His reason for doing this was probably so he could make his observations about what religion the country should become without the distractions or solicitations of those that knew him and might want to sway his decision. The most ambitious of all disguises is when dressed as a woman, with scarf around his head and a cloak over his shoulders, Astrid is attempted to be sunk from the burning house. Clothing can disguise only so much in Njal's Saga, apparently not gender, and who he truly is discovered almost immediately and is quickly beheaded as an enemy of Njal's burners. In the saga clothing is used not only to display or hid one's identity and standing but to change it entirely. The changing of one's identity by clothing is displayed in their old belief that by wearing and animal's skin you would take on qualities of that animal.
Clothing also has the use to remind people of their loyalties and obligations.
She did this so as to goat him into avenging Hosfuld's death. The cloak had originally been a gift to Hosfuld from Flosi, which shows their past bond further reminding him of his obligation to avenge his murder. Hrodney also uses a blood stained garment, a tattered, linen cap worn by Hoskuld when he was killed, to remind Ingjald of his bonds to the Njalsson family so that he cannot join in the attack against Njal even though he had sworn he would. In a sense clothing becomes linked to characters beings and their fates. Thrain is described as a very showy man and that when he rode he displays his showy attitude with his wearing a blue cloak a gilded helmet, and carried the spear, shield and a sword at his belt.