akaikit replied to your post “It strikes me, as the High Holidays roll in, that I’ve never seen...”
question! is it offensive/disrespectful for them to be worn casually (by jewish ppl obv), like is it strictly for moments of prayer? pardon my ignorance!
There’s a TV Tropes for that! http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GratuitousUseOfTheTallit
The tallis is worn for specific prayer services and for certain life cycle events, not as street wear (although - like with everything in Judaism - there are groups that disagree. XD)
Generally speaking, men over the age of 13 wear them during Sabbath services, morning services on weekdays and holidays. Also anyone who is participating in a prayer service in a formal capacity - Torah readers, those getting called up to the bimah (altar) for an honour, etc.
(Women are permitted, but not obliged, to wear them. It’s two distinct legal categories. They are obliged to wear tallit and some kind of head covering when on the bimah.)
A demo on putting on and wearing the tallis: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tallit-the-prayer-shawl/
Also, traditions vary: some traditions have grooms wear them at their own weddings, some don’t. A tallis is often used as the textile for the canopy at Jewish weddings. They’re also used as shrouds for the deceased - you’re buried in your tallis. In my home congregation (and many Orthodox ones), men don’t wear them regularly at services until after they’re married, but in some, everyone over the age of 13 wears one. You never wear one in the bathroom (big disrespect).
* Also, I should note that I am talking about the tallis gadol in these posts (the prayer shawl), not the tallis katan (aka tzistzis, the fringed undershirt worn by many Orthodox men and boys). The rules are different, so check which one you’re reading up on if you google.
** tzistzis is also the term for the long knotted corner tassels on the tallis, just to keep things exciting.