Radical Simple Living: Hutterite

Dressing for a purpose

For many people dressing in a particular way is very important to them. those who want to dress modestly as well as those who want to dress in order to identify with a particular group. Before that we need to discuss some terminology. For some reason the words used for various items of clothing in English differ greatly from one side of the Atlantic Ocean to the other. Quite why this area shows more differences of terminology than most others is not clear, but this table should help avoid problems. (PS several American readers have told me that some of this terminology is regional. So please accept my apologies for any errors I have made.)

UK English terminology	US English terminology
Braces	Suspenders
Jumper or pullover	Sweater
Knickers	Panties
Nappy	Diaper
Pants	Underpants
Suspenders	Gaiters
Tights	Pantyhose
Trainers	Sneakers
Trousers	Pants
Vest	Undershirt
Waistcoat	Vest (Amish use ‘coat’)

Most of us understand these terms on both sides of the Atlantic through cross cultural fertilization from films (or is that movies), and television. Please note that a man standing on a sidewalk in pants and suspenders would not cause much attention in the States, whereas a man standing on a street corner in pants and suspenders in the UK is a very different thing?

Plain Dressing

Certain groups have adopted a degree of plain dressing with the aim of becoming more simple. Plainness differs from simple dressing in that rules are applied, either by the individual, or by the group to which they belong. Thanks to a vast amount of television and movie interest, the dress of the Amish is almost universally recognized. Women wear long dresses of a plain-coloured fabric, and a small cap to keep their long, tied-back hair tidy and discrete. When working (which is most of the time), Amish women always wear aprons to protect the dress beneath. Amish men wear black ‘broad fall’ trousers and a shirt of plain coloured material and braces (suspenders). They may wear coats over the shirts and a straw hat with a black band in summer, or a dark broad rimmed hat in winter. Of course, both sexes use straight pins instead of zippers or even buttons; infact Amish men do wear other clothing for working, they will wear buttons if necessary and some less strict Amish groups allow buttons for everyday wear. You will not see patterned material worn by the Amish, but plain dressing Mennonite women do wear patterned material ~ often a very small repeat
ing floral design ~ for their dresses, and Hutterites often wear spotted or ‘polka dotted’ pattered headscarves and dresses. For some reason, stripes are rarely seen on any of the Plain people, probably due to the fact that they have military connections.

Conservative Quakers, and some liberal Quakers too, also dress Plain. They generally choose to use less colour than the Amish and many stick to grey, black, white and blue. The shirt of a Plain Quaker man is usually worn without a collar or ‘banded’ (for some strange reason these collarless shirts are often sold as ‘grandad shirts’ in the UK). Plain dressing Quaker women generally wear long dresses and bonnets when out, but like Amish and Mennonite women, will wear soft cotton ‘caps, and aprons indoors. The children of Plain people dress in very much the same way as the adults, but fairly ordinary looking trainers are not uncommon.

While to the outsider these Plain dressing customs may look like a uniform, in fact they are representing the opposite of a uniform; the wearers regard their Plain clothes as a mark of nonconformity, as an act that places them apart from the world around them.. The usual reason for adopting the male norm was to emphasize pacifism. Belts were not originally used to hold up trousers, rather they were used to hold swords, daggers and eventually firearms; by avoiding belts, Plain dressing men pronounce to the world that they carry no arms. The collarless ‘banded’ shirt of Plain Quaker men is a protest against class distinction. At one time professional men wore collars and ‘working’ men no collar; the Quakers recognized no class barriers so simply rejected the collar altogether.

To those who wear Plain dress it is easy to tell the difference between one group of Amish and another, between Mennonite and Quaker by small differences in clothing.

“New Plain”

For many people, Plain dressing seems just an anachronism; women's Plain dress would seem to come from the end on the late nineteenth century while men’s clothing seems closer to rural work of the 1920s. Obviously Amish, Quakers and Mennonites have worn Plain dress that has changed with passing time, so why should it now seem frozen in time now?

Since the 1990s, many North American Quakers from all strands of the movement have developed a way of dressing termed ‘New Plain’. While it does not have the ‘strictness’ of Plain dress worn by the Amish or traditional ‘Plain Quakers’, it is distinctive and practical. Why are people doing this? Well, if you read the blogs of those that do it, there appear to be a number of reasons. Firstly, there is the need for some link with traditional Quaker dress of the past; secondly, because they feel some degree of ‘calling’ to dress this way; and thirdly to identify themselves as Quakers to the wider community.

For males, New Plain consists of cotton trousers with a button fly, held up with braces, not a belt, collarless (banded) long-sleeved shirts and a general wearing of plain colours with no obvious designer labels (a small sewn in label on overalls and jeans is acceptable to most). Plain shoes or boots are favored instead of trainers or other casual footwear. Wearing of hats and beards seems to be a fully individual choice. For women the tendency is again for plain buttoned clothing, long sleeves and long plain skirts and dresses; head covering is a matter of choice. While most women do opt for skirts and dresses, many other do wear trousers and see no problem in adapting the New Plain to what suits them personally.

There are no rules other than the rules individuals set for themselves. Other people are adopting variations on ‘new Plain’ as a form of dress including some Catholics and Mennonites. Some of those starting with this style of clothing proceed to full Plain dress, but most seem content with their choice.

Simple Geography

If you live in North America it is quite possible to buy clothing from postal catalogues which cater exclusively for Plain dressers. If you live elsewhere in the world it is a matter of shopping around to find what you want or resorting to the sewing machine! There is no reason whatsoever to assume that plain or simple dressing needs to be a copy of happens in North America or Western Europe. A regional approach to dressing must take account of where you live on our planet. Availability of clothing and suitability for your local climate need to be taken into account. Both Leo Tolstoy and Mohandas Gandhi adopted plain dress, but it was the plain dress of their culture, heritage and climate. Be content in adopting a style of dress that reflects not only your outlook on life, but the culture that you feel a part of.

Clothing for Modesty

“Practice modesty in the wearing of clothes, and have nothing to do with pomp and luxury in raiment. It is great vanity to spend as much on one suit as would ordinarily be required to clothe two or three persons. When you become old and think back to the time when you sought to adorn yourself, you will feel only regret that you once loved such vain display.”

~Amish Rules for a Godly Life

Large numbers of individuals dress for modesty; in fact, unless you are a public nudist, so do we all! The difference comes in deciding what needs to be covered and what is good for public display. Muslim dress has become a familiar sight to most of us, so we know that modest dressing need not be dull nor lacking in style. Many people may dress modestly for religious reasons (whatever the faith), but others because they just feel more comfortable without strangers gazing at their bodies. For women, covering of the legs and arms are most usual while others also cover the hair and neck. Likewise for men, arms legs and chest are the most common areas covered for modesty. No one can tell you what is right for you. You may, like most Muslims, adopt a very relaxed style at home with your family, but present a more modest style to the world during the day.. Take a long look at yourself in a mirror and make up your mind, then look around any shopping centre at how others are dressing, it may help you make decide.

Clothing and Sexuality

Many would have it that simple or plain dressing may be used to reinforce sexual stereotypes. I have heard it said that ‘plain dressing makes men look more masculine and women more feminine’, I would like to dismiss that idea and get it out of the way at the very start of the discussion. Men and women may want, and choose, to dress in any number of ways that are masculine, feminine, or even androgynous and simplicity can accommodate them all. A simple lifestyle is about individuals adopting practices that reduce complexity. It is not about categorizing people into groups and dictating to them what they should do, think, or wear. The important thing is to look at what you feel comfortable with and the image that you want to present to the world ~ that is your comfort and your image, nobody else’s!

We are, however, faced with children having decisions forced on them by clothing manufacturers and retailers. From the minute they are born, girls have clothing produced in any shade of pink you can imagine, but this is not ‘freedom of choice’, this is imposed restriction! Likewise, boys are catered for with a limited range of colours and patterns including ‘camouflage’ which is presumably designed not to make them hard to find in the garden, but to reinforce the idea of a possible military career. Reject stereotypes for yourself and your children; go out of your way to dress for comfort, for your own satisfaction, for simplicity, for modesty, for environmental sustainability and for non-conformity! If clothing manufacturers and retailers do not provide what you need to do these things, then invest in a sewing machine and write on it ‘This Machine Kills Stereotypes’ – then learn to use it!

Podcast

Plain Dressing