Pagan/Wiccan fashion: Should we all wear black ?

By Wendy Allen

Why do Witches dress so differently from other people and do they always wear black?

Witches, like all humans, wear the colors that appeal to the individual's personal preference. What this means is that Witches who wear black, wear black because they enjoy doing so. Do all Witches wear black? No. In fact, most do not have any black in their wardrobe at all. In my experience, the colors that Witches wear most often are the colors found in nature: browns, greens, deep golds, and the colors of sunsets and flower petals. Witches are very spiritual people who are often in touch with nature and the world around them, and their clothing colors usually reflect that.

What I see more often is not that Witches dress in black, but that Witches dress in a fashion style that is very different from that of the average person. Witches are driven by natural instinct to live freely, flowing through life unencumbered and in harmony with nature's energy flow. Their clothing reflects this freedom. Witches wear simple clothes that do not way themselves down; cloths that slip on and off without a fuss; cloths often without buttons, zippers, or snaps.

Their clothing instantly identifies most Witches. Witches are not ashamed of who and what they are and dress exactly as they have for centuries. Men and women alike, wear long flowing gowns, loose full chemises, light weight caftans, shawls, veils, plaid runas, velvet robes, hooded burnooses, and capes. Their clothing is simple, inexpensive, loose, unhampered, unencumbered, non-restricting, breathable, and only very rarely store bought. Most, not all, but most Witches make their own clothes. It is a rare thing for a Witch that buys clothing from a store. Witches do not care what other people may think of their "odd" clothes anymore than they care about people complaining about their "odd" ways of living. The opinions of others are not important to them, because they are not trying to impress anyone. They are Witches because that is their spiritual calling.

A Witch's clothing must flow freely about their body so that all of nature's sacred energy can enter into their personal auras, while still providing protection from the weather: snow, wind, rain, hurricane, and the summer sun. Keep in mind, that Witches spend a large majority of their time outside in nature. Tight clothing, especially tight pants hinders one's receptiveness to the magnetic energies of life.

[More]