Many of us gravitate to darker colours as winter approaches and darker days are on the horizon. Last year’s lockdown saw several new trends emerge, including cottagecore and sophisticated loungewear. These trends carried over into 2021. Many of the fashion trends this year were once favorites, with many wearing a new jacket. This winter will be no exception. This season is becoming more mainstream and being incorporated into fashion and lifestyle trends. October is traditionally known as the season for witches. We see this season a desire for an ethereal, mysterious, and supernatural aesthetic that is inspired by retro and vintage pieces from the past.
This is the resurgence. Over the last few months, ‘witchcore’ has been prominently featured in media and pop culture. Since its first airing, the series finale of the “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, a dark fantasy/horror version of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, has been a major fashion inspiration. Her outfits reflect her life as a witch and the role she plays in it.
There are many other series that feature witches like ‘Fate: The Winx,’ ‘A Discovery of Witches’ and ‘Luna Nera’. These shows offer a wealth of ‘witchcore’ outfit inspiration, from preppy retro 70s attire to Tudor-inspired full-glam dresses in the 1500s. Although these episodes are captivating and draw viewers in, the real magic is in the fashion. They live on in your mind long after the show is over. Popular films such as the Roald Dahl remake of “The Witches”, which is inspired by 1960s glamour of red lipstick, high-collars and houndstooth, and the cult favorite “The Love Witch”, which combines 1970s vintage glamour with a touch more sensuous fashion, are still inspiring modern-day witches every day. Lady Gaga, the leading actress, caught the attention of many viewers when she wore a transparent, ultraviolet gown by luxury fashion house Gucci during the premiere of the film ‘House of Gucci’. The gossamer gown, which was on the Gucci Love Parade Spring 2022 runway, captures the essence of “witchcore” by combining whimsical elements with a Gothic-style aesthetic. It’s been updated with a modern twist.
These pop culture moments together underline that witchcore’ is here to stay for another year – but in an elevated and more compelling form. We examined some key ‘witchcore’ trends, mixing retro and vintage styles with contemporary touches.
Long, flowing dresses
Long, flowing dresses are the best way to express your ‘witchcore’ style. These dresses are loved by celebrities such as Stevie Nicks, Chloe Sevigny, and Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine. They still reflect Victorian fashion. Some styles have a high neckline while others have a v-neck decollete style that was popular among high-class women of the 1830s. The waist was accented by silhouettes, and the focus was on the longer skirt supported with petticoats. This Gothic-style design was previously made from heavy, luxurious, thick fabrics such as velvet, silk, and wool. However, it has been reimagined by contemporary witches to allow women and men all over the world to embrace the craft without feeling restricted.
The Vampire’s Wife, a cult brand, is a prominent example of ‘witchcore’ dress design. The brand is best known for its long, flowing, and feminine dresses. They mix and match different textures, fabrics, and prints to make some of the most sensual and sensual dresses. These dresses are versatile and can be worn down or dressed up, with key details such as necklines, sleeves, and neck bows. These designs incorporate key themes related to witches such as the tarot and celestial shapes, as well as natural prints. Although some prints are bold, bright and playful, “witchcore” isn’t all about wearing dark colours. Lighter tones, star shapes, and floral patterns are common in daywear. This trend has also been adopted by luxury brands like Valentino, Gucci and Ganni, as well as Rixo. For example, Dior’s spring/summer 2021 couture collection was inspired by a Tarot Deck. Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director, was inspired by the mysterious world of tarot. She felt compelled create a collection that reflected some the oldest surviving tarot card decks. Alexander Fury interviewed her about how she believes that this magic can give hope in times like these, when people are feeling lost. Many of the gorgeous chiffon, organza, and plisse skirts featured celestial and occult motifs. Ganni, the favourite it-girl brand, is well-known for its whimsical, flowing dresses with celestial print, while Gucci’s maximalism and vintage-inspired gowns are a hit since Alessandro Michele was appointed as Creative Director.
Voluminous Sleeves
The essential element of “witchcore” is its large, flowing, and voluminous sleeves. This trend is all about the bigger the better. It can be full-length, drapey sleeves or short, airy sleeves. Voluminous sleeves, which are playful and fun, capture the whimsical, feminine spirit that is often associated with witches, witchcraft, and other witches, and can be added to many tops or dresses. Simone Rocha, a British designer, is well-known for her intricate, feminine designs and unique sense of subversive femininity. This is an important part of “witchcore”. The winter 2021 collection featured Edwardian balloon sleeves, sheer puff sleeves in chiffon, sprouting frills, and long sleeves with black leather biker jackets. The combination of volume and fragile fabric was a popular design trend within the ‘witchcore” trend. Many designer collections were filled with this combination for winter 2021.
Ruffles, Ruching and all the details
When it comes to details, sometimes more is better. Ruffles and ruching are a key part of “witchcore” because they exude an ethereal, surreal, and light quality. They can be found on maxi dresses, blouses, and skirts. Fashion became more like an escape from reality after lockdown. This sense of creating and building your own world, narrative, and path through rituals and other undertakings is part of “witchcore”. It can also be linked to extreme ruffles or ruching. Simone Rocha’s winter 2021 designs show that other designers are known for exaggerating their designs with ruffles. British designer Molly Goddard is well-known for her love of tulle and ruffles. Her unique designs, which featured angular bows and large ruffles for winter, were a staple of her collections, which tapped into the “witchcore” trend.
Big Collars
Large, oversized collars will be a major trend for winter 2021. However, they also form part of the ‘witchcore” aesthetic. Large collars were once associated with more traditional, preppy styles. However, they are now a link to vintage styles from the 1950s through 1970s. Many of these collars were made from natural materials like linen or cotton and featured intricate, yet delicate trimmings. Collared in all shapes and sizes, including with pointed ends or soft scalloped edges. Oversized collars are a great accessory for any top or dress. They can be used with a variety of designs, including lace and gems. Gucci got its inspiration from school mocks and children’s uniforms for the winter 2021. This is “witchcore” at its best. It features oversized collars made with velvet or lace with scalloped edges and scalloped ends, as well as romantic skirts and intricate gothic lolita long flowing dresses. Alberta Ferretti showed a double-ruffle collar with pussy bow and paired it with a puff-sleeved blouse. This brought together many aspects of ‘witchcore. Tory Burch wore sharply pointed collars that reached almost to the waist. Moschino paired ruffles and large collars in a style similar to Marie Antoinette’s preference for the 1700s. Designer Erdem captured the collar’s elegant, refined, and serene side. He embellished collars with intricate embroidery, pearls, and gems, making them the perfect accessory to any winter witchy outfit.
Wide-Brimmed Hats
Witches have worn pointed, wide-brimmed, hats since 1215, which is a well-known accessory. Although most hats associated with witchcore aren’t pointed, they still have a wide brim. A wide-brimmed cap is considered to be more elegant and formal than a pointed hat. It adds an air of romance, mystery, and sultry to any outfit. This black felt wide-brimmed hat features ribbon detailing and is a favourite of luxury brands like Saint Laurent and Gucci.
Celestial Jewellery
Jewellery is one of the key elements that make the “witchcore” aesthetic stand out. This look is all about adding more ornament. Layering necklaces and rings in silver or gold are a popular choice. This trend is also popular for natural and colour gemstones. It is a direct link to the witches’ love for the earth and all that it has to offer. Popular shapes such as the sky, galaxy, and other celestial forms tend to return in jewellery. So keep an eye out in your jewelry for starbursts or moons, suns, planets, and sun motifs. As a way to remind people that there is always something bigger than them, particularly during dark times, jewellery featuring celestial motifs or zodiacs will likely spark joy and magic this winter. Celine and Gucci have likely incorporated them in their collections.
