Witchcore 101

Your guide to experiencing a darker side of Halloween

Aaron Xiong, Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Get into the Halloween spirit with an aesthetic unlike any other. Cultivate your spells and potions as a member of the Witchcore aesthetic this spooky season. Revolving around the mystical and magical world of witches, this aesthetic incorporates themes from Harry Potter, American Horror Story, and other various media surrounding spellcasting and potion creation.

Visuals that are typically associated with Witchcore include small glass bottles (for potions), mushrooms, moss, wands, candles, the list goes on. Channeling their inner witch, participants are able to choose what type of witchcraft they “practice” or associate with such as a coven based witch, crystal, or cosmic witch. Coven based witches are members of a group who use their powers to develop stronger spells and magic whereas crystal and cosmic witches are more associated with crystals and the stars respectively. 

When witches are usually mentioned in a conversation, you might think of someone with dark robes, a black pointy hat and an evil laugh. However, the attire for witchcore isn’t necessarily the stereotypical witch you would see in Snow White. Although darker hued colors are a staple of witchcore, earth tone and natural color hues have become popular in recent years. Gothic and hippie themes have also made their way into the witchcore aesthetic with the recent rise in thrifting for vintage clothing. 

Decor for witchcore utilizes much of the visuals that are stated above. Although the term witch is usually interpreted as a person of darker nature, witchcore decor puts that stereotype to rest as well. Items from nature such as flowers and crystals are heavily used in witchcore and usually serve a purpose such as driving or creating happiness for that individual. Decor is usually foraged, thrifted or created by an individual as most of the decor is typically hand crafted. Items include, but are not limited to, fresh flowers, books, ravens, mason jars, crystals, and wands. 

As spooky season approaches, consider drawing some inspiration from the witchcore aesthetic. Whether you’re searching for a last minute costume or looking to switch things up a bit this year, witchcore serves as an escape from reality for everyone. For ideas and inspiration on witchcore, click here.