Fall Bucket List, Life Bucket List (AKA Gone Fishin')

As you know, I have a fall/ winter bucket list. I also have a life bucket list. It's not as well thought out, but going to Nepal is DEFINITELY on it. My Aunt Champa is Nepalese, and I've wanted to go for as long as I can remember.

And now, after talking about it and planning for literally a whole year (before the blog even existed!) I'm leaving for Nepal tomorrow! AHHHHHH!!!!! I am very excited. A number of my relatives are already there, as of the end of last week, but I am joining a few days late on account of very much wanting to be at Sarit and Abe's wedding. (So yes, I am going to the airport tomorrow after I go to a bris AND a wedding. Exhausting, yes, but happy things, thankfully.)

I am literally jumping for joy

While I'm there, I won't be updating the blog, but I will have many stories and pictures when I return. If you would like to see what's happening in real time (or almost real time), feel free to follow me on Instagram: @curlyhairglasses. I'll be posting there when I have internet access. And I'll be back here on the blog in a few weeks. In the meantime, hopefully I (and all of you, if you're so inclined) will have some great adventures. See you all soon!

#100! And Some Reflections on Blog Having

OMG, dear readers. This is our ONE HUNDRETH BLOG POST!!!! Can you believe it? If you have read every single post-- and I know some of you are out there-- then pat yourself on the back! And please accept my deep thanks for your loyalty to this crazy, funny, hopefully enjoyable project.

 So since we are up to the 100th post, I thought I would take a time out from our regularly scheduled shenanigans and reflect a bit on what it's been like for me to write this blog.

 As some of you know, I basically started this blog on a whim. I walked into the library one day and said, "I think I want to start a modest fashion blog." And one of my friends said, "You should do it!" And thus Curly Hair with Glasses was born.

 Because it was not a thought-out process, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Were people going to read? Was I going to feel too shallow and self-indulgent? Would I have enough to say? Is my wardrobe really so interesting? I made a deal with myself which was basically, if and when it stopped being fun, I would shut the whole thing down. It should never feel like an obligation.

 So from this angle, this has been a big success. Every week or so, someone tends to shyly tell me that they love the blog. Which is so nice! So I say, Don't be shy! I love the blog too! And I write it to make you happy! So please keep the feedback coming.

 Also, it's fun for me. It's a great chance to get out of my head and think about something other than the Talmud or how stressful grad school is. A nice little self-contained study break, and a chance to say some things, if only in writing/ virtually. (One of the craziest things about grad school is how easy it is to go a whole day without talking to anyone.)

 Additionally, the blog has made me stretch myself in some surprising ways. For example, take the summer bucket list. While it's possible I would have done it without the blog, I'm not convinced. And then it ended up being one of the best things I ever did, so much so that I'm doing another one. The blog pushed me to do new, exciting, and interesting things, if only to have things to write about.

 The blog has also helped me define my modesty boundaries. I know that might sound strange, especially since I haven't written an On Modesty in a while (soon, I promise!), but sometimes when I'm trying something on, I think, Would I feel comfortable putting this on the blog? And if the answer is no, then I have to think about why that is, and whether I think I should actually be wearing it. While I certainly am not organized enough to take blog pictures every day, I try not to wear anything that I wouldn't feel comfortable being photographed in. It's been a surprisingly helpful barometer.

 Finally, it's made me push my fashion boundaries. While I had a vague sense that I wore something similar most days, I didn't realize the extent of it until I started writing about my clothes. Since then, I have experimented a lot more with colors, patterns, and things I thought couldn't work for my body. Do I look my best every day? Probably not. But I would rather try something than stay away because I'm too scared. True for clothes, true for life. And if I didn't make poor choices sometimes, then there would be no pictures for my future children to laugh at how silly I looked. So there you go, future children. This one is for you.

 So thank you all for reading! I hope you're enjoying this funny little journey we're on together, because I certain am. Please leave your comments below, if you have any, telling me what you like, don't love, or what to see going forward. Here's to the next 100 posts!

A Leopard Print Fanny Pack and a Shabbat Kallah

No, not my leopard print fanny pack. Don't you know me at all???

By now, you all know about Sarit, as I write about her all the time. The reason I write about her all the time is because she is the best. Well, luckily for everyone, her fiance Abe had the common sense to recognize her best-ness, and they are getting married on Sunday!

I'm not much for wedding-related events. I like weddings, but bachelorette parties are not my speed and showers are boring. However, the one tradition I really love is a Jewish one, called a Shabbat Kallah. The Shabbat Kallah takes place before the wedding-- sometimes right before, sometimes a few weeks before-- and is a chance for the bride's friends and family to gather to tell stories and offer blessings to the bride as she gets ready to embark on the next phase of her life. And eat a lot of cake, because really, why not.

I threw Sarit a Shabbat Kallah a few weeks ago. We don't have any pictures from the event itself, as we don't take pictures on Shabbat, but once Shabbat was over, we took a couple. And here they are!

The first time I ever met Sarit, she was very very ill and I was trying not to catch her germs. The second time, we were on our way to Mexico with American Jewish World Service, and she was wearing a leopard print fanny pack. Or should I say, rocking it. Because that's the thing about Sarit. She is fully who she is, and owns it all the time. Even when it involves fanny packs. So in honor of this great occasion, she broke it out again, as you can see below. (There was also a purple feathered crown, but that had sadly been taken off by this point.)

I always find the seasonal transition a little challenging in terms of what to wear. If it's too hot to wear boots but too cold to not wear tights, I sometimes have trouble figuring out which shoes would make sense. These are my first pair of booties. You can't see them so well in the picture, I now realize, but they look sort of like a low boot type of oxfords. A little funny looking, but I am very into them and you will definitely be seeing them again soon.

Obviously there will be a post about Sarit's wedding, if only because the dress I am wearing is awesome. But in the meantime, let me take this chance to say, here's to one of the best people I know, who is one of the best friends I have. Yay and mazel tov to Sarit and Abe!

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (old, similar here), Charter Club cardigan, Kosher Casual shell, Lucky Brand booties (this season's version here), Hue tights

Adventures in Pattern Mixing

One of the fashion trends that most intrigues me but also scares me is pattern mixing. When done well, it looks so cool. And when done badly, you just look sort of like a three year old who insisted on dressing herself. (Not that that's not bad for said three year old. But three year olds can pull of things that 30 year olds cannot.)

Our super elegant, not at all dated or ugly hallway

One of my fashion resolutions for the new year was to be more adventurous in my clothing choices. So when I saw this dress at Fox's it seemed to fit the bill perfectly. It mixed patterns, but in a way that worked because it was made that way. It was a shape that I was comfortable with, to make up for the less comfortable pattern mixing. Plus, it had sleeves. And it fit perfectly. The only problem-- it was about three inches too short.

But wait! There was a large hem! So I bought the dress and took it straight to the tailor who told me no problem, he could definitely let it out. Hurrah! Never underestimate the power of getting things tailored. It can change the whole ball game.

I wore it to synagogue the first night of Rosh Hashanah, and then a couple of more times since. The fabric is a scuba-type stretch, so it's versatile enough to be worn with sandals or with boots. I love it when I don't have to put my dresses away for the winter.

Here's a close up of the patterns:

I get many compliments every time I wear it. And I love it more every time. Look for it to be back on the blog soon, styled for winter.

And now, back to my books. Enjoy the last of the weekend, everyone!

What I'm wearing: Taylor mixed print dress (here, but for a lot more than I paid for it), Dr. Scholls sandals (similar here)

Good Bye Bucket List. Hello, Bucket List!

There is a traditional Aramaic prayer said at the end of learning any significant body of text called the Hadran. The word Hadran, which means "we will return," states our desire to return to the text we have learned, and that the text will return to us as well.

Now, you might wonder, Rachel, why are you writing about Aramaic prayers when this is supposed to be a modest fashion blog??? (A better question might be, Rachel, why are you updating your blog when you are supposed to be reading the Cambridge Companion to Rabbinic Literature? But I have no good answer for that.) Here is why: because as soon as I finished this bucket list, I started a new one!

As I said, I did, in fact, finish every single thing on the bucket list shortly before Labor Day. The last two things-- walking a bridge and going to Brooklyn Bridge Park-- were done together, with my favorite nephews and niece (and their parents.)

Simon is super into engineering these days, so he was very into how the bridge worked. And we all agreed that Brooklyn Bridge park was both fun and beautiful, if SUPER hipster Brooklyn. (For example, artisanal lemonade. You can't make this stuff up.) We made it across the Brooklyn Bridge, took Maddie on her first carousel, ate ice cream, and went to a playground where everything was about moving water around.

My favorite part was probably the Please Touch art installation/ splash pad. As you can see in the pictures below, it was a grid of four boxes with water that flowed up on the grid lines. The water would stop and start on a cycle, so it was actually possible to go inside of the grid without getting wet. But it was very hot out, so I decided to take a different route:

Was I soaked all day? Yup. But totally worth it. It was actually as fun as it looked in that picture.

I've decided to do another bucket list for fall/ winter. I understand that most people do not need to make lists of fun things to get them to leave the house, but I am not most people. I found it really helpful to have a written account of all of the things I wanted to do because you know what-- then I actually did them! I tried a lot of new things this summer, was much more social than I might have been inclined to be otherwise, never felt like I had nothing to do, and never had a day that I regretted doing things on the bucket list. In fact, I think I would do them all again. So maybe I will next summer. But for now, the seasons have switched (although not in St. Louis, where I am right now, where it is currently 83 degrees) and so will my activities. New list coming soon!

And finally, here is a picture of Maddie enjoying the sprinklers after we had to take off all of her clothes because she tried to eat ice cream with her hands. Third children, man, I'm telling you.

What I'm wearing: Eshakti dress (old, similar here), Kosher Casual shell, Rebecca's hat that I borrowed because it was too sunny and I am very pale

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram! @curlyhairglasses

A Tisket, A Tasket....

A dress like a picnic basket! (Or blanket.)

I actually can't believe that this dress hasn't made it onto the blog until now, as it is one of my absolute favorites. I love the gingham and the bright green color. It came with a sash, but I swapped it out for a tan belt, which I think works much better. As you can see above, I am VERY excited.

These pictures were taken at my Uncle Joel's 60th birthday party. Poor Uncle Joel has a 9/11 birthday, but we celebrated the weekend before at the picnic grounds at Greenwich Beach. The weather was perfect and great fun was had by all.

Some highlights: the gorgeous views, hilarious speeches, and many, many cousins of all ages. 

Soooo many children...

Simon, bossing people around. As usual. 

Maddie, in her cousin's hat

These are my cousins Paul and Stephanie's twin girls. They are adorable and also difficult to both hold at the same time. Stephanie is some sort of superhero. I cannot explain how she managed to come to Connecticut with four children and stay totally chill the whole time in any other way.

And, just to take it home, here is some MAJOR cuteness. Maddie hearts Leo.

What I'm wearing: old Boden dress (vaguely similar here), Franco Sarto sandals (similar here), LOFT belt (similar here), fedora bought at Santa Monica Pier (find on the NYC streets)

A Day in the Garden

So I was going to write a post about transitioning summer pieces for fall today... But then I woke up and checked the weather, and the current temperature was 37. Which I think we can all agree is really unacceptable for October 18. Thus, instead, I will hearken back to a happier time, when it was still warm out, and Shaina and I went to spend a lovely morning in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

[On one hand, these pictures were taken long enough ago that Shaina was still pregnant, and as of today, Baby Pickle is a month old. On the other hand, in my defense, he did arrive earlier than planned.]

The garden was really beautiful. It was full of late summer flowers, and the weather was absolutely perfect. For a garden outing,  I chose my chambray skirt with flowered embroidery around the bottom. Looking at the pictures, I might go with a colored shirt next time. You know, when it's warm again.

One of the coolest things in the garden was a smelling garden, where there were all sorts of flowers and herbs with strong smells. It was designed especially for the blind, under the assumption that, just because they can't see, it doesn't mean that they can't enjoy the gardens. Plus, there was a flower that smelled just like chocolate, which was pretty amazing.

Smell the flowers!

 I am always a sucker for a Japanese Garden. There's something about the greenery, water and wood that is especially evocative to me. The water was really green, which was pretty gross, but hey, you can't have everything, right?

Me, Shaina and Pickle, when he was still inside.

With my IDNYC, I joined the garden for free. (If you're a New York City resident and don't have one, I highly recommend it. It takes 10 minutes and you can join all sorts of amazing cultural institutions for free for a year, as long as you do it by 12/31/15.) I am hoping to go back some time this fall to see the leaves changing, and definitely in the winter, when I bet snow makes it even prettier.

And then, because we were in Brooklyn, we went to a kosher bakery to get some of my favorite kiddush cookies, which most people think are gross, but I love. Yum!
A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Oh, and I almost forgot! I'm on Instagram now. I'm not totally sure how I'm going to use it yet, but feel free to follow me @curlyhairglasses!

What I'm wearing: super old Boden skirt (vaguely similar here), Kosher Casual shirt, b.o.c. sandals

Q&A: Embrace the Brace

A Prologue: Thanks to those of you who helped out with the Stitch Fix dilemma. I ended up keeping the THML blouse (which I already wore) and the cardigan. Elbow patches for everyone! Don't forget, if you want, you can sign up for your own fix here!


And now, to the main event: the next Q&A.
This one comes from my friend Yael. Yael is my oldest friend (I have literally known her since I was born.) Sadly, we have something in common right now-- a big ugly brace. Mine is on my hand (yes, still), and hers is on her leg.
Here's Yael's question: I am wearing a boot on my foot for 4 weeks because I tore my plantar fascia. It's really not a big deal, but needs to be immobilized and finally heal after being painful to walk on for months. Fashion recommendations -- I would like to hide the ugly attention-grabbing boot. Any long skirts, dresses, wide leg pant recommendations you love?? Perhaps a blog post is in order? 

smile emoticon

When life hands you lemons, it's an excuse to go (online) shopping....? 
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Here's an answer:


First, let's acknowledge. Braces are the worst. The one upside of a boot like the one Yael has is that it can be taken off for things like showering, and to put things underneath it. As we will discover shortly, the ability to put things under is key.

[Disclaimer: To state the obvious, I am not a doctor. And while I hope to be one one day, it will not be the right kind. So... yeah.]

Ok. So let's start with shoes. It's important to have shoes that can match the elevation of the boot so that your back doesn't get misaligned. It's also important to wear comfortable shoes. (In fact, I would argue that we should always wear comfortable shoes. Life is too short to not be able to walk becaue your feet hurt.) And... it's getting to be boots season any day now. After many years of buying new boots every year, last year I bought a couple of pairs of Born boots and they are AMAZING-- and they don't need to be replaced this winter. Sometimes it's worth paying more for things of higher quality, and I would put boots in that category. Plus, they come with a variety of heel heights. Find them here with 20% off!

Now to bottoms. Apparently, at least according to my last Stitch Fix, wide leg pants are having a moment. The problem with wide leg pants is, they make almost everyone look shorter and wider. And Yael is not the tallest to begin with, so this might not be the best look. Plus, the problem with a boot is that there's no way to really cover it up because it covers the whole foot.
The problem with a boot is that it is probably too wide on top for bootcut or flare pants. So we instead move on to...

Maxi dresses also present the possibility of covering the boot. Even though most maxi dresses are of summer weight, they can be layered up well with cardigans, leggings and scarves to transition for fall. (I've been wearing mine at least once a week and I'd like to think I look at least sort of normal.) But again, length is important! Personally, I like my maxi dresses to fall right to the top of my feet with flats, but different people have different feelings about this. However, the dress shouldn't be too long. You don't want to fall and hurt yourself even more!

 Zulily has a lot of maxis right now, although they tend to be very slow with delivery. So if time is of the essence, Boden is also a good bet. Especially if you are on the shorter side, like Yael, Boden has a lot of maxis available in petite for a perfect length. 

However, there is also something to be say for embracing the brace. After wearing a lot of black shirts in the past few weeks in hopes that people wouldn't notice my splint, I finally accepted that people were always going to notice and were always going to ask what happened, so I might as well wear whatever I wanted. On that note:

I recommend leggings instead tights. The main challenge with anything that involves velcro is that everything catches on it, so delicate fabrics should be avoided, unless you want to be afraid every time you cross your legs. Also, fleece lined leggings are AMAZING once it gets colder.
For pants that aren't super skinny but fit under the brace, LOFT has great straight leg pants. And they're having a flash sale now until tomorrow night! Get on it, shoppers!

And finally, to draw attention from the brace, try a dark skirt with a brightly colored top. This pencil skirt from Macy's is my fall/ winter go-to. It's super comfortable but still work appropriate, and modest but won't hit against the top of the boot.  Anthropologie has beautiful tops with great details (even on sale! Because otherwise who can afford anything ever?) to draw the eye upwards, away from the ugly boot. And, if not-- at least maybe someone will give you a seat on the subway!
Get well soon Yael! Have any other advice for her? Leave it in the comments!

Stitch Fix Review October 2015: Decisions, Decisions

Yes, my dear readers, it is that time again. Not because I get my Fixes two week apart now, but because I am blogging about this one right when I got it because I need some advice! I thought I had decided, but then I put everything on again to take pictures and now I can't decide.

I apologize for the mirror selfies. Shaina has a new baby and Sarit is getting married in three weeks and away at a conference, so I decided to leave them alone and take my own pictures this time around.

For this Fix, I made two requests. First, I'm going to Nepal(!) in three weeks (more on that later), so I asked for things that could be easily layered and washed while I'm there. Second, because of the fashion rut I've mentioned, I asked for new things to try to push me out of my comfort zone a bit.

Doesn't that sweater look delicious???

If I kept the whole box, it would be $169.50. Here's the styling card:

And the note. Hi Alison!:

(P.S. You might notice that my hair is much shorter. It was in terrible need of a cut so I went in an said, Do whatever you want. It's very different but I think I like it!)

Let's see what I got:

Skies are Blue Cathy Wide Leg Pant in Burgundy-- $48

I know what you're thinking. Stitch Fix sells hideous pajama pants???

No! I am supposed to wear these outside! For reals!

Apparently this is what I get for asking to have my comfort zone pushed.

I would call these pants hideous, but that would be insulting to hideousness. I HATE them. I actually could not imagine something less flattering to my body. I already carry my weight in my hips and thighs. Why make them look bigger? Perhaps if I was twice was tall and half as small these would have worked. But I am not. Good bye, horrible pants.

Status: Return

Market & Spruce Arto Embroidered Bib Top in Black-- $68

This shirt was just sort of eh on me. I'm of average height, but my torso is long-ish, so it was a little short. It was also slightly tight in the sleeves and too big in the body.

Plus, the peplum is not for me. And $68 is a lot for a shirt that I don't love, even with the beautiful embroidery. Finally, I already wear too much black. I won't miss this one.

Status: Returned

THML Bresee Scoop Neck Top in White-- $64

This is where things get complicated. This blouse, while on the pricier side, is GORGEOUS. It's super high quality and has great detailing on the sides, neck, and with the zipper in the back. However, as you can see in the picture above, it puckers strangely at the waist.

Then I thought... what if I tuck it in? And now I love it! I also feel like it's so different from the things I have and would pick out for myself. It's sophisticated but interesting, and naturally modest. But is it worth keeping a blouse that can only be worn tucked in? Help!

Status: Undecided. What should I do??

Market & Spruce Denver Cable Knit Elbow Patch Cardigan in Brown-- $58

I was so psyched when I pulled this out of my box. It is super substantial without being itchy. I love cardigans. It's a totally reasonable price for a sweater of this quality. It has pockets. And it has elbow patches! Which is perfect for me because next semester I'm going to be a professor so obviously I need elbow patches!

It seemed great for evenings in Nepal too. But then when I put it on it seemed like it was swimming on me. So I thought it had to go back. But then today I tried it on today and maybe it wasn't too big? I'm so confused! What do you think?

Status: Undecided

Skies are Blue Jacklin Mixed Print Knit Top in Black-- $48

This might be the most "me" thing in the box. It is super soft, striped, and has fun details. I like that it has two types of stripes and a diamond print around the waist. I also like the u-shaped front and back. It means I can add a brightly colored tank for a pop of color. It matches with everything and also would be great for my trip.

My only concern about this shirt is: is it TOO me? I use Stitch Fix to help me push my fashion boundaries a bit. Would I just be buying something that's similar to what I already have? Or should I stick with what works?

Status: Undecided

So there you have fix #11. Alison is getting better and better, and so are my Fixes. But it is hard to decide! Please leave thoughts. I need to check out by Tuesday!

And if you want to get in on the fun and try it for yourself, sign up for your Fix here!