So you think you cant find a decent long skirt?

Well, look no further. I have found a treasure trove of long skirts. Check these out:

So cute. I think the site has the skirts merchandised kind of frumpy, but you could easily create youthful and fun looks with these skirts. For the black skirt, I would match it with a crisp white shirt and lots of gold necklaces. The yellow skirt would be worn with a light t-shirt for a more casual look. Some cute sandals or wedges would lighten the whole outfit up and not look so hippyish.

You can find a whole bunch of long skirts at http://www.sundancecatalog.com/. If you have time, check out their jewelry. My sister swears they have the best, least expensive- but looks expensive stuff.

Southern Charm in Black and White

Have you ever heard of the department store called Dillards? They dont have them here in Southern California, but I have visited one in Austin, Texas. I think it is kind of like the Southern equivallent to Macys. Well, I was looking on their website for clothing and I found some really cute items, and they all happened to be black and white. Check them out:

Aren't those really cute basic pieces? And the price is excellent on them. I like the high necked white blouse the best because it would work under so many dresses. You cant have too many white shirts. So you should totally check them out- I best you will be pleasantly surprised.

You can find these items at http://www.dillards.com/

I found it!

Ok, I finally decided what I am going to wear to the wedding! I decided to go with a long dress from J.Crew and some silver flats. Check it out:
I decided to go with a long dress because I have really bad feet and I just felt I would have a better time with flats, and flats with a shorter dress looks too casual on me. I also have some really amazing aquamarine earrings, necklace, and cocktail ring, so my bling should make the outfit pop. And last, the reason I went for this dress is because of the pretty blue color. I thought it would be more appropriate then black for a wedding. Just a little thing of mine- I cant wear black to a wedding.

So now I have to get to a frum store and get a shirt to wear underneath. I am hoping they will have something in an off white or grey, or even in a pretty blue. We will see. I just hope I don't look too much like a bridesmaid!

(you can find the dress at http://www.jcrew.com and the shoes at http://www.sundancecatalogue.com)

British Invasion!

Ok, so I have been preaching the praises of Boden, a British company to all of my frum friends and NONE of them have listened to me. But I SWEAR it is the best mainstream clothing company for both women and girls to find modest clothing, especially long skirts and comfey dresses. Check this out:


Aren't those the cutest dresses? And both of them hit below the knee. Or how about a Shabbas dress? Well look no further then this: If that isnt a perfect Shabbas dress then I dont know what is. Of course, you might be more in the mood for a 'short' skirt. Well, Boden can help you:
Adorbs! I love these skirts, especially the blue one because peacock blue is my FAVORITE color right now. It just feels so fresh.



What I love about Boden is the quality of the clothing. They look good after many washes and the price is fantastic. Because it is a British company, the sizing is weird, so just take your measurements and follow their size chart. I have found they run a tad large, but if you like their clothing as much as I do, then you will figure out your Boden size pretty quickly. Also, I have signed up for their emails, so I get coupons all the time from them.



Boden is having a huge sale right now, so your size might be sold out, but never fear, they have amazing dresses and skirts for spring as well, which should be available sometime in late January, early February. So be sure to check back. Oh, and if you have daughters, please look at the girls section- their casual skirts are adorable, and the price is to die.


You can find all of these items at http://bodenusa.com/

Slip into something amazing!

So I was flipping through my new issue of InStyle and I found the most awesome new company. It is called Your Slip Is Showing- how cute is that? It creates slips with hems that are meant to be seen below the hem of a dress, thereby giving a dress a little extra panache. But for those of us who need a few extra inches, this is the perfect way to do it.


How cute are these? I especially like the last one with the beading. It is a full 25", which comes to my mid calf. But what I like the best about these slips is the idea of adding my own trim to the bottom of a cheap slip. Here in Los Angeles we have great fabric and trim stores, and I think it would be fun to purchase some great trims to embellish some slips of various lengths. If I actually get around to doing this project, I will be sure to take pictures and blog about it.

You can find all of these slips at http://www,yourslipisshowing.com

I bet you NEVER thought you would buy a dress from Victoria's Secret

But how cute is this? It comes in three colors (navy, red and green) and all you have to do is wear a little undershirt to cover your chest. This style looks good on everyone, and I bet it is amazingly comfortable. Shoot, you could throw on a pair of flats:
Wrap your hair in a shmata: And you have the perfect outfit for running errands! I mean, who doesn't want to look cute at the grocery store? And nobody will ever think you got it from Victoria's Secret!



(dress available at http://www.victoriassecret.com/, shoes available from http://www.nordstrom.com/, and hairwrap available from http://tznius.com/)

But its frum!

Um, I kind of love this outfit.

No, I am NOT kidding, which is totally weird because normally I cant stand animal prints, but I just LOVE the shape of this skirt and top. Of course, it would look HORRIBLE on me, but a girl can dream. Throw some large gold hoops and a chunky bracelet and I have the perfect outfit for.....um, I have no idea where I would wear this. But it sure is an interesting outfit.

This isn't your mother's Talbots

I hate Talbots. My MOM shops at Talbots and frankly, I already look too much like my Mom, so shopping at HER store isn't real high up on my list of fun things to do. But I might be changing my mind because I just found this: And I LOVE it! It is so retro! So chic! I would glam it up with a better belt and a pair of grey small knit fishnets and a chunky pair of heels. I also think I might consider taking it to my tailor and having the sleeves shortened to 3/4 length- just so it would be a little more 'fresh'. I have nowhere to wear this outfit, except to Shul, so for the price I am not sure it is worth it, but man, I am giving Talbots a second thought!

Funky Frum- Best webstore ever!

When I was doing some research for this blog, I stumbled upon Funky Frum, a whole webstore dedicated to creating a more fashionable frum style. I immediately fell in love. Rachel (the owner) writes

"Am I the only one who wants to wear skirts with flair and tops with a shape? And where are all the colors of the rainbow? There’s style in modesty, and I'm going to make sure my friends and community see it."

No girl, you are NOT the only one. There are tons of us out there and I am joining the frum fashion parade! To that end, I want you all to check out her webstore. Here are just some of the highlights:

Here in Los Angeles, all the girls are running around in Juicy sweatsuits. This is the perfect modest version of them (only they dont have 'juicy' written across the butt, thank goodness!). I love this outfit because it is crazy comfortable, but it doesnt look messy because of the cordination between the top and the bottom.

I also found this skirt:

And I think it would be the perfect foundation to recreating this outfit: Just add a cardigan like this one: And a belt:
(this one wraps around twice! How cute is that?) and you have a recreation of a designer outfit! What keeps this from looking typical is the extra long cardigan and colored belt.

So if you are online and want to support a fellow female entreprenour who is dedicated to finding you the best in frum fashion (just like me!) be sure to check out http://www.funkyfrum.com/

Last post on 'What should I wear to the wedding?'

Well, I think I saved the best for last. Here is my favorite. It is an amazing dress that plunges in the front, but I think I found the perfect undershirt for it.
Isn't that awesome?I love the ethnic feeling to it, and I especially love that it isnt all black. The print is so festive. I am hoping that the hem would be longer on me because I am shorter then the model. But what I like about this dress, is I could always add some really cool gold trim or ribbon to the sleeve hems and the hem of the dress to create length.

The shirt I would wear underneath is this one: How perfect is this shirt? I love the detail at the neck, and the sleeves are exactly the right length. I could even wear this dress after the wedding.

The shoes would be these:
Which would help enhance the gold. Plus, who hasn't always wanted a pair of gold shoes?

Earring would be these: I think they tie the whole outfit together with the gold, the ethnic, and the fabulousness.

So this is my favorite. What do you guys think? I still have some time to decide, so once I pick out my dress I will be sure to share with you what I ended up deciding.

(you can find the dress and shirt at http://www.bloomingdales.com, the shoes at http://www.piperlime.com, and the earrings at http://www.etsy.com at Anaramon's store.)

Yet another installment of 'What am I going to wear to the wedding?'

I dont know if you have all noticed, but there seems to be a change afoot in fashion these days. Due to the sucess of shows like Mad Men, which takes place in the early 60's, a new sillouette is emerging. You can see the new look here: And here: Personally I find this look very refreshing. We have seen a lot of the 50's look with a tight bodice and full skirt so it is time for a change. The only problem is, I find it to be a very sexy look. Even if you wore a shirt under these dresses and made sure the hem was below the knee, the tightness of the dress makes me wonder if it is just too sexy. I mean, the first dress is incredible. The peacock is embriodered on the fabric and the cut is extremly flattering for size 2-8. On Mad Men, all the women have a bit of a tummy, and these dresses still oooze sex- no skinny women on the show wear this style. So my question is: Is this look appropriate for a wedding?

I love the first dress because the black can be toned down by emphasising the gold in the embroidery. I would wear the gold shoes from the second look on Monday's post, and flesh tone tights. The shirt would just be a black shirt like the one seen yesterday, and I would wear very little jewelry due to the pattern on the dress. Maybe just a nice pair of gold studs or small hoops.

The second dress might look really cool with a dark burgundy shirt and burgundy ribbon belt (go to your local fabric shop and purchase a yard or two of satin ribbon. Tie a bow, snip off the ends at an angle and presto! You have a ribbon belt) around the waist. I would keep a gun metal grey or black shoe and nude hose, just to keep the focus on the red. Add ruby stud earring and you are good to go. The other option would be an ice blue shirt and ice blue ribbon belt with aquamarine studs. The blue would be unexpected, and might create a more appropriate look for a wedding.

(You can find both dresses at http://www,bloomingdales.com/.)

Third installment of 'What the heck am I wearing to the wedding?'

Now here is a dress that I L-O-V-E.
I love the texture, I love the funky hem, I love the shape. This might be the winner, but there are still two more days to see before you decide. I am a little concerned about the length, because Bloomingdales (where I found the dress) doesnt show how long the dress is, but it looks like it hits the model just above the knee, and chances are- because I am short- the length will be fine.

I would wear the dress with a nice form-fitting shirt:

Only in black. I wouldn't want to have a contrast with this dress. Because it has an interesting shape at the bottom, I would want the eye to be drawn there, not at my arms. So if I wore this top in black it would look like it was part of the dress.

For shoes I think these:

Are AMAZING! I like how the ruffle on the hem is repeated on the shoe. And I also like going for an all black look. Actually, that is my one problem- is it too much black for a wedding? I almost wonder if it is too fancy. But I digress.

The jewelry would be this bracelet: And these earrings: What I like about these pieces is the 'harder' look that contrasts with the softness of the dress and shoes. It keeps the look from being too prissy (plus, if I want to look soft, I would wear outfit number 1 from Monday's post). I think this is a really great look, but I am concerned if it is appropriate for a wedding. What do you think?

(You can find the dress at http://www.bloomingdales.com/, the shirt at http://www.macys.com/, the shoes at http://www.piperlime.com/, the cuff bracelet at http://www.dejarnettenola.com/, and the earrings at http://www.etsy.com/ in store 'Lisa's Lovlies'.)

For the second installment of 'What the heck am I going to wear to the wedding?' I have a few dresses that all are the same shape, they are just different colors. I found this style:

Ugh, the pictures are small, and I cant figure out how to make them any bigger. I am new to this whole blogger thing, so bear with me (and if you have any tips, feel free to email them to me at frumfashion@gmail.com).

Well, if you get out your magnifying glass, you can tell that each of these dresses has a full skirt and the top two dresses have sleeves. The top two dresses only need a shell underneath, which I like, and the bottom two just need a tight top that comes to the neck and elbows. I like the first two dresses better because they are almost totally modest.

I want to point out that when I was looking at the dresses, I almost skipped by the first one because it looks way too short. Well, I really liked the dress, so I decided to click on it anyway. I am glad I did because I noticed in the description, the length of the dress from center back is 38 inches. I had my husband measure me and 38 inches reaches PAST my knees. I figure this model is just really tall (and I am short at 5'3") so it would be an appropriate length on me. I found this to be true on ALL of the dresses. So before you discount a dress because of length, see if they have it listed and then measure yourself.

Of these four dresses, I like the first and fourth the best. I am worried the second and third are not fancy enough. What do you guys think? I am skipping out on the accessories, because I just cant bear to go through four looks in one post (plus it is Thanksgiving week and we are leaving tomorrow to visit my husband's family, so I have to write all of these posts in one day! Eeek!). But of the four, I like the black the best, so I would wear the shoes I am showing tomorrow with some dangley chandelier earrings.

(by the way, you can find all of these dresses at http://www.macys.com/)

Eeek! I need a dress for wedding!

So I have my first orthodox wedding to go to in January and it is going to be the event of the season! The families are basically modern orthodox, and the dress is black tie. I have nothing to wear. See, I am not frum. I found Chabad about 4 years ago and it has inspired me to live a 'more Jewish' life, but I have had a hard time with the dress code (so to speak). On Shabbat I dress pretty modestly (at least as compaired to the rest of the world) and I cover my hair, either with a scarf or a hat, but I have been unable to get rid of my sweatpants (Juicy Couture) during the rest of the week. This blog is a way for me to come to terms with dressing in a more modest way. But this wedding has really thrown me for a loop. I seriously have no idea what to wear. So I have found 5 different looks and will post each one for you guys to check out and give me your opinion on them.

Ok, so the first look is from Anthropologie. Anthro (as I like to call it) is my favorite store. Love it. So I started with a dress that is really feminine and is in such an amazing shade of bluish green:

Isn't it beautiful? But obviously it needs something underneath to cover the arms and decollete (French for the area above the boobs and under the neck). So I was thinking this:

Would be cute. I like that is has detail at the collar to repeat the detail at the bustline of the dress. I would want the sleeves to be pretty tight, so if they were loose, I would just take it to my tailor and have them narrowed. So that is the first choice. I found two diffent way to accessorize. The first would be these shoes:

These bracelets:

And these earrings:

The second choice would be these shoes:

These earrings:

And these bracelets:

The reason I am not doing a necklace is, I think there is so much detail at the chest, I don't want to muck it up with jewelry. I think if you are wearing an outfit with lots of color, then let the color be the showpiece. However, if you are wearing- say a black dress- then it looks good to have an amazing necklace or crazy earrings (or both). So what do you think? Which accessories do you like better- the silver ones or the goldish-bronze ones? Such a hard decision. Stay tuned this week for the rest of the choices.

(by the way, you can find the dress, blouse,first pair of shoes and the second set of earrings at http://www.anthropologie.com/, the second set of bracelets at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5253555 and the first pair of earrings at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5633366, and the pair of silver bangles at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5810639. And for the life of me I cant remember where I found the second pair of shoes, but if I remember, I will be sure to post)

J.Crew: Not just for WASPs anymore!

I love J.Crew. I mean I really love it. I cant wait to get my new catalogue every month so I can zone out with preppy fashion for the masses. And I am especially loving their new J Crew Collection which is full of expensive high fashion that I cant possibly afford, but love to be inspired by. But would you like to know what I like the best about J Crew? Turning something that, at first glance, doesn't seem like something you could wear to shul, but just by adding a few accessories and layers, turns you into the best dressed girl in Synagogue. For example this:

Is totally awesome. It seems like it wouldn't work because obviously it shows way too much skin. Sure, you could put a tight shirt underneath, but I have a better idea. How about adding this underneath:


Then, all you have to do is add a cute sweater:

Some heels:


And a chic necklace: And you have a totally amazing frum outfit! I just L-O-V-E the idea of a crisp white shirt under a ballerina-like dress. And the yellow is so unexpected. The pewter colored sweater and heels keeps the outfit subdued, and the pearls, with the decorated clasp, brings it all together by having the three colors of the outfit in one accessory. Adorbs.

But wait. What about all the other days of the week? I doubt you only want to wear this outfit on Shabbat. So here is my idea on how to casual this ensamble up:

First, change out the plain cardigan for a hoodie:



Then add flats:

A charming charm bracelet:


And a bag:

And you have a perfect outfit for running errands or going to get coffee with your friends. And you know they will all be talking about how amazing you look and wonder how you ever came up with the sophisticated combo of yellow and pink. So be sure to check out J.Crew: http://www.jcrew.com/