the psychic life of clothes

photo: carly boonparn

in a fashion blog of it's own kind, author julia sets out to explore the hidden meanings behind clothes. the psychic life of clothes delves into the metaphysical side of the materials we wear. 

in what ways can clothes be mystical?

dress and adornment have always displayed cultural and religious belief systems. if you think about clothes in terms of archetypes, shoes, for example, can represent a kind of journey or rite of passage. cinderella’s glass slippers gave her access to an exclusive world. dorothy’s ruby slippers took her on a fantastical odyssey. shoes literally and figuratively take you places.

in mediterranean cultures, anything that shields the eyes like a veil or scarf was originally intended to protect from the evil eye. certain motifs can have special meaning. the romanian blouse is an iconic example. known for its elaborate embroidery, as the weaver weaves her blouse, she might embroider a sun for abundance, trees for fertility, or she could do a love spell. she’s weaving her own fate.

does this idea that clothes are magical affect what you wear?

more and more i love to wear vintage. the piece had a life before me so i feel like i am inheriting a tradition. i have these silver bangles that i bought in the rif mountains of morocco. silver is believed to have purifying and protective qualities and reflects evil spirits back onto themselves.

i also wear clothes that i feel connote or conjure something in myself that needs to come out. i’m calling upon my strength and wisdom when i wear a headscarf. my romanian blouse makes me feel carefree.

what’s the most magical piece in your closet?

i have a magic dress. it’s magic because the way i obtained it was a totally serendipitous, one-in-a-million chance and it also played a huge role in a creative breakthrough i had. it’s a long story, so you’ll have to read about it on my blog!