Why the Style of 90s Witches is Practically Magic

By Debra Murray

Every fall, when the air starts to get a little cooler, outfits inspired by the witches who grace our TV screens and movies start flooding Pinterest and TikTok. TikTok creators begin dressing like Sally or Gillian while the Practical Magic theme song plays in the background, especially this year with the release of the second movie. But Sally and Gillian are not the only witches we can take style inspiration from this fall.

Practical Magic (1998)

The three Halliwell sisters from Charmed each have their own unique style, representative of the ’90s in completely different ways. All three sisters inherit a beautiful Victorian house from their grandmother in San Francisco. During the first episode, the sisters learn that they are witches, and the show follows the battles they face while using their powers and balancing their jobs, whether working in galleries, at magazines, or running a restaurant.

Prue, the eldest, typically wore an almost business-like outfit in every episode, frequently pairing slacks or a pencil skirt with a crop top, or a long-sleeve top with a mini skirt. Prue’s outfits reflect her Type A, organized, and professional personality.

Piper, the middle sister, was often spotted in blue jeans and an unbuttoned shirt with a tank top underneath. Piper dresses in a way that entirely expresses middle-child energy, at least for the first three seasons. Compared to both of her other sisters, Piper has a much more casual style, reminiscent of something you’d see in a ’90s L.L. Bean catalog. Piper is also the glue between her two sisters and works to keep the peace within her household, which fits with her softer style.

In typical youngest-sister fashion, Phoebe is not afraid of a bold pattern, contrasting colors, or accessorizing more than her two older sisters. Her outfits feel a little more playful and experimental, fitting her free-spirited personality.

Throughout the show, there is a shift toward more bohemian looks, incorporating textures like crochet and suede with tassels. With the new millennium came new trends, and the characters’ styles reflected them, too, with leopard print, funky T-shirts, and low-waisted pants becoming more prominent in the early 2000s.

“My girls have a unique look; there is a new wardrobe for every performance. I take into account the shade of their eyes, hair tint, and skin tone,” Eilish Zebrasky, Charmed costume designer, told Write Between the Lines. “Although the cast is color coordinated, I’m careful that the actors are never in the same color at the same time. Nor do they have the same neckline.” 

Then there’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a beloved teen show about a teenage witch, Sabrina Spellman, learning witchcraft from her aunts and listening to the witty remarks of her black cat, Salem.

A staple of ’90s fashion, Sabrina’s style included many popular trends and hairstyles that a teenage girl growing up during the show’s run would have killed for. She is not afraid of rocking plaid or other patterns, bright colors, an all-black ensemble, or a velvet top. Sabrina isn’t afraid to follow trends while also taking risks. Her wardrobe reflects the balance between her mortal life and her growing powers. She is independent, strong-willed, and witty, making her bright-colored outfits, mesh, and velvet feel like an extension of her personality. Her style doesn’t entirely fit into one box. Instead, it represents the many sides of this teenage witch.

The Craft (1996)

The Craft, released in 1996, is a cult classic that follows four outcasts, Nancy, Sarah, Rochelle, and Bonnie, attending a private school in a small town who begin dabbling in witchcraft. Of the occult representation of the ’90s, The Craft is definitely darker in both fashion and plot.

From rosaries and dog collars with long slip dresses covered by a cardigan, The Craft is a great example of ’90s goth-grunge and the more vibrant “whimsygoth” aesthetic. Throughout the film, you see their personal styles intertwined with the plaid skirts and white tops required by their private school.

An unrelated movie recommendation if you want to see some cool whimsygoth outfits is Ginger Snaps, a movie about two sisters dealing with one sister becoming a werewolf. Ginger, to me, is a supernatural style icon.

Lastly, of course, Practical Magic is a staple of fall fashion and a comfort watch for everyone.

Sally, the cautious and responsible sister, wears denim shorts paired with a simple blouse or a floral dress with a knit cardigan draped over it. Her style is very earthy, and Sally’s outfits are always sensible.

Practical Magic (1998)

Gillian, meanwhile, is the free-spirited and charismatic sister. She wears a short velvet mini dress or a simple black tee with a patterned maxi skirt. Gillian’s vibrant red hair also reflects her fiery spirit, which we see throughout the movie. Her outfits show that she doesn’t crave normalcy in the way her sister Sally does.

In one scene of the movie, both sisters go to a PTA meeting where Sally is hoping to lead the phone tree. Sally wears a white and green floral top with her hair pinned up, while Gillian wears a black maxi skirt with a green velvet top as she tells the other moms, “Hang onto your husband, girls.”

The subtlety of their witchy style was unlike other films at that point, like The Craft, and this was intentional. Practical Magic’s witchy style was softer and more accessible than many other witchy movies that were popular at the time.

“Everybody knew that they were witches, but they weren’t putting it out there,” Judianna Makovsky, Practical Magic’s costume designer, tells ELLE.com. “They’re not out there walking around with pentagrams all over them.”

In the second movie, Sally and Gilly return, this time in Reformation. At one point, Gilly wears a little green dress with a gathered bust that is supposed to reference her beloved velvet dress from the original. To me, while the effort was there, I felt the costume design didn’t have the same heart and intention as the original.

Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how many of the outfits I liked with the modern flair. Joey King’s character, Kylie, wears a black skirt with a T-shirt and has purple tulle wrapped around her neck into a bow, which I loved.

The ’90s were witch-heavy in film and television, but these shows and movies combine the decade's aesthetic with a witchy vibe so well. Maybe that’s why, decades later, we’re still looking to these characters for fall outfit inspiration.