In short, Amish women don't shave because they aren't allowed to cut their hair. Similarly, married men don't shave their beards, but do shave their cheeks and trim to keep their beards tidy.
There's no rule against shaving any hair other than the beard hair of a married man. However, the Amish are admonished against any form of vanity. This is evident from their modest clothing, and lack of make-up or jewelry. Many of the more conservative Amish would view shaving body hair as a form of vanity.
The Amish bedroom rules contain what is known as bundling. This is the practice of sleeping in the same bed with someone of the opposite sex while fully clothed. Bundling is not considered sexual in nature. Rather, it's seen as a way to get to know someone better before marriage.
The length and style of beards vary between different Amish groups, but all men must keep at least some facial hair in order to adhere to the religious rules. Unmarried men can cut their beards off if they choose, but must grow them back once they are married.
When a man gets married, he stops shaving his beard entirely. It grows for the rest of his life to show the longevity of his marriage. But this begs an important question — what if an Amish man can't grow a beard? The short answer is that this isn't a problem because an Amish man's marriage isn't about growing a beard.
Amish Carpenters Don't Use Nails or Screws!
Part of the allure of Amish craftsmanship is the painstaking attention to detail, and the fastener-free joinery is a prime example. Amish woodworkers tend to forgo nails and opt for techniques like dovetails, rabbets, and mortise-and-tenon joinery instead.
Amish bonnets, known as kapp or prayer coverings, are a staple to the plain people of Amish. They are used everywhere by Amish women to show honor and to communicate their status. In North America, where the largest settlement of Amish is located, numerous kinds of head coverings are worn.
In the Amish community, divorce is forbidden and not sanctioned in the Amish church. If a member of the community violates this, they are violating their vows that they took during their Amish baptism, which takes place between the ages of 18 and 22 years old, according to National Geographic.
Amish women do not cut their hair and Amish men do not cut their beards after marriage for biblical reasons. “In the Amish faith a man's beard and a women's hair are sacred religious symbols,” Bridget M. Brennan, an assistant U.S. attorney, said in her opening statement.
Pennsylvania Dutch is the language used by the Amish population here in Lancaster County. It is considered to be their first and native language. The Amish learn to read, write and speak in English, allowing them to communicate with the 'outside world'.
The Amish wedding night will usually be spent in the bride's parent's home, as the couple will need to assist in clean up the following day. They will then spend their first months of marriage – their honeymoon – visiting relatives. (This is when most gifts they receive will be given.)
The Amish consider curtains to be decoration and don't decorate any portion of their homes, but we did notice that they appear to have simple blinds at the window. When we looked into it further we found that they did often have green blinds, made themselves, from natural materials.
Amish and Mennonites
“People might wear a suit and some people might wear shorts and tops or whatever,” she said. “There's quite a bit of variety.” Also, Nolt said, young children are able to wear more modern swimwear, as they are not yet official members of the church.
According to the Schwartzentruber Amish Ordinance Letter, Amish women are not permitted to shave their legs or underarms. Amish ordinances also forbid women from cutting their hair.
Concerning deodorant, yes, the Amish DO wear deodorant. If they don't, it's their personal choice.
Sikhs. The Sikh religion forbids cutting or shaving any bodily hair. Orthodox Sikhs always carry a dagger with them, lest someone try to force them to do something against their religion.
They Are Unlikely to Work Outside the Home
Women in the Amish community are unlikely to work outside the home. This is because their primary role is to take care of the home and family.
An Amish doll is best described as a plain rag doll usually lacking physical features of a face and hair. It is also thought that a face on a doll makes it appear more worldly, which is not considered acceptable among the Amish.
Marriage between Amish and outsiders is rare. That's because it's not allowed by Amish Law. However, should an outsider decide to convert to the Amish faith and get baptized, they'll be accepted as a member of the Amish community. They'll then be allowed to marry an Amish person.
The Amish Community and Dating
Dating among the Amish typically begins around age 16 with most Amish couples marrying between the ages of 20 and 22. To find a prospective date, the young adults socialize at functions such as frolics, church, or home visits.
Marrying a first cousin is not allowed among the Amish, but second-cousin relationships are allowed. Marriage to a "Schwartz" cousin (the first cousin once removed) is not permitted in Lancaster County. The onset of courtship is usually not openly discussed within the family or among friends.
Tobacco and alcohol are also not allowed. They also wished to incorporate more evangelical elements into the church, including Sunday school and mission work. Some scholars see the group best characterized as a subgroup of Old Order Amish, despite the name.
The Amish are exempted from social security and reject health insurance coverage, do not practice birth control, and often veto preventive practices such as immunization and prenatal care.
Amish clothing styles encourage humility and separation from the world and are a practical expression of their faith. The Amish fashion styles are simple and meant to be functional.
As you probably already know, Amish don't wear jewelry. This includes wedding rings and engagement rings. No jewelry of any kind.