I live in the French Alps - local peaks up to 12,000' - and so most visitors in our short summer season dress in a way that at least acknowledges slightly that the local terrain demands a bit more than what you wear on the subway/metro on the way to work.

Just walked into my local (larger ) village from my (little) village today and there were several van-loads of Jews walking along the road. This was a very pleasant summer afternoon , around 23 C ( 74F ) but all of these male visitors were wearing long black trousers, white shirts and hats, plus, the thing that I focussed on most, trainers !

This then contravenes what I wrote in the first paragraph about conforming a little to local "norms" ( even if you don't put a foot off the tarmac/road-surface ).

Looking it up wouldn't give me the depth I want, so could anyone explain why on a hot day these people would stick with the same (type of ) uncomfortable clothes they will wear in Paris, and especially why nobody in the whole group of 30 or 40 would be wearing shoes/boots appropriate to the mountains ?

Religious/cultural what ?

It's cultural, I think. Nothing to be alarmed about, and I would encourage you to receive them with warmth and hospitality.

A young Arab asks his father, "What is that weird hat you are wearing?"
The father said, "Why, it's a 'chechia' because in the desert it protects
our heads from the sun."
"And what is this type of clothing that you are wearing?" asked the young
man.
"It's a 'djbellah' because in the desert it is very hot and it protects the
body," said the father.
The son asked, "And what about those ugly shoes on your feet?
His father replied, "These are 'babouches', which keep us from burning our
feet in the desert."
"So tell me then," said the boy, "Why are you living in Bradford and still
wearing all this cr*p?"

oy vey.
perhaps they did't view lederhosen as kosher ?




:}

My first question is - "How did you know that they were 'Jews'?"

Was it purely because of the style of their dress?

If so, then you have your answer to the question why on a hot day these people would stick with the same (type of ) uncomfortable clothes they will wear in Paris?

There are enclaves of Ultra-Orthodox Jews in many cities (in Europe) who retain a conservative style of dress - or was it just that they were wearing skull-caps?
Did the men have their hair in ringlets?

so could anyone explain why on a hot day these people would stick with the same (type of ) uncomfortable clothes they will wear in Paris, and especially why nobody in the whole group of 30 or 40 would be wearing shoes/boots appropriate to the mountains ?

Why didn't you ask them?

23C is a hot day ????

23C is a hot day ????

Yeah, at 23C here we got the heaters running. :p

It was 46C* here yesterday. :(






* Okay, 45.57768C. ;)

Ricardian

You might have it backwards, father should be asking the Muslim son the questions.

GF

Just walked into my local (larger ) village from my (little) village today and there were several van-loads of Jews walking along the road. This was a very pleasant summer afternoon , around 23 C ( 74F ) but all of these male visitors were wearing long black trousers, white shirts and hats, plus, the thing that I focussed on most, trainers !


So jackets had been removed therefore attire was adjusted for the mild ambient temperature.

What Bandaide said:ok:

Were they Jewish or Armish?

No Amish in Europe as how would they get there ???

Let them do as they please, whatever religion/culture etc.

As long as they reciprocate this tolerance if they encounter naturists, gays etc.

Should they kick up a fuss... sod them IMHO.

23 C is very pleasant when appropriately dressed. Walking in the sunshine in heavy , dark clothing is another matter entirely.

Actually my main curiosity was, as said previously, the trainers. They seemed entirely wrong when worn with the otherwise very conservative attire. I don't know why, but I would have expected heavy, black leather brogues or similar. Not sure if this a distant memory of something, or I am just extrapolating from the other clothing.

c-p I know I certainly wouldn't like to have to deal with the extremes of temperature you have in the Mid-West. Is it possible to do anything at all outside when it is so hot ? Is it also very humid ?

I suppose in a few months you can then look forward to some really frigid times just for a change. This winter just past we had a period of 10 days of uninterrupted -20 C here which was very unpleasant, but that would also be nothing special in your neck-of-the-woods, right ?

Why didn't you ask them?

Because I think that would be intrusive

I visited EuroDisney (or whatever) hosting a 10 person strong Chinese delegation early 90'ies. Before they were allowed to leave China they had been instructed to wear black suits at all times, and as good Chinese they did, at all times. They had not however been instructed as foot wear was concerned and they all showed up in white trainers, combine that with fake Raybans on all and I felt like the manager of The Chinese Blues Brothers. Great guys and gals and I'd never had so much fun in my life. (And before anyone asks, no the two females of the group did not come in suits.)
Per

I remember taking the girls to Thorpe Park in the eighties. A couple of bus loads of Orthodox Jewish young men turned up - brimmed hats, ringlets, black suits etc. on a hot summer's day - and our daughters were much amused by the sight of about twenty of them in line astern, hands clasped Prince Pillip style behind their backs, roller skating round and round the skating rink. I didn't have a camera handy, but it would have made a very striking photograph. Traditional dress has disappeared from most European communities but Orthodox Jews hang on to the old ways as fiercely as the Amish. They run fantastic delicatessen. :ok:

My best friend as a kid came from an observant (But not Orthodox) Jewish family.It was quite a while before I realised his dad owned a factory.I was from a working class background and was always treated by them as a social equal,unlike many lower middle class people we knew who thought themselves a cut above.