“To be a witch is to be unashamed of your own power.”
However, there are legitimate incarnations of the witchcraft persuasion that remain relevant today. The pagan movement Wicca is recognized as a genuine religion, and there are large, organized communities all over the United States that practice an earth-centered presentation of witchcraft as a pathway to empowerment. Interest in witchcraft resurged during the late twentieth century when culturally influential artists, musicians, and writers began to reclaim the word. Yoko Ono crooned “Yes, I’m a Witch” in 1974 and Stevie Nicks gushed to MTV that she’d “always wanted to be a witch” in 1987. The Eagles painted a desirable portrait with their 1976 tune “Witchy Woman,” while Roald Dahl reinforced a whimsical evilness with his 1983 children’s book The Witches. The 1998 television series Charmed, which centered around three heroic witches, melded late-90s feminism with supernatural action. These diverse and popular portrayals added new dimensions to the social conversation of witchcraft, helping create the modern dialogue that been a source of fascination, speculation, and inspiration for many creatives. This attention has led to a new cultural perception of the witch. Legions of young people (mostly women), have used the word “witch” as a personal symbol for empowerment and autonomy. Witchcraft is about being honest and unabashedly subversive in order to make a statement. In today’s lexicon, the woman who exerts and protects her agency, whether it be intellectual, economic, or sexual agency, is considered just as controversial as the allegedly satanic accused witch of the middle ages.
To be a witch is to be unashamed of your own power. Some modern witches are practicing Wiccans, others are just empowered individuals who identify with this ideology, who believe that strength exists in being unafraid of your personal potential and that a uniquely individualistic divinity can be created from pure execution of will. This examination of self extends to the fashion world, where the aesthetics of witchcraft are often unpacked or investigated as a means to discuss power. On the runway, witchcraft has magicked itself into the stylistic muse of many major houses; take Alexander McQueen for example. For his Fall 2007 Ready to Wear, McQueen presented a collection that intentionally harkened back to the violence of early witch hunts. McQueen was inspired after he discovered that he was descended from Elizabeth How, an accused witch who was persecuted and ultimately executed during the infamous 1692 Salem Trials. The collection is dedicated in memory of How. The venue itself was littered with witch imagery: an inverted pyramid suspended from the ceiling, a red pentagram on the floor. McQueen’s collection, however, did not reflect the aggressive tone of these symbols. He featured innocuous Wiccan symbols such as the crescent moon and star in the headpieces, while the shrouded, protectively moulded bodices served as defense against violent discrimination. This intentional juxtaposition lends credence to the modern Wiccan challenge of overcoming negative perceptions, whether they be allegations of overt satanic involvement or mere judgmental dismissals.
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