The implications of changing attitudes toward muggle fashions

Aug 30, 2006 19:29

The increased diversification and modernisation of fashion amongst the younger generations of the wizarding world indicates increased muggle influence and acceptance. This essay will first examine the attitudes of older wizards when it comes to modern muggle fashions which will be followed by an examination of the attitudes that younger wizards hold towards modern muggle clothing.



There are times when older wizards are required to dress in muggle clothes, and yet despite the great number of muggles who are readily available for observation there are numerous instances of older wizards completely misunderstanding muggle fashions. For example, when wizards are required to wear muggle clothing at the the Quidditch World Cup, Harry observes a number of strangely attired wizard men:
“Both were dressed as muggles, though very inexpertly; the man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh length-galoshes; his colleague, a kilt and a poncho.” (Rowling, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, 70) Here the reader can clearly see that while the wizards know that these clothes are worn by muggles, they clearly have no understanding of how they are worn. Whilst it is true that the age of these wizards isn’t specifically mentioned, Harry thinks of them as men rather than boys or young wizards and witches. An even clearer example of older wizards misunderstanding muggle fashion is that of Archie at the World Cup.

Harry witnesses the following conversation whilst at the World Cup -
There was already a small queue for the tap in the corner of the field. Harry, Ron and Hermione joined it, right behind a pair of men who were having a heated argument. One of them was a very old wizard who was wearing a long flowery nightgown. The other was clearly a Ministry wizard; he was holding out a pair of pin-striped trousers and almost crying with exasperation.
“Just put them on, Archie, there’s a good chap, you can’t walk around like that, the Muggle on the gate’s already getting suspicious-”
“I bought this in a Muggle shop,” said the old wizard stubbornly. “Muggles wear them.”
“Muggle women wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear these,” said the Ministry wizard, and he brandished the pinstriped trousers.
“I’m not putting them on,” said old Archie in indignation. “I like a healthy breeze around my privates, thanks.” (Rowling, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, 77)
Here we as readers are fully aware of the wizard’s mistake; he is wearing muggle clothing, but it is uncommon for his gender and makes him stand out rather than blend in. The wizard in question also expresses the viewpoint that he won’t even consider wearing muggle clothing that is common to his gender, even after being told that he is wearing women’s clothing. To the old wizard Archie the idea of wearing trousers is so completely foreign that to him it seems completely preposterous. But even older wizards who are familiar with muggle customs do not wear muggle fashions.

Albus Dumbledore is an old wizard well known for his tolerant beliefs. Yet even when he visits muggle areas he dresses in outdated clothing styles. One example of this is when Dumbledore comes to collect Harry from the Dursleys in Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince.
There in the doorway stood a tall, thin man with waist-length silver hair and beard. Half-moon spectacles were perched on his crooked nose and he was wearing a long black travelling cloak and a pointed hat. (Rowling, 48)
Here Dumbledore’s description indicates that he is wearing a cloak and a pointed hat - both of which are uncommon in muggle day-to-day wear, being mostly used for costume parties, acting and historical interest. Despite older wizards being either unfamiliar with muggle fashions or wilfully not wearing them even when in muggle areas, there are a number of younger wizards who wear muggle fashions even when they don’t need to.

Bill Weasley is an example of a young wizard who wears modern muggle fashion as a matter of custom. When Bill visits his wizarding parents there is no need for him to wear muggle clothes but he does so anyway.
However, Bill was - there was no other word for it - cool. He was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. His clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, except that Harry recognised his boots to be made, not of leather, but of dragon
hide. (Rowling, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, 50)
It is the line ‘his clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert’ that clearly shows that Charlie Weasley’s clothing conforms to modern muggle fashion for young people. Another example of a young wizard/witch wearing muggle fashion is that of Tonks.

Tonks is frequently seen wearing bright unnatural hair colours throughout the Harry Potter series. For example, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix her hair is described as being short and spiky and “a violent shade of violet.” (Rowling, 47) Later in the same book Tonk changes her hair so that is a “bright bubble-gum-pink.” (Rowling, 51) Whilst bright unnatural hair colours are worn by more trendy young muggles they are not seen being worn by wizards with anti-muggle biases. The fact that other wizards are not mentioned as wearing bright unnatural hair colours may not necessarily prove that other wizards do not wear them, but it seems likely that the reader can make educated guesses based not only on what is mentioned in the text, but also on what isn’t mentioned.

It can certainly be said that young wizards also wear outdated muggle fashions whilst amongst other wizards, but it is important to bear in mind that young wizards are never described as wearing inappropriate muggle fashions whilst amongst muggles. From this the reader can make the educated guess that while there are young wizards with anti-muggle views who wouldn’t want to wear muggle clothing, they are at least exposed to muggle fashions enough that they can recognise them.

Taking in to consideration the changing attitudes of wizards toward muggle clothing, it would seem that there has been an increased contact with and awareness of muggle culture in the younger generations. This increased influence on wizarding fashion shows an increased awareness and tolerance of muggles and a breaking down of the old ways.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.. London: Bloomsbury, 2000.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. London: Bloomsbury, 2003.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince. London: Bloomsbury, 2005.
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