Oh, look, it’s time for us to go back to the most magical place on earth – no, not Disney World. Hogwarts! And, I’m guessing that by now, you’ve gone to Diagon Alley, and you’ve picked up your year’s supply of cauldrons (because you keep bloody well melting them), your new robes, and enough Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes to last at least until the first Hogsmeade visit of the season. You’re all good there, but what about the other stuff? You know… clothes for when you’re not in uniform, stuff to put in your dorm room… that kind of thing. Back-to-school shopping shouldn’t end with a hidden street in London! Here’s our picks for what you will totally want to pack in your trunk before you have to get on the Hogwarts Express.
Okay, no, but, before we get started, can we talk about a thing that totally bugs me? I have a lot of RPer friends on FB; I follow a lot of geek pinboards on Pinterest. Yet, for some reason, nearly all Hogwarts house themed outfits fall into two categories – vastly impractical ball gowns with jewelry no one will ever be able to afford, or head-to-toe merch and house color. There’s no actual attempt to make something that you could wear everyday, without anyone not chosen by the fandom life realizing that you’re actually repping your house HARD, you know? I don’t flounce around in head-to-toe green and huge satin dresses better suited to a fresh debutante trying to woo a handsome count at a high-society ball sometime in the early 1800s. I want to see stuff I’d wear, stuff that’s trendy now, stuff that the teens of Hogwarts wear while chilling out by the lake or getting in a weekend study session at the library. So… I made what I wanted to see.
We start with Hufflepuff, who are the cutest, snuggliest hipsters ever. Puffs are cute, in this weird way where they wear weird hipstery stuff that shouldn’t go together, but they don’t give a damn and somehow it totally works. For the Puff girl, we suggest daring things, fun things, cute things. Mix your prints! Wear three kinds of polka dots! Sport stars on your legs! You look absolutely fantastic, and don’t let anyone tell you that yellow isn’t your color. It’s totally your color.
laser cut badger necklace – richardsonrichardson – $22
badger to the bone sweatshirt – modcloth – $50
star tattoo tights – yesstyle – $13
heart print skirt – 6ks – $19
yellow polka dot sneakers – keds – $50
red polka dot badger socks – accessorize – $7
bird print clutch – kate spade – $29
daisy enamel ring – marc by marc jacobs – $25
Nail lacquers: “I Just Can’t Cope-Acabana” by OPI (yellow); “Union Jack Black” by Butter London
And what does a Puff pack when heading to Hogwarts? Well, I think they’d pick stuff that’s bright, yellow, funny, and practical, because why not? I’m imagining the puff dorm rooms as very bright and cheery, with personal belongings in fifty shades of yellow scattered about.
honey badger don’t give a shit notepad – guajolote prints – $4
yellow, black & white A5 notepad - marimekko – $15
sepia script postcard/envelope set – liberty UK – $12
hufflepuff journal - universal orlando – $20
pen orgy pencil case – happy jackson – $12
sleep balm – badger balm – $10
badger pillow – house of fraser UK – £20
badger mug – joules – $15
puff soy candle – frostbeard – $15
goldenrod candle – nicole miller – $25
yellow tea pot – cb2 – $15
hufflepuff crest print - truffleshuffle – $41
Now, let’s talk about Ravenclaw. Caw caw! We all know Ravenclaw is a house steeped in blue, but many disagree on whether the other color should be bronze or white. I figured, why not both? The three do look good together. The modern Ravenclaw is the type of hipster that’s classy but a bit eccentric. They dress stylish enough for getting into official important business things, comfortable enough that they could chase after snorckacks, and warm enough to brave the overly air conditioned libraries for hours and hours of research. Stars are a great accessory – after all, if you’re going to be the second highest tower in the entire castle, you might as well adorn yourself in constellations and proclaim yourself empress of the galaxy.
starry blue tank top – modcloth – $17
tan cardigan – mango – $36
bronze jeans – pink queen – $29
blue suede boots – yoox – $27
ravenclaw pendant - midnighthouseelves – $20
filigree barette – 1928 jewelry – $20
bronze star wrap bracelet – bee charming – $45
Nail lacquers: “Beach” by Revlon Parfumerie (bronze), “Va Va Voom” by Deborah Lippmann (blue & silver glitter)
To me, the best Ravenclaw was always Luna Lovegood. I think, years after the Battle of Hogwarts, when the DA central players are almost celebrities in their own right, young Ravenclaws are influenced heavily by Luna’s eccentric, colorful style. Maybe not enough to sport dirigible plum earrings, but certainly enough that their dorm rooms are reflective of a love of travel and bright hues. I think, there are jewel-toned pom-pom garlands draped between bedposts. There are map garlands on the wall, and you add a new star for every place you’ve been or maybe every place you want to go. I think there’s constellations everywhere, a lot of constellations. It must be a very comfy place to drink tea and study…
serious notebook – burke decor – $15
most classy pencils you’ll ever own – modcloth – $8
metallic polka dot notebook – target – $4
feather journal – modcloth – $15
map garland – brother works – $10
ravenclaw stein – universal orlando – $25
ornate blue glass – casa – $9
owl mug – HORNE – $18
constellation makeup bag - modcloth – $28
pom pom twine garland – filz inc – $19
I think, if I were a Gryffindor, I’d be brash and in-your-face with the red and gold. Gryffindor hipsters aren’t cuddly and snuggly – they’re the fierce edgy kind of hipsters with heels too high, skirts too tight, and eyeliner sharp enough to dismantle the patriarchy. They blast Kesha at six in the morning, party all night, and show up to class hung over on Monday afternoons. Don’t start shit with the Gryff girls, cause they will finish it. And you. And not in a good way, mind.
woke up like this tank – dentz denim – $29
gold bralette – h&m – $35
leather jacket – doublju – $27
gold stud litas – jeffrey campbell – $280
red pencil skirt – miss selfridge – $21
parental advisory crossbody bag – colette by colette hayman – $20 kangaroo bucks
feather ear cuff - anni jurgenson – $50
lion ring – stussy – $27
Okay, no, but Gryffindors? Totally, 100% house pride, all the time. Walk into the dorm room? BAM! Lion everything. It’s worse than Iron Man’s collection of Iron Man memorabilia. Red and gold are the colors you’re looking for, mate! And at least one of your roommates owns a red and gold paperweight. They don’t know what it’s for. They only bought it because it reminded them of home.
lion candle - zara home – $20
gold stripe notebook – design darling – $16
gold polka dot notebook – kate spade – $14
red string notebook – jayson home – $10
birthday lion card – paperchase – $4
rude lion card – asos – $5
organic lion pillow – allmodern – $30
red gold palantir – pier one imports – $4
lion mug – liberty – $28
gold garland – mailbox happiness – $10
Finally, my house! Slytherin! Now, everyone seems to think us Slytherins wear either ballroom gowns of the finest emerald silk, or else Death Eater robes. There’s this misconception that all of us are snooty purebloods. This is wrong – we are all snooty, but we are rather mixed. However, I don’t think touting purebloodedness is the way to win in the post-Voldemort world; with the advances of Muggleborn rights, many Slytherins were probably introduced to much more comfortable muggle clothing, and adapted it as their own style – blending in is the best camouflage.
snake sweater – zappos – $44
silver pleather mini – h&m – $12
green leather bag – yoyo melody – $37
snake booties – steve madden – $130
green crocodile clutch/wallet/thing – fossil – $50
jasper bracelet – lord & taylor – $30
stacking ring set – delia’s – $15
What does one find in a Slytherin’s dorm room? Well, a lot of green stuff, for one. Maybe a hollow book or two; you probably shouldn’t look in those. Notebooks, for nefarious plans. Unicorn temporary tattoos, because if you’re in a mood to kill someone you can just put one on and take out the first person to mock you. Suspicious skulls. Suspicious familiars. Candles, for serenity. Matches, to burn bridges with (and bodies, and light the candles). No, but really… don’t look in the hollow book. You don’t know what’s inside.
hollow book – pier 1 imports – $10
notecard set - kate spade – $28
serpent journal – d l & co – $25
black cat lip gloss – pier 1 imports – $3
porcelain cup – out there interiours – $46
unicorn tattoo – tattly – $5
second coolest pencils you will ever own – topshop – $7
journals for suspicious activity – modcloth $15
rorschach notebook set – rifle paper co – $15
green journal – kate spade – $24
slytherin pillow – universal orlando – $29
matches - sur la table – $5
green tea lights - lsa – $30
travel candle – henri bendel – $15
So yeah, these (and more than these) are my current style picks for the Hogwarts houses. But, don’t take my word for it! Shop around a bit, and see what comes up… you can find some absolutely fun stuff!
