Why Do They Dress that Way? (Rev ed) (People's Place Book, No 7) [Paperback]

Stephen Scott (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this concise overview of "plain" clothing, Scott, author of Plain Buggies, discusses simple garments worn by the Amish and Mennonites, and mentions in passing other plain dressers, including Hasidic Jews, some Catholic nuns and Quakers, the few remaining Shakers and some Pentecostal groups. Scott relates the origins of plain clothing in North America and notes basic styles. For example, Amish men wear hats with wide brims, their shirts and broadfall pants have no pockets; Amish women always wear aprons. He also charts the changes made in plain clothing strictures. (Many Mennonite women used to wear black stockings, but don't now; Mennonite men no longer wear plain coats.) In the chapter called "Path to Plainness," Scott tells of his decision to join the Old Order Brethen, which led to difficult situations because he had to begin dressing plainly while living in the Ohio suburbs and attending college.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Good Books; Rev Sub edition (September 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561482404
• ISBN-13: 978-1561482405
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #967,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Protestantism > Mennonite

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, August 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Why Do They Dress that Way? (Rev ed) (People's Place Book, No 7) (Paperback)

This book is a well written, sensitive look at one aspect of plain people's practices. Quite often misunderstood, this book explains the "reasons" behind the dress practices as well as the distinctions. It is my understanding that the author is not just writing this from an impersonal, analytical vantage point, but rather plain dress is a personal and important value of his being a member of the Old Order River Brethren in Lancaster County, PA.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A lot of detail on the clothing....., January 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Why Do They Dress that Way? (Rev ed) (People's Place Book, No 7) (Paperback)

This is a good addition to the library of someone studying the Old Order or 'plain people' groups. I have yet to find a more thorough breakdown of the different types of clothing worn by the four main branches of Old Order Anabaptist sects.

On the down side, the writing was not particularly well done and there were a few typographic errors. The section on Catholics and Hasidic Jews, though appropriate, were very short.

Despite the problems mentioned above, this is still a very good reference.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource, August 10, 2003

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Do They Dress that Way? (Rev ed) (People's Place Book, No 7) (Paperback)

This book is a fascinating look at the various Protestant (mainly Anabaptist) groups that wear plain clothes, focusing primarily on the Amish, Hutterites and Old Order Mennonites. The author grew up in a nominally Christian home, but over the years he found himself drawn more and more to the commitment of the plain clothes Christians that he saw. Eventually he himself embraced the plain clothes style mode, and this book is his labor of love.

This book tells you everything that you might want to know about these plain clothes groups, including why they dress the way that they do, how they dress, and the differences that exist in the items worn by plain clothes people. Along the way, the reader is treated to many wonderful black-and-white pictures of plain clothes people.

Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and informative book. If you are interested in the plain clothes people, then I would have to say that you must get this book. It is an excellent resource!