Happy new year

The Jewish new year begins tonight, so Shana Tova everyone. This is what my new year dinner looked like three years ago, and it will probably be very similar this year. My mother really is remarkable!

I thought this might be a suitable time of year to describe the particular style of clothing which I wear when I go to synagogue (I attend an Orthodox service), as well as the specific modesty requirements of very observant Jewish women. It's expected that women in my synagogue will wear skirts or dresses (preferably at or below the knee) and generally nothing too revealing (no sleeveless tops).

During my High School years I had several Lubavitch friends who followed very strict rules concerning their clothing. They wore only skirts, and all well below the knee, opaque stockings, and shirts with sleeves past the elbow and buttoned to the neck. This is easy to do in winter, but try doing that through the Sydney summer... it's a challenge.

The Rabbi and Rebbetzin of my synagogue have three daughters (now young women) who are all incredibly beautiful and very style-conscious. It never ceases to amaze me when I see them in synagogue how they manage to manipulate their dresses so as to fulfill both the religious and the style requirements. There is something breathtakingly sexy about a young woman who is dressed in a gorgeous, and yet HIGHLY modest manner. Really there is.

In any case, if I get a chance to chat with them tomorrow (in synagogue... it's not like church... nobody's quiet) I shall ask them if they follow any "frum" style blogs. I tried googling, but it seems I don't really know the key words to use. The best I could come up with is this, which shows you the types of skirts many religious women wear... and which leads straight back to the Man Repeller. Yes. It. Does.

I realised that the Man Repeller was Jewish when I saw several Jewish texts on a bookshelf in one of her videos. Then she mentioned on another video that "My Jewish parents are in the other room and will kill me when they find out that I have a film crew in my bedroom... and it's Saturday morning" (the Jewish Sabbath). Then I read this, and it made me jump up and down and clap gleefully. Because I have had exactly the same reaction to seeing the popularity of the "maxi skirt" this season - "Look at all those models looking like they're frum."

Shana tova everyone!

E x

Guest blogger announcement

I am uber-proud to announce that, after much haggling over the fine print in her contract, a European celebrity has agreed to be an official guest-poster, right here - chez Eleanorfromthecommentbox.

Here's a clue.

O sweet joy.

O the anticipation!

My type of model

Introducing Nicole Thompson, my newly found fashion guru. No, not the model, that's the lovely Samantha Harris, but I'm interested in the make-up artist.

The photo originates here, where you can read a bit more about the fab Nicole T's make-up choices for her models earlier this year. But I don't really care about that, I really want to ask her about her glasses and her choice of earrings, and her penchant for black clothes and coloured pixie-cut hairstyles.

I heard Ms Thompson talk yesterday at IMATS. I was bewitched by both the artistry and personal style of this wonderful woman. She didn't wear glasses during her presentation, but as she raced past me later that day, rushing off to catch a cab to the airport to catch a plane to Paris for Fashion Week (as one does), I saw the glasses and they looked gorgeous. Crazy-mad size, but something about the shape and colour is just so right. Notice the earrings, yes, large sparkly earrings that really look wonderful. Something about the colour tone and shape which matches the look of the glasses without being all matchy-matchy.

I must also mention the hair colour, which was BRIGHT pink yesterday. Her eyebrows were pink too, and the look was endearing and looked perfectly natural on her.

Ms Thompson reminds me that I need to go bigger, shinier and braver. Be bold. Make a statement. Be passionate. Live life. And don't forget the glitter.

For Jeanette, with thanks

I'm so excited about my new banner, isn't it wonderful?

It's a photo of a collage which the incredible (Swedish) Jeanette made for me. That's right, a Swedish blogger who I met over the Internet by happenchance actually made me this incredible piece and mailed it to me as a gift.

I tried to capture the use Jeanette made of her sewing and embroidery skills.... can you see the embroidered glasses? It's astonishing how they look exactly like my favourite glasses (which I shall feature in this post). Jeanette and I have never met in person, and yet I can't help but feel a strong sense of sisterhood with her. Thanks J!

So here I go...

This is me without glasses and without makeup. I can't wear any eye makeup whatsoever (due to my eye condition), and this used to annoy me a lot. But I got over it. The miracle of sight should be enough to make me happy, the use of eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow isn't crucial. Although that being said, many women have told me they could not survive without mascara.


Here are my favourite everyday glasses: Moscot Dannee (black). I purchased them over a year ago in New York but Moscot is now available in Australia. This old-school style is in fashion now, and yet I reckon I'll be wearing them for as long as they last (and the quality is second to none, they've survived many accidents).

Here I am posing in Miss CB's room as I wanted to show you her Ms Pacman. So cute. My hair's longer now and I'm enjoying it.
This was taken several weeks ago when it was still chilly enough for a coat. The coat was on sale at Jigsaw, the black skinny jeans are from French Connection and the flats are brand new from Trenery (Miya leather ballet). I must say the flats were a great buy because the colour is fabulous and they're very comfortable.

I can't help but add that those black skinny jeans are a miracle because I usually cannot get skinny jeans past my calf, and if I do they cut off the circulation to my upper body. I'm usually a size 14 in trousers but I bought these in 16 and they're amazing. It's hard to see but they have a triangular patch detail on each knee which is very flattering and also stops that knee-saggy look I often get with tight trousers after I've worn them a few times.

In celebration of the fact that I have finally FINALLY posted these photos I'd like to do a giveaway. But I don't have anything to give away. Oh well, to make up for it let me recommend that you pop over to Nikki at Stylingyou and enter her shoe giveaway. It's open to Australian and INTERNATIONAL entries!!!

Good luck!