Urg, being sick.

[conuly]

I'd been nice and healthy for ages, then I spent this weekend being sick. Didn't help that it was broiling hot and that none of the trains were working, or that everyone in the city had the same idea I had, which was to go to the air-conditioned bookstore.

Drippy nose, sinus infection, and I couldn't think. Ick.

I'm feeling much better now, though, and I'm not watching the kid (because she's upstate, not because I'm neglecting her), so that's okay.

Wish I'd felt better yesterday, or the day before, though.

And now I have a semi-serious question.

Oftentimes, when I go on the boat during the weekend, it's like the entire Hassidic population (or at least, Orthodox Jewish and I *think* they're Hassidic) of NYC has decided to make an excursion to Staten Island. Which has led me to make one observation: All the time, in these large families, the girls are dressed alike (and sometimes the boys too).

I asked my mom, and she said that in order to find dresses that fit that idea of modesty, you either have to make them yourself, generally using the same pattern for everyone, or you buy them and snatch up as many sizes as you can when you do. Which I can believe, considering what most *other* people seem to think is acceptable for dresses for little kids...

But why all alike? Do the girls only have one dress each? That can't be.

This leads to another question. Is it just that I notice it more with the Jewish families, or am I actually seeing something here? Because certainly the "let's dress the kids alike" idea exists elsewhere (and if anybody can give me any insight on this phenomenon, I'd appreciate it, because it doesn't make any sense to me), so why do I tend to associate it with twins and Orthodox Jews? Is it because I'm seeing a larger family (often), so it sticks in my mind? Or because it's a fairly distinctive style of dress here? Well, not that distinctive, unless you see it all the same.... Or because I have a prejudice I didn't know?

Or maybe I'm crazy? I don't know. I'm just thinking out loud while not actually being out loud.

Comments

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

I've noticed that, too, especially among strongly religious and/or very large families. (Case in point: my family has always been strongly religious. My sister and I were always dressed in matching outfits. Consequently - or not, more likely *laugh* - I am no longer religious.)

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I noticed that at the Botanic Gardens (Brooklyn). Went during the break and there were a lot of Orthodox/Hassidic families, and they were all dressed alike. Even with sweaters, boys and girls had the same pattern of stripes on their sweaters.

Perhaps it's just easier to find your kids that way? (I always go for BRIGHT FREAKIN YELLOW or something when we go somewhere crowded, myself.)

I associate online with a lot of religious Christian women who have large families and have their families dress modestly but unless they are "Plain", they wear different patterns, colors, and so on. In fact I have a bunch of modest dress urls for patterns and clothing and the people in them seem to wear varied stuff.

Do the Hassidim also stick with the whole dark color scheme thing? Like the Plain people (or some Plain people)? That might have something to do with it -- the non-Plain Christian groups for the most part have nothing against a bit of bright colors or florals or things like that, but when I visualize groups like you mention they are mostly in navy blue.

But you're not crazy -- it's not as if they are wearing similar long skirts or something, they are wearing matching sweaters, matching jackets, at least one article of clothing seems to be distinctive and matches the other siblings as much as possible. I've seen it too many times to be a fluke.

[conuly]

I'm hardly Jewish, and certainly not Hassidic (and note that I left out the C there, because I'm a ditz). From what I've see, it looks like dark colors are the trend for adults, but not so much for kids - I could be very wrong, though.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

It may be as simple as getting tired of hearing "Mom, she always borrows my clothes!"

[conuly]

My uncle, growing up, didn't like people using his towel. Which makes sense, because that's kinda icky. Anyway, after he complained enough, my Bonne-maman bought color-coded towels.

My mother had a great amount of fun deliberately using His Towel.

[fledchen.livejournal.com]

Whenever I see Mennonite families, they women/girls are dressed alike, and the men/boys are dressed alike. Sometimes both sexes are wearing the same color. We'd get a large group of families every couple weeks or so when I worked at Big Lots.

[prezzey.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't see that with the local families. Or maybe I'm just used to it LOL. The modesty requirements are the same but the clothes themselves are very different... *shrug* I dunno. I can understand that the adult males look the same to outsiders, but I never would have thought that the same applied to the females... to a lesser degree maybe, but it doesn't sound like that in your post.

I asked my mom, and she said that in order to find dresses that fit that idea of modesty, you either have to make them yourself, generally using the same pattern for everyone, or you buy them and snatch up as many sizes as you can when you do.

Hmm, maybe that, but not because of tzniut (modesty), but rather because of saatnez (not to mix wool with linen).

I have to leave now but I won't spare you my incoherent insight tomorrow. G'night!

[conuly]

1. Well, you're not in the US. It may be more of a local thing.
2. Hmm. That would certainly limit ones clothing options - though, trust me when I say that most dresses for little girls in the US either are not very modest by those standards, or are modest but are also screamingly impractical.

[adina77.livejournal.com]

ah the old age question of orthodox jews. Ya could of asked me :). Hassidic jews wear all black and white, with piyots (curls on the side of their heads) and they have like billion kids. There are other parts of orthodoxy. Modern orthodox where women are allowed to wear pants (see Haddasah Lieberman). I saw an orthodox man on the boat today :). felt like I was in Israel. They cover themselves up. Pretty much because skin is considered sensual. They do have more than one outfits but orthodox people do not have much money so they deal with the hand me downs. my friend Chava has to ask her husband before buying anything. One time we were in a store and she needed a new hair covering she of course had to ask if thy had enough to buy one. So you'll see lots of same clothes. The community helps them have clothes. Most orthodox men are rabbis. Which relies on the community for pay. At least this is how i see it. I was orthodox for a whole year and never again will I do it! I think you associate twins with orthos because parents tend to dress the twins alike. Your not prejudice, you didn't know :)

[fascinoma.livejournal.com]

ah the old age question of orthodox jews. Ya could of asked me :). Hassidic jews wear all black and white, with piyots (curls on the side of their heads) and they have like billion kids.

Speaking as a Jew myself, it's too bad it isn't *really* a billion kids. Or at least six million.

[adina77.livejournal.com]

true, I was egsagerating.....it seems like a billion kids :)

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Seth and hid friend River have several matching outfit, and Seth and Topher have some matching outfits...my boys always match when i bring them on Ft. Gordon. now if i canb just fing the outfirs melissa and i got the older boys, all three of them would match...

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

I've noticed that, too, especially among strongly religious and/or very large families. (Case in point: my family has always been strongly religious. My sister and I were always dressed in matching outfits. Consequently - or not, more likely *laugh* - I am no longer religious.)

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I noticed that at the Botanic Gardens (Brooklyn). Went during the break and there were a lot of Orthodox/Hassidic families, and they were all dressed alike. Even with sweaters, boys and girls had the same pattern of stripes on their sweaters.

Perhaps it's just easier to find your kids that way? (I always go for BRIGHT FREAKIN YELLOW or something when we go somewhere crowded, myself.)

I associate online with a lot of religious Christian women who have large families and have their families dress modestly but unless they are "Plain", they wear different patterns, colors, and so on. In fact I have a bunch of modest dress urls for patterns and clothing and the people in them seem to wear varied stuff.

Do the Hassidim also stick with the whole dark color scheme thing? Like the Plain people (or some Plain people)? That might have something to do with it -- the non-Plain Christian groups for the most part have nothing against a bit of bright colors or florals or things like that, but when I visualize groups like you mention they are mostly in navy blue.

But you're not crazy -- it's not as if they are wearing similar long skirts or something, they are wearing matching sweaters, matching jackets, at least one article of clothing seems to be distinctive and matches the other siblings as much as possible. I've seen it too many times to be a fluke.

[conuly]

I'm hardly Jewish, and certainly not Hassidic (and note that I left out the C there, because I'm a ditz). From what I've see, it looks like dark colors are the trend for adults, but not so much for kids - I could be very wrong, though.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

It may be as simple as getting tired of hearing "Mom, she always borrows my clothes!"

[conuly]

My uncle, growing up, didn't like people using his towel. Which makes sense, because that's kinda icky. Anyway, after he complained enough, my Bonne-maman bought color-coded towels.

My mother had a great amount of fun deliberately using His Towel.

[fledchen.livejournal.com]

Whenever I see Mennonite families, they women/girls are dressed alike, and the men/boys are dressed alike. Sometimes both sexes are wearing the same color. We'd get a large group of families every couple weeks or so when I worked at Big Lots.

[prezzey.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't see that with the local families. Or maybe I'm just used to it LOL. The modesty requirements are the same but the clothes themselves are very different... *shrug* I dunno. I can understand that the adult males look the same to outsiders, but I never would have thought that the same applied to the females... to a lesser degree maybe, but it doesn't sound like that in your post.

I asked my mom, and she said that in order to find dresses that fit that idea of modesty, you either have to make them yourself, generally using the same pattern for everyone, or you buy them and snatch up as many sizes as you can when you do.

Hmm, maybe that, but not because of tzniut (modesty), but rather because of saatnez (not to mix wool with linen).

I have to leave now but I won't spare you my incoherent insight tomorrow. G'night!

[conuly]

1. Well, you're not in the US. It may be more of a local thing.
2. Hmm. That would certainly limit ones clothing options - though, trust me when I say that most dresses for little girls in the US either are not very modest by those standards, or are modest but are also screamingly impractical.

[adina77.livejournal.com]

ah the old age question of orthodox jews. Ya could of asked me :). Hassidic jews wear all black and white, with piyots (curls on the side of their heads) and they have like billion kids. There are other parts of orthodoxy. Modern orthodox where women are allowed to wear pants (see Haddasah Lieberman). I saw an orthodox man on the boat today :). felt like I was in Israel. They cover themselves up. Pretty much because skin is considered sensual. They do have more than one outfits but orthodox people do not have much money so they deal with the hand me downs. my friend Chava has to ask her husband before buying anything. One time we were in a store and she needed a new hair covering she of course had to ask if thy had enough to buy one. So you'll see lots of same clothes. The community helps them have clothes. Most orthodox men are rabbis. Which relies on the community for pay. At least this is how i see it. I was orthodox for a whole year and never again will I do it! I think you associate twins with orthos because parents tend to dress the twins alike. Your not prejudice, you didn't know :)

[fascinoma.livejournal.com]

ah the old age question of orthodox jews. Ya could of asked me :). Hassidic jews wear all black and white, with piyots (curls on the side of their heads) and they have like billion kids.

Speaking as a Jew myself, it's too bad it isn't *really* a billion kids. Or at least six million.

[adina77.livejournal.com]

true, I was egsagerating.....it seems like a billion kids :)

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Seth and hid friend River have several matching outfit, and Seth and Topher have some matching outfits...my boys always match when i bring them on Ft. Gordon. now if i canb just fing the outfirs melissa and i got the older boys, all three of them would match...