I let tarot cards dictate my outfits for a week

“It showed me how much I cling to visual cohesion when I’m feeling uncertain.”

As an Australian expat living in London, it’s taken a minute to get used to the reversed seasons. Rather than warming up, the UK is getting colder by the minute and my evenings have been spent perfecting warm, cosy recipes. To follow the hearty meals, my housemates and I have add a new ritual into the mix: our weekly tarot.

For me, pulling tarot cards is a way of forcing introspection. It might act as a prompt to helps us to unpack or articulate our week, or it could be a theme to take with us into the days ahead. So, when I was feeling immense outfit fatigue, I deleted the unnecessary items from my cart and instead asked the cards: What should I embody in my style over the week?

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I ended up pulling the High Priestess reversed card, which signifies themes like repression, superficiality, secrets, isolation, loss and disconnect. When applying it to my wardrobe, I interpreted this as dark, dramatic, clashing, covered up and slightly chaotic. I planned to lean into mess, layers, clashing fabrics and impactful statement pieces. If the question was a boot or a sneaker, I opted for luxury over comfort.

Now, on the other side of it, I can safely say this week encouraged me to be creative and taught me that I don’t need a shopping spree. I just needed some woo-woo and divine intervention.

Monday

Today I was acting as an extra in a friend’s short film and had the honour of getting my hair done by the same stylist who tamed Chris Hemsworth’s mane in the next Avengers. She didn’t know this week I was using tarot to inspire looks, but the 1940s ‘poodle’ hairstyle she gave me felt entirely on brand for this week. It was sporadic, randomly disconnected and required far too much effort than any hairstyle I would usually do.

En route to filming, I wore a vintage Desigual dress paired with black flares, a loafer and puffer jacket with knitted sleeves. There was a lot going on but the mix of fabrics, different materials and an intense updo made me feel cool, bold and a little grunge.

Tuesday

This evening I met a friend for dinner after lounging around at home all day. I kicked off the sweats and embraced the drama of the tarot card by leaning into maximalist layering. I styled a long-sleeve with a singlet over the top, pairing it with a long denim skirt to tap into those restrictive vibes.

To me, the reversed High Priestess very much involves deep colours, so I opted for midnight, navy and a rich purple sock. I added a chunky bag and belt for intensity, finishing the look off with a denim jacket for a full Canadian tuxedo effect.

On my way out, several people noticed and commented on my fit including my housemate, who told me I looked like a “modern-day Hannah Montana”. Wearing what felt like a ‘dressed up’ look to a casual dinner reminded me that you can never be too extra, even when you’re not going anywhere fancy.

Wednesday

On Wednesday I hosted an event for my writing collective, Inklings, at a wine bar. I wanted to look chic, professional and like myself, while simultaneously channeling the key High Priestess tarot card. I wore for a navy skirt I’d found in a charity shop and a Uniqlo Heattech singlet in a slightly different shade of navy.

I styled this with one of my housemates’ crocheted cardigan to stack textures, plus a pair of knee-high black boots for that impractical edge. I let my hair be natural, curly and a little chaotic, and added some chunky silver jewellery and a belt. Even though my outfit was based on disconnection, it felt like all the varied elements came together and showed me how much I cling to visual cohesion when I’m feeling uncertain. It was liberating to let that go and it created a look that I can already see myself repeating.

Thursday

On Thursday, I found a vintage sparkly halter in my wardrobe that I hadn’t worn in ages and decided to let that shape the rest of my outfit decisions. It felt like an accurate representation of the ‘superficiality’ aspect of the tarot card, because what says flashy more than a literal sparkle? Again, I left my hair natural, opted for a dramatic smoky eye and wore a long black skirt with boots. The moody tones and shimmer seemed mysterious, leaning into the secretive element of the tarot card.

Friday

This evening I had a friend’s housewarming followed by another house party, so I wanted to look ‘good’ to ensure my spirit was high. My outfit always shapes how I feel and comfort plays a huge role in that, which unfortunately challenged the core of the tarot card I’d pulled.

So, instead of opting for items that were uncomfortable or clunky, I decided to go for a messy pattern clash. I found this skirt and top at a vintage shop in Malaga, Spain and the mix of designs, plus fluted sleeves, aligned with the intrigue of the reversed High Priestess.

To balance the outfit, I contrasted it with a men’s chunky leather biker jacket to contradict the feminine skirt and top. I straightened my hair because it evoked effort, which the card encourages, and took some time with a dark, moody eye.

For more on tarot cards, try this.