Wardrobe Of A Modern Magician, Getting the look updated Options

Ok, no ones more a fan of robes than myself, and who doesn't love doing rituals naked? However, I've been thinking, what could someone in these modern times wear, regale themselves in, clearly asserting themselves without being totally in your face both in public and private? I'm really not much a fashion person, but wondered if anyone had any thoughts, I was thinking maybe an all black or white suit, I see some into Santeria out there sporting all white suits and such, it seems pretty good. Maybe a black tuxedo with a black vest and bowtie? Of course one thing would be some really nice custom jewelry but I'm thinking more accessible.

This post has been edited by Bb3: May 17 2011, 07:08 PM

When you are doing rituals on your own, there isn't anyone to see you, so unless it is built into the ritual it doesn't matter what you wear. When you work within a group there may be a uniform robe, like the group our group circled with a couple of weeks ago. Probably their robes were made in the same place. But when working in a group even if there are no requirements if one or two begin wearing robes then most others will feel the need to buy or make their own robes.

I've worked skyclad and in groups with elaborate robes, belts, jewellery with rank insignia and other accessories.

For private practice, I believe that taking into consideration any cloth requirements one can dress however they choose - when my tailoring skill gets to 375 I intend to come up with two sets, one black and one white, of long-coats, pants, vests and shirts that might look right stylish in an east-meets-west kind of way, with relevant embroidery as an appropriately mystical accent. For visual individuals, getting in the mood is helped along greatly by the right attire and surroundings. For public 'display' it's another matter I think.

There's a principle I've been considering for a while - I don't think it's anything new per say, but new to me when i considered it the first time - which has to do with the "magician's aura." There are three kinds of practitioners in the 'public eye' - the one who isn't, the one who clearly and obviously is, and the curious middle man who simply seems to have a certain mystique about them.

What I mean by this, if it isn't obvious, is that some prefer to keep their practice entirely secret - and it's arguably best that way from many points of view - and you would never peg them as a practitioner of the arcane if you shook their hand on the street. Then there are those clad in all black, with their many rings and baubles, their pentacle necklaces and red lensed glasses who will practically introduce themselves as a sorcerer/wizard/etc.

What I prefer is simply a unique and casual appearance. The purpose is not to proclaim that I am some kind of magician or sorcerer, but to be just interesting enough in appearance that people notice and begin to wonder. The notice attracts energy, the wondering generates a kind of 'open-endedness'; a subtle openness in the universe around myself and the other where possibility is a little bit looser. "There's something vaguely mystical about that person, I wonder what they do, who they are?"

Somewhat surprisingly, when the necessity arises to indicate that you practice some kind of arcane science, people who would otherwise laugh out loud at the gentleman with the mystical bling tend to be a little more open minded. Perhaps because they feel they've discovered something that they suspected but weren't sure about - a response to all the archetypal images of mystics we have lodged in our judgement-making brain bits - and are intrigued rather than affronted. Likewise the individual who dresses to conceal their practices entirely is often met with simple disbelief, that perhaps because the 'imago' of the individual in that other person's mind is at odds with the possibility they are mystically inclined.

On any given day I wear linen wrap pants and some vaguely asian styled shirt and jacket. I wear three magical objects every single day, first on in the morning and last off at night - prayer beads on my left hand, a box pendent visible over my shirt or top, and a talisman with a visible chain while the object itself is against my skin. I get questions about the box and the beads all the time - I give the exact same response every time, and that response is part of the ritual element of both pieces (it is removed enough from their purpose to keep that private). In my line of work, I've noticed that this 'uniform' causes my clients to assume that I have some specialized experience of benefit to them. When in uniform, I can talk to even the most conservative clients about energy and the flow of chi, explain why I need to hold this apparently random series of acupressure points and the process it will initiate. I can talk about Reiki and people just kind of open their mind to the idea. When I'm in scrubs, however, the response is very different. People expect me to be more medical in my explanations and withdraw when I mention energy work even if I demonstrate.

In summation, as magicians I think it is worthwhile in general for us to consider that we can be practitioners alone in the private areas of our lives, or we can consider every action we take, each image we create in the eyes of the public, as a kind of act of magic in and of itself - an ongoing ritual which we create a calculated imago of ourselves in the minds of onlookers which in turn reinforces our own power on the psychic and astral spheres. But the key there, is to be calculated and subtle and not haphazard and forceful.

peace

I have a terrible aversion to fashion as a consequence of my line of work. Stupid people buy worthless things for the sake of a brand name attached to them, or out of respect for advertising. More people aim for looking the way things are supposed to look as opposed to the way they want to look. When you get something awesome, everyone will want it, but when you get something everyone wants you are anything but awesome.

My own constant attire consists of a featureless black buttoned shirt and pants, sometimes with my cowboy hat. On TV I wear a white suit, and in the Magic Circle I wear a white robe. I prefer that people recognize me as a magician for what I do, not for how I talk or look.

When I was younger I went everywhere in a vomit-green robe, or clothes specifically chosen to look ragged and ugly. I think every magician ought to have that experience for a while, if for no other reason than to gain distance from the need for approval from others. If you can't stand to dress differently - and by different I mean unacceptably different, even to your friends, not fashionably different - you won't have much luck thinking and acting on your own initiative.

On the other hand, if you have children or a career, I think it's important to be respectable so that you will not embarrass your family and co-workers by dressing up like Pogo the Clown.


This post has been edited by Imperial Arts: May 18 2011, 10:24 PM

I have a terrible aversion to fashion as a consequence of my line of work. Stupid people buy worthless things for the sake of a brand name attached to them, or out of respect for advertising. More people aim for looking the way things are supposed to look as opposed to the way they want to look. When you get something awesome, everyone will want it, but when you get something everyone wants you are anything but awesome.

My own constant attire consists of a featureless black buttoned shirt and pants, sometimes with my cowboy hat. On TV I wear a white suit, and in the Magic Circle I wear a white robe. I prefer that people recognize me as a magician for what I do, not for how I talk or look.

When I was younger I went everywhere in a vomit-green robe, or clothes specifically chosen to look ragged and ugly. I think every magician ought to have that experience for a while, if for no other reason than to gain distance from the need for approval from others. If you can't stand to dress differently - and by different I mean unacceptably different, even to your friends, not fashionably different - you won't have much luck thinking and acting on your own initiative.

On the other hand, if you have children or a career, I think it's important to be respectable so that you will not embarrass your family and co-workers by dressing up like Pogo the Clown.

Agreed. I'm beginning to like you Imp.