KOSHER CLOTHES

This is stark raving insanity:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3393292,00.html



Excerpt:
"Lycra has become very popular among haredi women in recent years. The fabric stretches over the body and, according to rabbis, enhances those parts that should be hidden and exposes parts that should be concealed."


Evidently the worthy rabbonim are horified, horified they will tell you (at the drop of a ......wait for it! ...... black hat) about the shocking choices offered to women who do not know any better.

Conceivably they have seen too much. Or observed too often. Or in any case looked and taken in. I shall not speculate on whether it was a zeppelin of a woman, or an elf.

[Actually, shocking clothing is something that I've been bellyaching about for years, but I've trained myself to not see cleavage and belly buttons - so heck, those young ladies could waltz around the Financial District exposing themselves entirely, and believe me my eyes would go out of focus in no time.]


But some rebbeim know better. And they have resolved to clarify what clothing and which stores are acceptable for frumme womanhood. Listen to them, and you will not be misdressed. They will issue certifications of modesty to those stores which meet their standards.


Hmmph!


I can understand shatnez issues. I canNOT understand issuing hechsherim on matters of style, fashion, bad-taste, or how the woman in question intends to wear the article of clothing.

A bikini, worn under a chador is odd but one hundred percent tzniusdik. A chador worn during a wet chador contest on the other hand would be quite zesty, and might very well be immodest.

And a wonder-bra, well, let us not go there.... even though it might be worn under the thickest of sack-cloth bag-dresses.

[The most tzniusdikke dresser was undoubtedly Tamar, given that Yehuda did not recognize any part of her. That's 'reassuring', and food for thought.]



The idea of rebbeim carefully examining women's clothing is suspect. And rather deviant.

I would not wish to associate with rebbeim who have so queer a fetish. Nor hear about it.

I would suggest, for rebbeim who do not wish to witness the wet-chador contest, that dark glasses are not only the height of tzenua, but ferociously shtotty.
Or they could veil themselves.


In any case, gentlemen, stop looking. Fer heaven's sake, stop looking.