As a religion, as a culture and as a way of life the Amish faith ranks at the top when it comes to some of the most restrictive and self-control ideas. If you imagine hats, a horse buggy ad simples dresses, the Amish faith has all the ingredients to time-travel to the 16^th century, but that’s just the appearance. The Amish faith has a similar moral structure as orthodox Christianity and while the old order is not as progressive as the modern day church, they are not entirely opposed to everything modern. However, in so many ways, a life of simplicity and self-sufficiency is a choice people are making more and more these days. There is so much that is worse than farming and rearing livestock out there.

The Amish women, more than the men, have been a major source of intrigue for the world. They are usually clear skinned, simple and without any kind of enhancement to their face. They do not photograph as it’s considered vain; something the old order abhors. The women do not cover their faces but for all intents and purposes they are cloaked to the world. Here are some rare photographs that depict Amish beauty and grace. Some images show women that have broken free from the order and joined the modern world.

15. Acceptance

Kate was the only cast member of the show who did not return to her community and stayed in New York to pursue her passion for clothes and modelling. She wanted to experience New York and despite having no earlier inclinations towards modelling, she grabbed at the chance to really go out in the world and do something. Kate was 21 at the time and despite the fact that her parents don’t support her and are against modelling as a matter of faith, they still welcome her back home. She still has a place at the table despite having transgressed in the manner that she did.

While the public baring of skin is not approved, the Amish women do enjoy their lingerie, according to Stoltz. The Amish are rigid in their beliefs regarding modeling and while Kate hoped their horizon would broaden eventually, she was glad for whatever semblance of acceptance she received from her parents.

14. Close Knit Community

The Amish do not support anything that objectifies and brings forth the human vanity in any way. One reason for the modest type and style of clothing is to achieve humility under all circumstances. They do not watch television or partake in any form of mass communication. While things have evolved for them and girls are known to have music awareness and social media presence during “Rumspringa” there is a lot that is still unacceptable.

The community has a very clear set of rules and is very tightly knit. It is in part the presence of movies and shows like Breaking Amish that have piqued audience interest in the ways of the old order. Since the community does not expand to other avenues very often, the major source of income, travel and entertainment is usually the same and limited at best.

13. Breaking Amish

While the role of women is greatly questioned in the Amish society, it is not entirely a suppressed one. Women have no say in the decision making aspects of the community with a more antiquated role offered to them that includes cooking, cleaning and rearing children. These ideas are outrageous in the modern world but the Amish have a society with a working fabric and structure that has been functional under the principles of the old order for centuries.

The reality show Breaking Amish follows the life of many young adults that sought to escape the Amish society and did so. Some made it big while others are struggling, nonetheless the aim of the deserters of the community is to enjoy a full life, free from constraints. Some names that have become famous are Sabrina High and Kate Stoltzfus.

12. Cultural Aversions

One reason it is such a feat to capture any image of women from the Amish community is their aversion to photographs. While there are varying views within the community, the more orthodox within the Amish (if that’s even possible) consider photographs as a way of accentuating individualism and drawing attention to one’s physical self. Since the Amish consider the rules of the Bible as literal commandments without any room for philosophical undertones, for example,

“Thou shalt not make unto thyself a graven image”

Is taken literally with no room for alternative interpretations, meaning taking photographs is something that is disliked in their culture. The Amish are not fans of music either; it is a general rule that the member of the old order must not play musical instruments. In the Amish faith, music is a means of self-expression that lead to feelings of hubris and superiority.

11. Attire is Important

The Amish way of dressing is not just indicative of ideology but also represents their social status. The Amish hat for example is an excellent example of representative attire. A white cap signifies that a girl is unmarried while darker bonnets atop prayer caps show that a woman is married. Despite the recurring theme of purity and practicality, there are clicks that exude a simplistic charm and raw beauty. The demeanor of a woman is important to the Amish; nothing must pull attention to a woman. This idea is one reason why all Amish women have their hair completely covered in public.

The image is definitely brazen by Amish standards, considering how the photograph draws immediate attention towards itself. However, from the starched organza prayer caps to the simplistic dresses, attire signifies important messages to the rest of the community regarding one’s self.

10. Self-Sufficiency

The Amish not only believe in hard work and a collective labor, in the sense that the family as a unit works for everyone, but also staunchly believe in self-sufficiency when it comes to food. Every member must partake in running the farms and maintenance of the livestock.

Women must learn skills like cooking and sewing to assure that they are capable of stitching their clothes. Men are expected to handle the buggy, ride a horse, manage the fields and conduct all sorts of hard labor themselves. The Amish faith is all about pacifism, humility, hard work and prayer. While the old order rests on these pillars and every member of the Amish Church must abide by these principles, it is the act of self-sufficiency in all things that is the crux of the Amish culture.

9. Rumspringa

Baptism is considered the point of maturity in the Amish community; boys and girls are considered in the “Rumspringa” stage. During this time, marriage is not allowed and neither is free commune. Baptism takes place anytime between the ages of 18 and 22.

Rumspringa translates to a time of “happy frolicking”, free of the Amish version of adulthood and responsibilities. A typical night out during this time would mean watching a movie together, where the young Amish adults could enjoy themselves (responsibly of course). An energetic pursuit of desires is not encouraged, but it isn’t hindered either if done within certain limits set by the community. Young adults are expected to return to the community to be baptized and officially enter the community but sometimes people leave to live a modern life.

8. Kate Stoltzfus

Kate is an example of the rare success story that makes it to the forefront every now and then. Kate was raised in Myrestown as an Amish girl. However, she left all that behind at the age of 22 and became a bikini model, posing for magazines like “Maxim”. She stars on the reality TV show, Breaking Amish. In terms of popularity, she definitely ranks at the top for Amish women that left the prairie to become a thriving success story.

Her choice of career is offensive to her former community to put it lightly. She quite literally shed the rules of the old order. According to Kate, she heard music for the first time when she was 13, and she was enthralled. In her hometown in Pennsylvania, there were limitations on everything from electricity to transport.

7. Walking Away

Kate walked away from the community at the age of 22. However, she described the process as gradual. In an interview published on NextShark.com she described the influence clearly,

“I always knew that there was a culture outside the one that I grew up in. It just slowly seeped into my life. We would go shopping for groceries at the same supermarkets that everybody else did. I would see people driving cars, dressing differently. We saw the people that weren’t in the community as worldly and living a lifestyle that isn’t necessarily a good thing. It’s kind of like brainwashing. We didn’t really understand that there’s nothing wrong with driving a car, listening to the radio, or living somewhere else from where you grew up in. We lived in a very warped and different community than everyone else does.”

6. Bikini Model

Fate led Kate to choose a career that is perhaps the polar opposite of the values she was raised with. The Amish abhor vanity and flaunting of the self. Clearly Kate was flaunting something worth flaunting! She is definitely the most famous Amish woman to ever hit the modeling industry.

From being a successful model and TV personality, Kate journeyed further into her creative potential and launched her line of clothing, inspired by the stitching she learned as a child in her hometown. Kate personifies the hidden potential of every Amish woman; the appeal and the allure is all there under the plain façade. But there are perhaps more women like Kate that can truly amaze the world. But, despite the desire to be seen and heard, self-expression of this variety can get you banned or thrown out of the community.

5. Moving Forward

From an upbringing that was far from what modern-day humanity might remotely consider normal, Kate’s life was as Amish as it gets. She wore a bonnet, plain dresses and prayer caps kept her hair hidden. Dresses covered her from neck to ankle, and nothing flashy was of import to her in her earlier year, especially when she mastered sewing at the age of 9.

Kate went to the same shops and saw cars; it was impossible to ignore the sights they saw, despite hefty restrictions on the usage of electricity, telephones, cars and clothing, there was little room for her creativity to flow or grow. Kate fed the cows, cooked, cleaned and pitched hay every day for 6 hours and yet she came out of all of that. The cultural pushed her to actively pursue her desires and dreams and right now she’s only moving forward.

4. Sabrina High

Sabrina was another star of the hit TV show Breaking Amish. Not every story has a happy ending; in this case it is Sabrina High. While Sabrina struggled with substance abuse, domestic issues and the custody of her two children, she was even faced with homelessness. However, unlike Kate, the lack of familiarity offered by the real world was too much for her, she chose to return to her way of life in 2015.

Her fight with drugs did not stop after 2015 as she was later arrested for possession and the custody for her son Oakley was taken from her as she was labeled an unfit parent. While she chose the safety and comfort of her own cocoon, she came out for another series. Her struggle is against substance abuse so that she may once again have her kids back.

3. Alice Greczyn

Alice played the character of an Amish girl in the 2008 production Sex Drive. Her portrayal of a chaste girl testing out the world on her own falls perfectly between subtle sizzle and the culturally subdued. While the film is based on a novel, the depiction of the characters falling in love and eventually marrying within the community is lovely to watch and a bit idealistic. For an outsider who wishes to become a part of the community, marrying an Amish girl is neither simple nor without social peril.

Becoming a member of the old order requires that the seeker not only get well versed in the Pennsylvanian German dialect but also focus on shedding all worldly luxuries. This is not easy, since all of this must be done under the roof and supervision of a pure Amish family to assure that the seeker has adapted to their way of life.

2. Michelle “BombShell” McGee

It is incredibly hard to fathom a reality where Michelle was ever a part of the Amish community. But, according to multiple interviews, she has mentioned repeatedly that she was raised Amish. Michelle is a raven-haired, 24-year-old tattoo artist who likes to pose provocatively. She shot to fame for three very notorious reasons, she did some shots as a swastika model, works as a stripper and allegedly had an affair with the now ex-husband of Sandra Bullock, Jesse James.

Michelle is also active on a cybersex site where she uses most of her provocative pictures. However, her tattoo-covered body is a far cry from what she describes as her childhood. She left the old order at the age of 16 to live a different, more modern life in California.

1. Shot to Infamy

Michelle is a mother of two and her instant fame came in part when she made claims of having a torrid affair with Sandra Bullock’s husband. While she gave no initial proof of this claim, screenshots of messages eventually surfaced lending her claims some substance.

According to Hollywood Life, McGee worked at many clubs as a stripper, namely in the San Diego area. She became one of the more famous attractions in Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club. The media circus surrounding the entire matter was nevertheless good for Michelle. Her profile shot to the top and once she revealed details about her affair, her website crashed.

While Michelle is definitely a completely different person from her Amish youth, if her claims are true, according to people that know her, including her landlord, she is a sweet, nice person who doesn’t entertain much. Despite the look, clearly, some Amish values are still there!