by Kosher Casual Team | May 31, 2018 | Uncategorized
One of the latest fashion trends is one we at Kosher Casual are very familiar with! It’s all about layering.
The latest layering craze takes it to the next level as it emphasizes pairing contrasting patterns and styles to make a real statement. Kosher Casual has also added some great patterned tops, dresses, and skirts to play with in your personal layering experimenting.
Stay tuned to our Instagram to see each new piece as it comes in and in the meantime, enjoy these Instagrammers for inspiration.
@rachelleyadegar @veronicaslook
For those more conservative fashionistas, Kosher Casual always has a huge collection of fashion basics in solids with a great selection of layering options as well. Our popular layering dress is an essential piece for the modern and modest dresser. We’d love to see some of your layering outfits, so please share with us below!
by Kosher Casual Team | May 16, 2018 | Uncategorized
The internet is raging with the new “Yanny vs. Laurel” debate (original tweet), and we couldn’t help but see a very clear and important life lesson in it. How can some people clearly hear Laurel and others hear Yanny?
This audio debate is even more perplexing than the blue vs. gold dress arguments that flooded the internet several years ago. The explanations for this audio based discussion can and have been attributed to bass or pitch levels as seen here by ten different experts. While their arguments makes sense in theory, the distinction in the devices’ output becomes irrelevant when several participants are listening to the audio clip on the same device.
As a clothing brand in the modest fashion industry, we often get questions (and criticism) from customers about how long our hemlines are or whether our neckline options are more or less modest. Our response is that Kosher Casual is an advocate of modest clothing in all of its definitions without judgment and tries to offer options for the range of needs. What we have learned from our customers and from listening to our community is that modesty doesn’t come in a single definition. There are many standards about what modesty is and how to dress modestly. Even our Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and secular customers have a wide range of criteria within the same groups.
As in the audio clip, people hear, see, and experience things from their own perspective. Their past experiences and their unique physiological makeup affect how they interpret situations and sounds! While you may hear one thing, it is very possible for your friend or spouse to hear something completely different. The same difference in perception goes for the idea of modesty as well.
Modesty perspective is an individual choice that is developed on individual experience and culture. Members of the same sects of faith may feel that the way one behaves is more important than the way one dresses. Others disagree. Both opinions are valid, just like the Laurel and Yanny debate. When we see and accept that the world is made up of all different types of people with different experiences and ideals, then we can really start to understand how and why our difference are not only valid but important. So next time we are quick to call someone else’s idea of modest, immodest, or someone’s choice to cover up more, a zealot, remember that their choice is their most truthful idea of modesty. Let us embrace their intent.
Whatever drives you to dress modest, we applaud your effort in making getting dressed every morning, meaningful.
by Kosher Casual Team | Apr 30, 2018 | Uncategorized
Here in Israel spring is short and summer is hot! Kosher Casual is located in Beit Shemesh, where it is really hot…no, really, really, really hot. Therefore, we start to feel the summer modest challenge early and we seek to provide solutions that will last the entire summer.
While some commercial fashion was showing more modest necklines and hemlines, in the summer those influences start to fade. Most stores won’t carry options for modest dressers. The pressure to find the right clothing is on.
In addition to Kosher Casual offering you real modest choices, we’re here to also offer you encouragement and hope for getting through the summer without sacrificing your values or fashion sensibilities!
1. Plan – Start looking for modest clothing options now so that you have a few tops or dresses to choose from. Once the summer rolls in, the stores will have less and less long sleeved shirts and full length dresses. Treat yourself to a dress you love in more than one color.
2. Invest – Find a water bottle that keeps your water colder and for longer periods. Pay a little more for this feature if you know it will help keep you cool.
3. Support – Grab a friend and kvetch a little! There’s no shame in acknowledging the struggle. Choose a friend that you know understands how uncomfortable the hot weather makes you and be a support to each other.
4. Get Involved – Places like Instagram have loads of people sharing how they stay modest by taking pictures of their cute, modest and summer friendly outfits. You can get involved in the online modest fashion community and see that you aren’t alone in sticking to what you believe!
Hopefully, these tips will help get you through the summer! We encourage you to seek out ways to be adorable while staying modesty. And because you’re not alone, share in the comments below how you manage to stay
modest and cool!
by Kosher Casual Team | Nov 22, 2017 | Uncategorized
Black Friday is once again upon us and everyone likes to get a good deal. Many people will hold off on a big purchase until Black Friday to get the “best” deal. At Kosher Casual, we are on board for the action as well, but from the other side of the checkout counter, the seller’s side!
We wanted to share some tips we have learned over the years to help you get the best deals and walk away happy.
#1 Take advantage of retailers with online stores
This tip is fairly obvious because the biggest benefit is the ability to avoid the chaos of waiting in line, digging through racks or shelves. Getting to the store after finally finding a parking spot, just to learn the product you came for is out of stock! Some retailers even offer Black Friday discounts online a few days before Black Friday. This leads us to our next tip…
#2 When you have an item at discount in your shopping cart, buy it!
Do not hesitate or wait until Friday if you are already seeing a discount in your cart, there is a strong likelihood that the item you want could sell out. So do not wait days to buy, if the site says Black Friday discount, it’s likely that the prices won’t go down much more.
#3 Plan accordingly using a retailers website
This tip is for items that are only available at in-store sales. In order to make the most out of Black Friday, it is best to prioritize the items you plan to buy on Black Friday. Use a retailer website to organize by store hours and locations. Choose the items that you absolutely need and get those first, Black Friday is not the day to roam or browse your favorite stores.
#4 Shop with a friend
By bringing a friend along, you can help each other accomplish more. Perhaps there is a long line in one store, one person can stand in line while the other checks out items that were lower on the priority list. More importantly than that, Black Friday shopping can be exhausting and frustrating, bringing a friend can help you both laugh off the quirky situations that come with big sales.
#5 Don’t go to Walmart 😉
This one does not need so much explanation so I’ll just leave you with this…
Happy Holidays!
by Kosher Casual Team | Sep 26, 2017 | Uncategorized
That moment when you grab one too many things in your hands, the first being your coffee, but also the closest to your nicely laundered white shirt! Or, you decide to just do the dishes quickly before running out to that meeting and that fateful splash on your silk blouse…
Those dreaded surprise stains are NOT created equally and therefore should not be treated equally. For anyone that still enjoys wearing white, here are some stain busting solutions for all the different kinds of stains imaginable.
Two important and general rules for ALL stains…
The earlier you catch the stain, the better! If you are out and don’t happen to carry around one of those Tide pens or Shout wipes, the best thing to do is wet the stain with water or an ice cube is better, just to keep it from completely setting into the fibers of your clothing. Be sure to dab as rubbing can also speed up the damage.
Secondly, when it does come time to wash the stained clothing item, check the wet laundry to be sure the stain is gone, putting the washed item with a stain in it will often ‘seal the deal’. Pretreat the stubborn stain and try it in the washing machine before drying.
It’s important to classify your stain into one of these categories so you can have the best chance at treating the stain. For the purpose of this article, the categories that stains fall into are dye stains, protein stains, combination stains, dairy product stains, fruit and fruit juice stains, grass stains, mud stains and of course…coffee stains.
Dye and coffee stains are best treated by running them under very cold water and then wash the item in the machine using the hottest setting that is still safe for the fabric. If that doesn’t work then try the dry cleaner and remember to do this all before drying the article of clothing.
Protein stains like vomit, sweat, and blood are best treated with an alkaline stain removal solution. Most detergents have alkaline components like sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, and these are ideal for attacking these organic types’ stains.
Combination stains are things like makeup or sauces that may have components of both dye and protein stains. The best results come from spot treating with detergent directly on the stain, washing it out spot treating with a stain spray or stick and laundering in the wash as usual.
Dairy or rocky road ice cream 😉 stains are protein stains in nature because they are natural. Soak fresh stains in cold water and even agitate them if you can. If you are dealing with a dried stain, brush off any crusted matter and soak for several hours in a detergent or an enzyme presoak (which is least suggestable due to potential allergies). Launder in warm water and if the stain remains, soak for another 30 minutes and rewash.
Fruit stains are a dye stain but they also have the added component of sugar and if that is not removed completely you could end up with a dash of crème Brulee when added to the heat of the dryer. To ensure you’ve cleaned it thoroughly, wash it in the hottest water possible with detergent but AVOID soap based products as they can make the stain permanent. Old or set fruit stains may require a fabric safe form of bleach.
Grass stains are a dye stain and should, therefore, be treated with laundry product and cool water. Hot water can cause the stain to set and make it very difficult to remove! A laundry product with enzymes will also attack the stain but again, unless your laundry detergent has it included its best to avoid pure enzymes.
Mud stains are considered a protein stain and the most positive results come from letting the stain dry, removing the soil and soaking for 15 minutes in a solution of:
- 1 TBS white vinegar
- 1 tsp liquid dish detergent
- 1 quart of warm water
If the stain does not seem to budge, dab with rubbing alcohol and rinse multiple times with clear water. Wash in warm water and repeat if the stain does not come out.
Lastly, fighting the fateful coffee stains. Because coffee stains often come with dairy in it, you need to treat it as a dye stain with a protein stain combination. If the stain is fresh immediately rinse with cold water if you are able to remove and add laundry detergent, rub it with cold water. Afterwards, its best to soak for 30 minutes, with agitation every 5-10 minutes. Lastly, wash the clothing on the hottest setting possible and like every other item, be sure to check before throwing it in the dryer. If the stain has not left, repeat the steps above.
Happy cleaning and if you really want to be safe, borrow a bib from your nearest baby or toddler because the reality is life happens and all those stains and spills are proof we’re living.
by Kosher Casual Team | Aug 30, 2017 | Uncategorized
While we were all minding our own business, reminding ourselves the beauty of dressing modestly and searching for strictly air conditioned summer activities, a mini online war broke out. Best of all it’s all based on the crucial, but apparently controversial topic of modest clothing. An article appeared on forward.com by Michelle Honig, citing the critical and necessary stand modest women must take against the layering top or ‘shell’ as it is often referred to.
Michelle Honig strongly stated that “It makes everyone’s arms (including fit women) look like ten-pounds of sausage meat stuffed into a five-pound casing”. After looking down at my arm to make sure I was not offending anyone with my meat sausages…I continued reading and felt, oh gosh, that is some serious hostility. Michelle goes on to provide a history lesson about the ever-popular brand of layering tops, KikiRiki, and how the essence of the company and their goals have no trace of modesty. While I understand the importance of the origin of the things we wear, especially when our fashion choices make a big statement about our modest values, I still felt it was over bearing. Needless to say, the layering top provides a real solution to women who choose to show less skin but still want to wear more than a high collared, buttoned striped shirt!
Apparently, I was not the only who felt attacked by this article because suddenly there were multiple writers and bloggers who were beginning to respond to this layering top boycott. After reading a few of these, on both sides of the argument, it felt like regular, yet silly, internet fodder. Then an article came across the screen and one paragraph caught my attention, Daniella Levy writes:
“But there’s a reason why I often find myself layering my clothes, and it’s very simple: I don’t have a choice. The women’s fashion industry seems to be built on the rule that a certain percentage of skin needs to be showing no matter what. When 3/4-length sleeves are in fashion — necklines plunge. When long skirts are in fashion — so are sleeveless tops. And if God forbid, by some accident, fashion designers find themselves offering a piece that has both 3/4-length sleeves and a decent neckline — you can bet your (modest) britches that they’ll cut out the entire back. In a final act of desperation, they might even snip those hideous slits into the side, just to fill the skin-showing quota.”
That’s exactly it.
Women who choose to dress modestly today are left with very little choice and so they make the best out of it. It may be an easy backup, but it’s definitely not a response to a male ordained set of guidelines. Any women that dresses modestly can assure you that adding an extra layer under most of your shirts is their choice and it is not one they take lightly.
How do you use your layering top? Is it a ‘must have’ for you or a ‘have no choice’ wardrobe piece?
