First of all, you should be aware that not every Orthodox community (including the so-called "ultra-Orthodox") follows the kind of extreme avoidance of women that you describe. read more
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men believe that women are born holier than men. They avoid unnecessarily looking at women not because they believe women are cursed but because they believe men must take great care to avoid impure thoughts that the sight of a woman might arouse. read more
I am not an expert on ultra-orthodox fashion, but I will share the little that I know. First of all, the ultra-orthodox are separated into two mains sects, Chasidim and Litvish. read more
It may seem a short-sighted solution but blurred glasses are their latest tool available to ultra-orthodox Jewish men who want to stop eyeing up beautiful women. The specially-designed out of focus glasses are proving popular among so-called 'Charedi' men in religious areas of Israel. read more
As an extension of this, Orthodox men aren't supposed to sit next to women to which they are neither related nor married. A husband and wife may not touch if the woman is menstruating, or for a specified period after menstruation/childbirth (the length of the period varies depending on the sex of the child). read more