Hogwarts Robes again, and wizard fashions

[dfrankiswork at netscape.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 27604

Kelly, a junkie:

> > The easiest way is to look at the Starfish and Stick illustration 
in
> > QTTA which JKR drew herself.
> > 

Marcus, a prefect: 
> I am looking at the illustration right now.  I do not see where it 
> says that the person is modeling the standard issue Hogwarts robe.  
> Am I missing something?


Thank you Kelly, for drawing our attention to the picture - I'd 
completely forgotten it.  The amount of leg showing explains more 
clearly than words why the movie makers funked this one.

I think the thing that is easy to miss in the discussion of detail is 
that robes are normal wizard wear.  So when Harry has to go to Diagon 
Alley to get his Hogwarts robes it's not that he gets a special 
school uniform which happens unusually to be robes, it's that when 
you go to Hogwarts your usual robes won't do - you have to wear those 
robes which are the H. uniform.  As I've said before a robe is not an 
academic gown.

However, I think we do have to concede that wizard fashion is 
changing to follow the Muggles in this as so much else - the younger 
Weasleys wear Muggle type clothing in the holidays.  I guess that as 
they grow up they will revert to robes, but that each generation will 
get more happy with trousers at a greater age.  The wizard world will 
finally go over to shirts and trousers at about the time that Muggles 
go back to robes.  There is of course a lot of individual variation 
too.  I look forward to meeting Ali Bashir and seeing what he wears - 
robes I expect ;-)

There are other instances of this.  The Hogwarts Express is clearly 
much older than steam transportation, and so at some stage received a 
makeover to fit perceptions of Muggle travel.  My guess is that this 
happened in the mid-twentieth century, just as steam was going off 
the railways.

The Knight Bus too, copies Muggle appearance, with only a little of 
the essence.

I can't think of other examples right now: over to you

David