Anatomy of Two Outfits- Chanukah

I love the holiday of Chanukah. It’s not a major holiday- I still have to go to work- but it’s always fun and special. This year, there was an added poignancy to it. As always, I used my clothes and accessories to give me a morale boost and it worked. 

Every year, my in-laws host a Chanukah dinner for their children and grandchildren. This is part of what makes the holiday fun and special for me. The dinner is always a casual event so I didn’t want to dress up too much but I still wanted some festivity for the holiday. 

Here’s how I did it…

Skirt- dark denim, very fitted, mermaid style. This is part of the base outfit and it shows curves on my straight figure. Denim is inherently casual so I didn’t feel overdone.  

Shell- basic black, snug. This blends with the skirt to give me one long line. 

Cardigan- long, open, olive/army green. Olive green is perfect for Chanukah- the tradition is to use olive oil. It’s also a soft color that’s in my irises and isn’t too dramatic or aggressive so it’s perfect for family gatherings. 

Headwrap- Olive green base scarf in basic turban plus olive sari in sash Israeli turban. The sari is made of strips of silk and that made it inherently festive. 

Necklace- peach/pink For Our Kedoshim necklace. Pink and peach are opposite green on the color wheel so they give a nice contrast. 

For Rosh Chodesh Tevet, I wanted an outfit that showed off my feminine power. The story behind Chanukah involves women asserting themselves and making things happen so I wanted to bask in that. 

Here’s how I did it…

Skirt- light gray, straight. Most grays don’t flatter me so I don’t wear them near my face but in a skirt, gray works as a great neutral. The straight shape works for my figure. 

Shell- blush pink tee. This is a light color so it blends with the light gray skirt for one long line. It’s a secondary neutral and it flatters my coloring more. 

Overtop- Peach button-down. I wore it open for a more edgy-glam look. The shirt is structured so it has that edge. Peach flatters my coloring.

Headwrap- Peach pashmina in basic turban plus blush sari in sash Israeli turban. It was cold so a pashmina worked a little better. Again, the sari made it festive for Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah. 

Necklace- Blue/green For Our Kedoshim necklace. The blue and green contrast nicely with the pink and peach. 

Dear readers, what kind of outfits do you enjoy for holidays?

May Hashem allow all of our hostages to be rescued safely.

Anatomy of Two More Outfits- Morale Boost

Unfortunately, we are still in a very stressful and worrisome time. I myself have my work and my family which I love but I’m also very scared for my family in Israel. I’m still hoping and praying that our hostages are rescued safely and that our soldiers return safely. But I’m also trying to live and thrive. And my clothes help me from the outside inward. 

Here are two more outfits that have given me a serious morale boost. Both are based on prints. Women must not be afraid of prints- they can be flattering and fun when done just right for the individual woman. I like autumn-y prints because they flatter my coloring. But there are lots of great prints in great colors and they deserve a look.

First is my favorite animal print- leopard.

Skirt- basic black, straight. This gives me a base. Because it’s straight, it balances the slightly looser fit of the blouse. 

Shell- black, snug. This gives me one long line by blending with the skirt. 

Overblouse- leopard print wrap top. This is a focal point that I love. Animal prints are powerful and that gives me strength. 

Wrap- Solid teal in Israeli turban. When done in the natural colors of the animal, animal prints are like neutrals. They go with every other solid color. Teal is a dramatic color on me and it adds an extra dose of strength. 

Earrings- soft white drops. These offer contrast with the teal and the leopard and they offer an extra dose of support. 

Second is my favorite print dress. 

Dress- off-white base with bohemian print in soft autumn colors. This is probably my favorite dress. The colors flatter me and the print reflects my relaxed and creative side.

Wrap- Country blue Israeli scarf with gold pinstripes plus Teal “golden” Israeli scarf in double Yerushalmi twist. This style was the first wrap style that really got me excited about headscarves and in fact, I learned how to do it in Yerushalayim. The two blues don’t match but they look rich and sophisticated together. 

Earrings- larger soft white drops. These offer contrast next to the print and to the blue scarves and they offer that extra dose of support. 

More outfits and ideas coming…