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The latest style is to have leather details on otherwise tznius clothes.
While there is nothing technically wrong with it, I feel this style is not modest or feminine, and inappropriate for a person who wants to project those traits. It connotes tough, manly work (think motorcyclists and leather gloves). I am surprised it has become so popular.
What are your thoughts?
It’s okay for balding men.
yuck! Just another way of crossing that line without crossing it.
And the poor babies that are swaddled in their “leather” (read: plastic) leggings… My heart goes out to them!
It may look like leather, but it could really be Pleather. If it’s tznius, I have no problem. People wear whichever materials are comfortable for their bodies. Don’t like it, don’t wear it and leave us leather-wearing-biker-chicks alone!!!
I actually asked someone a lot older and wiser than me regarding this style, but I’m scared to post it.
Streek
Scared to post it? Well when you gather your courage we will here to read it
torah613 allow me to dissect:
“While there is nothing technically wrong with it,”
Define “technically.” Additionally, are you saying your next arguments aren’t technically provable? If so, I agree. As someone who thrives on technicalities, allow me to hone my craft. Please don’t take this personally.
“I feel this style is not modest”
feelings are unprovable. Also, define modest.
“ feminine,”
same response except replace “modest” with “feminine.”
“and inappropriate for a person who wants to project those traits.”
See above for request to define “these traits.” Also, define propriety in this context. Is it a technical term?
“It connotes tough, manly work (think motorcyclists and leather gloves).”
I think it connotes a new tznius feminine style (think new thread in the coffee room). Stating what it reminds you of doesn’t make it bad.
Additionally, in the yeshiva world, increasingly the women do the “tougher work,” as the men frequently stay in academia until the point that only white collar work tends to produce sufficient income for their large families, leaving their wives to do all the “tough” work. Oh, and please define “tough” as well.
I suppose the points I’m trying to make is 1. that the esoteric concept of tznius doesn’t lend itself well to technical limitations, and 2. stating that it’s technically okay, while listing unprovable technicalities as to why it’s not okay is contradictory.
Perfect example of ‘NOVOL B’RESHUS HATORAH’!
I think that leather details look fine if they’re tasteful. Same thing that I think about sequins, neon colors, etc. A leather band on my Shabbos skirt or fake-leather pockets on my sweater are not the end of the world. They’re not loud or flashy or attention-grabbing.
Leather doesn’t have to be masculine. My mom wears a leather jacket that’s very tasteful and feminine- nobody would ask her why she’s wearing a guy’s jacket. I also don’t think it has to be inappropriate, either- in general, as long as it’s in good taste… and that’s definitely possible with leather.
I also think that in general, as fashion moves, things become more or less acceptable. As styles change and people start wearing new things, they enter more and more into the realm of the mainstream. And personally, I think that’s okay. Obviously it’s within a person’s rights to dislike leather or puffy skirts or neon green, but if people wear it and it’s newly common, it can shed a lot of previous associations and become perfectly fine. To be honest, I don’t see my friend’s leather-panel sweater and think, oh, she looks like she’s wearing guy clothes. Styles do change and with them so do our mindsets.
Hashem gave us animals to utilize in a variety of ways, one of which is to use their hides and/or fur to clothe ourselves. If the leather item is not too tight, I see no difference between it and wool, cotton, fur coats, or anything else that can LIKEWISE be untzniusdig, when made to appear that way.
Stop with the ‘Tzidkaniyos’ nonsense, & call a spade a spade.
For once a tznius thread that was actually started by a woman:)
I hear that it’s not Jewish looking but I don’t think it’s not tznius. I have a hard enough time with the basics but as long as I struggle with those I won’t even think about getting rid of my leather jacket. It’s just one more thing to add to the list of ‘forbiddens’, as if it wasn’t suffocating enough.
streekgeek – I vote for not bothering
I am having trouble rustling up an opinion on this, perhaps because I don’t hang around nashim tzidkanios, or perhaps because I am not checking out what they are wearing. I would be glad to stick in a joke about tearing off any leather clothing that I notice.
@Syag – that’s what I was thinking. I don’t want to be involved in what will turn out to be a balagan. So I’ll just sit at the side and watch this develop without my two cents.
I read a similar presumption that people shouldn’t wear denim because they claimed that in England, apparently only the low-class, unrefined dregs of the working-class society wear it. I’ve never been to the UK, but I’m pretty sure that denim doesn’t necessarily connote such traits. And wearing denim doesn’t necessarily connote support of the Zionists either.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care for leather accents, but if these girls are not wearing leather in a provocative or overly abnormal, eye-catching way on otherwise unquestionably tznius garments, then I really don’t see what’s wrong with it.
Why is leather an issue? It was common in all clothing until plastic was invented back in the 20th century? It can also be very fashionable depending on styles, particularly for outerwear. However it is more expensive than plastic, which is why most people avoid it and substitute plastic instead (plus one can make waterproof plastic more cheaply and more waterproof than leather). Unlike plastic, leather “breathes” which is why fine shoes are made of leather – with a tremendous cost difference.
It does not connote a classy, refined look.
I don’t think the women here realize how mens eyes work. Leather brings many connotations that women wouldn’t understand. Its extremely Untznius, not for the clothing aspect but for the idea of it. V’hamayvin Yavin.
leather or pleather skirts go with the leather jacket look. If you wouldnt wear that look why would you wear a skirt or jumper like that. It is totally not befitting a bas melech
hanz kegl- I have NEVER seen anyone wearing a leather skirt and a leather jacket. It’s too repetitive.
sg – smart lady
Leather is back in style? It was all the rage in the early 80s too.
Leather has always been in style. Our shoes are leather, our belts are leather our fall&winter gloves are leather, pocketbooks & attache cases are leather, billfolds, purses are leather.
Leather is a durable and stretchable material. Leather being associated with males is the Hollywood Motorcycle Gang look.
Tznius is tznius,,, stop adding materials (cotton knits, sweats, silks, lace, leather, seude) to the formula.
Whats wrong with leather parts in a garment? IMHO leather jackets are quite ugly. I have the same opinion about denim jackets. But thats just an opinion. I would never thrust my opinions on someone else. Wear what you want as long as its in teh parameters of tznius!
I actually thing that leather/pleather additions to a garment is very nice and is classy too.
bklynmom, so, you were wearing leather skirts in 2011?
Men get excited by leather on a woman ’cause the smell reminds them of a new car.
Cows wear leather. It reminds me of a cow when I see them.
My question is on the frum stores that try to move tznius fashion in a certain direction. They mamish dont chap the enormity of what they are doing.
“I don’t think the women here realize how mens eyes work. Leather brings many connotations that women wouldn’t understand. Its extremely Untznius, not for the clothing aspect but for the idea of it. V’hamayvin Yavin.”
Everything in the world makes men think of one thing. A man can see a tree and start thinking inappropriately. Woman have halachas so it shouldn’t be screaming a man in the face when he does mistakenly take a glance. Leather isn’t attention grabbing when you’re trying not to look.
All these men should grow up and take accountability. We try to the best of our ability and you claim to also. Stop looking out for it and there won’t be a problem.
@Torah613Torah – Thank you. ^_^
@PBA – Cows wear leather birthday suits. Consider that for a moment. Leather is made from the epidermis of cows.
I don’t think leather is untzniyus, and it definitely doesn’t make people think of inappropriate things.
I have a leather jacket. It’s extremely comfortable, and also keeps me very warm in the autumn/early winter time (it’s not for when it’s below freezing outside.) I don’t think it has anything to do with a motorcycle gang – I don’t have the metal studs on it, I don’t have any patches on it, or art on the back. It’s just plain leather.
mannster613: I think you’re 100% wrong. Honestly, I’m sick of people saying that all men are animals. We’re not. I’ve been working in a corporate office for many years. There are women here who dress in extremely tight clothes, very low-cut collars, and other things a frum Jewish woman would never wear. Guess what? I’ve never done anything inappropriate!
When I read a post here about how a girl says she needs to dress properly because all men are animals, and she doesn’t want to tempt them (I believe someone wrote a poem about it a few months ago), I laugh! These girls are full of themselves, with huge egos! Do you really think all men find you attractive? We don’t! Get over yourself! You dress properly because that’s what the halachah says to do, not because men are animals.
There is a big mistake a lot of people make regarding Tzniyus. It really isn’t about the men. Men also have hilchos Tzniyus! It’s about you and Hashem. Hashem wants us to focus on and accentuate who we are on the inside in our hearts and souls and that’s what we should be projecting outwardly to the world. Even if no men are around a woman should dress appropriately because of who she is. She should take pride in knowing that she has inner beauty and uniqueness because of how Hashem created her and that she is an original there never was and never will be anyone quite like her. By not dressing appropriately be it a man or a woman you simply cheapen yourself and show that all you are is a nicely shaped piece of flesh that looks good in designer clothing made to attract the eyes. You basically are saying you don’t think you are worth anything and you don’t think humanity is worth anything other than how attractive they look. If I look good enough to be noticed then I am worth something if nobody notices then I am worthless. This is what the corrupt fashion world and the corrupt society we live in wants us to believe. This in essence is a big part of the Greek philosophy that hasn’t disappeared and in fact has made a huge comeback in the world.
DaMoshe, it’s not all or nothing. We have to guard ourselves from inappropriate thoughts as well as actions.
Mods why the hold up of my post?
Inappropriate wording.
The one from 54 minutes ago? I beg to differ.
… because of how Hashem created her…show that all you are is a nicely shaped piece of flesh”
“How Hashem Created her” was without clothing, which was the intention tobe the norm. Adam and Chava messed that up, but clearly Hashem’s original Plan was for people NOT to wear clothing, because that is not an inherently untzniusdig state. It is our Yetzer Hara that made it so.
oomis
Right, because before the sin they had no interest in physicality. So clothing was created to cover that up, instead now clothing is all about making you think about whats covered up!
I’d love to have my phone in leather.
@DaMoshe – +1,000,000,000!
“I have a leather jacket”
I have leather tefillin straps.
I went to a restaurant, and I saw a guy wearing a leather jacket, eating a hamburger, drinking a glass of milk. I said, “Dude, you are a cow.”
-Mitch Hedberg
DaMoshe – are there any more at home like you? +1
@DaMoshe – I dress appropriately because it makes me feel good to do things right, not because I’m afraid gentlemen will see me and think inappropriately about me. I’m sorry that there are inconsiderate people out there who have given the male gender on a whole such a bad rap. The actions of one bad apple does not represent the actions of everyone else.
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