Strega

(Source: Anya Apples)

Strega fashion is a dark, goth, and witchy fashion that sprung up as an offshoot of Dark Mori in 2014. It was created and coined by Mai Magi, formerly known as shortcuttothestars, on tumblr.

## The Name

The word "strega" is an Italian word meaning "witch," echoing the core aspect of the style: dressing like you think a witch might dress.  The name saw some controversy amongst users, as strega is often used in describing paganism. Some felt that this use of the term for a fashion style was inappropriate because it appropriated pagan culture. However, these days, it seems to be more widely accepted.

## Fashion Basics

Strega is a very loose fashion with almost no rules or qualifications on what can be considered "strega." As it originated from dark mori fashion, many people who enjoyed dark mori kei and goth fashion began wearing the style and using the tag. For those who began wearing strega they wanted to participate in a style while having the ability to create freer, more expressive coordinates that deviated from the normal mori or goth styles.

### Manifesto

Strega has an official manifesto created by shortcuttothestars. The manifesto reflects the loose aspects of the style.

* Strega means witch, and that theme is therefore the center of the fashion
* there are no other rules
* there are no established color schemes
* inspiration is taken from fairytales, folklore and myth, all things magical and witchy
* Inspiration is drawn from goth, boho, mori and whatever else you prefer
* it is different from mori in that it doesn’t have any ties to japan or japanese street fashion
* it is different from goth in that it has no inherent ties to goth culture or music
* NO ONE can demand to *know* what strega is or exclude anyone from the fashion or tag! Strega is the witch inside us, coming out through our clothing.

### Similar Themes

Although there are no real rules amongst strega, a few types of styles tend to be popular within the tags. One is a style similar to, or identical to, Dark Mori. Another is more trendy goth fashion with witchy aspects, while another is more fantasy based, seeming to draw from imagery or mystical witches and dark elves.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Strega Manifesto. Shortcuttothestars. August 28, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from https://web.archive.org/web/20150130162219/https://shortcuttothestars.tumblr.com/post/96018512650/strega-fashion-manifest
2. ↑ "Strega." Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/italian-english/strega
3. ↑ "Strega Fashion 101." Autumn Moon Enchantment. January 20, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from https://autumnmoonenchantment.blogspot.com/2016/01/strega-fashion-101.html
4. ↑ Strega Ask on Tumblr. Gothic Charm School: pretty things. 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from https://gothiccharmschool.tumblr.com/post/125226139885/this-strega-fashion-thing-is-so-inappropriate
5. ↑ "Strega vs. Mori: The Differeces." Idontknowmuchbutimlearning. August 28, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from https://idontknowmuchbutimlearning.blogspot.com/2020/04/strega-vs-mori-differences.html
6. ↑ "What is Strega Fashion?" The Everyday Goth. January 20, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from http://www.theeverydaygoth.com/2016/01/what-is-strega-fashion.html