Plain dress is a religious practice in which people dress in clothes of traditional modest design, sturdy and simple fabric, and conservative cut. It is used to show humility and obedience to a religious leader/deity. Plain dress has become a recognizable symbol of a religiously motivated communal rejection to all things "modern" [1] . It is practiced by some Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, Mennonites, some Quakers, Muslims, as well as Plain Catholics.
Traditionally, women wear long dresses with a second layer of a kerchief or cape to cover the bosom, sometimes accompanied by an apron [2]. The most distinctive garment of plain dress is the headpiece, usually a cap and bonnet. The most conservative factions wear black shoes and stockings. Makeup and jewellery are generally avoided. Plain dress varies greatly between the individual however, as there is no prescribed formal standard to be observed and no recommended group conformity [3] . Plain dress has preserved certain items of ladieswear from earlier styles,such as the bonnets, shawls, and aprons [4].The community surrounding plain churches will dictate the proper etiquette for plain dress that includes what type of headcovering to wear and the style and fabric of the dress.
For men, plain dress can encapsulate a variety of different garments, ranging from simple trousers and a plain shirt, to a collarless handmade shirt and broadfall pants [5].
The most reliable resource for plain dress today in the modern world are the Mennonites and the Amish. Costume historians believe that the Mennonites modified their plain dress upon coming to America to conform to the Quaker style, which were the dominant group observing plain dress at that time [6].
See also edit
Further reading edit
- Weaver, Laura H (June 2002). "Plain Clothes Revisited: Empathy for Muslim Women". Mennonite Life. North Newton, Kansas: Bethel College. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
References edit
- ^ "Quaker Anne". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Quaker Jane". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Quaker Anne". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Quaker Jane". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Quaker Anne". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Quaker Jane". Retrieved 25 October 2013.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ Why Do They Dress That Way? Stephen Scott. Intercourse, PA: Good Books. (1997).
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