Dress Hasidim are known for their distinctive attire. Within the Hasidic world, different groups can be distinguished by subtle differences in appearance. Hasidim most commonly wear a long black robe called a bekishe with which they use a gartel (a type of prayer belt). A Hasidic Rebbe on Shabbat traditionally wears a white or gold bekishe rather than a black one, but this practice is not universal today. Hasidim customarily wear black hats during the weekdays. On Shabbat many married Hasidim wear a shtreimel while the Gerer Hasidim wear a spodik, since the 1950s members of Chabad have worn fedoras (trilbies in England), even on Shabbat. It is also common to see Hasidim wearing white socks and-or buckled shoes. The reasoning behind this is threefold. Firstly, the clothing is very pious-looking, which is commended among Hasidim. Secondly, this style of clothing was worn by many Jews in Ukraine two hundred and fifty years ago, and Hasidim are opposed to any changes to their traditional way of life and believe that the same applies to the type of clothing they wear. Thirdly, Hasidim wear distinctive clothing simply to look different than the general population. The belief is that to be Jewish, and to feel Jewish, one must look Jewish. The actual Hasidic styles are not different from the attire of Eastern European noblemen centuries ago. Hasidim, and other Jews, believe that one has to look his or her best before God in synagogue. Hasidic women wear clothing that is less distinctive than their male counterparts, but answers to the principles of tzeniut (modest dress in the sense of Jewish law). Long, conservative skirts and sleeves past the elbow are the rules, but other than that, Hasidic women wear clothing like other women in the non-Jewish societies in which they live. In some Hasidic groups, such as Satmar, many married women shave their heads, and many wear wigs. Other Hasidic groups consider it hypocritical to wear false hair, so they simply put their hair into nets or kerchiefs (called "snoods"). Before marriage, the hair is allowed to be uncovered by all Hasidic groups. Following a Biblical commandment not to shave the sides of one's face, male members of some Hasidic groups wear long, uncut sideburns called payot (Ashkenazic Hebrew payos). Not every Hasidic group requires long payot, but all groups forbid the cutting of the beard. All Hasidic boys receive their first haircuts ceremoniously when they are three years old. Until then, Hasidic boys have long hair. The custom has been adopted by many non-Hbuttidic (and even non-Orthodox) Jews. The white threads that are seen at the waists of Hasidim and other Orthodox Jews are called tzitzit. The requirement to wear fringes comes from Numbers. "Speak to the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes on the borders of their garments throughout their generations." (Numbers 15:38) By tradition, a Hasidic boy will receive his first fringed garment on his third birthday, the same day as his first haircut.
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