Hat advice for Orthodox Jews

[Davidson]

In the spirit of comaradarie, I'll take a Killians, a Guinness, a Bishop's Finger, an Old Speckled Hen (now my head is starting to hurt)...

Everyone's comportment is to be applauded. For a minute I was concerned.

Now, may we get back to hats?

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

A Catholic, a rabbi and a Protestant walk into a bar...

 

[PADDY]

Hats...gentlemen please

fftopic: Somebody talking hats around here?? [huh] ...Now where were we....?

(Thanks guys!!)

 

[dhermann1]

It's one thing to try to seem "holier than thou" by wearing this or that garb. If someone persecutes somebody for NOT wearing it, that's where I have the problem. The Taliban were allegedly killing men whose beards weren't long enough! I still think the big black hat with the yarmulke peeking out is a cool look. But I'm a goy, so what do I know?

 

[Rafter]

Joel, frankly, I found your remark wasn't necessary, even if you'd have been right. But maybe we discuss that over a kosher beer some time.

I know there are kosher wines, but is there such a thing as a kosher beer??
You better have your discussion over a Dr. Brown Celery tonic!!:cheers1:

 

[johnnycanuck]

Back to hats.

I just wore my Black Biltmore Royal out in the rain (maybe a 20 minute walk) and hung it on my coat rack here at work to let it dry naturally. Now it seems I have a cowboy curl to the brim. Do Borsalino hats have this same effect when they get wet? do they suffer from felt shrinkage or loosing its shape? My curiosity is for two reasons, 1. so I know weather I want to purchase one in the future and 2. it would explain why the Orthodox Jews use rain covers.

Damn, I thought it was more durable then that.... Oh well what can you do.
Johnny

 

[Bud-n-Texas]

JC I have a Borso Rubino and have been caught out in the rain ( a very heavy downpour at that) and it held up beautifully. I set it on a towel to dry and it looks as good as the day I got it. It did not shrink, loose shape, or contort in any way. I am afraid that most who disparage the new Borso's have never owned one or have an agenda to sell their own hats. I have it on good authority that Akubra is an equal quality hat. While I do not own one, I trust the information of a close friend who does.

The Borso handled the snow with ease as well

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

As of the time of writing, I'm sitting at my desk pretty much in the shadow of Antwerp cathedral. Antwerp, diamonds and jewish people (the sickeningly ill feeling of history preventing me from writing merely "jews"). Other than having read a few Isaac Bashevis (sp?) Singer's (excellent) books and a lifelong enjoyment of jewish (mostly american) humor, I don't know the "A to Z" of "being jewish", and please don't any one ask me the difference between the different jewish communities, sekts or whatever they be called. In short, I should shut up about the subject.
Now, getting to the subject of hats, I have amazed for most of my adult life at the fantastic hats these people wear. I have always wondered what they were, the brands. Sure, some of them looked suspiciously like Borsalino hats, but then many others ... I am unable to identify: stately, large, open crown black hats with thick rolled brims that look like they came straight from 1880 and ...the streets of New York...thick set gentlemen in 19th century suits and long coats. Then there's the much different looking hats, some with fur, of ...other... , communities, looking more like the 18th century in some ways, with mid-calf trousers. Always, this is of course classic, found it funny how they wear a clear plastic bags over their hats when it rains...
Never ever got the nerve to ask one of these gentlemen about the subject of hats (or anything else, for that matter). The crushing weight of history, the prohibitions of culture. Like running the marathon through Williamsburg and people turning their heads away from...from? I don't take it personally.
Pablo

 

[Fletch]

Yeah, it's strange how this (group (subgroup) (subsubgroup))) who used to look more like everybody else, gradually came to feel they must appear ever more separate and specific - yet never go the next step of saying the hell with it and embracing individualism. That's the glue of literalist religious observance: the group - how can holy word be holy if observance is individual? Then the door is wide open to the temptations of the self. So: groups ( and subgroups) (and subsubgroups))).

I have no dog in any socio-ethnico-religious race, but I must admit I find it fascinating.

 

[Pat_H]

Turning away from the main point of this thread, are there any other religions in North America where wearing a dress hat is still common? I'd think not, but I thought I'd ask.

Catholic Priests in the US were at one time required to wear a hat when outdoors. Perhaps they were required to wear a black one, but I'm unsure of that. That requirement varied by dioceses, I believe, and disappeared over time. I read the other day that the last diocese to require it did up in to the 1970s.

 

[besdor]

The Amish still are devout hat wearers. They wear a specific style that is made just for them.






Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[Pat_H]

The Amish do indeed wear hats, but theirs isn't so much a dress hat, as a practical broad brimmed hat.

It seems to me that they might wear both felt and straw hats.

 

[SGT Rocket]

Hi All,

I'm a religious Jew. Not "Orthodox" as such, but religious/observant. This is a very interesting thread. I can give you some information regarding why the Orthodox wear black hats ( and why they don't fit ) later today or Sunday. My wife and I must run to the store before Passover and before Shabbat (we can't work/drive/etc.... on Shabbat).

I'm not Orthodox, but I've been wanting a black fedora, but have been reluctant to purchase one because I don't want to look "Orthodox." This may sound funny to most people, but it's a real conundrum for us religious but not orthodox Jews-- at least those of us who like fedoras. lol

 

[RPeers]

I live just on the outskirts of a very healthy orthodox community and have been fascinated by the the (sometimes too wide/flat brimmed) hats and the black clothes I have found out a couple interesting facts while looking into this:

"Other items many Orthodox Jews wear include special belts and hats. A prayer belt to indicate that the wearer separates his upper body from his lower body as the head is the location of all that is inspired while our bottom serves lesser purposes. Many men also wear a black hat or a fur lined hat. The particular style may vary according to the European origin of a sect. All true Jewish men wear a skull cap all day. This cap is called a yamaca. The purpose is to show respect for God by separating themselves from Him by wearing a hat or cap at all times."

"Another tradition for some Jews is to wear black clothes. Early church laws demanded that Jews wear black at all times. These laws required each social class to wear clothes appropriate to their rank. In the eighteenth century, by law, Jews were non-persons and had to wear black clothes so they could be identified at once. Although that law has been long since abolished, some Jews regard black clothes as an expression that means “fearing heaven.” Black is worn so as to place distance between the wearer and everyone else."

Personally I don't like a lot of the black hats that they wear but I saw on guy wearing a beautiful black fedora that I would have worn myself (still wouldn't I also think that If I started wearing a black fedora I would be mistaken for an orthodox jew myself) nor would I want to distance myself I like people

 

[AlanC]

Is there a tradition among Orthodox Jews of passing hats down from one generation to another? All those hats have to go somewhere.

And as Paddy said, let's keep things focused on hats rather than too much socio-religious speculation.

 

[SGT Rocket]

One reason that many of the Orthodox people wear these types of hats is to conform to a certain group that they are a part of . Each community wears a certain style such as the Lubavitch of Crown Heights who wear wide brim black hats or the Satmar from Boro Park who wear the hard tall crown homburgs . They want to identify to their group that they are a prt of . I'm sure the same could be said for the Amish people or the Mennonites who wear different shape hats.
We get a lot of Hispanic guys in the store who all wear the same 1 1/2" stingy brim because that is what their"group" like to wear. Being different is fine but it's not for everyone.



Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

Bingo! I don't have time for a full post. But this is right on.

 

[SGT Rocket]

I know there are kosher wines, but is there such a thing as a kosher beer??
You better have your discussion over a Dr. Brown Celery tonic!!:cheers1:

I'm still hear, getting dirty looks from my wife. But yes, there is Kosher beer.
http://www.allaboutbeer.com/news/industry/kosher.html

Really good stuff too. We used to drink it all the time in Portland, OR.

Ok, now I really must run. Wait, she's going upstairs, I might be able to finish reading the thread.

 

[PhilS]

Black Borsalino Fedoras

Hi All,

I'm a religious Jew. Not "Orthodox" as such, but religious/observant. This is a very interesting thread. I can give you some information regarding why the Orthodox wear black hats ( and why they don't fit ) later today or Sunday. My wife and I must run to the store before Passover and before Shabbat (we can't work/drive/etc.... on Shabbat).

I'm not Orthodox, but I've been wanting a black fedora, but have been reluctant to purchase one because I don't want to look "Orthodox." This may sound funny to most people, but it's a real conundrum for us religious but not orthodox Jews-- at least those of us who like fedoras. lol

I live in NYC, so there is a large contingent of Lubavitchers and others who wear black Borsalino's as badges of identification. Their brim size tends to be on the wide side, to my tastes. However, I very much like black hats (especially when dressed up) and in this city, at least, no one gets much of a second glance for anything. (I grew up in Mpls, and I don't think you'd get much comment there either, other than "nice hat."). So I wear what I like and don't worry about it.

 

[OldSkoolFrat]

I'm not Orthodox, but I've been wanting a black fedora, but have been reluctant to purchase one because I don't want to look "Orthodox." This may sound funny to most people, but it's a real conundrum for us religious but not orthodox Jews-- at least those of us who like fedoras. lol

Just say, "No," to black.

Or get a black Homburg.

Shalom

 

[Pat_H]

Just say, "No," to black.

Or get a black Homburg.

Shalom

Of course, that association isn't universal. A black fedora here would only be a black fedora, no more or less eccentric than any other color.

Indeed, I've been tempted to get one just because it won't draw the Indiana Jones association. I've even seen one in use here recently (quite unusual).

Having said that, I'm leaning much more towards a light colored thin ribbon Fedora.