Even with an unseasonably warm Sukkot holiday, shoppers have been on the hunt for their new fall wardrobe. Luckily New Jersey boasts great shopping, with outlets, malls and shops catering to modest clothing throughout the area. Alene Brodsky Bloom and her staff at Teaneck’s Carly’z Craze helped many shoppers find their yom tov apparel and continue to assist with their eye for detail and on-trend advice.
“The goal at Carly’z Craze is to help women find their comfort level in their clothing,” explained Brodsky Bloom. “We can take looks that we see in fashion and allow the customer to find a way to dress modestly and fit her personality.” With that in mind, Brodsky Bloom mentioned some fabulous fall fashions and thoughts on how to wear them.
To layer or not to layer? That is an ongoing debate in modest fashion. While layering has had its moment in the fashion spotlight, many shy away from a layered look. In case anyone had any doubt of layering’s fashion versatility, Harper’s Bazaar called out the layered look as “one of fall’s runway trends,” in part because of the ability to repurpose existing clothing as part of new styles, as well as the fact that layering allows clothing to transition easily between professional and social events.
For those who prefer not to layer, dresses are still a basic staple of a fall wardrobe. They are available for every type of occasion, from formal dinners, to Shabbos and even daily wear, with casual camouflage patterns.
The current shoulder cut-out look has left many modest-dressing women puzzled as to how they can incorporate these flowy looks into their wardrobe. Should they layer over a matching shell? Many choose to look elsewhere for fun sleeves, and hope this look disappears. “These looks aren’t going anywhere soon, though they will probably diminish in popularity” said Brodsky Bloom, explaining that they are continuing to see the shoulder cut-out style in sweater materials for the winter, “but there are so many accenting sleeves available now, if someone is looking to add some fun to their outfit without layering, many looks are available, such as bell sleeves, ruffles and contrasting materials like crushed velvet and sequins.”
Though cut-out-shoulder shirts won’t be found at Carly’z Craze, it doesn’t mean they can’t help someone throw a look together. Instead of trying to match and possibly mask the layers, Brodsky Bloom suggested finding a contrasting color to pop out from the cutouts. “Use a bright color that is in a print on the shirt to accent the design. Play around with color and patterns,” she said. “People are always bringing in parts of an outfit to the store, and the staff helps pull together a wardrobe centered around the item or items, with the pieces we have.”
“So much of how people view fashion is about perspective,” Brodsky Bloom explained. While midi skirt length is wildly popular right now, and was showcased at recent Fashion Weeks, many people only see this look as “below the knee” and worry that it is not trendy. Pairing a midi skirt with the right type of top (maybe something with ruffled sleeves?) can help achieve that trendy look.
For the modest and trendy dresser, Brodsky Bloom offered words of advice, “There is so much fashion out there. It is endless. If something doesn’t work for you, there’s no need to force it or try so hard.”
By Jenny Gans
