How do you feel about Chassidish levush as a Purim costume

amother

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:00 pm

This is a very common Purim costume, not necessarily a faithful rendition of any group's levush, but recognizably Chassidish. Dh feels it's disrespectful, making fun of Chassidim, because Purim costumes are "supposed to be" funny. I disagree that they're "supposed to be" anything, they're just "supposed to be" something different from what the wearer is IRL. They can be funny or not. BTW neither one of us is Chassidish.

OTOH, if somebody dressed up for Halloween as an Orthodox Jew, male or female, I would be offended, so I can see dh point.

I'd like to hear mainly from Chassidish women since it's their community that's being copied, but I'll listen to anyone. Please state whether you're Chassidish or not.

amother

Coral

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:02 pm

I think a lot of boys and men are fascinated by all the different levush. It's common for them to dress up in a different levush and it's not limited to just dressing up as chassidish. I've never seen it done in a disrespectful way so I don't see the problem.

amother

Steelblue

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:02 pm

I'm chassidish and agree with you
I think ppl look good with their curly peyos and should keep it all yr!

amother

Lawngreen

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:05 pm

How is it more disrespectful than dressing up as a doctor, firefighter, cop, pilot, lifeguard......
Costumes aren't supposed to be funny. They're supposed to be a costume.
I don't think there's anything wrong with it, unless is obviously done in a derogatory way. This applies to any costume, not specifically to dressing up as a chasid.

amother

Burgundy

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:05 pm

I'm with you. but even if costumes "should be" funny, it is funny when a MO or super litvish person dresses up chasidish. it's funny in a nice, cute, feel-good way.

FWIW, I'm chasidish and my family members sometimes dress up as litvaks, MO, and different sects of chasidish and it's very cute and funny. no harm done.

amother

Orchid

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:07 pm

I’m chassidish. No issue with it.
Unless they put on an oversized hook nose or something derogatory like that.

amother

Ghostwhite

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:11 pm

My chassidish cousins once dressed up as "cool litvish" people for purim. We (the "cool litvish" family lol) thought it was hillarious. The girls wore long slinky skirts and tichels pulled back to show a bit of hair, and long earrings and I forgot what else but it looked so funny (they normally dress really chassidish, vizhnitz). There were no hard feelings at all

mommy3b2c

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:34 pm

Not offensive if done with love and fun. I wouldn’t be offended if non Jews dressed up frum either. As long as done with love and fun…

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:34 pm

No issues
With it it’s an easy eidel relatively cheap costume.
Btw that includes girls.
When borrowing bekeshes be mindful of the price point of said item
And yup we are chasidish

Chickensoupprof

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:46 pm

I have a friend (yeshivish) and when she was a kollel wife in EY she changed levush with a chassidish woman. On purim the woman got her long sheital, and her husband got the black hat it was fun to see.

mha3484

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:46 pm

I dont love the idea of someones regular clothing being my kids costume. I cant fully articulate why it just always sat wrong with wrong with me but on a list of costume ideas I am willing to argue with my kids about this is so low on the list that my feelings are not that strong. But its not my preference either.

amother

Mayflower

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:47 pm

The ups driver that delivers in our area wore a yarmulke and payes one Purim. It was so cute, everyone wanted to take selfies with him. I don’t think it’s disrespectful to dress up as chasidish, we do wear different clothes than most people, so why would I be bothered?

amother

Lilac

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:48 pm

Whats the diff between men dressing up chassidish and then people dressing up as a black man or a chinese woman?

pause

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:49 pm

It's the same as other ethnic costumes.
Are you ok with Native American costumes? With African-style braids in the hair? With Chinese costumes? And let's not go there - with blackface?

I have no issue with any of them, but I know plenty people who do. Whatever your philosophy, don't be a hypocrite.

Trademark

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:52 pm

amother Lilac wrote:

Whats the diff between men dressing up chassidish and then people dressing up as a black man or a chinese woman?

It's considered very offensive to dress up as a black person aka blackface.

And yes it would bother me if a non-Jew dresses up as a chassid, it's rarely complimentary.

For kids I would have no problem, it's cute.

Adults I feel it's different, I don't think it's tasteful.

mha3484

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:52 pm

pause wrote:

I think there is a tone. Like if my kid is repeating gross stuff he heard about a different group of jews and then wants to dress like them for purim I will wonder if its mocking or pure fun. If its purely for fun I am ok with it if there is an undertone of making fun of someone it makes me uncomfortable.

amother

cornflower

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 5:59 pm

It’s just a fun day with everyone having a fun time.
It’s only a problem if someone is ‘making fun’ but I have never seen that on Purim.