Colors range from dark blue and brown to lighter shades such as turquoise and pink (following a relative's death, an Amish woman will wear a black dress for a certain customary period of time).
The rules require that only solid colors can be used and the colors typically consist of black, blue, burgundy, brown, purple, or green. Want to learn what clothing Amish men and women wear on a day-to-day basis? Below are short descriptions of what a typical outfit would look like for both men and women.
The Amish will only wear solid-colored clothing. Patterns are not allowed since they are too decorative and worldly. Other rules ban buttons, so men use suspenders, and women use pins or clasps to fasten clothing.
The Amish fashion styles are simple and meant to be functional. Clothing is made at home of plain fabrics and is primarily dark in color, including shades of purple, blue, wine, brown, grey and black. Lighter colors are used for younger children and summer shirts and dresses for adults in some groups.
You'll find no bright or flashy clothing among the Amish. Instead, the fabrics used are generally muted in color and subtle in design, though some styles may vary slightly between genders.
The red is noteworthy because, historically, it was a color the Amish shied away from. But the disdain of red appears to be fading. In fact, recently legislators in Maine approved an Amish request to wear red hunting attire instead of the bight orange blazes typically donned.
Feminine Hygiene
Female Amish wash their hair and wear it in a bun. As for makeup, Amish women aren't allowed to wear cosmetics or adornments considered worldly. This includes lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and jewelry.
Amish Style of Dress
Shirts fasten with conventional buttons; suit coats and vests fasten with hooks and eyes. Men do not wear mustaches and generally wait until after marriage to grow beards. Amish women wear modest, solid-colored dresses, usually with long sleeves and a full skirt, a cape and apron.
Fashion accessories are pretty much unknown in the Amish community. Items that you may take for granted such as sunglasses, handbags or belts don't feature in their dress code. The main reason for this is that they call attention to the wearer.
As a general thing, I think the carpenters tend to start work earlier and get off earlier, so they can have more time with their families. Concerning deodorant, yes, the Amish DO wear deodorant. If they don't, it's their personal choice.
The practice of wearing Amish bonnets or head coverings is stated explicitly in 1 Corinthians 11. It strongly suggests that men should keep their heads uncovered during prayer and prophesying, while women should wear head coverings at all times, especially during prayers.
The use of a mirror is allowed because unlike a picture, it is not a graven image. Women use mirrors to do their hair and men use mirrors to shave. If you take our guided farmhouse tour, you'll spot a few mirrors in the house.
Women are to keep their hair long and worn in a single braid or bun that is pinned behind their head. Hair must be kept out of sight, as it's seen as too sensual and can be distracting for men in the community. The reason Amish women don't cut their hair is more than just aesthetic preference.
As part of their Ordnung, Old Order Amish forbid owning automobiles; tapping electricity from public utility lines; owning televisions, radios, or personal computers; attending high school or college; joining the military; and initiating divorce. All Amish groups expect men and women to wear prescribed clothing.
The Amish and Mennonites believe that it is a Biblical command for women to cover their heads while praying. And we must always be ready to pray, therefore they wear a prayer covering all the time. They believe that a woman having her head covered is a sign that she is in submission to her husband.
I think the level of integration with the modern world varies community to community (some Amish communities are more insular than others) but the most conservative of them will probably use the same methods women used for hundreds of years — wrapping themselves with strips of material, or wrapping their shift/ ...
It's actually NOT against an Amish person's religion to be photographed. The Amish religion does, however, prohibit POSING for photographs. The Amish community is known for their strong beliefs and traditions, one of which is their refusal to pose for photographs.
As we've learned, the Amish value simplicity and modesty, which means they generally avoid anything that draws attention to themselves or promotes individualism. From our experience, tattoos are extremely rare in the Amish population. In fact, you're unlikely to find them in even the biggest Amish communities.
Do Amish drink coffee? They do. In fact, coffee soup is a common breakfast dish in Amish country. It's made of coffee and generous amounts of cream and sugar.
As you probably already know, Amish don't wear jewelry. This includes wedding rings and engagement rings. No jewelry of any kind. In Lancaster County Amish men traditionally would have a pocket watch rather than a wristwatch for the same reason.
The languages most commonly spoken by the Amish are Pennsylvania Dutch and English. Amish community members use Pennsylvania Dutch when conversing with each other in their community. English is only really used for communicating with outsiders.
All types of birth control, and also all forms of natural family planning such as calendar-based methods, are forbidden in Old-Order Amish communities. However, especially in recent years, more Amish women have begun using contraception.
Do Amish shave their legs and armpits? The Ordnung (set of community rules) forbids women from shaving. What's more, because the Amish interpretation of the New Testament considers cutting hair a shameful act (1 Corinthians 11:5-15), women don't cut or shave any hair on their bodies.
My ex-wife Priscilla was an Amish. We met during her Rumspringa. She told me they used to fill a wooden bath once a week and then the family would take turns bathing in it.
The Amish also believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. Same-sex relationships are not allowed within the Amish community. Unmarried Amish men and women aren't supposed to have any physical contact with each other. This includes kissing, hugging, and even holding hands.