Hats for the Well Dressed

I had to go to the airport late Thursday to meet someone. Nothing surprising in itself, but while sitting and waiting in the arrivals hall, SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) got rather grossed out by a rather large religious fellow digging for diamonds in his head (through his nose). But, it was his hat that got me thinking. It was huge, black, decorated with some kind of fur. It was definitely his "top-shelf" hat. He must have been waiting to meet his Rabbi or something.

These guys care a lot about hats. I swear that El-AL has specially large overhead bins to accommodate hat boxes. They always travel with hat boxes. Nice ones too - you know how much I admire quality boxes. They never seem to care about the wife and 15 kids, but those hat boxes - man do they get pampered. They are always placed carefully in the overhead racks - never at the feet. If there is no room overhead, then they are clutched carefully on the lap for the full 14 hour trip from Tel Aviv to Newark. Someone told me that each sect has a different hat style (and supplier), thats how you tell them apart. Its like DNA typing.

Anyway back to the dude at the airport. He also had those heavy black rimmed "Clark Kent" style glasses. These signify many late nights crouched in bad light over biblical study books. Its been reported that you can buy these hats and glasses in specific sets. Package deals for the well dressed ultra-orthodox - hell of a business, I'll bet.