Astrology and Fashion: A Guide

a guide to astrological remediation and the planetary influence on fashion

So much is tied up in what we wear. Beyond social, economic and cultural factors that shape our style choices, we use fashion to share our values, express our joys and creativity, try on different personae; let the outside world know who we are. What we wear is one of the first ways the world perceives us but also helps us create an coherent sense of self, at least for a day. Tomorrow, it can all change.

Aligning with these principles, we introduce the concept of astrological remediation. Arising from the word “remedy,” remediation speaks to the sympathetic actions we can take to respond to difficult astrology in your chart or in the current sky. Astrological remediation tells us that not only do we have agency over our fate, but that we can call in divine, planetary energies through mundane activities: our rituals, food, charity, and, of course, our clothing. By combining astrology and fashion or astrology and your personal style, you are doing magic that helps you subtly embody certain energies, as represented by the planets, that you may need or benefit from.

One basic principle to astrological remediation is correspondences, or the idea that the archetypal energies of the planets can be found in each person, place, object, etc on this earth. By connecting the lush, beautiful rose to the planet Venus, in the words of Priscilla Costello, we “[infuse] it with meaning and [exalt] it beyond being merely a dead and meaningless material object”.¹ Correspondences affirm that even mundane objects like the clothes we wear or the food we eat are filled with divine influence and significance.

Costello goes on to tell us that the “physical details of an object's appearance are clues to its essence”.² When it comes to the planetary influence on fashion, one garment can often share correspondences with multiple planets. A crisp button-down can be used in a Lunar outfit because of the Moon’s association with white, but its clean tailoring relates it to Mercury and its attention to detail. As a classic, traditional staple piece, this garment could also be used to dress for Saturn, the planet of longevity and tradition.

In other words, correspondences are dynamic and playful. Astrology and fashion is meant to be something to experiment and have fun with, so don’t worry about “getting it right”. I’ll provide some ideas below for starting-points with each of the planets but please use them as a springboard for your own creativity when it comes to astrology and personal style.

How to Approach Astrology and Fashion

There are two ways to approach sartorial astrological remediation: general or focused. As each day of the week corresponds to a different traditional planet, you can simply use these principles to align your dressing with the planetary day. The planetary days are as follows:

Sunday: The Sun

Monday: The Moon

Tuesday: Mars

Wednesday: Mercury

Thursday: Jupiter

Friday: Venus

Saturday: Saturn

That way, each day is its own portal to explore the planets directly and see how these 7 deities demonstrate their unique planetary influence on fashion. I like this approach because it feels like it satisfies all aspects of myself throughout the week, like a subtle, widespread power boost.

But you can also harness the planetary influence on fashion to heal a certain topic or concern. You can also focus on one planet that you want to specifically call into your life. You can use your own chart to determine which planet or planets need remediation at a given time. Here are some indications that a planet of yours might need a boost:

• It is in detriment, fallen, or afflicted by (i.e. conjoined, opposed or squar) Mars and/or Saturn

• It is in an angular house (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th), and thus has a lot to do

• It is your current timelord, or activated by timing

• It is currently being “afflicted” by transiting malefics (Mars and Saturn)

If you natal Moon is in fall or currently being squared by Saturn, for example, you may want to strengthen her presence in your life through combining her astrology and fashion. If you want more a more in-depth assessment of which planets need remediation then I would recommend booking a session with a professional astrologer, like myself, to give you a holistic look. You can also simply clarify which qualities you want to call into your life and pick a specific planet that embodies those qualities, no chart knowledge required.

Here I will give brief summaries of some qualities associated with each of the traditional planets to show the planetary influence on fashion and how you can begin to make your own astrology-based fashion choices.

The Moon:

• Qualities: protection, mundane mysticism, serenity, emotional regulation, nourishing the vessel, revelation, memory

• Colors: all shades of white and silver, oceanic colors like light blues

• Clothing Styles: anything comfy you’d wear relaxing at home; gardening or baking work clothes; mystical, witchy styles; flowing, relaxed silhouettes (think Coastal Grandma); nautical/ocean-themed or colored items

Mercury:

• Qualities: mutability, rational intellect, eloquence and oratory skills, writing ability, divination, pathfinding, business acumen, technical skill and dexterity

• Colors: any combination of colors, grayish-blue, tiny patterns (think gingham, stripes, houndstooth)

• Clothing Styles: playful chaos; academic/collegiate looks; a focus on the details (think: good tailoring, unexpected accessories); anything put-together but useful; clean lines and sharp silhouettes

Venus:

• Qualities: pleasure, romance, creativity, connection, intimacy, leisure and play, allure, harmony, beauty, adornment

• Colors: green, white, pink, pastels

• Clothing Styles: classic feminine silhouettes— anything “girly-girl”; subtle accessorizing; elevated loungewear or leisure clothing; lace, feathers and any other delicate details; celebration outfits

The Sun:

• Qualities: confidence, a healthy ego, tapping into your unique genius, attention and visibility, power, wisdom and intellect, recognition, elevation

• Colors: gold, yellow, the colors of a sunset

• Clothing styles: clean, put-together silhouettes— whatever makes you feel like an authority or in your power; anything sparkly or flashy, like sequins, glitter; disco or dancing attire; vacation/resort wear; statement pieces

Mars:

• Qualities: strength, power, courage, boldness, facing conflicts squarely and decisively, rebellion, iconoclasm, severing/cord cutting, initiative

• Colors: red, saffron yellow, black

• Clothing styles: punk/rebel aesthetics, lingerie or fetish-wear, military-inspired garments, activewear and exercise clothes, anything bold, brash or attention-grabbing in a controversial manner; messy or ripped clothing/aesthetics

Jupiter:

• Qualities: wisdom, faith, growth, repair, higher thought, abundance, morality, nobility, shared wealth, good luck, generosity, open-mindedness, justice, commitment, friendship

• Colors: purple, gold, jewel tones, royal colors

• Clothing styles: boho/hippie chic, the cosmopolitan professor (a bit more flowing and eclectic than Mercury’s academic style), big patterns and power clashing, maximalism, statement pieces and clothing that draws attention/spreads joy, priest/mystic-wear

Saturn:

• Qualities: commitment, perseverance, patience, contemplation, hard work, ancient wisdom, occult or secret knowledge, longevity, experience

• Colors: black, grey, brown; anything dull/neutral

• Clothing Styles: monastery/monkish looks, anything goth, witchy, somber, mysterious; work clothes (overalls, boiler suits, etc), classic, neutral wardrobe staples, clothing that cloaks/lets you be anonymous, timeless, well-made garments, vintage pieces, capes

These tips are merely the iceberg that is astrology and personal style. A good litmus test to tell if some clothing piece will work for you is if wearing it makes you feel like how the planet is described above.

Turn Dressing into a Ritual

So remember to play with your clothes. If you want to start an astrological remediation practice, I recommend, on the morning you begin— ideally aligning with the corresponding planetary day— lighting a candle, some incense and making an offering to the planet you wish to work with. Set an intention with your remediation and then get dressed: see what happens. The shifts may be subtle at first but if you cultivate your looks with a certain planet in mind the change will occur.

Next Steps

To help people connect to the stars more intimately, I have created three pioneering, innovative guides to understanding astrology and fashion. For millennia, astrologers have aligned the planets in the sky with our actions on earth, including colors, jewels, people, obects. But never before has someone distilled this ancient knowledge into a fun and extensive guide to planetary dressing. I draw on authors such as Abu Ma’shar, Al Biruni and William Lilly to form a sturdy foundation for my own thoughts and ideas about how the planets dress. Though plenty speak of dressing for your Venus or something of that nature, you cannot find this information anywhere else, especially not with a rooting in the tradition combined with contemporary wisdom.

Styling with the Stars Vol. I: A Guidebook to Planetary Fashion

Volume I aims to help you understand the planetary influence on fashion, as well as add a creative layer to your devotion and manifest your unique look. I walk through the fashion of each of the planet— specifically The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn— providing style icons, trends, silhouettes, specific clothing items and vibes for each planet. Additionally, I list the colors, gems and people of each planet as well as a color palette to really drive home the aesthetics of the stars. To really cement your understanding, I have also linked Pinterest boards I have made compiling visual aids for each of the planets to really stoke your inspiration.

Styling with the Stars Vol. II: Using Your Natal Chart to Uncover Your
Divine Style

Everyone has their own iconic style. The birth chart reveals this secret.

In my follow-up to “Styling with the Stars,” this second volume combines astrology and personal style even more and helps you use your chart to uncover all the different facets of your style, knowing your look cannot be reduced to one planet. Though one may predominate, this guide will help you figure out what role the different planets have in your style and how to make the astrology-based fashion choices that unlock your iconic style.

In this guide, I walk you through the meanings of the different parts of your chart that inform your style including:

• The Ascendant/Rising Sign

• Venus

• The 5th House

• The 2nd House

• The Lot of Eros

Combining all of these points together, you will begin to get a sense of your iconic style. I walk you through how to delineate each of these points and understand the distinct role each part plays in shaping your aesthetics.

Styling with the Stars Vol. III: Guide to the Fashion and Style of Venus Through the Decans

Put simply, a decan is a 10º slice of the zodiac. As a circle is made of 360º, there are 36 in total. The reason I use the decans so heavily in my work is because they are not just extremely effective at getting to the heart of someone’s story, they’re fun, mysterious, complex, descriptive.

We look to Venus to define our fashion sensibilities, choosing the styles, garments and accessories that align with our pleasures and priorities. Beyond the trends or silhouettes we like, our Venus can tell whether we dress to impress or to be comfortable, as well as from which style icons we may take inspiration.

By focusing on the decan of your natal Venus, we learn the stories, archetypes, processes, desires and magic that fuel how you get dressed. This exploration goes beyond dignity and debility to find beauty, glamour and iconic style in each and every part of the zodiac, cementing our unique, divine manifestation of astrology and personal style.

In addition to an essay on Venus through the 36 faces, for each decan I include:

• The degree range and decanic ruler

• Images and significations associated with each decan

• Famous icons who embody the style of the decan

• Quotes from real people about their style

If you are fully ready to dive into combining astrology and personal style, you can also buy all three guidebooks in a discounted bundle on any of the linked pages.

Look, see and have fun, babes <3

Until next time,

Love,

Chloe

1. Priscilla Costello, “Shakespeare and the Stars,” p. 239

2. ibid, p. 239