Dear TLS, You may want to insert an introduction that this letter is intended for the women and store-owners on your site. I know I’m chewing over a very popular topic, however I am more frustrated and disappointed this season than ever before. All I want to do is update my wardrobe once a year with a good basic skirt and 2 tops. Sounds simple. It should be simple, however I find it nearly impossible. I am of average weight and height, and I am not very fussy. I have gone to numerous Jewish stores here in town and have not yet purchased 1 item. The clothing look like they have just been imported from a cheap bazaar, and need instruction manuals on which way to hold the garment, on where the head goes in and where the arms go. The tops are covered in frills, bows pleats and beads, however they just manage to reveal what should be covered. I do like to look up to date, but these options were unacceptable. If anyone was wondering why our adults and teens are obsessed with being paper thin, it’s because a perfect medium sized person can barely squeeze into a size extra large. This definitely makes girls feel self conscious and and causes unnecessary humiliation. She doesn’t want to be seen trying on a larger size, and certainly not purchasing it.
The skirt section should have provided shoe horn style assistance, for the size skirts I was last year ( and I haven’t gained weight) got stuck on me. After hours throughout several days of running around, I headed to a non Jewish department store, and purchased 2 accurate sized tops which were refined and appropriate and half the price of the others I have seen. I will wear my skirt from the year before. My message to the Jewish store owners is: Why are you making it so difficult to shop by you? Why do you only cater to the trendiest of the consumers? You are losing a large clientele which should rightfully be yours, and you’re handing us over to the non Jewish stores. Please don’t start complaining when we don’t come back to you next season.
My daughter and I never buy clothes in Lakewood anymore for precisely the reasons you presented. It makes things very difficult for all of us (e.g. added pressure, time, etc.) How can we ever change it?
Boycott?
There’s a new sewing store, forgot the name , where you can purchase material in the front and go in the back andhave a dressmaker make it into clothes in the back, why don’t ya do that ?
I was able to find things at Kohl’s from the Dana Buckman line. Try that.
I personally spoke with several rabbonim about the pritzusdike clothing being pushed by ostensibly jewish stores, they told me feel free to start a boycott with our permission hang signs etc. we’ve done what we can and can’t stop them. its only the consumers buying power that can stop the madness.
my wife too tried to buy some tops, for starters u have to try on 2 sizes larger then ur real size to fit in to anything and even then its still form fitting…..
shanda
I am upset at how upset upset is about his wife’s need to trick herself with sizes. Stop being so self-conscious and your children will develop better self esteem. If you want tent clothing, there’s an army surplus store around here someplace. Now if you are out of options of where to buy these clothes, open a store yourself. You will have lots of business. Just alter the size tags to everyone’s esteem-to-order preferences.
the stores are out to make money . they are giving the people what they want. if they dont update their styles people will go to goishe stores and buy things that are less tzniusdick. the also have to update their styles so that people buy new stuff.
like you said yourself , you like to be up to date. so you dont like what the jewish designers made this season. so sad , boo hoo.
. the jewish woman clothing business is very hard and tricky , first it is not large like the goyishe business so it makes it hard to do to many styles. second the woman want new styles that are not goyishe , so you have to get a jewish person to keep on creating new things and develope a changing jewish fashion streak. third jewish clothing is overpriced for a very simple reason , about 75% of a garment cost is the fabric , when you go to a goyishe store the mini skirts and long skirts sell at the same price but the long ones cost the store 3 times the amount , they balance out and the stores make a profit , but if your only selling very tziniusdike items it will have to cost a lot more.
go ahead and boycott the jewish stores, and when some shikse in paris decides that long skirts are totally out and you can only get mini skirts , i bet you will be the first one kvetching why you have to go to a tailer .
and about the tzinus issue , if people would demand it and would be willing to pay for it , the stores will have it.
The problem is simple. Since Flatbush and Boro Park has moved to Lakewood the demand is different. Women and girls brought up in the Lakewood of old know how to dress correctly.What do want from shop keepers who are not Bnai Torah. Look at the Mosdos today,nothing like it was 20 years ago.
have major sale next year and sell the clothing that you think should be sold AT COST. thatll do the trick
the mosdos today are light years ahead of where they were 20 years ago, I have been in lakewood almost 40 years, this town had pathetic chinuch in mosdos then. Much better now. But what isn’t better is parenting. work on that one and all your tzniyus and other “issues” will dissipate.
#4 Do you feel that you are the Tznis police??? Maybe the clothing are 100% Tznis but not according to what you call Tznis. If you feel that the clothing are not proper then DON’T BUY THEM!! Don’t push your way of life onto my family, and don’t turn our town into Lakewoodstan. I would bet that I have been living here a lot longer then you or 90% of the people here.
they did this for boys and men at bais kaila and its a huge success, u still can go, they have really good shirts for 6 bucks & ties for 3 (really nice ones)
I’m sorry but why should my wife have to wear baggy out of style clothing because you don’t like the up to date styles. They are very tzniusdik just like my mother and sisters always wore. What’s wrong with a little style? And the issue of tightness is not a big deal just buy the next size! Who cares what the label says that’s just psycalogical. Nobody sees what it says on the label just buy the one that fits the way you feel comfortable. Its very simple.
if u dont like the clothes dont buy them, it’s as simple as that. at least they have these clothing stores, because if not for these stores who knows what people would be wearing!
The reason “jewish” clothes are more expensive is not because the skirts need to be longer – that is an absurd contention.
oy my pants that i just bought were so tight. how do they expect us to wear those? i say we boycott italian clothes.they are obviously built differently . that is the last time i buy pants without trying them on.
try burlington and kohls. tj max etc.
For all of you that have all the answers, go and open up your own stores. Lets see how successful you are then. And all the comments and complaints you give now- enjoy them when you get them back in your face.
As for the prices of frum clothing- it’s simple economics.
gap and other department stores develop and market their lines themselves, there is no middleman. By frum companies there’s the manufacturer and the storeowner, another step in the chain before it reaches you.
Girls on Glen has a great selection for all
I do not personally like the style where you take a mini dress and think its ok to add a pencil skirt under it. Where are the mothers o.k.ing this? To take a short sleeve top and add a shell is also iffy. What happened to one piece shirts and normal length skirts.
The stores sell what people buy its that simple.
The girls today feel good in wearing tight fitted clothing. The parents are at fault. Thney wear it like that as well. I think its time to tell the Flatbush people to stay in flatbush
Now you know why we whistle at you. We can’t tell the differnce between you and my mexican friend.
The bais hamikdush was destroyed because of sinas chinam not ‘immodestly’ (according to wtvr that means by you) women so work on your midos and mentchlachkeit and stop pushing blame on to people from brooklyn- who do you think supposrts your wic??
Remember, what Torah is to a man is Tznius to a woman.
Lets learn from the Yerushalayima mamas to know what tzniyus
is all about.
Hashem yerachem , maternity clothes……can.t even discuss….
the place to go is villa maternity, every item is very kosher there.
I.m always so impressed when shopping there, very chasheve ppl
and tzniusdig, would never sell you anything that qestionable .
I have the same issue with tight pleatless pants. I just don’t buy them but I don’t complain allday about it.
Just buy the clothes in booro park. Its more eidele there.
You can have nice style clothes, that are not baggy and not tight. When I see ads for slinky skirts, or pencil skirts, etc. it doesn’t sound tsniusdik.
Can the editor stop letting this post become free advertising for girls clothing.
There is no issue with pleatless pants don’t make it sound worse than it is
TLS Editor; please remove #27 name. It is unfitting for this site.
To # 31. Thank you.
To #24 Really? Where did you get this analogy from?
This is pretty sad- instead of being productive and offering solutions- everyone just criticizes everyone else. It’s not always complaining when a person points out flaws- instead lets be objective and try to find a compromise.
Number 31 you are warped.
please remove the name from number 20. Its not befitting for a bas yisroel.