Reply To: Yeshivish Sartorialism

The issue is grooming. Soliek makes a valid point. But at it’s essence I’m referring to grooming; looking neat, looking like one spent a few minutes every morning and insuring basics like, one either shaved or trimmed and/or combed one’s beard. Insuring that one’s ears are clean. Combing one’s hair. Grooming means pressing pants and wearing shirts that are not wrinkled, or socks without holes, polishing one’s shoes and having them heeled when necessary. It means showering and wearing deoderant. The whole point of the alter of Slabodka’s dress code, one patterned on middle class business dress of his day, was to imbue his students with a sense of dignity and pride. Similarly the Dejer Rav insisted that boys in his yeshiva have their pants pressed at all times. There is a value, a spiritual value in properly presenting oneself and in proper personal hygiene and grooming. It matters not what the actual clothing is. What matters is being well groomed.