Respect

Dress Codes and Appropriate Clothing

    Inspired by the book of Samuel P. Huntington, the Clash of Civilizations, I researched about appropriate clothing to wear to a religious event. Huntington’s book states on page 29, “Differences in culture and religion create differences over policy issues, ranging from human rights to immigration to trade and commerce to the environment(page. 29). This reminded me that, it would be ideal if we learned all the differences and understood each other’s religious traits, there would be less conflicts due to misunderstanding. The next few paragraphs are different dress codes categorized by religion. Religions were selected out of a list created by www.theregister.co.uk, in which they had listed the religions with the biggest populations.

    First of all, I focused on the Catholic Christians, and the Protestant Christians. When attending the Vatican in Rome, people are recommended to bring hats, sunscreen and water in the summer, as Rome gets very hot in the summer. Accepted clothing would be, for men, long pants and at least short sleeves, and for women, knees covered, and at least short sleeves. Now, that is the traditional dress code for papal audiences, and the dress code at your neighborhood church and chapel might be different. Next, for Protestant Christians, traditionally, all members and missionaries were to not wear, short sleeves, short skirts, split skirts or hats with flowers or feathers. It is ideal to dress modest in God’s presence.

    Second of all, I focused on the Islamic dress code. In the Quran, it states that reverent clothing is the best type of clothing. One must also cover your cleavage. Now, most Islamic women are seen with a hijab, which means a barrier or veil. A hijab is highly recommended within the culture, and even for tourists. However, within the family, relaxed dress code is okay.

    Last but not least I focused on Hinduism. The Hindus have different dress codes when in public and in private. In private, comfortable clothing is okay, however this may vary by family and tradition. In public it is safe to cover your cleavage in front of a crowd. One of the traditional customs of Hinduism is Bindi, a red dot worn in the centre of your forehead between the eyebrows. It represents concealed wisdom, and acts as the third eye. Another traditional clothing is a sari, or saree. A Sari is a drape from 5 to 9 yards and is worn as a female garmet. It is usually wrapped around the waist and one side drapes on the shoulder. It is usually worn over a petticoat with an upper garmet called blouse.

    Each religion and culture have its differences, however they are all unique and special to someone. A genuine curiosity might offend someone, and cause conflicts. Therefore, appreciate all cultures like your own.

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