Bobasaur, I'll have to disagree about the reasons... especially given the family size/number of children of a Muslim household compared to a nunnery. The burqa is so that the eyes of a strange male don't fall upon the woman, and covet her (which would be a trespass against the man who owns her). At home she can work topless. The nun's habit indicates that she has given up the things of the earth (including any clothing which typically indicates social status or wealth), and has become the bride of Christ. Purity isn't involved in either case. The white shift given at baptism in the middle ages did indicate purity. There are tales of some Scandinavians who got baptised 3 and 4 times just to get new clothes... when fabric started to run out, they made the shifts shorter and got complaints. Carolly