbols to the experts, but as a grateful daughter of the Moon Goddess, I always carry Her mark with me.
Z's Grimoire 
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