Pye, Michael. “Religious Dress – Later Religious Dress”. Encyclopedia Britannica, Last modified 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/religious-dress/Later-religious-dress.

Brief Description

The article is about clothing identity identified to various people and religions, particularly the Jewish.  Pye Michael clearly demonstrates the specific dressing code that has been identified with the Jewish people practising Judaism throughout the centuries.

Ron, Zvi. “Stripes, Hats, And Fashion”. Modern Judaism – A Journal Of Jewish Ideas And Experience 40, no. 3 (2020): 312-326. doi:10.1093/mj/kjaa011.

Brief Description

The article illustrates particular attires like the stripes and hats which the Jews wear. It clearly brings out dressing fashion that the Jewish people have maintained over the centuries despite the changes in dressing attire in contemporary society.

The common theme from each article

In today’s contemporary society, clothing and dressing codes have been identified with several people for several purposes. On the contrary, this dressing attire also applies to religion. People from different religions have been identified with specific dressing codes. Just like other occasions, religious attires often communicate that the wearers believe in a particular set of religious practices and principles. At the same time, the attires identify various statuses within religion and simplicity and humility. Therefore, the common theme in the two articles is the dressing attires identified with different religions, specifically Judaism, and has been used as a means of identity and communication. The two articles demonstrate particular dressing codes that the Jews must wear, which is regarded as religious duty among the Jews, as demonstrated in Torah’s books. Even though the Jewish law mandated no particular attire, specific costumes have been identified with the Jews throughout the centuries. Both authors exclusively illustrate these attires among the Jewish and their meaning to them and their religion. The Jews wear specific dressing identities to various occasions like the Sabbath and Shabbat Shalom. For example, the Old-style Jewish Garb and garments dressing identity were worn by The Jews to distinguish them from non- Jews. The Kittel attire that symbolizes purity, holiness, humility and new beginnings, for example, is an attire worn by men for special ritual ceremonies. On the other hand, the Jewish Vesture was only worn by men before the destruction of the second temple of Jerusalem. As illustrated by Ron, “the tallit, Hasidic dress, and the black hats,” are exclusively identified to the Jewish. The Jewish attires identifies the Jewish with Judaism, and it distinguishes them from non- Jewish. Therefore, the common theme from both articles is the specific attires worn by the Jews as a means of communication and identity. The religious dressing attire is essential since it identifies people with their beliefs and religion, and at the same time, it distinguishes them from other religions and people.

Personal Reaction

Generally, dressing codes and attire have been adhered to by many people over the ages. Clothing has been used as a means of communication and at the same time identify people with particular beliefs. This also applies to the current society; however, some religions do not strictly follow them like before. The Christians mostly do not follow a strict dressing attire, but it strictly applies to leaders with authority like the catholic fathers and popes.  People often have been identified with specific clothing in different societies. Dressing attires and identities is a big deal that has been strictly adopted in the current societies. For instance, today, people can wear the same attires with inscribed words and symbols on various occasions. The various religions seen today play an essential role when it comes to dressing attires. They are often identified with their distinctive attires like the Kittel attire among the Jews. To them, the attire is a means of communication, and it identifies them with their beliefs. Therefore, in my view, I do believe that religious dressing attire is a means of communication and identity. Their attires identifies them with what they believe and what they are fighting for. Therefore, addressing culture should be embraced and recognized since it plays a vital role in communication and identifying people with different religions and beliefs. It also distinguishes certain people from other people in society.