What is a witch withouther hair?
Winifred Sanderson ofHocus Pocuswouldnt be the same without her crimson birds-nest bouffant.
It is hard to conjureAmerican Horror Story: Covens Voodou priestess Marie Laveau without the waist-grazing braids.
© Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection
InThe Craft, Nancy Downs wears her rebellious, jet black bob like its armor.
AndChers electrified curls inThe Witches of Eastwick?
They are an inextricable part of her characters descent into magic.
Practical Magic
A witch is defined by her hair; its her essence, a story carefully woven into every strand.
Gillians (Nicole Kidman) and Sallys (Sandra Bullock) illustrious manes become scene-stealing side characters.
She will wear dark clothing or nothing at all.
Bewitched
She has bare feet.
Her hair is flying wildly all over the place.
She will be pale.
The Craft
Her fingernails are disgusting and scraggly.
Her teeth are nasty.
For witches across historical texts and now pop culture, hair is never just hair.
Michele K. Short / © FX Networks / Courtesy Everett Collection
you’re able to learn so much from hair alone.
The way that witches look reflects those same fears, a physical manifestation of our anxieties.
Despite the witchs prevalence, not all depictions are created equal.
You very rarely see black witches, addsAramide Tinubu, TV critic forVariety.
It feels important to remember that witches are not just fictitious, conical-hat-wearing characters.
[Witches] have existed throughout history, and they do exist today, says Pollard.
Gillian and Sally love slamming margaritas and wear slinky low-rise skirts.
They love a casual claw clip.
Witches: They really are just like us.
