MUST-301 Lessons

Professor Soleil is already seated at her desk as the students enter. She smiles warmly at each one as they pass by, and as soon as the last student passes, the classroom’s doors swing shut. The teacher stands and the students notice that she is not wearing the customary robes of Hogwarts professorship, but instead wearing dark blue pants made out of denim, brown boots with a small heel that clicks as she walks, and a jumper of dark moss green.

Good day class, and welcome to another exciting foray into the world of Muggles. I am pleased to report as well that today’s lesson will be a break from the science-heavy lessons we’ve covered recently, and will instead focus on something a bit more fun: clothing!

Clothing is something practically every society in today’s world mandates, as it is used for both modesty and protection. Not all cultures have always worn clothes, but it has come to pass that nowadays most call for the covering of oneself. The way this is done differs by country, by climate, even by person… and also, depending on whether that person is a Muggle or not.

You may have noticed that we generally wear different clothes than Muggles do, especially witches and wizards from an older generation. Robes are a common choice for young and old magical people alike, and they are something that we have worn for decades due to their practicality. Generally speaking, witches and wizards in the UK or USA  prefer darker colors due to our need to refrain from standing out. 

Blending in is of the utmost importance when it comes to choosing clothes, especially if you’d be interacting with Muggles in them. Muggles do not wear robes, for instance, so to wear one around them would cause some unnecessary suspicion. Causing any sort of alarm or doubt in a Muggle’s mind regarding your clothing is actually against the International Statute of Secrecy (ISoS):

When mingling with Muggles, wizards and witches will adopt an entirely Muggle standard of dress, which will conform as closely as possible to the fashion of the day. Clothing must be appropriate to the climate, the geographical region and the occasion. Nothing self-altering or adjusting is to be worn in front of Muggles.

So then, now that we know that we need to adopt different clothing customs around Muggles, let's discuss what they wear.

Try to Blend In

Generally speaking, Muggles wear similar clothing to what we do. They prefer comfortable clothes that allow them to work and live without issue, all the while expressing a bit of their preferences or personality. One garment is worn to cover the top half of their body (a shirt, a tee, a blouse) and another is used to cover the bottom half (a pair of pants/trousers, a skirt, or shorts). There are even some garments that will cover the entire body (a dress or a jumpsuit). 

Certain clothes are more appropriate for certain occasions, just as it is in the magical world. Witches often wear long flowing dresses on more common occasions, but for Muggles, such dresses are saved for more formal situations. As a general rule of thumb, remember that Muggles do more physical work than we do, due to the lack of magic. Ergo, any sort of clothes that are very long and might get in the way of using one’s body effectively are not worn day-to-day, and saved for more formal or festive occasions. 

It is also imperative to remember while in the presence of Muggles that you are not allowed to use magic. Thus, your clothes must be appropriate to handle whatever situation you are in as you will not be able to cast any spell to fix them. If it starts raining, you may not cast a charm to make your clothing waterproof, for example. When you are planning on wearing Muggle clothes, make sure to research what the weather will be that day in order to dress accordingly!

The most important aspect to remember when dressing to blend in with Muggles is the current trends. A common problem witches and wizards (usually older ones) have is that they might wear “Muggle clothes” that are 30+ years out of fashion, thus causing suspicion immediately. If you find yourself wanting to dress like a Muggle, take the time to research the current trends. Certain clothes were popular at some point, but are not currently. These trends are often called ‘fads’ and are popular for a short period of time but are considered ‘weird’ even a few years later. 

Let’s briefly touch on some fad items that you should make sure to stray away from as they will immediately cause suspicion. In the United States during the 1950s, a fashion trend that was popular was a skirt called a “poodle skirt.” This was a long midi skirt (usually ending at some point between the knees and the ankles) and had a picture of some sort embroidered on it. As the name suggests, an embroidery of a poodle (a type of dog) was common, but other graphics were sewn in as well, including flowers or cars. This was a neat way to allow the wearer to show their personality.

Another fad to avoid but is interesting nonetheless is that of mood rings. In various areas around the world in the 1970s, it was in fashion to wear these rings. They were made of a thermochromic substance - that is, a substance that will change color depending on temperature. This is similar to how certain potions will change to a specific color when they have been heated up. In the case of the jewelry, the ring would change color depending on how warm it was next to the wearer’s finger. It was just a matter of science. However, it was believed to have “magical properties.” The color the ring turned may have meant something more exciting, like that you’re feeling romantic or jealous! Of course it wasn’t truly reading any mood. But it was a fun fad to pretend you were wearing something mysterious and otherworldly. 

Ultimately these fads are fairly obvious when you see them. If the clothing looks above and beyond weird (yes, even weirder than usual for Muggle clothing, I hear you thinking) then it’s probably best that you just avoid wearing it. A less risky option when choosing a Muggle outfit is sticking to more basic clothes: denim pants are always on trend, as well as a top that is of a simple color. As you know, this is not a necessarily formal look, but it will work as a starting point if you need to build an ensemble. 

The ISoS and Clothing Today

As aforementioned, it is against the rules of the ISoS to wear clothes that may arouse suspicion while in the presence of Muggles. An important thing to note is that some magic users do not believe that this rule is quite fair. While most witches and wizards agree that some separation needs to keep in place between Muggles for our own safety, some people believe that making us wear different clothes is a step too far. 

A movement is currently in place whose sole goal is to make wearing robes in the presence of Muggles a norm. The beliefs of this group, named Fresh Air Refreshes Totally (F.A.R.T.), are that wearing traditional Muggle trousers is too restrictive for casting magic and robes are the only thing that is appropriate. According to Archie Aymslowe, president of F.A.R.T., Muggle clothes are too confining which will “stem the magical flow at source.” While members of F.A.R.T. have received repeated warnings and fines, they still tend to wear robes in the presence of Muggles. Interestingly, their actions have not caused too much suspicion; Muggles tend to simply be confused about their dress, then pass off the strange clothes as the apparel of cult members.

Aymslowe’s beliefs that Muggle clothing is damaging to one’s magical energy are not in any way proven. Still, the fact remains that some people view the rule of adopting Muggle clothes is an invasion of personal choice. What do you think?

Lastly, there are some exceptions to this clothing rule. There have been days - few and far between that they are - that are a day of such celebration that the rules of the ISoS are lifted. On these special days, witches and wizards will often wear all the colors and fun fads that they want, with no fear of being rebuked for doing so. Muggles, admittedly, are often curious about the sudden spike in strange clothing around them, but the situation is generally very contained. These days are very rare indeed, so I’d urge you to stick to caution and dress as a Muggle when in the presence of Muggles - no matter the day.

And that is our lesson for today. Thank you for joining me in this lesson, and I hope you all learned something useful. Interacting with Muggles need not be a scary or worrisome event, especially if you’ve prepared well enough to blend in with them. I’d like you to complete a quiz and an essay for me for today, and get ready for our final coming up next week!

SOURCES:

https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/clothing 

http://reflectionsfancydress.co.uk/gallery-categories/third-gallery 

https://www.kalafashion.com/women-clothing-jumpsuits/women-clothing-jumpsuits-chiffon-black-wrap-around-jumpsuit-black.html 

https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Robe-Authentic-Cinereplicas/dp/B06WVSYTPX?th=1

https://cdn8.littlethings.com/app/uploads/2016/12/1956-poodle-skirts1_zps2ab8a111.jpg

https://www.littlethings.com/the-poodle-skirt

https://thebannercsi.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/mood-rings.jpg?w=600