Finally, Mennonites are likelier to wear modern and fashionable clothing, while the Amish stick with traditional styles. They may also opt for more modern fabrics such as cotton or polyester, while the Amish will stick to traditional materials like wool and denim.
Most Amish still use the German or the common dialect of German, Pennsylvania Dutch, as the primary language of the church services. Most Mennonites use English, and some of their services use modern practices such as worship teams and audiovisual tools in their services.
Amish women swim in a different location from men, but because they tend to wear long dresses, the activity would be better characterized as wading. Some Mennonite women might wear shorts and T-shirts or even one-piece swimsuits because their churches are the most modern of the sects, at least in some ways.
In all districts of the Amish community men wear black colored suits that are fastened with a hook and eye and have no outside pockets. The trousers that the men wear have no zippers and instead have buttons that button up the flap.
Amish and Mennonites believe in the existence and teachings of the Christian God and his son Jesus. They read the Christian Bible, both the Old and New Testament, and take much inspiration from the scriptures. Both Amish and Mennonite communities believe in modest, faith-based living.
Mennonite clothing tends to be slightly looser-fitting than Amish clothing—which can often be quite restrictive. This is because the Mennonites prefer a look that allows them to express their personal style. However, the amount of modesty and plainness in the clothing is still respected.
The women of the Holdeman Mennonite community in California wear a cape-dress that has a high neckline, loose bodice and fitted waist. The cape of the dress covers the shoulders and bust. Because of religious reasons, no (or only minor) adornment of the dress is allowed.
Mennonites, unlike Mormons, don't wear undergarments designed to confer a special holy feeling. There's no online Mennonite outlet from which we order our modest underduds. But as soon as I turned 10, I was introduced to a hideous, wide-strapped, no-stretch bra that crushed my fantasies of young ladyhood.
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.
Formal Mennonite beliefs were codified in the Dordrecht Confession of Faith in 1632, which affirmed "the baptism of believers only, the washing of the feet as a symbol of servanthood, church discipline, the shunning of the excommunicated, the non-swearing of oaths, marriage within the same church", strict pacifistic ...
A kapp (/kɒp/, Pennsylvania German from German Kappe meaning cap, cover, hood) is a Christian headcovering worn by many women of certain Anabaptist Christian denominations (especially among Mennonites, Amish, Schwarzenau Brethren and River Brethren of the Old Order Anabaptist and Conservative Anabaptist traditions), as ...
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.
Amish and Mennonite families generally adhere to a strict religious belief of living simply. Although many have indoor toilets and running water in their homes, most do not use electricity, telephones and other modern conveniences.
The Mennonites have embraced some of the world's technologies. Unlike the Amish, Mennonites can use motorized vehicles as well as electricity and telephones in their homes.
The Mennonites found what they were looking for in the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 11: 1-16, which states, among other things, that “… every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head”. The caps also symbolized a woman's submission to her husband, as head of the household.
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.
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.
However, in addition to the modesty aspect, women must keep their heads covered at all times so that they can pray at any time. Both modesty and prayer are central to the daily lives of Amish people and for women, wearing head coverings and bonnets is an important part of that.
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.
Most modern Mennonites read these passages in a cultural context. While they still greet one another warmly and offer blessings to one another in various ways, they usually don't actually kiss.
Concerning deodorant, yes, the Amish DO wear deodorant. If they don't, it's their personal choice.
Most Amish women tend to wash clothes using an old-time tub-style wringer washers. Some Old Order and Swartzentruber Amish still use boiling water in a large pot and “swoosh” the clothes around until the clothes are clean. There's usually a set schedule for laundry day, for many Amish families it is Monday.
During the last 100 years, the church considered the consumption of alcohol to be a sin. But that “marker” is passing away. While a large majority of us—probably 75 percent by now—accepts some use, we honor those for whom the consumption of alcohol continues to be “always wrong.”
Congregations are encouraged to practice foot washing when it is a meaningful symbol of service and love for each other. “Washing the feet of the saints” (1 Tim. 5:10) is one way of representing Christ to each other in acts of hospitality, service, and love.
Black and White Bonnets
An unmarried woman may be in the process of an Amish courtship, but until she gets hitched, she wears a black bonnet. Once married, a woman will swap out her old black bonnet for a fresh white one.