Just saw this on Facebook, lovely picture of a street performer portraying obviously a magician. He is dressed like a magician with top hat and tailcoat and holds some the tools of our trade in the hands … maybe he actually IS a magician?
Now this is really interesting! A passenger, who only glances at that for a fraction of a second, is fully aware that this is meant to show a magician. For me, that demonstrates how important that classic picture still is in the collective subconsciousness. If he would wear another costume, maybe the people would think: “what’s that?” but not recognize the magician.
Seems the magician is almost defined through tails and top hat. At least in the people’s minds. A glance only a fraction of a second – and everybody KNOWS that this is meant to be a magician.
But this is not too bad. Doctors have white and green dresses, some professions wear black, cowboys need jeans and hat, and so on. Every profession its own wear. So our uniform ist that.
It will take ages, I fear, to change this …