Need fashion advise- Are shells in or out?

amother

Pink

Tue, May 17 2022, 1:49 pm

amother [ Slateblue ] wrote:

This!! I love when posters consider themselves in style and trendy and then attach links from shein and suggest shopping by hm and asos! LOL

nobody I know would wear anything from shein or these stores. They’re all in pricey designer things and expensive stuff from Jewish stores. Not meli and junees. And they wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a chiffon blouse especially ones that ties on a bow at the collar Can't Believe It

And they’re still very much wearing shells. Who am I taking fashion advice from? Can't Believe It

This post is so rude! Just because someone shops at Shein doesn’t mean she’s not fashionable or trendy! Maybe she just has to work harder than others to find fashionable clothes because she can’t just walk into a designer boutique and spend thousands of dollars. Or maybe she can! Who are you to know? Like others have said, less expensive brands follow the trends of haute couture. I take fashion advice from people who know how to work with what they have. It doesn’t take much skill or fashion sense to walk into a designer store, take advice from a personal shopper and swipe your credit card.

amother

Smokey

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:16 pm

amother [ Narcissus ] wrote:

What is I need something under my see thru long sleeve shirt? What if my shirt from Junee doesn’t cover my collarbone? What if my dress is a drop above my elbows? I should wear it as is instead of wearing a shell?? My tzniut is more important than looking tragic or nerdy. And those prairie dresses can be see through or show the collarbone.

This question has been asked and answered already umpteen times on this thread.

When people say shells are out, they aren't referring to wearing under a see thru shirt or whatever.

The layering look - wearing a shell under a short-sleeved dress, is out.

amother

Pink

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:34 pm

amother [ Smokey ] wrote:

I hear the point of some posters here. If you are following frum (Lakewood?) fashion trends, then shells are out. However, I was recently at a high-profile wedding, and many of the attendees were wearing shells under sleeveless dresses.

amother

Smokey

Tue, May 17 2022, 2:37 pm

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

Sleeveless - not short sleeves. Key difference.

amother

NeonGreen

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:01 pm

amother [ Smokey ] wrote:

Sleeveless - not short sleeves. Key difference.

So I can wear a shell under a sleeveless dress but not a short sleeve dress? I would love to know who makes all the rules because I have no idea of any of these things.
signed
Mrs fashion faux pas.

amother

Puce

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:04 pm

amother [ NeonGreen ] wrote:

So I can wear a shell under a sleeveless dress but not a short sleeve dress? I would love to know who makes all the rules because I have no idea of any of these things.
signed
Mrs fashion faux pas.

When you wear a shell of the same color under a sleevless dress in blends in and doesn't look like you're wearing a shell.

amother

Forestgreen

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:04 pm

So when I was out and about in Lakewood I paid attention to all the clothing around me. Half the people were wearing shells and they looked trendy wearing current styles and up to date sheitels… so it doesn’t seem that out to me.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, May 17 2022, 3:05 pm

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

Just for the record, I wear Zara style clothing. In no way do I spend thousands on designer stuff. It’s more how they were so haughty that nobody in their circles wears shells and whoever does is like a total failure. It was just interesting to see what they consider high fashion

PinkFridge

Tue, May 17 2022, 5:27 pm

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

I have a navy knee length button front that is modal cotton material. Very light breezy fabric. I wear it open with a straight denim skirt, short sleeve navy modal shell tucked in, and a wide belt.

There are some light breezy cardigans that I'm not comfortable wearing without another arm covering. If it doesn't need that extra layer, it's probably too hot for me.

dancingqueen

Tue, May 17 2022, 10:53 pm

I personally think the long sleeve shell look is kind of tragic. But I do find it interesting the whole world has embraced a very tznius aesthetic (prairie dresses) in the last few years but many posters here have a real aversion to it.

amother

Antiquewhite

Tue, May 17 2022, 10:59 pm

dancingqueen wrote:

I think I posted some pages ago that I had friends who resisted the long sleeve shell look for a long time because they felt it wasn't tznius. Some on their own, and some asked their rabbi/rebbitzen who said it was not. I guess once it became so widespread they either changed their minds or just gave in and went with the flow. Although now that I think about it, I can identify some rebbitzens who never did end up doing the long sleeve shell.
So to state that it is the optimal tznius option may be correct for some, but not for all!

The problem with the prairie dress, imo, is that it flatters so few people. You ideally need to be tall (but not too tall) thin (but not too thin).

dancingqueen

Tue, May 17 2022, 11:05 pm

amother [ Antiquewhite ] wrote:

I guess? The whole idea is that they are generally not so fitted so a variety of women can wear that kind of dress.

amother

Antiquewhite

Tue, May 17 2022, 11:10 pm

dancingqueen wrote:

I guess? The whole idea is that they are generally not so fitted so a variety of women can wear that kind of dress.

They told me it had tight sleeves and emphasized the arms too much....remember before shells started, people wore looser t-shirts or button down shirts (or dresses with sleeves that didn't hug your arms so much).

amother

Sapphire

Wed, May 18 2022, 12:22 am

dancingqueen wrote:

I know a woman who wears a long sleeved shell. Should I list her tehillim name so you can pray for her?

amother

DarkMagenta

Wed, May 18 2022, 12:50 am

amother [ Antiquewhite ] wrote:

Clothes were getting tighter for years before shells came into the picture.

I remember looking at sem group pictures they had hanging up, and you could see the shirts getting tighter progressively every year.

amother

Antiquewhite

Wed, May 18 2022, 1:00 am

amother [ DarkMagenta ] wrote:

No, very frum people did not wear t-shirts with skin tight arms prior. I was in my mid 20s when the long sleeve shell appeared. I was on a trip to Israel one summer and saw these new fangled tops in Geulah clothing stores. Was very confused at first because they were obviously not regular t-shirt tops, you couldn't wear it as a regular top by itself, so how??? Way too thin and tight, it showed everything!! Then I saw some "mizrachi" girls wearing it under loose shapeless sleeveless dresses or under looser short sleeves, and then in America, within the next few months, the trendiest people were wearing them under short or sleeveless tops and vests and then eventually under dresses and it slowly spread to more right wing circles. I'm telling you, very frum people did not embrace it right away. Certainly, chareidi Israelis were the last to jump on the tight long sleeve shell bandwagon. (My chareidi relatives in Israel did not start for at least a year or two.)

Heyaaa

Wed, May 18 2022, 2:53 am

dancingqueen wrote:

I guess? The whole idea is that they are generally not so fitted so a variety of women can wear that kind of dress.

I think its the opposite. They're equally unflattering on everyone

amother

Sapphire

Wed, May 18 2022, 9:16 am

Heyaaa wrote:

PSA apparently the word tragic is very offensive for people. Even if this is how your friends talk, please consider using a different word.

It's fascinating how some posters here refuse to pick up on the obvious. Use of the word "tragic" is offensive to some women here who dress in the style that you maintain is "tragic". Therefore, continuing to use the word is obnoxious at best.

The main thing though, is that these slow-on-the-uptake sorts of women don't wear shells, so don't beat up on them. Save your criticism for the shell-wearers. Listen, not everyone catches on so quickly (to changing fashion and to others feelings). Tragic?

amother

Scarlet

Wed, May 18 2022, 9:41 am

dancingqueen wrote:

For the record the whole world has not embraced this kind of prairie look - at least not how it is interpreted in the frum world.

When secular women wear this look there is generally some skin showing to balance out the proportions - whether it is sleeveless or with a capped or short sleeve as in a true sun dress or whether has neckline which exposes some skin - not cleavage but just the upper chest. Also it is generally styled in a breezy manner - I.e. it is worn with sandals and not tights or shoes.

If something is transparent or slashed to the pupik, one can wear a pretty camisole or a pretty tank tank. That is a completely normal look even in the secular world.