A religious habit is a distinctive set of clothing worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally, some plain garb recognizable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anchoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform style.

In many orders, the conclusion of postulancy and the beginning of the novitiate is marked by a ceremony, in which the new novice is accepted as a novice and then clothed in the community’s habit by the superior. In some cases, the novice’s habit will be somewhat different from the customary habit: for instance, in specific orders of women that use the veil, it is common for novices to wear a white veil while professed members wear black, or if the order generally wears white, the novice wears a grey veil. Among some Franciscan communities of men, novices wear a sort of overshirt over their tunic; Carthusian novices wear a black cloak over their white habit.

Tunic: This is the central piece of the habit. It is a loose dress made of serge fabric pleated at the neck and draping to the ground. It can be worn pinned up in the front or in the back to allow the nun to work.

Scapular: This symbolic apron hangs from both the front and back; it is worn over the tunic. Benedictine nuns also wear it over the belt, whereas some other orders wear it tied under the belt.

Cincture: The habit is often secured around the waist with a belt of leather, wool or a lanyard. The cincture of the Franciscan orders has three (or four) knots standing for the vows.

Deacons, priests, and bishops belonging to religious institutes wear the habit of their institute.

Clergy bishops who are abbots wear pontifical items. Mitre, crosier and ring are bestowed on an abbot at his blessing and the pectoral cross is a customary part of an abbatial habit.

In the Middle Ages, the vesting of the Scapular identified members who had been accepted into the spiritual community of various religious orders. The role of the Scapular is similar to that of the Rosary; it is one form of devotion to the Most Holy Mary, who gave it to us as a means of sanctification and salvation, thus the title of Sacramental.

Friars wear the rosary as part of their habit, typically on their side, symbolizing it as a spiritual “weapon” or defence against evil, a practice rooted in historical tradition. This practice serves as both a functional tool for prayer and a visible sign of their total dedication to Mary.