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emma_in_dreamI was thinking how odd the fashions in the Harry Potter universe are. Like everything else in the magical world, they have basically frozen in time at the end of the late 18th century when they signed the Statute of Secrecy. Hence quill and ink rather than any of the successive inventions of pencils, type writers, word processors; candles and lanterns rather than anything later; hence transforming snuff boxes, objects no longer in regular use.
Hence the robes, which would have been kind of old fashioned even in the 18th century. Maybe like what older women would wear or the formal robes of doctors and scholars at that time.
And robes are a lovely form of fashion – so forgiving to a variety of body shapes. So useful for disguising it when you are kicking Ron under the table (as in the Order of the Phoenix).
And people can wear a variety of gear under their robes. People can wear increasingly modern clothes, like the Weasley kids in their jeans but have robes over the top to signal their primary identity as wizards and witches.
The robes themselves seem to offer relatively limited scope for personalisation. But clearly within the wizarding world there is scope – after all, there is a thriving fashion industry (Madam Malkins) and a second hand industry (Ron’s formal robes). And girls’ robes seem to be viewed as different to boys’ robes (hence Ron’s complaints about his looking like something for Ginny). Also, you can get super fancy robes (like Draco’s).
Hence the robes, which would have been kind of old fashioned even in the 18th century. Maybe like what older women would wear or the formal robes of doctors and scholars at that time.
And robes are a lovely form of fashion – so forgiving to a variety of body shapes. So useful for disguising it when you are kicking Ron under the table (as in the Order of the Phoenix).
And people can wear a variety of gear under their robes. People can wear increasingly modern clothes, like the Weasley kids in their jeans but have robes over the top to signal their primary identity as wizards and witches.
The robes themselves seem to offer relatively limited scope for personalisation. But clearly within the wizarding world there is scope – after all, there is a thriving fashion industry (Madam Malkins) and a second hand industry (Ron’s formal robes). And girls’ robes seem to be viewed as different to boys’ robes (hence Ron’s complaints about his looking like something for Ginny). Also, you can get super fancy robes (like Draco’s).
