Hello,

My name is Yhoshua and I am interested in researching the
evolution of Jewish/CHasidic clothes from 1780 until today. My
greandmother tells me our clothing has changed considerably even from
what her father wore in the early part of the last century. (Shirts
button all the way down now, they used to only have three or four
buttons at the top. They wore boots on weekday, we wear shoes, etc.)
I tried looking up recources in the local library but was at a loss
as to where to start, and could only find pictures from the early
part of the last century (1900).

Could anyone help?

BTW, the post below has a few inacuracies. Bekishes are not made
from wool. We don't wear wool. They are made of cotton or satin. ANd
the oft repeated rumor that our clothes are based on Polish nobility
is not really true. The Jewish people arrived in Poland with a
distinctive dress which probably became somewhat Polishized, but
remained distinctive. ALso, the four cornered garment (the only
garment we wear made of wool) is worn above the shirt and below the
vest in most groups. FIdoras are only worn by Lubavitchers, the rest
of us wear broad brimmed hats called Yontifhots.

--- In CostumeHistoryClass@yahoogroups.com, "fsdah3" <fsdah3@u...>
wrote:
> There is a relatively small group of Orthodox Jews known as Hasidim.
> They have built communities all around the world, including in the
> United States and are easily recognizable by their distinctive dress
> and the style their hair is worn.
>
> The clothing that the men wear is associated with the nobility of
> 18th-century Poland, but the style in which men wear their hair and
> specifics of their prayer shawl are Jewish and based on the Torah,
the
> first five books of the bible, said to have been written by Moses.
>
> There are six articles of clothing typical in a Hasidic males
> wardrobe: a wool beskeshe (a suit with long tailored jacket) usually
> black, but could be dark blue or dark gray and a fedora (felt hat)
for
> everyday wear. For Shabbat and other holidays, a black silk or
satin
> beskeshe is worn and a streimel (circular hat made of fur) is worn.
> Most importantly, a prayer shawl with fringes on the corners (called
> with tzitziyot) is worn daily under their white shirt.
>
> The practice of religious Jewish males (not just Hasidic Jews)
wearing
> a head covering dates back several thousand years when only free men
> were allowed to go bareheaded. The Jews adopted this practice as a
> reminder that they were servants of God. It has become a way that
the
> Jewish people show reverence to God, "Cover your head, so that the
> reverence of Heaven be upon you" (Shabbat 156b). Those who wear a
hat
> usually also wear a kippah, yarmulke, or skullcap under it. There is
> no special significance to the colors or designs in which kippah is
> made, except that white ones are usually worn during high holiday to
> signify purity. The kippah was originally an indoor hat and a
regular
> hat was worn over it when outside the house. Many Jews today still
> wear both a kippah and a hat or cap. In other branches of Judaism
the
> kippah is also worn, and is considered less formal that the fedora
or
> streimel, which are worn by the various branches of Orthodox Jews.
It
> is common for Hasidim to wear brimmed hats inside the house and even
> at the dinner table. This is not considered rude. In fact, if you
are
> a man and come to a Hasidic table without some type of a head
> covering, you will be asked to put one on.
>
> The Torah commands "You shall not round the corners of your heads,
nor
> mar the edges of your beards." For this reason many Orthodox men,
most
> notably Hasidic Jews, do not shave their heads nor cut their hair
very
> short near the area above their ears. The rest of their hair is
> usually cut very short, as it is more comfortable under a hat.
Before
> the age of three, a boy's hair is not cut. At that age however, his
> hair is cut except for side curls, or payos. The length for payos
> varies, but the minimum is long enough that you can grab a hair and
> curl it around towards its own root, many Hasidim wear them longer.
> Some men curl them and let them hang in front of their ears; others
> tuck them behind the ears or up under their hat or kippah.
>
> Aside from the length of their sidecurls, there is little
> self-expression in the dress of the Hasidic male. Clothing is one of
> the ways that they purposely set themselves slightly apart from the
> rest of the world.
>
> Hasidic women, on the other hand have a reputation for dressing
quite
> fashionably, including wearing makeup and jewelry. The only real
> requirement is that their dress be modest, not tight or revealing in
> any way. The clothing must reach to the collarbone in front, and to
> the nape of the neck in back. Long sleeves are required (for men and
> women.) Dresses or skirts are required, but pants are considered
men's
> clothing and are forbidden by Torah. Married women also are
required
> to cover their hair. A wig is often worn, but scarves and hats are
> also used. There is no requirement for women to shave their heads
> after they marry, but many women choose to keep their hair cut very
> short. They believe that they should conceal their bodies in long
> clothing and their hair with wigs or other coverings so that their
> "sexual energy" will not arouse men. For Yom Kipper, many women wear
> only the color white, as it signifies purity.
> It is rare that you will see a Hasidic man and woman that are not
> married to each other touch, even to shake hands. It is also very
> uncommon for unmarried men and women to look into another's eyes.
> There is a high regard and respect for the other sex. They, both men
> and women, consider their bodies to be sacred and not for everybody
> else's gaze or touch.
> Rabbi Benzion's Twerski says, "The hope is that the garb will
> influence (the wearer) and bring about the things that Hasidic Jews
> hold dear: joy, intensity in service, kindness to others, love of
the
> Torah."