The Club

A week ago, Sarah was musing on different people's associations of dress with certain elements of identity, particularly Orthodox Judaism. I've always wondered about this stuff; namely, how close does one have to be to the "club" in order to be able to automatically recognize its other members?

I'll elaborate. I went into women's clothing store (in NY) a few days ago that just happens to be owned and run by frum Jews. I walked in and caught a glance from one of the women, looked down at my own ankle-length skirt, and chuckled to myself. But I wondered several things at once:
1) whether I was as obvious to them as they were to me
2) whether they were as obvious to everyone else as they were to me
3) if the answers to 1 & 2 are different, why??? True, I don't wear a long skirt, or even a skirt, every day. But I am observant, and I was dressed "accordingly" today. What exactly is it beyond the skirt itself that constitutes the label?

In case you're wondering, I could only see this woman from the shoulders up, as she was standing behind a clothing rack. And of the several other women around the store whose religious identities were equally as apparent to me, not all of them were married (hat/wig), nor could I see the lower half of some of them. In addition, I must I point out that I have had this experience in many other settings, lest you imagine that my prior knowledge of the store's ownership was at all relevant.

So, to return to my question, given the myriads of women who wear long skirts for no other reason than that they like to, what is it about frum women that allow them to be immediately identified, and how widespread is the recognition factor? Is it only other religious Jews who can pinpoint them? All Jews? Anyone who has spent time in their presence?