Quite often on Shadowhunters, the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane, glides onto our screens wearing a stunning ensemble that leaves us all in a state that can only be described as shook. Frankly, it makes us wonder how the other characters on the show are able to carry on normally while in his presence. Magnus uses his fashion as a form of artistic expression: everything from his hair to his makeup and accessories coordinates with his clothing to create colorful self-portraits that capture his essence and express his mood. It was quite the chore to narrow it down, but here is a list of what we deemed the most interesting fashion moments from Magnus so far, ranked using our very own Shook Meter.
Clearly, I’m Dating a Shadowhunter
2×07 – “How Are Thou Fallen”
This casual wardrobe choice was shocking in its departure from the extravagance that we had become accustomed to seeing from Magnus and its crossing over instead into the monochromatic territory more characteristic of – dare we say it – a Shadowhunter. By only their second date, it appeared that Magnus’ angel-blooded boyfriend had begun to rub off on him, with only the multiple rings and necklaces, and pop of color on the inside of his blue suede blazer as remainders of his signature brand. It is natural for couples that spend a lot of time together to begin adopting the behaviors of each other. Thanks to Matthew Daddario, we can expect to see the scales tipping in the other direction with a fancier Alec Lightwood, as influenced by Magnus, come Season 3. This was relatively tame, receiving an eyebrow-raise worth of shook at 30%, but the surprise was enlightening nonetheless.
Laid and Ready to Slay
2×08 – “Love Is a Devil”
Following Magnus and Alec’s decision to take the next step in their relationship, we were greeted with another more exciting round of “Magnus does casual” courtesy of suspenders. As we have seen in other instances, Magnus often augments his outfits with dangling accessories that can sway and move elegantly along with him, enhancing the movement that Harry Shum Jr. has infused the character with via his dance background. There have even been other times that he has worn suspenders, but the difference here was that the casualness of the overall look allowed the suspenders to have their spotlight as the standout piece. Still in the same vein as the previous entry on this list, but with a little more oomph, this look amped things up to about 40%.
Can We Talk (About This Outfit)?
2×20 – “Beside Still Water”
Who hasn’t dressed up with the intention of looking the absolute best they can when facing their ex? After taking a self-enforced break from his relationship during high-tension wartime, Magnus attended the following victory celebration dressed to impress, whether his salty self would care to admit it or not. Bits of flair and chunky suspenders with buckles enhanced his fashionable blazer and t-shirt – a sure sign that Magnus had gotten his energy back. While Alec made the first move to remedy their ambiguous relationship status, Magnus beautifying himself in this way made him too damn fine not to approach. We were pleasantly shook 50% by this understated but sexy look.
War of Hearts
1×12 – “Malec”
After the spirit of his deceased friend Ragnor Fell convinced him not to give up on love, Magnus returned to the Institute, this time dressed in a dapper, minimalistic suit that was as starkly resonant as the message portrayed by his actions while wearing it. Head to toe in black and red, wearing surprisingly no jewelry aside from his standard ear cuff, Magnus daringly interrupted Alec’s wedding and bared his heart and soul, capturing not only the attention of Alec but everyone else in attendance as well. We were struck more by his actions than his outfit here, but it was lovely, and the rad red highlights in his hair pushed it to 60% on our meter.
I Like to Wear Money
1×04 – “Raising Hell”
When our four main Shadowhunters met Magnus for the first time, he was wearing this glossy get-up, and boy, did he ever nail that first impression! Never one to blend into a crowd, Magnus opted to take the unexpected angle of hiding from Valentine and his men in plain sight. Everything about this outfit was distracting: the busily-decorated jacket matched with the patterned satin shirt, the large chain-ring engulfing his hand, and the patent leather trim down the sides of his trousers. Enemies and new friends alike were thrown by the enigmatic and fashionable persona that Magnus presented for himself with this outfit choice. In a class of its own, this had us shook to 65% on the meter.
Punkstar
1×02 – “The Descent into Hell Is Easy”
This early encounter with Magnus established him as something else entirely. Magnus stood out in this gothic punk creation comprised of fuchsia-dyed spiky hair; an onslaught of accessories including several necklaces; not one, but two belts; large and elaborate hanging tassels and chains; sequins and glitter; and what are those pants? All of these things combined should not have worked, but somehow, on Magnus, they did. In this scene, Magnus was a leader safeguarding his people and he certainly looked like someone you would not want to mess with. The fact that this look had only one scene in which to shine and still hit it out of the park speaks for itself. It was pretty extra: 70% shook.
Moto Militia Man
1×12 – “Malec”
Magnus undoubtedly turned heads when he walked into the Institute wearing this militaristic look following the disastrous outcome of his last-ditch effort to save the happiness of the person he was falling for. The buttoned-up, double-breasted jacket, high-necked shirt, and gloved hands of the ensemble all suggested a defensive shift in a dramatic material representation of the rebuilding of the walls around his heart that was beginning to occur within. This level of badass shook us a deserved 75%.
The Unselfish Prince
1×05 – “Moo Shu to Go” / 1×06 – “Of Men and Angels” / 1×07 – “Major Arcana”
This shimmering outfit, featuring softly sweeping blond locks, and loose-fitted clothing with a low slit which slightly exposed his bare chest (hubba hubba), was fascinating in its offering of a glimpse at a more relaxed version of Magnus. He wore this princely attire when he allowed Clary Fray and her friends to re-enter his home and then generously poured everything he had into saving the life of their mutual friend. Clothed in this way, Magnus projected an air of openness, and later that evening, he unlocked himself further, letting Alec in on the secrets of his heart while indulging in his favorite comfort of home – his own personal bar. The open display of vulnerability on multiple counts left an extremely powerful impact and earned him the trust of the Shadowhunters in return. This one landed 80% on the meter because blond Magnus is such a rarity and he looked so darn soft.
The Coat™
2×11 – “Mea Maxima Culpa” / 2×12 – “You Are Not Your Own” / 2×17 – “A Dark Reflection”
You know the one. Magnus donned this stunning coat for his first appearance in Season 2B and sent every single one of us to the floor in worship of its greatness. The tailored seams lined with domes gave it a pieced-together illusion that was straight out of a fashion runway fantasy. Valentine Morgenstern ended up sloughing it off because he definitely didn’t know how to handle it during his stint in Magnus’ body. Magnus wore this coat while investigating a dark alleyway and basically doing his job as the High Warlock of Brooklyn, which always seems to open the door for exciting fashion opportunities. Underneath this already outstanding coat, was a fabulous paisley-printed blazer and gold-trimmed pinstripe trousers all flanked by a long scarf – he practically had outfit inception happening with this one! Five episodes later, Magnus felt the coat was epic enough for a second outing and it made a statement that time as well – Magnus slow-motion walking in this coat was quite the aesthetic. With all these things considered, we felt shaken on the higher end of the meter at 85%.
Sequins, Pink, and a Heartache Drink
2×13 – “Those of Demon Blood”
This surprising return to form was, unfortunately, the byproduct of the trauma Magnus suffered in the events that took place during his time in Valentine’s body. In an attempt to appear unfazed and aloof, Magnus decided to crank his style up several notches with some white hair streaks, striking pink eyeshadow, and a high number of sequins. We initially shared the same jaw-on-the-floor reaction as his boyfriend. But when his fellow immortal acquaintance Dot Rollins pointed out that he had paired the ensemble with his “heartache drink” of whiskey on the rocks, we were able to see it for the masked cry for help that it really was. At this point in the series, it had been a while since we had seen him push his fashion to such extremes. The body swapping incident dredged up memories that he had kept safely locked away for centuries, which in turn, brought out an even more puzzling version of Magnus than the rather cynical one we met in the pilot episode. We were absolutely shooketh here at a full 100%.
It is difficult not to be astonished by the sheer amount of thought and deep meaning behind everything that Magnus puts on. He obviously appreciates the lasting impact of a bold fashion statement and this list includes our most memorable out of many to choose from. The behind-the-scenes shots that Harry Shum Jr. has shared on social media of Magnus’ upcoming looks and the sizzle reel shown at this year’s New York Comic Con already have us anticipating what this list may look like after Season 3!
Shadowhunters is available for streaming via Freeform for U.S. residents and internationally on Netflix. Shadowhunters returns with Season 3 on April 3rd, 2018.
