When you’re dressing tznius, the public laundromat can make you a nervous wreck. But if you’re at the public laundromat, you don’t have a more private alternative for washing your “unmentionables.” So how can you make the best of a less-than-ideal situation? Sure, you could handwash everything “private” at home and save the outerwear for […]
Maintaining Tznius at a Public Laundromat Read Post »
Gemachs usually enter the average convert’s mind when they have an upcoming marriage. Whether bride or groom, you will get an earful about gemachs. The word gemach is an acronym for “gemilut chasadim,” acts of kindness. The traditional gemach fund is a free-loan organization. But we don’t refer to those as “gemachs” anymore (or at least
Word of the Day: Gemach Read Post »
There is a lot that can be said on this topic, but we’re going to touch on the major causes superficially. This is basically a warning to make sure you realize what you’re getting into. After the steep cost of the initial set-up, living Jewishly doesn’t seem that much more expensive to the average single
Why Being an Orthodox Jew Is Expensive Read Post »
Most of the time, dressing tzniusly just looks like a woman who works in an office. Unless you want to go with the seminary look. (The seminary look for fall and spring adds a hoodie, preferably from Stern.) But there is one look that just screams frum girl: when you’re obviously wearing a shell. A
Frum and Fabulous: The Stereotypical “Shell” Look Read Post »
On another occasion it happened that a certain conversion candidate came before a rabbi and said to him, “Make me tznius in a New York City winter, on condition that you teach me all your fashion secrets while I stand on one foot.” Thereupon he repulsed her with the builder’s cubit which was in his
Tznius Women and Winter Weather Read Post »
Ladies, we’re in luck this fall/winter! Frum is fabulous this year, continuing the modest fashion trends that dominated the stores this spring/summer. Nordstrom and Lane Bryant have advertised their modest skirts as fashion trends already, and Nordstrom has also advertised many modest or easily-made-modest tops. (Remember to check out Nordstrom Rack for the outlet experience!)
Frum and Fabulous: The New Fall Lines Are Out! Read Post »
People have asked for office-appropriate frum fashion choices. Really, frum clothing lends itself easily to the office environment. (Women’s suits may be a very different story, based on the standards of your community.) After more than a year at my prior job, my co-workers (who were also my classmates and friends) hadn’t realized that I
Frum and Fabulous in the Office Read Post »
As the Nine Days approaches, you should begin preparing your clothing. During this period, we do not wear “freshly laundered clothing” and don’t do laundry. So what will you wear without looking and smelling like a crazy homeless guy? It’s easy. A) You may wear freshly-laundered (aka, clean) underwear and socks (and some say undershirts)
How to Wear “Clean” Clothing During the Nine Days Read Post »
One thing that annoys me endlessly is when women wear button-down shirts and there are obvious gaps between the buttons, exposing the woman’s bra or undershirt. In the Jewish context, this is untznius. In the everyday world, it’s sloppy. I, too, was once a victim of this scourge on fashion. (I didn’t know better. But
How to Make Button Shirts Tznius Read Post »
I don’t know how it happens, but the phrase “beged ish” pops up in the most random of contexts. Perhaps that says something about the people saying it, but I’ll leave that to you. Beged ish is Hebrew for “a man’s garment.” In short, men and women aren’t supposed to wear the clothing of the
Phrase of the Day: Beged Ish Read Post »