The clothes that we wear can say a lot about our personality. Perhaps this is why some of the ancient texts on Vedic Astrology discuss and attribute different types of clothing to different planets. This is really interesting because a lot of it I have still found applicable to the way people dress in modern times.
We know that Venus rules clothing and fashion. I would even also say our sense of style as well. Within that context of the Venusian domain of clothing, there are many categories of clothes. Some people like to wear brand new clothes, others like old or used clothes from a goodwill store. Some like colorful stuff, others not so much. Why is that? Astrology gives insights into all kinds of detailed little things, which is what makes it so amazing, in my opinion. Here is a list of some of the connections I have found to hold true, that I have learned from the ancient writings of India.
Sun: Jataka Parijata 2.22, gives “Thick/Coarse” clothes for the Sun. Some solar people (such as Leo lagna/ascendants, those with the Sun exalted, or as the Atmakaraka, or a Leo Swamsha) may like heavier and coarser clothing that is durable and can handle some consistent use. The Sun is the most consistent planet and it likes fabrics and items that are strong and reliable. It needs garments that can be worn day in and day out. The Sun is the King after all, and has a job to do. Life is stressful enough as it is without our pants ripping. One other thing about the Sun and its sign Leo, is Gold. Solar people often love to have some Gold or bright yellow worn in some fashion or another and I have found this to be very true with people I know. Or some type of element to their fashion and dress will have a royal or dignified quality to it, we could say. Also, Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS for short) gives “red linens” for the Sun. Red is also a powerful color, and Solar people may wear more red for this reason as well.
Moon: The Moon is associated with white linens in BPHS, and that just makes sense in every way as the Moon is so bright and white in the night sky. This is true in practice, people who have strong moons will look very good in white. They often have a whiter complexion then the rest of their family as well. But what I notice to be even more true, is what Jataka Parijata states about the Moon ruling over “pleasingly new garments”. The Moon seems to love brand new clothes! I find that people in my life who have a strong Moon will be more of the type of person to just want to buy a new pack of white t-shirts; even though they have plenty already that they could wear. They will buy new shoes more frequently than most. This is logical because the Moon travels the fastest, and returns to its natal place every month. So every month the Moon is “new”, and maybe that has to do with its association with new things.
Mars: Jataka Parijata states that Mars rules “singed” or burned clothes. BPHS states that Mars is “of torn form” and we know he is a very active planet. He has the most velocity of any planet in our solar system. Probably due to this, Mars-like people will often have lots of tears and rips in their clothing (especially if Mars rules the 2nd house). They are just going, going, going, and don’t have time to stop and stitch up every little rip in their clothes. I see this quite often. Mars is also said to wear red garments in BPHS and this is logical, because Mars is the red planet. He can also give a reddish hue to the skin, or eyes, or whatever part of the body he aspects or is residing in by sign and house. Mars people usually have a style that is a bit rugged and may have some metal, or chains in their attire. Perhaps they have a tattoo if Rahu also influences their body. Mars rules scorpio, a feminine sign, and the more lusty aspects of sexuality. It is interesting too, because of this, that there is this sort of portrayal in pop culture about a “woman in red” who usually seems overly powerful and sexual. Hollywood movies tend to use that look a lot to portray the super seductive woman character. (Not saying this is a great portrayal at all, just noting the correlation to archetypes of consciousness)
Mercury: Mercury is associated with dark linens and clothes that are washed, but not new. It is similar to the Moon, but not quite. Mercury is the son of the Moon, after all. Mercurial people can be a little more nit picky about washing things, and are not as likely to wear something if it is a little dirty but still wearable. They are the types who might wash a towel just because it fell on the floor for a second, when their other roommate would just use it anyway. Mercury people also are very good about how well clothes fit them, and rarely get caught wearing clothes that are just a bit too big or small, or anything like that. He is said to be “most perfectly formed”, and because of this, he is more of the type of person to have a nice clean and well put together look overall, whatever that look may be. Everything will be in right proportions and in their right place. Mercurial people can look good in blue, and dark colors, as well.
Jupiter: Jupiter is said to dress in yellow linens. Yellow is a color of nobility, and of the pure conscious aspect of Spirit. The Sun, the most perfect symbol of the absolute God that can be found in this creation, is the color yellow, as seen from human eyes. Ayurvedic color theory goes on to say that even seeing the color yellow is very good for us and directs our energy up into the higher chakras more easily. This fits nicely with Jupiter’s M.O. (short for modus operandi, one’s way of going about things, one’s method of working) of being the guide or guru to direct people back to their higher nature. Yellow is also the color of the rasi Leo, the sign of the Lion. Jupiter is “delighted” when in this sign, and does well here. Its also common with people who have Jupiter in the 1st house (the house of the head and hair) to have a little bit of yellow/blonde color in their hair, which goes along nicely with this yellow association. Jataka Parijata states that Jupiter wears “intermediate” garments, meaning average, and not brand new or overly worn out. Jupiter people tend to dress somewhat averagely for their culture, and don’t tend to make a show of their dress. But they will be the types that look good with a normal shirt and khakis type of look. Also, the color orange is related to Sagittarius, which is ruled by Jupiter. So there may be a connection here as well with respect to members of the Swami order wearing dark orange robes. The Swami order is very much a Jupiterian type of organization, being dedicated to dharma. The dark orange makes it more subdued and more average…. not standing out so much, which seems to fit this description as well.
Venus: Venus rules clothing and fashion overall, and so has the most freedom to explore and experiment. Venusian types tend to have more clothes than most people, as an example. They wont just have one pair of shoes, or two, but will have a closet full. Venus loves color and matching and all of that, and takes time for this sort of thing. A Mars type of person just doesnt have time for this sort of thing, which is why he is still wearing those ripped up jeans that look like he has been sliding into first base at a baseball field for hours on end….he should have thrown them away years ago. Venus rules the best quality in all things, and is no different with clothing. These people will pay extra for higher quality fabrics. Venus is said to wear “durable” clothing, again, implying that Venus seeks the higher quality in all things, and doesn’t care for a pair of clothes that wont last more than a few occasions. Venus loves color, but also loves being natural, so unless Venus is afflicted by Rahu, the person will like natural dyes over synthetic, and will like natural types of colors over the more synthetic, bright, or neon types of colors. Truly strong Venus women will not overdo it on makeup, as an example. All well made clothing is suitable for Venus to wear, really. Venus rules Taurus, which is considered to be the color white. Venus is mythologically described as wearing white. Venus also rules Libra, which is thought by many to be the color green. Because of this, Venusian types may also have an affinity for green and white colored clothing.
Saturn: Saturn is said to wear “conspicuous” garments, meaning clothes that stand out and are clearly noticeable and attract attention. Saturn is very much a loner and an outcaste of society. Saturn deals with making the person become a true individual, and as such, tends to make one dress in a way that makes them stand out more as an individual as well. Overly dark, gothic looks are usually symptomatic of an oppressive Saturn influence of some sort. Saturn wears black and black is a very noticeable color. It denotes authority as well, and Saturn (as well as his Father, the Sun) stands for authority. Note how Judges wear black in courtrooms. Courts are ruled by Libra, and what planet is exalted there? Saturn. Wearing all black is like a symbolic gesture that nobody is above the authority of this judge of the courtroom/libra realm. With all this having been said, I also notice people with a strong Saturn may also be inclined to wear super normal clothes, which is not really in line with the “conspicuous” thing, I admit. A strong Saturn person may have a lot of humility, and tends to be more indifferent to their own self, and this may have to do with some Saturnian types just wearing say a black shirt and blue jeans, day in and day out for almost the entirety of their life. Blue jeans are an incredibly Saturnian type of clothing, as the book Light on Life, by Robert Svoboda and Hart deFouw, has already noted. So we could say that with Saturn’s influence dominating your style of dress, you would either dress very conspicuously, or very mundanely, being quite indifferent to your clothing. Another possibility is just wearing clothes that are somewhat outdated to the time, which sort of make one standout as well. (Ex: The grunge music movement and flannel)
Rahu: Rahu is said to wear “conspicuously patched garments”. Rahu is just like Saturn but its garments are more patched together, maybe with different colors, or like how you see people putting patches of musicians and bands they like all over there clothes, which makes them standout more in society, which is Rahu’s goal after all…to be a person on the fringe of society, a pioneer, an outcaste, someone who is not completely fitting into the box of their culture or place and time. Rahu is the most synthetic or unnatural planet and in this case, if its influencing our sense of style by maybe being with our Venus, or in the 1st or 7th, then we will be more likely to want to use lots of makeup, all kinds of crazy chemically based beauty products, or just be more excessive with whatever look we are trying to pull off. Also I would put tattoos under Rahu, as they are basically a “conspicuous patch” that we put on our body in a permanent fashion. You will also notice people get quite addicted to tattoos and never seem to be content with the ones that they already have. It is always “Next month I am gonna get this whole part of my arm done like this”. It is much less likely to hear “I am so happy with the tattoos I got ten years ago, I have no desire for more.”. Rahu shows where we will be excessive usually, so that fits as well.
Ketu: Ketu is said to wear clothes that are “torn and joined”. This means any type of clothing that is torn or ripped but has been sewed back together and made useful again. This is so cool because Ketu rules our past life karmas more than any other planet. So its basically saying Ketu likes the clothes he has already created karmas with from the past, and just wants to fix those and keep them going, rather than seek new clothes. Seeking new clothes is like looking to the future and Ketu is not about the future, but the past. You will notice Ketu people tend to be much more focused on the past than most people. Ketu in our chart is that place where we felt most secure in past lives, and so we seek that security naturally in this life as well, but not always is it so rewarding or quite the same as we thought it would be. Ketu often shows where we need to let go of and not be so attached to, and so its funny that its influence also tends to have a quality of not even wanting to let go of the old clothes we have worn, but wants to sew them back together and keep using them! Also because Ketu acts like Mars, and Mars rules tears and rips, this makes sense from that angle as well.
Conclusion: Is it not very fascinating how the nine grahas have their influence on even something as minute as our fashion sense? If you have any correlations that you have noticed about the planets and their manner of dress, please feel free to comment below.