For me, The Fool is the pure expression of the unfettered divine. Paul Foster Case in his book
The Book of Tokens - Tarot Meditations summed it up for me. I quote the first two verses and there are eleven:
I AM.
Without beginning, without end,
Older than night or day,
Younger than the babe new-born,
Brighter than light,
Darker than darkness,
Beyond all things and creatures,
Yet fixed in the heart of every one.
From me the shining worlds flow forth,
To me all at last return,
Yet to me neither men nor angels
May draw nigh,
For I am known only to myself.
Ever the same is mine inmost being;
Absolutely one, complete, whole perfect;
Always itself;
Eternal, infinite, ultimate;
Formless, indivisible, changeless.
I suppose I should say that for me, The Fool is the clue that God is Everything.
In my quest to create a Tarot of Marseilles depicting the characters in modern clothing I struggled considerably with The Fool. What in the world does a modern day Fool wear? For his trousers, I decided on torn jeans which seems common enough. I seriously struggled with his hat until I saw a man - a common sight in Southwold, Suffolk - who daily wears the hat I've drawn for my version. It wasn't until I actually started drawing that I settled on a long sleeved multi-striped t-shirt.
I wish to thank Melissa for listening to my musings regarding The Fool's clothing in the Aeclectic chat room.