Ordained Buddhist bhikkus (monks) and bhikuunis (nuns) traditionally wear simple robes called kāṣāya, named after a brown or saffron dye used to give the fabric their distinctive non-primary colors. Originally, these robes were made of cast-off or donated material because monks lived ascetic lifestyles.[1] The dyes were used to distinguish their common clothing from other people.[2] In Sanskrit and Pali, these robes are also given the more general term cīvara, which references the robes without regard to color.
Bhikkus wear the "triple robe" (tricivara) comprises an inner garment or waistcloth (antaravasaka), an upper robe (uttarsanga) and outer robe (sanghati). Bhikkunis wear the "fivefold robe" with an additional vest and skirt.[3][1] Sandals are allowed if they are simple and have one lining only, or they may have many linings if they are cast-off sandals.
Ordained Buddhists also keep their heads and faces shaved, often including eyebrows, as a symbol of the renunciation of worldly desires.
We require our women to appear in public with dresses of modest length, sleeves of modest length, modest necklines and modest hose; the wearing of split skirts, slacks, jeans, artificial flowers or feathers is forbidden. Moreover, we require our men to conform to the scriptural standards of decent and modest attire; we require that when they appear in public they wear shirts with sleeves of modest length. We require that all our people appear in public with sleeves below the elbows. Women's hemlines are to be modestly below the knees. Our people are forbidden to appear in public with transparent or immodest apparel, including shorts or bathing suits. Parents are required to dress their children modestly in conformity with our general principles of Christian attire. We further prohibit our people from participating in the practices of body-piercing, tattooing or body art.[5]
Latter-day Saints
Adherents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and some fundamentalist Latter-day Saint groups often receive temple garments at the time of receiving their endowment, after taking part in the endowment ritual. These garments, which are to be worn at all times (with the exception of certain activities such as exercise) under typical clothing, date back to the early days of the Church, originating with the Church's first latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr., and have been updated periodically. Members believe that the wearing of these garments serves as a symbolic reminder of eternal covenants they have made with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Special outer temple clothing is also worn for worship and participation in temple ceremonies. Temple clothing is not worn outside of the temples, with an exception for deceased members who may be dressed in temple clothing for burial.
Outside of temples, including at weekly sacrament meetings and at general conferences, respectful clothing is traditionally worn, often with a white, button-down shirt, and a tie for the male members, females typically wear a dress or skirt, emphasizing "modesty" in appearance. White clothes are worn by those undergoing and performing baptism.[6][7]
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at Pride in Germany
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI), also called Order of Perpetual Indulgence (OPI), is a charitable, protest, and street performance movement that uses drag and religious imagery to satirize issues of sex, gender, and morality (particularly Christian perspectives on these topics) and fundraise for charity. Sisters wear habits reminiscent of Christian nuns and minister to their often persecuted communities.[8] They also generally wear face-paint and other accessories denoting their queerness.
There are four phases to becoming a sister: volunteer, postulant, novice sister, and full sister.[9] Volunteers may not wear habits. Postulant uniform is a white cassock and a makeup "mask." Novices are allowed to wear white wimples, white veils, and whiteface make-up. Fully Professed Sisters may wear black veils and "manifest as they feel called to."
Islamic modest clothing worn at a wedding ceremony
Dress in Islam varies from country to country. The Quranic sura An-Nur ("The Light") prescribes modesty in dress. Various hadiths (teachings of Muhammad) state further criteria for women's dress code and men's dress code in Islam.
The hijab is recommended for women in the Quran, which says: "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful."[10]
The hijab is commonly worn throughout the Islamic world, with many Muslim countries having adapted it to their culture and traditions. For example, there are Muslim countries like Turkey where only a headscarf is common; however, this does not mean that the niqab, burqa or khimar are not worn. In Saudi Arabia, the hijab, niqab, the khimar and the burqa are typical. In Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, the burqa and the niqab are both common. In India, particularly in the state of Kashmir, Muslim women wear the hijab and the khimar. In Sudan, Indonesia and Malaysia, the hijab, the khimar and the jilbab are more common.[citation needed]
Tzitzit are specially knotted ritual fringes, or tassels worn by most Jewish men and boys during prayer. Tzitzit are attached to the four corners of the tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) and in more traditional communities are tied to all four-cornered garments.
Tefillin are black leather boxes made by hand which contain written passages from the Hebrew Bible, particularly the V'ahavta and secured to the arm and head with leather straps. These have been worn for at least the last 2,000 years and originated in pre-diaspora Judaism.[11] These are almost exclusively worn by very religious Jews during weekday prayers, and not worn outside of religious functions in order to prevent one from 'defiling' them. Curiously, while Ashkenazi and some Sephardi men have the custom to wear these during prayer, many outlying communities such as the Beta Israel did not, until they were introduced to the custom by Israelis or Ashkenazi missionaries.
A kippah or yarmulke is a cloth head covering worn by Jews during prayer or other ritual services. Some wear it every day. In the United States, most synagogues and Jewish funeral services keep a ready supply of kippot for the temporary use of visitors who have not brought one.
A mitpachat, or tichel in Yiddish, is a headscarf worn by some religious Jewish women. It is customary for a married woman, but some women choose to wear them only during religious occasions.
Various formal hats are worn by Jewish men in Hasidic Jewish circles and sometimes in other traditional communities, generally on top of a yarmulke, generally reflecting a particular cultural background, and sometimes reflecting one's age, marital status, rabbinical rank or lineage. In general, hats are only worn on top of a yarmulke after a Jewish male reaches bar mitzvah age, although some communities, such as Belz and Viznitz, have boys under bar mitzvah age wear caps known as kaskets on top of their yarmulkes. Fedoras, generally black with a wide brim, are worn by men from Litvish, Yeshivish, and Chabad-Lubavitch communities, and these are worn by both single and married men. Homburg style hats are often worn by rabbis of higher rank in Litvish and Yeshivish circles. Derby hats are worn by Hasidic men in certain communities, sometimes signifying lay status as opposed to rabbinical status. Biber hats are worn by Hasidic men, both married and unmarried, in certain communities, with varied styles signifying which community one belongs to, or sometimes rabbinical status. Shtreimels are worn by married men (or previously married men, such as divorced men and widowers) in many Hasidic communities and the Sabbath, major holidays, and special occasions such as weddings; and by unmarried boys after bar mitzvah in certain traditional Jerusalemite communities, such as Toldos Aharon. Spodiks are worn by married (et al.) men in certain Hasidic communities originating in Poland on the same occasions when a shtreimel is worn in other communities, particularly the communities of Gur, Alexander, and Amshinov. Kolpiks are worn by unmarried boys over bar mitzvah age who are from rabbinical families, and by certain Hasidic rabbis on special occasions that are more than a regular weekday but not warranting the wearing of a shtreimel, such as lighting Hanukkah candles and conducting a tish on Rosh Chodesh or Tu B'Shvat. In Mizrachi communities, these are replaced by the more traditional sudra, or otherwise a turban typically wrapped from a modified keffiyeh. Other communities wear hats similar to the fez or the more common Bucharian styled kippah.
Rekel coats are worn by Hasidic lay men during weekdays, and by some on the Sabbath.
Some Ashkenazi Jewish men wear a frock coat during prayer and other specific occasions. It is commonly worn by Hasidic rabbis and Jewish religious leaders in public. The coat is more commonly known as a frak, a sirtuk, or a kapotteh.
Bekishe coats or robes are worn by Hasidic lay men on Sabbath and holidays, both single and married. In some non-Hasidic communities a beskishe may be worn either during prayer or at meals as well, on the Sabbath and holidays. Hasidic rabbis will wear a bekishe on weekdays as well, with their weekday hats. The bekishe worn by certain rabbis may have colors other than black, such as white, silver, gold, or blue, and may also be lined with velvet.
The kittel is a white robe worn on certain occasions by married men (and some women)[12] in Ashkenazic and Hasidic communities, such as Yom Kippur and Passover Seder, and may be worn by those leading prayers (and in some communities by all married men) on Rosh Hashanah, Hoshanah Rabbah, and for Tefilas Tal and Tefilas Geshem. A groom will generally wear a kittel during his wedding ceremony as well. In some Sephardic communities, a rabbi or a hazzan may wear a similar white robe at weddings and at prayer services.
The gartel is a belt used by some Jewish men during prayer, particularly from Hasidic communities. "Gartel" is Yiddish for "belt." In older traditional Jewish communities, sashes were worn for the same effect, though non-European traditional clothing has fallen out of favor in Israel, and therefore most of these communities.[13]
Red string in Kabbalah.
Wearing a thin red string (as a type of talisman) is a custom, popularly thought to be associated with Judaism's Kabbalah, in order to ward off misfortune brought about by an "evil eye" (עין הרע in Hebrew). In Yiddish, the red string is called a roite bindele. The red string itself is usually made from thin redwoolthread. It is worn, or tied, as a type of bracelet or "band" on the left wrist of the wearer (the receiving side).[14] The connection to traditional Judaism is disputed, and this is mostly worn by secular or non-Jewish spiritualist circles who often misunderstand the origins, or were sold manufactured versions within popular Israeli religious tourist attractions.[15]
Baptized KhalsaSikhs are mandated to wear the 5 Ks: Kesh (unshorn hair), strapped Kirpan (sword), Kachhehra (prescribed shorts), Kanga (Comb tucked in the tied up hair), Karha (Steel bracelet). He/she must not have on his/her person any token of any other faith. He/she must not have his/her head bare or be wearing a cap. He/she must not be wearing any ornaments piercing through any part of the body.[16]
In addition to this, every Sikh man is supposed to wear a turban, while it is optional for women.[18] Piercing of the nose or ears for wearing ornaments is forbidden for Sikh men and women.[19] It is not proper for a Sikh woman to wear veil or keep her face hidden by veil or cover.[20]
Religious clothing — especially that of religious clery members whose religious clothing tends to be more distinctive — is sometimes worn in secular contexts, even when it is not expected or required. In such cases, clergy especially are often using their presence as a religious figure for a specific purpose. For example, during the George Floyd Protests of 2020, clergy and religious leaders of various faiths wore purple reflective vests as a symbol of their religious witness, sometimes in addition to other religious clothing.[21]
There are numerous other instances where clergy have joined protests while in their respective faith's ceremonial dress.[22][23][24][25] In many such cases, in addition to bearing witness, clergy have stated the following as part of their decision to join while in their ceremonial (or otherwise formal) religious garb:
To deescalate situations between protestors and police, or protestors and counter-protestors.[25]
As a statement that their faith tradition, deities, etc., stands against the injustice the protest is also aimed at addressing.[24][26]
In other contexts, some religious individuals will also don religious attire not solely for their own practice, but as a sign of solidarity with others who may be unable to practice their faith. For instance, some Muslim women in India have articulated that they choose to wear their hijab because other Muslim women in places such as France are legally barred from doing so.[27]
In modern usage, hijab generally refers to various head coverings conventionally worn by many Muslim women. It is similar to the tichel or snood worn by Orthodox Jewish women, certain headcoverings worn by some Christian women, such as the mantilla, apostolnik and wimple, and the dupatta worn by many Hindu and Sikh women. Whilst a hijab can come in many forms, it often specifically refers to a scarf wrapped around the head, covering the hair, neck and ears but leaving the face visible. The use of the hijab has been on the rise worldwide since the 1970s and is viewed by many Muslims as expressing modesty and faith; it has also been worn for purposes of adornment. There is a consensus among Islamic religious scholars that covering the head is either required or preferred, though some Muslim scholars and activists point out that it is not mandated.
A tallit is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. The tallit has special twined and knotted fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners. The cloth part is known as the beged ("garment") and is usually made from wool or cotton, although silk is sometimes used for a tallit gadol.
A turban is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Communities with prominent turban-wearing traditions can be found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and amongst some Turkic peoples in Russia.
A surplice is a liturgical vestment of Western Christianity. The surplice is in the form of a tunic of white linen or cotton fabric, reaching to the knees, with wide or moderately wide sleeves.
The cassock or soutane is a Christian clerical clothing coat used by the clergy and male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in certain Protestant denominations such as Anglicans and Lutherans. "Ankle-length garment" is the literal meaning of the corresponding Latin term, vestis talaris. It is related to the habits traditionally worn by nuns, monks, and friars.
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics, Lutherans, and Anglicans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; among the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches this was a point of controversy in the Protestant Reformation and sometimes since, in particular during the ritualist controversies in the Church of England in the 19th century.
A kippah, yarmulke, yamaka, bullcap, or koppel is a brimless cap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish males to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered. It is worn by all men in Orthodox Jewish communities during prayers and by most Orthodox Jewish men at all other times. Among non-Orthodox Jewish communities, some who wear them do so at all times, while others wear them only during prayer, while attending a synagogue, or in other ceremonies.
The stole is a liturgical vestment of various Christian denominations, which symbolizes priestly authority; in Protestant denominations which do not have priests but use stoles as a liturgical vestment, however, it symbolizes being a member of the ordained. It consists of a band of colored cloth, usually of silk, about seven and a half to nine feet long and three to four inches wide, whose ends may be straight or may broaden out in the shape of a spade or bell. The center of the stole is worn around the back of the neck and the two ends hang down parallel to each other in front, either attached to each other or hanging loose. The stole is almost always decorated in some way, usually with two crosses, or sometimes another significant religious design. It is often decorated with contrasting galloons and fringe is usually applied to the ends of the stole following Numbers 15:38–39. A piece of white linen or lace may be stitched onto the back of the collar as a sweat guard, which can be replaced more cheaply than the stole itself.
A belt without a buckle, especially if a cord or rope, is called a girdle in various contexts, especially historical ones, where girdles were a very common part of everyday clothing from antiquity until perhaps the 15th century, especially for women. Most girdles were practical pieces of costume to hold other pieces in place, but some were loose and essentially for decoration. Among the elite these might include precious metals and jewels.
The pulpit gown, also called pulpit robe or preaching robe, is a black gown worn by Christian ministers for preaching. It is particularly associated with Reformed churches, while also used in the Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran and Unitarian traditions.
A chimere is a garment worn by Anglican bishops in choir dress, and, formally as part of academic dress.
A headscarf is a scarf covering most or all of the top of a person's, usually women's, hair and head, leaving the face uncovered. A headscarf is formed of a triangular cloth or a square cloth folded into a triangle, with which the head is covered.
Clerical clothing is non-liturgical clothing worn exclusively by clergy. It is distinct from vestments in that it is not reserved specifically for use in the liturgy. Practices vary: clerical clothing is sometimes worn under vestments, and sometimes as the everyday clothing or street wear of a priest, minister, or other clergy member. In some cases, it can be similar or identical to the habit of a monk or nun.
A clerical collar, clergy collar, or, informally, dog collar, is an item of Christian clerical clothing.
Choir dress is the traditional vesture of the clerics, seminarians and religious of Christian churches worn for public prayer and the administration of the sacraments except when celebrating or concelebrating the Eucharist. It differs from the vestments worn by the celebrants of the Eucharist, being normally made of fabrics such as wool, cotton or silk, as opposed to the fine brocades used in vestments. It may also be worn by lay assistants such as acolytes and choirs. It was abandoned by most of the Protestant churches that developed from the sixteenth-century Reformation.
A religious habit is a distinctive set of religious clothing worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognizable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anchoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform style.
According to halacha, married Jewish women are expected to cover their hair when in the presence of men other than their husband or close family members. Such covering is common practice nowadays among Orthodox Jewish women.
Jewish religious clothing is apparel worn by Jews in connection with the practice of the Jewish religion. Jewish religious clothing has changed over time while maintaining the influences of biblical commandments and Jewish religious law regarding clothing and modesty (tzniut). Contemporary styles in the wider culture also have a bearing on Jewish religious clothing, although this extent is limited.
Headgear, headwear, or headdress is any element of clothing which is worn on one's head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protection against the elements, decoration, or for religious or cultural reasons, including social conventions.
Thawb or thobe is an Arab dress for the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula, also called dishdashah, and kandurah, kandoora or gandurah in varieties of Arabic. A long-sleeved ankle-length traditional robe, it is mainly worn by men in the Arabian Peninsula, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, North Africa, and some countries in East and West Africa, with regional variations in name and style. It is also worn by Muslim men in the Indian subcontinent due to its modest appearance, and is referred to as jubbah. Depending on local traditions, a thawb can be worn in formal or informal settings; in the Gulf states thobes are the main formal attire for men. The term "thobe" is also used in some varieties of Arabic to refer to women's attire, such as in Palestine and Sudan.
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