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I'm a Jewish fashionista living in New York and I write this blog to try to deliver modest fashion to all women, everywhere. This blog is all about Less Is More. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @vinniecocoa and on instagram @the.oak! CONTACT & INQUIRIES: the.oak.blog@gmail.com

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Modest Hollywood

SO. MANY. TRENDS. Lace. Prints. Black long sleeve dresses. Lots and lots of black long sleeve dresses. I don't know who I love more! Let's start with the black dresses that showed an especially high theme of leather, but that's another trend. Mayim Bialik, Kate Walsh, Amy Poehler, Elle Fanning, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristen Stewart and Tyra Banks. Wait, we're not done yet-- Kate Winslet and Marion Cotillard donned stellar black suits for their respective occasions. And the lace! Jamie King (x2), Helen Mirren, Kate Middleton, Kerry Washington, and Kiera Knightley. Oh yes, and the prints. Oh the prints! Amanda Peet (who doesn't wow me), Liv Tyler, Solange Knowles, Miranda Kerr, and Nicole Sherzinger. I mean, I could go on and on with these trends but I guess I will let you just deal with your fallen jaw for the moment.
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Katie Holmes

Mayim Bialik

Nicole Richie

Kate Walsh

Kate Winslet

Jamie King

Amanda Peet 

Amy Poehler

Christina Hendricks

Elle Fanning

Liv Tyler

Helen Mirren

Jennifer Lawrence

Jessica Biel

Julianna Margulies

Julie Bowen

Kate Middleton

Kiera Knightley

Kerry Washington 

Kim Kardashian 

Kristen Stewart

Lena Dunham

Solange Knowles

Marion Cotillard

Miranda Kerr

Nicole Sherzinger 

Pippa Middleton 

Sarah Jessica Parker

Tyra Banks

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Metallic Item of the Day

It's that time of year again! The holiday season is upon us and with Thanksgiving starting tomorrow, the Festival of Lights is not far behind. But before you get your latkes in a twist on me, you're going to want to make sure you are dressed pretty and perfect for all your holiday festivities. Enter this tank top. Obvi you  need to wear something under (or over) it like the model did with the sheer lace top, but this top is so festive and illuminating and just perfect for the holidays.Plus, it will look great year-round. It comes in a slew of sizes and can be worn in so many ways that there is no reason to say no.
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D

Monday, November 19, 2012

An Open Letter to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine

Dear Will and Kate,


You don’t know me but I am a huge fan of you guys. Like, HUGE. I followed your love story, I watched your fabulously epic wedding at 3:00 AM here in New York, I continue to ooh and ahh at your iconic fashion choices, and I never cease to admire your humble lifestyle ways given your positions in this world.

With that said, I wanted to extend my apologies to you for living in and ruling a country that has no regard for journalistic integrity. I am sure I don’t need to tell you this seeing as both you and your families are constant fodder for what is disguised as actual news in your country. Almost none of the reported rumors about you have been true, which is why I refuse to trust the outlets in your country that report the “news”. Furthermore, with “upstanding citizens” like Rupert Murdoch and his News of the World staff who were manipulative and disgraceful when it came to reporting back to the people by spying on them, it’s hard to believe how anyone in your country believes anything your news outlets report. And yet they do. Blindly. And so does the world.

Now don’t get me wrong—I live in the world of US Weekly and OK! Magazine where a one Miss Jennifer Aniston has been consecutively pregnant now for 8 years. I am not claiming that the United States is a perfect country journalistically; quite the contrary—we have CNN and the New York Times, two news outlets parading as reliable sources of information, when in fact they are nothing more than what comes out of the rear ends of the horses that circle our beautiful Central Park here in New York City—a heaping pile of shit stinking everything up. There is simply no denying that while the New York Times crossword puzzle is unparalleled, the reporters there kind of just close their eyes, point at a board, pick which version of a story they like best, and publish.

However your country has us beat tenfold, and it’s just three little letters that make us Americans positively thrilled that the American Revolution happened—BBC. Your country is supposedly one of a dignified people. I personally swoon at the sound of a man with a British accent because he could basically recite the phone book and sound intelligent. And yet, the BBC has reporters like Jon Donnison who no matter how much he speaks sounds like a slithering snake and as dumb as a brick.

As I am sure you know, Israel and Gaza have been fighting furtively. Israel has been the target of thousands of rockets over the years for no reason. After the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza strip, where Israel expelled its own people from its own land to hand over to the Palestinians in a gesture of peace, we have seen no efforts for peace on the Palestinian end. Only unending rocket fire raining down on Israel and its citizens. And yet, news outlets like the BBC refuse to acknowledge Hamas as the instigators and furthermore, they paint Israel as the aggressors. While the loss of life is painful on both sides of the conflict, Hamas purposely uses their citizens as human shields and they launch rockets at Israel with no regard for human life at all. We call that a double war crime. And yet you have reporters like John Donnison and others printing and proliferating pure LIES to suit the terrorist agenda.

Take the following examples from the past week alone:

The BBC is not a news outlet—it is a propaganda machine. And this is happening under your own nose, in your own country. You have to do something about this.

The two of you have been brought into the public as the younger generation of royalty, meant to bring change and renewal to a country that has withstood the test of time. Whether you realize it or not, you have a power over this entire world, not just of Great Britain. Your influence extends way past the palaces of your beautiful country. In other words, you are in a position of power, and when one is in a position of power they must use their influence for the sake of good, truth and honesty. I ask you as a fan, as a member of civil society, as a reader of the newspaper, as a hater of hatred, and as hater of lies to please do something about the journalistic integrity of your country. Stop the BBC from proliferating these heinous lies and outlandish biases in favor of Hamas, which by the way is a terrorist organization. Stop these news outlets from getting away with whatever they want. All you have to do is speak up. Open your mouth and condemn the BBC for their poor, biased and false reporting. Say something. Be more than just a figurehead, be a catalyst for change. This past weekend Kim Kardashian, a reality star, tweeted about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and she alone garnered more attention on the matter than any news outlet in all of western media! She used her voice. Use yours. The power of your celebrity and your positions in royalty extend far beyond the blubbering idiocy of the BBC. Stop the BBC from getting away with this. I don't believe what they say about you, so don't believe what they say about me and my people.

Sincerely,

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Camilla McConaughey: Just Your Typical Frummie Mommmy

So, is it just me or is Camilla McConaughey (seen with Sandra Bullock) the ultimate in frummie mommy-ness right here? A Sephardic mommy, sure, but a Jewish one nonetheless. No, I'm not saying Camilla is a Jew--quite the contrary I think she is very much not Jewish. But woah, that outfit is like what you see at a Teaneck park on shabbat, and I'm not hating it. In fact, I really kinda like it. Hair covered? Check. Long skirt? Check. Long sleeve, high neck top? Check. And lastly, pregnant, with a baby already on your hip? Check. That's straight up frummie right there. Welcome to the fold, Cammie.
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Tweed Item of the Day

Oh Tweed. I love you. You are one of the only things I like about Fall and Winter. You're just the right weight, got great texture, and you are always a statement piece. With that love letter said, here is my dedication to tweed int he form of an item of the day. This skirt which comes in black and  winter white (which really looks more charcoal and ivory) is knee-length and fabulous for all occasions. You can wear it to the office or to shul, and you will look stellar either way. Best part is, this skirt will never, repeat NEVER, go out of style It's more than just a skirt-- it's an investment. Trust me.
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Monday, November 12, 2012

Graphic Item of the Day

There is something special about an article of clothing that does all the work for you, and that's what I love about this cardigan. The print is bold and beautiful, but feminine and understated at the same time. It speaks volumes while maintaining a sophisticated edge, which is is what makes it perfect for amping up any outfit. The colors are perfect for fall, and the pattern is just graphic enough to be dressed up or down. Best of all, because the pattern is comprised of smaller graphics that make up a larger pattern, it will look great on women of many sizes; the pattern will emphasize the right parts of you and disguise the ones that you're not so fond of. All in all, this one is a keeper.
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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Essential Item of the Day

Like a dress that you can just slip on and go? I know, me too! And this dress is just that. It can be dressed down with uggs and a cardigan, or dress it up with high-heeled booties and a faux fur vest. Either way, you are set for perfection, and that's what makes this dress such an essential staple for your wardrobe. It's really one of those pieces you just can't go wrong with and. the generous material and a line silhouette will make wearing this dress a breeze for women of lots of shapes and sizes! Plus, how awesome are the colors? FAB. Ordering now.
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