Cool Modest Clothing for a Hot Yom Tov

As I sat in Shul on Rosh Hashana, my eyes surveyed the women’s section to see what everyone was wearing.  What a disappointment!  I needed inspiration for my new Fall lineup but nearly everyone was still wearing their Summer clothes!  

I know that Summer lasts longer in Florida, Texas, California, etc., but this year the Jewish Holiday Season came so early it was still Summer up North!. 

Back when I lived in New York, I remember there were times when a Fall or Winter suit wasn't even warm enough for Succoth and Simchat Torah.  At night we sat in the Succah with coats on, and with our fan heaters blowing hot air on our ankles. 

Rosh Hashana was the time for ladies to show off their new Fall and Winter wardrobes. Labor Day was over and done, white no longer permitted, time for the warmer, darker tones to come out. 

I soooo wanted to see all the new Fall dresses and hats in preview and, alas, most ladies at shul were unwilling to compromise comfort for the "post Labor Day” seasonal wardrobe change. 

(To be honest, I wore a cream colored Fall suit the first day but switched back to my Summer clothes by the second.) 

Just as I was thinking about switching all of my merchandise to Fall/Winter I realized that maybe it is still too early.  After all, lightweight dresses and separates that are also tznius are not so easy to come by.  I guess we can’t just go by the calendar because women seem to be taking advantage of the hot weather and the fantastic sales to get something “new”.  

This trend can be seen across the board in many stores.  Some Fall items are in, but there are some great deals to be had on Summer clothing that is still in abundance. 

My suggestion is to stock up now on clearance items that you can wear now, and then layer when the weather gets a little cooler, and you will still enjoy as soon as the weather warms up again in early Spring. 

What was that again about global warming?  What did you wear for Yom Tov?  What will you wear, in white, for Yom Kippur?  What will you be wearing for Succoth? 

How will you stay comfortable, yet modestly clad, while sitting in your succah this Yom Tov? 

Check out our clearance and pick up some great items at below wholesale prices.  Oh, and look at some of the new Fall/Winter items I've started to showcase for those of you who can’t wait for things to cool off a bit. 

Out of the darkness, into the light

During the period of the nine days (from Rosh Chodesh Av until the fast of Tisha b'Av) it is the custom not to purchase new clothing, nor to wear new clothing that has not previously been worn. Many also have the custom not to launder clothes, or to wear laundered clothes. As we go through this introspective time, we should let go of what does not serve us well, and create space for new, wonderful amd useful things to come our way. We evaluate our behavior towards our fellow man, and also our relationship with Hashem and our midot. It's a great time for taking on another chumrah (stringency), something to strengthen your faith. For some, that may be dressing in a more appropriate manner. Taking pains perhaps, to only wear shirts with elbow length sleeves, or to always cover one's knees. This is a good time for us to go through our closets, and remove those items of clothing that no longer belong.

Let's face it, certain aspects of the 80s just shouldn't make a comeback...
Image courtesy of  http://80soutfit.com/

It is never easy to physically get rid of things. Whether it is the junk in the garage that might be useful again one day, or the clothes in our closet that haven't been worn in a long time, it's a process, and it requires determination and commitment. But the end result is similar to that feeling after the fast - you feel cleansed, detoxed and ready to start again (alright, maybe not immediately after the fast, but once you've had something to eat and drink). So use this time of year to cleanse your closet, ready to start fresh after Tisha b'Av.

Let's walk through the process together and keep it simple. Start by choosing one section of your closet. Shirts. Remove all your shirts and put them on your bed. If you haven't worn a shirt for a year or more, give it away.
If it has a stain that will not budge, give it away. If it's a shirt you purchased on impulse, but have nothing to wear it with, put it in a secondary pile - to be decided later. Once you have your piles of "keep", "giveaway", and "tbd", return the "keep" items to your closet, and move on to the next section - skirts. Work the same way, removing those that have not been worn for a long time, or that no longer fit, are ripped, are stained etc. Add to your existing piles. Perhaps you'll find a skirt you forgot about it that matches that impulse-buy shirt! Perhaps not... Are there skirts that are too short? Skirts that sit too low on the hips, revealing your belly button and you have no matching top that hangs long enough? Give it away!
On and on you go, and soon, your closet will not only be neat and organized, but it will contain only the clothing that you actually wear. Don't forget to go through socks and underwear while you're at it. And shoes! (Don't worry, now you'll have an excuse to buy more shoes!)

Now look at the clothes that remain. They should all fit with your style, they should make you feel good, they should make you feel dressed appropriately. So now you have all this extra space in the closet, it's time to go shopping baby! And come on, we all need a little retain therapy once in a while, especially after the nine days when we are forbidden from buying new clothes...

Available at Kosher Fashions website

Kosher Fashions is pleased to inform you that we have a post-Tisha b'Av sale beginning on July 17. Stay tuned, and bookmark the Kosher Fashions webstore. Everything must go!