question about robe

[Huathe]

I agree with the preponderance of opinion, it should be your own business what robe (if any) you wear to ritual. I have one that I love and feel exactly right in; it's reversible green with black knot pattern (which is how I've always worn it so far, except to Samhuinn, when the black goes outward) or black with green knot pattern. Here, I have a pic of it (although in this case I was at a costume party as Queen Maeve, not a ritual, and unfortunately you can't see much of the pattern; guess I need a better pic of it!):

Maeve & Caladin.jpg

As you can see, my husband's robe is black, but he usually doesn't wear his at ritual. He's more atheist than druid anyway, lol!

Zylah,

Beautiful robe. It fits you!

My " Cloak " is more of a light pull-over jacket made of an acrylic-cotton blend knit. The pattern is a natural toned grey, brown and white striped pattern. The hooded jacket goes just below my waist.

I have thought about getting a much better robe or cloak upon completing the Druid Course with NOD. As a " Rite of Passage " gift to myself. But that is some time away. I have plenty of time to think on it. Maybe a brown monk's cloak or robe. After all, I am a Christian Druid.

[Mick Hart]

It is very inspiring to see the difference of our ceremonial robes, and I would like to show you mine:

(…) Maybe a brown monk's cloak or robe. After all, I am a Christian Druid.

You may notice that my robes look a lot like Jedi-apparel, which can be described as a modified kimono. I'm not a huge fan of a Star Wars, but I find the design both beautiful and practical, and I feel it hints towards what kind of druid I am. I have found much spiritual resonance through the pages of Dao De Jing and the practice of Tai Ji Juan, and I cannot help but feel that Philosophical Taoism is a kind of "Asian Druidry". As such, I consider myself to be a Taoistic Druid, just like Hawthorn Ent considers himself to be a Christian Druid.

Our robes are a symbol of our spiritual development, and what a colorful symposium we all make!

Thank you.

[fulbert-avebury]

This makes me wonder how people acquire their robes. Do people here tend to make them themselves or have them made?

Jeffrey

[Badger Bob]

I sat down with some white cotton material that I found in a skip and worked out the pattern, then consulted the sewing machine manual, gave up, came back to it and sewed it all together. After seeing the finished article I unpicked it, read the manual again and then sewed it all up again. This time it has all stayed together and I should be wearing it in public for this weekend's Pagan Pride parade in Nottingham.

[DJ Droood]

That is an impressive robe, Mick Hart!

I based my on a pattern I found on the internets for a Roman-style cloak...which, I suppose, makes it more of a cloak than a robe....underneath, I sometimes wear a Roman-style tunic...I think I got the design from the same site.

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/cloak.html

[Huathe]

Mick,

That is an awesome robe! And I think the robes of the Jedi would work well with the Druids. The fictional order and the druids do have some commonalities. The " Force " is life energy that bonds all life together. The Jedi believe and use it on a universal scale. Druids believe in and use " the force " as natural magic or the life energy of Mother Earth ( Gaia or Dana ). So " May the force be with all of us "!

By the way, people have created a new religion based on the Jedi of the Star Wars Universe. Jediism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jediism
http://jediorganization.addr.com/jedi/
http://members.tripod.com/jeff_west777/

[Merlyn]

how people acquire their robes

At the time a friend was making them. She asked for some measurements and a small fee and sent it to me.
I'll post a picture when I get to the computer that has such.

Merlyn

[Heddwen]

I happened upon a crean linen dress in my local crystal/pagany shop. It was perfect and on special offer. I wrap a piece of Welsh woollen material around me and secure with a celtic brooch. My cloak is black velvet, but I only wear it to some occasions because it is so heavy.

[Zylah]

Ent - yes, a monk's cloak would make a lot of sense, particularly if it feels right to you.

Thanks for sharing, Mick - really great pic overall, as well as a terrific robe.

Jeffrey - I would LOVE to be able to create a robe like this, but alas, I have no skill with a needle. Knitting and crochet needles I do all right with, but not the regular sewing kind. I was referred to a woman who DOES have such skill, who made several of these robes; I saw this one and it was just ... right.

Er, I did find a better pic of the robe, which was taken at the East Coast OBOD retreat last autumn equinox. You must all promise to believe that we did actually have very solemn ceremonies and profound experience, despite how it looks in this pic, which is of a moment of hilarity. Hilarity and mead.

horns o' mead.jpg

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[Muddy Fox]

I had an inkling to knit a white wollen cloak and then stich white feathers, which I would collect from the ground onto it, so it would have been a white feather cape. Anyway i got the wool and had some swan feathers given to me, so I cast the wool onto the needles and started to knit but then I got disillusioned with the knitting. It took me back to when I was 7 years old and I spent months knitting a Panda and nobody could tell what it was and thought it was a black and white cat. I was so upset I think it has affected all knitting desires since. So I could post a picture of the white ball of wool.

[DaRC]

I based my on a pattern I found on the internet for a Roman-style cloak...

That looks like the original hoodie, or hooded woollen cloak, that the Romans took to wearing after arriving here in Britain Something they adopted from the locals.

[DJ Droood]

I based my on a pattern I found on the internet for a Roman-style cloak...

That looks like the original hoodie, or hooded woollen cloak, that the Romans took to wearing after arriving here in Britain Something they adopted from the locals.

well there you go...I am an authentic reconstructionist after all!

[fulbert-avebury]

Mick Hart-

Wonderful robe; as a matter of fact, the entire picture has a wonderfully meditative quality about it. Not sure how I missed it at first when I posted!

Jeffrey

[Reyna]

Mick-I LOVE the robe. Looks comfy and warm.

Love this thread, its giving me so many ideas. Now if only I could sew, lol!

[Ffenics Y Feudwy]

my robes have always been white or off white.

here is the first robe I made in autumn 2007, by using a T shirt as a template and lengthening the arms and body. This was before I added gold and blue embellishment around the hems and neck.


These are pictures of my newer robe, made in autumn 2009. Unfortunately I used a thin cheesecloth like material and my undies show through so I wear a white underskirt too.


I used this pattern from simplicity.com, using the main pattern from the pale blue dress and adding the front lacing from the burgandy dress.
http://www.simplicity.com/p-2621-costumes.aspx
I'm in the process of coming up with ideas for a new cloak too! And also a maternity robe!

[Huathe]

Feudwy,

You look absolutely beautiful in that robe. Very nice! It is simple but yet elegant. An excellent druidess robe.

Huathe

[Crimson Stormfire]

as this thread grows i have found many wonderous ideas for a robe...my cloak i know now is a winter element as it is very very warm to wear...post pics of it soon....thank you for the many many wonderful posts and ideas about the druids robe...i do believe my ideas and imagery have come to focus that like any other tool the druids robe is there to offer protection and safety not only to the outside elements of nature but also that of the spiritual type and to create a safe place like a moving sacred space. I believe it reflects that of its job and use as does any tool.....thank you very much guys..

[Kima]

I've been looking for a cloak but haven't yet found what I want. In the meantime I enjoy wearing anything with a hood. It's 2011, folks, and druids wear hoodies!

http://www.americanapparel.com/rsastfbl.html?cid=210

[jajohnson7809]

I can't help but wonder how on earth you keep a white robe clean? I haven't worn white shirts in years because they usually get soiled one way or another, and who wants to wear a stained white shirt (or robe!)? My personal preferene would probably be one some earth tone color. Green would be fitting, I think, considering that it connotes nature and living green things, plus I love the color!

In the states, members of a racist organization which thankfully isn't as powerful as it once was wear white robes with pointed hoods, and I don't really care to be mistaken for one of them were I to wear my robe in public for a ritual.

[Aengus]

In my humble opinion, your robes and/or ritual attire for that matter should reflect the wearer. I think the general idea of white robes has just been a staple for many years since the Druid revival and the days of Druid Brotherhoods (ie Masonic Druidry). The idea of ancient Druids wearing white is not too far fetched. Though it would have been more likely off white with the robes being of some sort of natural muslin.

In OBOD, (and many other Druid orders for that matter) there is no official dress code. Ritual attire is recommended as a way to separate oneself from the mundane and help get into the mindset of a special ceremony, but again it is not forced. It is, however an unsaid tradition if you will, to wear a grade designated tabard or cloak over ones robes. Blue for Bards, Green for Ovate and White and/or Gold for Druid.

All in all, wear what you feel is right to you (or nothing at all for that matter). When it comes down to it, YOU govern your spirituality. Its not likely that the powers that be are really paying attention to what we wear and we are not contestants on 'The Otherworld's Next Top Model'.

Cheers!