adorable and queenbee:
While many many women (in NY and other communities) are toeing the “tznius lines” of elbows, knees and collar bones, there is now a trend going the opposite way. There are many women and girls starting to dress more tzniusdig, more of a meah shearim style, my guess is to combat those losing their tznius.
Even though I am a pretty recent bais-yakov graduate I unfortunately have a hard time keeping to my high school’s standards of tznius. (My husband doesn’t get it either, and asked me why on earth I was wearing stockings in 100 degree Miami summer.) It was always drilled into my head to “cover, measure and pin” my clothing, but I was never taught the sources of the “tznius lines”.
I understand I must act in a certain aidele way, and not wear tight clothing, and must cover most of my body. But why do I have to wear stockings? Why can’t I show my toes? Why my elbows? Whats wrong with a slit below my knee? And whats the difference between 4 inches below my knee and one inch above?
Yes a Jewish woman has to act and dress a certain way, but who made up the rules?
P.S. One of my seminary rebbaim taught me a very important rule of tzinus, that inspires me more than 12 years of Bais Yakov training. He said “A woman should dress the way she wants OTHER women to dress in front of her husband”