Amish Dresses

The Most Features of the Amish is their Plain clothing

Why do the Amish wear Plain clothing?

Plain clothing symbolizes Amish values of modesty, practicality, and Christian commitment

One of the most easily-recognizable features of the Amish is their Plain clothing. Amish women are distinguished by long, solid-colored dresses and head-coverings, and men by beards and suspenders.

In “Why Do They Dress That Way?” Stephen Scott writes that “Dress speaks…One group of people’s dress utters volumes about them though they are otherwise quiet and unobtrusive.” What are the Amish saying by their choice of characteristically simple clothing?

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Amish wear plain and simple clothing for a few important reasons:

Plain clothing is modest-plain dress is not revealing

Plain dress is Biblical-Amish cite numerous passages of Scripture to support plain dress

Plain clothing is practical-plain clothes are simple, reducing choice and simplifying life to a degree

Plain clothing is not worldly-adhering to plain clothes means rejecting fads and fashion

Plain clothing discourages envy and other base emotions-similar or identical dress discourages jealousy, competition and promotes unity

Plain clothing marks Amish identity-plain clothes distinguish Amish from non-Amish

Plain Clothing is Modest

In contrast to modern fashions, Amish clothing reveals little. Non-Amish may see dark, long-sleeved clothing as uncomfortable. Yet Amish feel that wearing revealing clothing is un-Christian. Amish feel that exposing the body to view can promote sinful thoughts and behaviors. They feel that Christians should stay covered up as a way of honoring the bodies which they have been given by God.

Plain Dress is Biblical

Amish cite numerous Biblical verses for their adherence to Plain clothing, including from the Gospels, Thessalonians, Corinthians, Romans, and Timothy.

Key verses include I Timothy 2:2, 10 (“In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works”) as well as I Peter 3:3, 4 (“…let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price”).

Amish interpret some of those Biblical mandates to plain dress differently. Amish women cover their heads as admonished in Scripture. Some Amish men do not trim their beards, for example, citing Leviticus 19:27, “neither shalt thou mar the corners of the beard.” Others, however, do maintain short, cropped beards. The general idea of Plain clothing is accepted by all Old Order Amish as based in Scripture, though its individual manifestations may differ.