The Amish believe that God has called them to be completely separate from the world and its negative influences. Choosing to wear clothing that sets them apart as different immediately divides them from the English.
Amish clothing styles encourage humility and separation from the world and are a practical expression of their faith. 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.
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.
Plain clothing marks the Amish as a people apart. It emphasizes modesty, and Amish believe there is Biblical basis for wearing it. Plain clothing has strong symbolic and religious value for the Amish, and is one of the key visual markers of the culture.
All Amish people are expected to dress modestly. So like women's dresses, men's trousers may not be tight or revealing in any way. Amish men tend to wear neutral colors like blue, brown, or gray. Their clothing is functional, and it's not meant to be fashionable or eye-catching.
In short, Amish women don't shave because they aren't allowed to cut their hair. Similarly, married men don't shave their beards, but do shave their cheeks and trim to keep their beards tidy. Along with maintaining their lush hair, the Amish believe that everything they do should be of high quality.
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.
The Amish are devout Christians, and as such, many of their traditions originate from the Bible. The Amish perceive hair as a sacred symbol of devotion to God. Because of this, cutting it is considered a shameful dismissal of this precious token.
The Amish believe that going barefoot keeps them closer to the earth and nature, and therefore keeps them closer to God. There's no easier way to enhance the bond with God's natural creations. As such a pious people, this is of great importance to the Amish.
Buttons are frowned upon because of their potential for ostentation, and such things as Velcro and zippers are banned. Instead, clothes are fastened by pins or hook-and-eye closures.
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.
Amish women, however, have to wear their head coverings at all times. An Amish bonnet or head covering is called kapp (or prayer cover). It is worn and topped with a black Amish bonnet used by women in Amish communities during certain occasions.
Amish women keep their hair long and never cut or style it, while men are allowed to keep their hair shorter but still must wear hats when outdoors.
You will never see patterns on any of their clothing and all of the men's suits, and the women's dresses, are all plain colored. The rules require that only solid colors can be used and the colors typically consist of black, blue, burgundy, brown, purple, or green.
Yes, the Amish bathe, but they often do it without electricity, and sometimes without indoor plumbing. They usually heat the water on a stove in order to have a warm bath. This labor-intensive process is one reason that the Amish don't normally bathe every day.
Amish women pin their hair into buns, and then cover their heads with a prayer kapp, following Paul's instruction to women in 1 Corinthians 11:5 to cover their heads. The idea is that one should always be prepared to pray, and one should be prayerful throughout their days.
Each person sleeps on their side of the bed, with a board in between them to prevent any physical contact. The couple is allowed to talk to each other during the night, but they're not allowed to touch each other.
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 women wear full-length bloomers, usually made of white cotton or muslin fabric. These bloomers are worn underneath their skirts and as a layer between their skin and the bonnet.
#2: Amish wear their beards in adherence to God's word
From the book of Leviticus 19:27, the Bible says, “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard” and the Amish interpret this literally. They believe they have been commanded to wear a beard in manhood by God.
In order to separate themselves physically from those who would engage in military service (while letting the world know they were married, because the Amish don't exchange wedding rings), they decided to grow beards but shave their lips.
Amish hair rules strictly discourage vanity, so any neckbeard you see on an Amish man is very likely only there because the man's facial hair grows that way. Not following these rules leads to shunning and disrespect in the community.
Appearance and Attire
They do not cut their hair, which they wear up in a bun. They wear a prayer covering or bonnet on their heads. They do not wear jewelry or makeup.
Birth control and abortion are forbidden by religious doctrine, even when pregnancy is life threatening. The Amish church has no rule against immunization, but only 16-26% of Amish children have received immunizations against the common childhood diseases.
It is clear that women are valued in Amish culture, and on some levels are even afforded types of equality and freedoms that women outside of Amish society might not be. In Amish weddings, for example, the woman is not “given away” by her father to her future husband, as is often done in non-Amish weddings.