March 1, 2018 Hasidic men’s fashion: the shtreimel
The shtreimel (שטריימל) is made of real beaver fur and is usually first received by a man from his bride’s family—the hat can be very expensive so this is a wedding gift. The man wears the shtreimel only once he gets married, and even then, on shabbes, holidays, and other special occasions. Believe it or not, there are quite a bit of fashion trends around these hats. In recent years the hats have gotten taller, and nice peaks (shpitzen) of the fur mean the shtreimel is fresher and nicer.
Edit: Someone mentioned that the fur might be mink, not beaver. This article sheds light:
“To make one shtreimel can take up to 400 tails of various breeds of mink, sable of fox – the scrap of the fur industry.”
And while we are quoting:
“But at a cost of up to $4000 each, it can be a profitable one too.”
Related:
A list of Hasidic female headgear, with illustrations
With Elena Solomon: On shpanyer arbet, a special part of Hasidic garment art
Williamsburg is stuck in the 1950s, part 2: clothing