What does a Warlock wear? The average muggle might expect him to don a robe with a spooky hood. That’s not quite right. The cape and cowl can be fun, even stimulating. Sometimes. But more often than not, there is more potent and practical magic in a classic suit.

Trends come and go. Season to season, year to year, casual wear gets worn out as designers cash in on popular insecurities. And while fashionistas and metrosexuals race to keep up, the Satanic Warlock continues to set his own standards. He also knows the power of timeless aesthetics.

For centuries, variations on what has become the modern suit have set the standard for masculine style. The jacket and trousers accentuate the angles of our masculine form, enhancing our animal influence even as they elevate our cultural status.

But for the magic to work, we have to think like Warlocks. We’ve all seen the clueless teenager, or even uncultured millionaire, who looks uncomfortable or silly in the finest three-piece cage. That’s because for them, it is a cage. For us, it’s an indulgence, a tool, or both. And for the suit to be an effective tool in Lesser Magic, it can help to apply LaVey’s ingredients for Greater Magic: desire, timing, imagery, direction, and the balance factor.

As with any magical working, it all starts with desire. Especially in this increasingly casual world, a suit is a statement. You have to want others to see you as more powerful than the guy in a t-shirt and sweatpants. You have to want the power that comes with that touch of formality, or else wind up looking like a little boy trying to be like daddy. Furthermore, it’s best to wear something you actually like. If the desire isn’t there, your pretentiousness could easily backfire.

It’s also important to know when to wear a suit. Depending on your archetype and audience, the occasion may actually call for a t-shirt and jeans or, for that matter, a tuxedo. But a suit can be adapted to many situations with varying levels of formality, so you can usually still wield the extra power of being the best dressed in any room without looking obnoxious. Another thing to consider is whether you want to wear the camouflage of trendiness, rebel with an older style, or evoke timelessness with an evergreen classic. Remember: suit styles change frequently, sometimes in very subtle ways.

This leads us to imagery. Most people probably won’t notice the differences in suit trends. So your overall image is what matters most. Which archetype are you trying to project? How does that make you feel? What your suit evokes should match your intentions. Otherwise, you might be dressed like a Mafioso while behaving like a bookish professor.

Once you’ve decided on an image, invest your vestments with intention. Direct your energy toward a complete evocation of your chosen type. However — and this may be a tough balancing act for some guys — don’t obsess. Again, even though this is Lesser Magic, principles of Greater Magic do apply. Do your analyzing at home while you get dressed, and then move on. Let your power flow from your inner confidence to your cuffs. Unless you’ll somehow benefit from looking insecure, just be the bold master of the world that you are.

And as always, underlying all of these interconnected principles is: the balance factor. You have to know yourself. What looks actually work for you, what you can afford, and whether what you can pull off will actually influence your intended audience. Your suit loses its magical power if you’re being delusional or pretentious. But if you have the right perspective and attitude, your suit can make you a sorcerer.

So, my fellow Warlocks, continue to enhance your natural power while other men emasculate themselves to earn their good-guy badges. The suit remains an irresistible symbol of dominance. Neat trousers can still give you a leg up, and a spiffy jacket can put you head and shoulders above others. But whatever you wear, wear it well.

by Reverend M.A. Mandrake