Some Visuals
I often get quizzical looks from friends when I posit that Jews should remix the couture of Ashkenaz. “I mean, why would you want to look Haredi if the whole point of dressing that way is to evacuate any sense of individuality and to emphasize modesty?”, they ask. The first problem is that not all Jews dressed that way, and nevertheless, there has to be a way to subvert traditional attitudes towards Jewish ways of dressing while exploring the ways that our ancestors wore their identity. Putting aside our anything-but-cool associations with the bekishe and borsalino of today’s hasidishe velt, gaze upon this studious young man from Krakow. Check out his distinctly cut cap, ankle pants, his sturdy-worn ankle boots and stylish leather briefcase:
Yael Sloma of TheStreetsWalker, a Tel Aviv/Jerusalem fashion blog, seems to be drawing unconscious parallels between the threads of Ashkenaz and Israeli street fashion, which draws unapologetically from continental concepts. Check out her photo of a Jerusalemite rocking a DIY version of the ankle pants, the wingtips and watchmaker vest. He may not be on his way to the shtibl, but he’s probably on his way to oylem habo:
