Boss Witch Fashion Friday: The 1960s Called, they Said You Can Keep Winged Eyeliner.
HAPPY FRIDAY, Boss Witches! This week has been a toughie for me, professionally and PhD-speaking. But we all have sh*tty weeks, don’t we? And the best way to move past that is to whack on some winged eyeliner, get some volume into our hair and throw back to possibly the chic-est of decades: the 1960s.
Elizabeth Montgomery wears a Witch’s hat as Samantha Stevens in Bewitched.
Now, do the 1960s have much to do with Witches, you ask? F*CK YES, they do. Not only in the witchy vibes that were abundant during the time, but also in some modern throwbacks, like The Love Witch and even Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which is basically living in a 1960s time warp. But let us begin with the classics, and enjoy this luscious, colour-filled yet black-filled journey through psychadelic Witchery.
Bewitched
Elizabeth Montgomery wears a flowing black gown and green cape while death-staring her husband, Darrin.
Ah, Samantha. Back in the day, Bewitched was on every day in the afternoon, and I definitely enjoyed it. I knew that I wasn’t capable of wiggling my nose and flying lamps across the hallway, but I still admired Samantha, who was, let’s face it, kind of a feminist badass. We also had Endora, who was a bit of a Witch Purist, but her outfits were fabulous, weren’t they?
Agnes Moorhead as Endora in Bewitched.
There have been talks of a Bewitched remake in the works, but the series was shelved during the last pilot season. We can hold hope, though, and word on the street is that the remake will feature a Black actor as Samantha, which is f*cking awesome, so let’s hope it comes to fruition.
Key takeaways from Bewitched: bell sleeves, puffy nightgowns, set hair, epic green or blue eye makeup, winged liner, bouffants, capes, ladylike pencil skirts and, of course, a set of pearls.
Lily Munster
Okay, Lily Munster isn’t technically a Witch. She’s a vampire. So let’s get that little hiccup out of the way. But we need to pay homage to her distinctly Witchy aesthetic.
Lily was originally played by Yvonne de Carlo, and was briefly going to be resurrected (ha) by Portia de Rossi in 2012, but the reboot ultimately got canned. SHAME.
Key takeaways from The Munsters: two-toned long hair, baby pink/blue/green edged with black lace, serious f*cking eyebrow game, ribbon amulets.
Morticia Addams
Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams.
Look, I’m not sure if Morticia has ever actually been defined as a Witch, but she raised carnivorous plants and played the shamisen, so I’m going to go with, she’s a f*cking Witch.
Unlike Lily Munster, Morticia basically embodied rich-people Witch vibes, with a gothic yet sophisticated aesthetic, endless glamour and the countenance of a saint. Portrayed initially by Carolyn Jones and later by Anjelica Huston, Morticia and her offspring, Wednesday Addams, have inspired generations of Witches with their all-black-everything style.
Key takeaways from Morticia Addams: floor-length black gowns, bell/handkerchief sleeves, widow’s peak hair, luscious long black locks, strong brow game, winged eyeliner and dainty silver pendants.
The Love Witch
Samantha Robinson as Elaine in The Love Witch.
2017’s film The Love Witch is a masterpiece in the recreation of 1960s technicolour resplendence. In it, we see Elaine (played by Samantha Robinson) channeling go-go glamour as she accidentally kills her lovers when her spells go awry. Anna Biller is the director of this passion project, and I have to say, there is so much sartorial inspiration in this film it’s almost obscene. Get thee to it.
Key takeaways from The Love Witch: winged eyeliner, bright blue eyeshadow, red nails, go-go miniskirts, fabulous technicolour hats, black lingerie, red gowns, casual beehives, candy-pop pink, and enormous costume jewellery.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Kiernan Shipka in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Miranda Otto in a promo picture for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
As Riverdale harks back to the 1950s glory of milkshakes, burgers and high ponies, so does Chilling Adventures of Sabrina bring us a 1960s horror-inspired witch coven. Between Sabrina’s cutesy preppy skirts and headbands and Zelda’s set hair and black widow vibes, this show gives all the vintage goods, even though it’s contemporary as f*ck. We’re talking pencil skirts, preppy vibes, and a good dose of dark Audrey Hepburn here.
Key takeaways from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: wiggle dresses, perfect waves in the hair, big sunglasses, veils and headscarves, vests, high-buttoned collars, high heels, form-fitting two-pieces and flared 1950s skirts.
In conclusion, the 1960s were a golden age for Witches. We had the makeup, the getup and the hair, and we were all kind of fabulous. Samantha Stevens could swan around in that ridiculous nightie and still be a babe. And I think we all deserve some of that glamour in our lives.
Here is another little gem: Wanda the Witch advertising hairspray. ENJOY!