Why I'm Pissed at Glee #EpicFail

So, while this is a fashion blog, I have been known to put my two cents in on news and happenings, especially with regard to the Jewish world and Jewish culture. I don't know about you, but last night's holiday episode of Glee was especially frustrating for me, and I'm going to shout it from the rooftops till Ryan Murphy hears me.

While I appreciate the effort to include Chanukah (Hanukkah--whatever) on their holiday episode (see video below), it's getting kind of old and frustrating to see the Jews being the butt of many jokes on the show. Now, a holiday that involves  very specific and popular cultural symbols (a list for you: menorah, dreidel, jelly doughnuts, Hanukkah gelt, blue and white, oil, 8 nights of presents-- I could go on) and would EASILY make for a token "Jews around the menorah" scene was instead portrayed by two men running through a backlot in Los Angeles and then hanging ornaments on a tree.  A CHRISTMAS tree. For CHANUKAH.

Pardon me if I seem to be getting pissed about nothing, but apparently the Jewish culture has become nothing more than a minor acknowledgement as that OTHER holiday in December, than an actual real holiday celebrated by millions of people around the country. Hey Ryan Murphy, we couldn't even get our one token scene in an ENTIRE holiday episode? Apparently not. No, instead we got a poorly sung song with mispronounced words (it's pronounce SE - VEE - VON. I can't even make out what the Puckermans are saying in that sentence) with a bunch of frolicking showgirls and nuns (!), and a pissed-off security guard. How am I, a Jew celebrating Chanukah, supposed to relate in any way to or associate with two men running around a Los Angeles movie backlot singing a Chanukah song? How is that  supposed to represent Chanukah? How did Ryan Murphy even dignify that as a sufficient portrayal of this holiday? I'm not even Christian, but I related more to the Christmas aspects of the episode by sheer fact that I am a New Yorker than I did to the Chanukah.

This was a complete disregard for everything our holiday stands for. Ryan Murphy made Chanukah into a big old joke meant to do his part to "be inclusive". Chanukah is a beautiful and highly festive holiday with lights and decorations too-- just because it doesn't involve a little green and red and have tinsel and shiny ornaments or tree doesn't make it any less valuable to the audience. I would have rather that Glee didn't acknowledge Chanukah at all than to have had that poor excuse of a musical number to satisfy the Jews (which is exactly what it felt like). I shall classify this as a #GleeFail.

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D

My Message To Hamas

Peace.
That's all.

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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,

Debbie

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My Israel Run Down

Now that I'm back from the holiest and most awesome place in the world, I figured I would give you a fashion run-down of what this trip was like. I've been to Israel just shy of a zillion times but I never fail to take away a few small gems of wisdom with me; most of the time they have to do with Israeli or Jewish history, but this list is a little taste of the fashion wisdom I garnered on this excursion. Take from it what you will, but I'm 99% sure many and most will agree with me. PS how awesome is this picture I took below.

1. I adore Israeli weather. I prefer heat to cold, sun to snow, and flowy clothing to being bundled-up. With that said, I should mention that no amount of outfits will ever be enough to bring to Israel seeing as you sweat through almost everything after being in the sun for no less than four seconds. Note to self: must adapt to Israeli heat or else clothes will suffer.

2. The Gap in Israel charges double the price it does in America. That's a challenge to me. It’s like: ‘Oh ya? You’re going to charge me double for something I can get on sale in my own country? Well take that, Israeli Gap! I just bought a 30 dollar dress for 60 bucks.’ Suckers.

3. Blue and white is always in style.

4. Israelis LOVE color. I love Israelis. I also love color. This makes for a totally great math equation, but unfortunately I hate math. It’s too black and white for me, ya know? (Did you catch that joke there?) Suffice it say, Israel is way more colorful than America and I love it.

5. To me, shekel is play money-- monopoly money if you will; 400 Shekel means absolutely nothing to me-- as far as I'm concerned, everything in Israel costs two dollars...including that Mango skirt that I found out actually cost me $70. Oops.

6. Israelis were wearing maxi skirts waaaay before we Americans were. I think they deserve a pat on the back for that one there. Their banking hours, not so much, but maxi skirts for sure.

6. FACT: It doesn't matter what you're wearing, if you are speaking Hebrew in an Israeli accent you are automatically hot, gorgeous, and sexy.

7. Sandals are always 100% suitable for walking shoes in Israel. Disclaimer: awkward sandal tan lines will happen.

8. Contrary to popular belief, Israelis have a totally awesome sense of style and fashion. There were at least 17 women that I counted who I would have stolen the clothes straight off their backs for myself. Then I thought about the whole sweating thing and thought better not.

9. It's incredible how ridiculously stylish and fashionable uniforms are in Israel. Every single person looks awesome in their uniform regardless of the job they are performing. Try and say that about an NYC MTA worker. Didn't think so.

10. Two weeks in Israel is NEVER enough!

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Tights Squeeze: An Article from Tablet Magazine

Tablet Magazine is an online magazine geared toward modern Jews that runs the gamut from news and politics, to art and culture, observance, and overall Judaism. Recently, the article Tights Squeeze: How Much Modesty Will Ever Be Enough for Orthodox Girls from author Avital Chizhik made its way into the observance section of the daily magazine, and it is a positively stellar read. Written with sincerity and unabashed candor, Chizhik was unafraid at parlaying the highly internal and  devastatingly external conflicts that exist in today's Modern Orthodox world, especially for that of a young Modern Orthodox girl.

There is this "Keeping Up With The Joneses" mentality the young Yeshiva girls have adopted, where one "mitzvah" leads to another until you are suddenly Charedi, and subject to the whim of every Talmud scholar who you will maybe date and then support for the rest of your life. Not that this is a wrong way of living by any means, but the pressure to top your fellow Jewess in her mitzvah count is becoming ridiculous, and quite honestly, the idea of a mitzvah has been taken completely out of context; if wearing tights is a mitzvah, I'm a perpetual sinner once that mercury hits 70 degrees.

Chizhik's article bares an honesty many are not willing to expose at the risk of being deemed too modern for this highly "schticky" world-- because let's face it, this is all schtick at the end of the day, something this blog is ardently opposed to. Yes, I wear only skirts and wear longer sleeves, but that's a personal choice. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Modesty is a guideline by which to live your life, not a mandate. If you choose to cover your elbows, cover your knees, and heck, wear tights, then power to ya sister. But if you don't, that's fine too. Honestly.
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Read Avital Chizhik's article here:

Tights Squeeze: How Much Modesty Will Ever Be Enough for Orthodox Girls

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D

Modesty: This Gets Personal

Normally, I am not one to jump on bandwagons and discuss politics or current events on this blog. Considering that this a blog dedicated to modest fashion, I try to stay away from issues that are superfluous to the topic. Recently, however, I posted about this hot issue of modesty and women raging in the news, and I want to bring it up again. Pardon me, but this will be a bit personal.

I have to say that I was shocked when I heard about the story of Haredi men spitting on a young Modern Orthodox girl in the news, but the whole topic really hit home for me not a few days later when a good friend of mine said something to me that was truly hurtful, and made me realize that we Orthodox Jews can sometimes be just as bad as the Haredi. Before you jump down my throat, consider the following story.

Here’s what went down:

In discussing the idea of possibly moving out on my own to Queens, my friend said that because of the way I dress, people would not accept me, so why move out and waste my money. Ouch, right? Here’s the kicker—she wasn’t just talking about boys not wanting me, but girls too. You see, I don’t dress “Yeshivish”, therefore no one will want to be my friend. True quote. So, is it because I wear color? Is it because I wear heels? Is it because sometimes my skirt is a little bit above the knee? I dress modestly, and keep to the doctrines of tzniut that are dictated to me. Is it because I don’t do it to someone else's liking that I should be judged?

True that though this is a blog aimed at modest fashion, I don’t always post the most conventional frummie apparel that frum Jewish girls are used to… but honestly, I personally think that that’s freaking awesome. Why do we need to box ourselves in to one uniform? So, yes, I push the boundaries of fashion, but I try hard not to push the boundaries of Halacha.

I certainly resent those Haredi men who would deem my form of modesty insufficient. I am a frum, Jewish woman who follows Halacha, Jewish Law, and they cannot take that away from me. But by the same token, if the Modern Orthodox community thinks that they are not guilty of this, then they are sorely mistaken. How many times do we judge our own friends, or strangers in shul, or women at weddings, be it  because their skirts are slightly shorter than they should be, or their shirts don’t reach the elbows, or because they wore sleeveless to the chuppah. “OMG, did you see what Shaindy was wearing! I see her knee!”

As someone who is personally a bit stricter on the rules than some other women I know (ie: I cover my elbows, wear only skirts), I would never judge another Jewish woman for how they chose to dress, and as there are others who are even more strict than I am, I hope that they wouldn’t judge me. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, as my friend so graciously pointed out to me. It’s a problem with our community. Since when is it ok to judge another—let’s leave the judging up to God.

The next time you see another Jewish woman who doesn’t dress the way you do, take into account that you are not her and have no baring whatsoever on her lifestyle. Modesty is a personal choice, so, although the Charedi deserve it, before we go jumping at their throats, maybe we should start with ourselves. This is not meant to be accusatory; I only want to highlight that we are screaming at the top of our lungs at a sect of our own people who just put our own thoughts into extreme action. Yes, it was 100% wrong, and revolting and disgusting, but the fact is that it exists on the Modern Orthodox level, and it should not be overlooked. No Jew is more Jewish than another, or greater than another, or holier than another. A Jew is a Jew, long sleeves or not. I hope they like me in Queens.
D

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You Go Girls!

You  may not know this about me, but I happen to be a ridiculous sports fan. Growing up in Brooklyn with four brothers (and two sisters), I have been exposed not only to the fascinating world of fashion, but the wide world of sports too.

Very rarely do these two merge; in fact, more often than not, the basketball court, the baseball and football fields, the hockey rink and the soccer pitch are the only places where fashion statements don't make a play (pun intended). Aside from the tennis pros (ie: Venus and Serena Williams), the sports arena is where the clothes on your back literally define who you are. You just can't be a Red Sock and wear a Yankee uniform in the game (pssshhh, like they could! But I digress).

It is largely accepted, however, to wear certain other garments that define the life you lead off the court/field/rink/pitch/etc.; (Serena and Venus know that all too well).

Yea...try telling that to Naama Shafir or the Iranian Women's Soccer team.

In the past few weeks, these women have been subjected to eliminations and forfeits in their respective sports on account of, believe it or not, MODESTY.

Shafir, an Israeli, orthodox girl who won an NCAA basketball scholarship to the University of Ohio was eliminated by FIBA Europe (Europe's basketball governing body) from playing in a match in Poland. Why, you ask? Because she wears a t-shirt underneath her uniform for modesty reasons (see below), and their rules state that all players must be wearing the exact same uniform. Shafir refused to go bare-shouldered, and so she was not allowed to play. Dislike!

In a country where women scarcely have rights, let alone the luxury to play sports, the Iranian women's soccer team and Olympic hopefuls were disqualified from their pre-Olympic qualifying match because they refused to take off their head-scarfs for their match. FIFA, the governing body of soccer cited safety concerns and chocking hazards for their justification, but I call that bull-doody. It's just ridiculous.

I have no intentions of making political or religious statements on whether these women should forgo their beliefs and traditions for the sake of a game, but then again, I shouldn't have to. Women should have every opportunity to play, and just like in the real world or in the workplace, there should be appropriate allowances and room for personal beliefs.  Whether they are religious in form or not, I would never tell a player not wear their lucky underwear that they haven't washed since they were 12 years-old, or whether they should cheer or pray or point to God after a game-winning shot.

If no one else will, I applaud these women. In a mostly boys club, they stay true to their beliefs and are every bit the fierce women they are in their game.

After all, it's not whether you win or lose, but HOW you play the game, right? Clearly FIBA and FIFA did not get that message. Despite that, at the end of the day, these women are the real winners.
D

Time To Give Back...and Shop!

Enjoy 30% off from March 17-20 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy and 5% of  the proceeds are donated to a non-profit.

Give and Get is Here!

You know I'm a huge fan of altruism, as am I a huge fan of shopping. Combing the two gives me a deep sense of satisfaction, and so I encourage you to print this coupon and take it your nearest Gap, Old Navy or Banana republic and buy that Spring dress you have been wanting so badly.

As I always have, I selected the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as my charity; animals are as important to me as fashion and anything I can do to help makes a difference (fyi--I don't wear fur).

So print out this coupon from the link above or here, and save a tiger. Or an emu. Or an armadillo. Whatever floats your boat--just do it in style.
D

An Open Letter To John Galliano

Dear John Galliano,

I am sad.

It's not because your Dior Spring 2011 line was a fashionable bomb; it is not because your fashionable clothes are severely overpriced; it is not because you are fashionably rich and famous. I am sad because you are the opposite of everything a fashionable person should be.

If there is one thing I preach on this blog, it's to embrace who you are--just do it in style.

And yet, you, Mr. Galliano, the leader of an empire in it's own respect  and a massively public figure, have the audacity to preach hatred. You, who comes from an industry that has to fight for respect and equality for all its members from the top designers, down to the last seamstress. How many of your employees are minorities? How many of your clients are minorities? And yet anyone who YOU deem "ugly" is not worth existence. Gas us Jews, you said? Gosh, If anything is "ugly" here, it's you and your words; by your standards, that would deem you worthy of those gas chambers that murdered my family.

Hitler was a public figure, too, you know? He was the leader of his own powerhouse, and so I guess that's why you must love him. You must feel kindred to his bigoted ways solely for one reason--you are in a position of power....well, you were. Now that your title has been stripped, and you have been dethroned from the mantle of the Dior fashion house, how does it feel to know that your power meant absolutely nothing without the compassion of humanity? Yes, you may know all the proportions of the human body, and you may know how to dress the human body, but you certainly lack the knowledge of a human soul. 

Evil crumbles eventually. Styles and trends come and go in fashion--that's just how this business works. Bigotry, racism, hatred and intolerance are sooo 1945, which means you are severely out of style. Talk about a [fashion] crime.

Dior is a brand name, a label--wear it, and you instantly give yourself a status.  

Jew is also a label, and apparently that invokes a certain status as well, one in which you have found unworthy of even existing. 

I can wear my label of Jew proudly , but can you, Mr. John Galliano, be proud of the labels you've just been branded--'bigot' and 'racist'. At the end of the day, the labels we wear define us--call me a cheap Jew, but I would rather be a Jew in poor man's clothes than a bigot draped in Dior.

D

I Like It In The Passenger Seat

You may be curious as to what that means, and you'll be shocked to find out that it's my facebook status. No, it has no sexual connotations whatsoever, but the double entendre is too hard to ignore.

Over the past few days, you may have noticed a myriad of facebook statuses connoting various places and positions that girls "like it". What does it mean, then? It's where you like to put your purse, silly! (Remember how this is a kosher blog! Dirty minds...)

In an effort to raise awareness for Breast Cancer (it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month), the second annual facebook status thingy (very professional sounding, no?) has come to fruition. Last year girls were told to post their bra color as their status in an effort to tease boys by leaving them out of the facebook universe joke (Pink satin, FYI), but even more so, it got people to ask "What is going on with all the color stauses?", and that led to "Oh, it's for Breast Cancer--now go donate." This year, women were told that the secret question was to indicate in your status where you like to put your purse by saying "I like it (enter specific place here)".

The idea is definitely cute, and the ability to tease boys and mislead them is ALWAYS a fav past-time, but let's turn this purse thing into a real awareness for Breast Cancer. Here are a bunch of (fashionable!) totes bags and purses that you can purchase, and all donations will go to help find a cure for the disease. Use these purses to carry groceries, extra pairs of shoes with you to work, or gym clothes. Also, don't forget to go to websites like the Susan G. Komen for the Cure website, to keep updated on advances in science, events and much more. Either way, make difference, so you can say "I like it in a world free of Breast Cancer".

Reversible Ribbon Tote

 New Balance Yoga Bag

Pink Ribbon Tote Bag by New Balance

Click here to find more great bags, clothes, hats, and more for breast cancer. Go donate now!

P.S. I really do like it in the passenger seat. My purse, that is.

D

GooGoo for Gaga

I tried to count the number of things Lady Gaga and I have in common, and I came to a total of -4. Yes, somehow, I came out on the negative side of this, however my crotch is never on display for the entire world to see, so I am feeling pretty good about that number.

After all is said and done, though, Gaga exudes a confidence that is rarely seen, EVER. Granted most people don't walk around with orbs and metallic rods sticking out of their clothing, or outfits made of slabs of meat, but Gaga makes it work. Now, suffice it to say that Gaga's outfits are in no way, shape or form even close to work appropriate (so please don't try it!), but we can all take a cue or two from the Lady.

You should know that I'm writing this post now, because after days and weeks of consuming seemingly endless holiday foods, I think we can ALL use a little pick me up in the confidence department. P.S. You're not fat. Those holiday pounds will come off. (Just smile and nod with me here, and at least pretend that you believe me.)

There is nothing more fashionable and good looking on a person than their confidence. No matter what you wear (frummie approved, or not) you want to own what you're wearing. I'm not advocating buying a bra with guns coming out of your own Lady Gagas ala the Alejandro music video, but I am saying you should strut it like you're Naomi Campbell with a cell phone in hand; in other words...be fierce (just don't assault anybody, k?)

As my friend Bracha told me (holla!), nothing is sexier on a woman than the attitude she carries. Sometimes we get lost in what we wear (especially for all of you with kids out there. It's ok to wear the shmata clothing in the house, but once you step outside you are a person, so remember to dress for yourself too, not just the spit up).

We even see it in the community. How many of you out there honestly dress for you, and not the the way you are told to dress. If you have learned anything from me, let it be that you can be you and be tzniut at the same time.

As far as the workplace is concerned, going to the office should be as much about who you are and what you want to present to your coworkers. What you wear does not just revolve around appearances, but it translates into attitude, be it attitude of Gaga magnitude or not.

Ok, so you are probably asking yourself, how do I take the Lady's confidence, and work it? It all depends on how you carry yourself; surefire tip: if you love how you feel in it, the more confident you'll be! If you're constantly paranoid about how you look, you're just not that confident, so shape up, missy!

There is only so much I can tell you, but at the end of the day, your confidence is up to you. Remember, though, it's always safe to start with a really killer outfit...one that will make everyone go simply, Gaga.

D