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I found this interesting and informative:
Emulating & Resembling Non-Muslims
| Sheikh Nadhîr Wahhâb|
http://islamtoday.com/showme2.cfm?ca...sub_cat_id=769
The prohibition of emulating the unbelievers is a principle of Islamic Law about which there is no dispute.
However, there are various forms of emulation and ways of resembling the unbelievers, and they all take different rulings. The various forms that such resemblance can take come under two broad categories:
The First Category – Unlawful Emulation
There are two levels to this kind of emulation.
The first level: The more serious of these two levels is tantamount to apostasy and is dealt with as such in Islamic Law.
This is where a Muslim’s emulation and imitation of the non-Muslims takes place in the heart as a tendency or longing for unbelief. This would include participation in their religious rites and festivals to the extent of revering those rites and their appointed days as sacred in the same way that the unbelievers do.
Allah says: “Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with you unless you follow their form of religion. Say: “The guidance of Allah – that is the (only) guidance.” Were you to follow their desires after the knowledge which hath reached you, then you would find neither protector nor helper against Allah.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 120]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever resembles a people are of them.” [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4031)]
Ibn al-Qayyim mentions in his book Ahkâm Ahl al-Dhimmah: “It has been related from Ibn `Umar that he said: Whoever passes through the foreign lands and then engages in their rites and festivals and emulates them until he dies while in that state, he will be gathered along with them on the Day of Resurrection.”
There can be no doubt that religious holidays are, as Ibn Taymiyah observes, among the most distinguishing and conspicuous features of a religion.
The second level: This is where such resemblance does not go so far as to bring the emulator to the point of unbelief, but where the resemblance is a prohibited and sinful act. This would include, for instance, giving gifts to the Christians on their religious holidays, because it communicates to them a type of approval, conformation, and encouragement of their beliefs.
The Second Category – Permissible Resemblance
There are two levels to this kind of resemblance.
The first level: This is where resemblance is merely permissible. This would include wearing the same kind of clothing as the non-Muslims as long as that clothing is not a specific, distinguishing dress of their faith.
Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî discusses the distinction in Fath al-Bârî, his commentary on Sahîh al-Bukhârî while discussing the hadîth where Anas says that he saw people wearing tayâlisah (a shawl-like garment that used to be worn by judges) and described them “as if they were the Jews of Khaybar.”
Ibn Hajar then explains: “It is suitable to use the account of the Jews as evidence during an age where the tayâlisah was a part of their distinguishing religious rites. This is no longer the case at these times and these close fall under the ruling of what is generally permitted.” [Fath al-Bârî (10/275)]
The second level: This is where resemblance of the non-Muslims is preferable. Occasionally, it can even be obligatory. This would include resembling them in their general manner of dress in order to facilitate calling them to Islam.
Ibn Taymiyah writes: “If the Muslim lives in a disbelieving country, whether or not that state is hostile with the Muslim states, he will not be obligated to expose himself as different than them. This is on account of the difficulties that doing so can pose. Indeed, it might become preferable or even obligatory for him to conform to their outward standards of appearance if there is a benefit for the faith in doing so like inviting them to Islam, a prevention of difficulties for the Muslims, or the realization of any other wholesome intention.” [Iqtidâ’ al-Sirât al-Mustaqîm (176)]
We cannot doubt that our resembling them in their steadfast pursuit of scientific knowledge and education, in their precision in manufacturing, and the way they serve and develop their nations are matters of priority that we as Muslims are required to resemble them in.
And Allah knows best.