Introducing... SBL2.0!

I learned a lesson from the last blog post. If you say "Big News!" in the title, you will get a lot of traffic. Hyperbole= good, apparently. Lesson learned.

So... big news! It's Bucket List time! My fall/ winter bucket list, similar to my winter blogging, was not super successful. But now it's summer and so it's time for fun. We are calling this SBL2.0, which is not to be confused with the Society for Biblical Literature, which has the same acronym. If you look, you will see some favorites from last summer, as well as a host of new activities.

I kicked off this year's list with Shaina (and Noam!) by waiting in line for Shakespeare in the Park tickets, to see Taming of the Shrew. I'll write more about the show when I show you my outfit from that, but in the meantime, this is one of my favorite quintessentially New York experiences. We went the second day, which meant that we got there at 10 and still were very close to the front. When it comes to Shakespeare in the Park, the earlier in the run you go, the later you can get in line. Important lessons from Real New Yorkers.

We didn't plan so well so ended up chairless and towel-less. However, I had been smart enough to wear one of my favorite dresses, which looks like a dress but feels like a nightgown. Pajamas on the inside, proper outside clothing on the outside is the best.

The Line.

 It turned out fine in the end, when we improvised with one of Noam's baby blankets. Thanks Noam! He had a great time waiting, which he mostly spent playing with a package of wipes. Babies are weird. But he was a good sport, even though he didn't get tickets. (They used to give babies tickets, but now you have to be at least five. Bummer.)

As the line started moving, we were serenaded by this doo-wop group, which was actually really good. I would have even given them money if I hadn't forgotten my wallet at home. Oops! Good thing tickets were free.

I'm feeling good about this bucket list. It's only June 9th and I've already done 3 things, with two more (so far) scheduled for the next 10 days. Want to know which ones? Come back and keep reading! And let me know-- what's on your summer bucket list???

What I'm wearing: Downeast Basics dress (similar here), Downeast Basics camisole, b.o.c. sandals (similar here)

Sisters See Sisters

Dear readers, as you (might but probably don't) remember, when I got sick last summer, I spent basically the whole time watching Parks and Rec. This is because Parks and Rec is amazing and I love Amy Poehler so much. Additionally, I am deeply and undyingly devoted to Tina Fey, and I read Bossypants whenever I feel down. Finally, I love that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are best friends in real life because they are both smart and funny and awesome women, and the idea of them hanging out could only make me happier if I got to come along too.

This meant that I was both excited and nervous to see Sisters. On one hand, Tina and Amy! On the other hand, oh Lord, what if it was terrible? The reviews were not especially encouraging. However, devoted fans that we are, the sisters three made a date to see Sisters this past Saturday night.

And you know what? It was not nearly as smart as either of their TV shows, but I thought it was hilarious, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Additionally, it was even more fun to see it with my sisters. And when I was in the bathroom after the movie, I heard some women saying, "Mom and dad would kill us if we tried to pull something like that!" So there were others who had the same idea.

Let's talk about my outfit for a minute. This shirt is yet another "party the back" shirt, although the front isn't so business. (See: the contrasting pocket.) I LOVE it. I love the contrasting stripes and colors, and that the red part is stretchy and the back is structured. I look forward to wearing it a lot when it stops being cold.

Also, after three years of searching, I finally found a pair of boots I like with my jeans tucked in. They are super comfortable and I found them on clearance. I orginally envisioned just wearing them with pants, but I've been wearing them with skirts too. I like feeling moto-tough. Because nothing says tough guy like getting a PhD in Talmud, right?

What I'm wearing: Downeast Basics top (similar here), LOFT jeans, Diba boots (on clearance here, 50% off in store.)

Coatless Caroling

Here, dear readers, is something you might not know about me. Despite the fact that, I think we can all agree, I am SUPER Jewish, I also have a great love of Christmas. The trees, the lights, the music, the way everything slows down and people are a little nicer than usual-- it may very well actually be the most wonderful time of the year.

One of the things I love is a good Christmas carol. I don't sing the ones with a lot of religious overtones because those feel a little uncomfortable to me (although I do enjoy listening to them since they are so beautiful), but enough of them are ecumenical that I get to sing along. So when I heard that Gramercy Park, one of the snottiest places in the city, opens its gates for an hour once a year for caroling, Sarah and I decided to go.

Here's what I have to say about Gramercy Park: not much. It's a park. It's not very interesting. Their trees was pretty, but I was less than impressed when the caroling ending and they basically told us to get out. Oh well.

Here's what I have to say about the caroling: It was fun! The spirit was good, the crowd mixed, and the band and choir pretty good. I liked that they gave us song sheets and encouraged us to sing along. Plus, as you can see, I was wearing no tights and no coat because even though it was Christmas Eve, it was in the 60s. So it was nice to be outside, if also disconcerting and vaguely terrifying if I thought too much about it. Instead, I focused on White Christmas, which is one of my favorites. Those Jews sure know how to write good carols.

I ended up walking home, which was a little insane because it's about five miles, but I wanted to see the store windows and it was a lovely evening. Here are some of the sights I saw along the way, including a red and green Empire State Building and windows from Macy's, Lord and Taylor, and Saks. The streets were full of tourists, Christmas spirit, and people eating ice cream. Because nothing says Christmas like ice cream, right?

That's it for the blog for 2015. Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2016 is everything you want it to be and more. See you back here next year!

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (very old, similar here), Downeast Basics blouse (similar here), GAP Factory cardigan (similar here), Sperry for J. Crew boat shoes (similar here)

I Carried a Watermelon.

Guys, today is a very exciting day. Our first ever fashion-recipe mash-up! (Not literally, though, as that would be messy.)

No one puts baby in the corner!

When I was a kid, we used to go to Connecticut for the summer. I called this the country, although in retrospect, it was clearly the suburbs. What did I know? I was from Manhattan.

Anyway. During said summer adventures, one of my strongest memories is making popsicles. We had molds that we filled with juice (or, during one ill-fated adventure, milk and mashed up Hydrox, which did NOT turn out to be cookies and cream) and then ate as popsicles. So when I realized I had a gift certificate to Zabars, I decided to relive my youth and make some popsicles!

Sarit and I have been having lots of fun with my popsicle molds and her Vitamix, which is crazy awesome and amazing. Last week, we made watermelon lime ginger popsicles and they are delicious.

Aren't they a beautiful color???

The original recipe is here. We didn't exactly measure anything and we left out the sugar and instead added just a little bit of honey. The spicy/ sweet/ sour combo is amazing and super refreshing. And healthy! Hurrah! We made waaaaay too much, so we made icees in plastic cups and then, when we had too many of those, brought some to Shaina and Avi next door. Watermelon for everyone!

And if you don't get the references to the movie cited above.... well.... you should spend more times watching 80s-tastic movies.

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (super old, similar here), Tahari v-neck shirt via TJ Maxx (similar here), Downeast Basics cami

Summer Bucket List: Walking in the Rain

The weather here this year has been crazy. We had a week of psycho heat and humidity, followed by a week where I should have been wearing tights, but instead chose to freeze because it was June and after a certain point, enough is enough.

Unlike some others, I actually don't mind being outside in the rain. In the movies, rain is usually used to either show that something sad is happening, or that there is a giant romantic gesture coming. However, remember how when we were kids, rain was just FUN? Jumping in puddles, getting super, wet, etc. It's time to bring that back.

Last Sunday, it was raining, so I decided to knock another item off the summer bucket list and go for a walk. If I'm wearing the right shoes (in this case, my Chacos) and I don't have my laptop, I find being in the rain pretty enjoyable. I should have worn a hat to protect my glasses, but getting wet isn't so bad if you know you're headed home after.

This time, Mother Nature said, Ok Rachel, challenge accepted. When I set out, it was raining lightly, but not hard enough for me to put up an umbrella. And then the skies opened up. It was not raining, so much as there was a giant showerhead in the sky dumping down buckets and buckets of water. I hung out under an underpass for a while, but then decided to set out anyway. And you know what? I was super wet, but it was sort of fun!

The best shoes for rain

I think the random gentlemen who took my picture thought I was sort of nuts, but it's all good. And in case you don't believe me that it was pouring, take a look at these shots:

Does this not look like some sort of ghost ship? Creepy!

Today is shaping up to be a beautiful day, so it's time to stop blogging and go outside. Have a great Sunday, friends!

What I'm wearing: Lucky Brand top, Downeast Basics cami, Old Navy cropped khakis, Chaco sandals, Goody head wrap, and one super hardcore umbrella.

How To #3: How to Shop in Normal Stores While Staying Modest

Hello from the airplane, friends! My brother-in-law has a conference in St. Louis this week, so I'm off to LA to help my sister with the kids for the next 6 days. I hate almost everything about flying, but I have to say that JetBlue is more civilized than most airlines. And I get free internet! So I can update the blog! Guys, life is so exciting.

This marks a return to our how-to series. Today, I want to offer some tips for how to look for modest clothing in mainstream stores. Depending on fashion trends, modest clothing can be more or less difficult to find without shopping from designated modest clothing stores and websites. These days, midi and maxi skirts seem to be having a moment, so it's easier to find skirts that offer a little more coverage. However, mini skirts and sleeveless dresses will always be around, so it's helpful to know how to adapt (and when to pass on a look.) Here are some of the things that have worked well for me. If you have other thoughts, please leave them in the comments!

1. Get great layering pieces. Many things with no sleeves or that are very low cut can easily be made more modest if you have good layering pieces. Here are some thoughts and options that I have found helpful:

• I used to have trouble finding camisoles that weren't super low-cut (isn't the whole point of camisoles that they provide extra coverage???), but then I discovered these from Downeast Basics. They are cut with a higher neckline, and they're pretty inexpensive, making it more affordable to stock up. (Certain colors are also now on sale for half off.) They're long, so they give a little more coverage over the hips as well. I found that they run relatively true to size.
• If you have a sleeveless dress or top and are looking for sleeves, I recommend layering tops from Kosher Casual. The main complaint I usually have about layering shells is that they are often super high cut at the neck, which I find super uncomfortable. Since I don't mind showing my collarbone, I was really excited to find these. I especially like this one and this one, since they're cut lower around the neck but still provide a lot of coverage. They're also fitted enough wear under things, but sturdy enough to be worn on their own. The boatneck shirt is cut pretty short, and they are both on the tighter side, so you might want to size up, especially if you are going to wear them as shirts. I've never ordered the elbow sleeve shirts, but they look great as well.
• If you don't want to add a whole shirt under your outfit, you can try sleeve extensions. I've never worn them, but I have friends who swear by them. You can find options here.
• Believe in a good cardigan. Not only do they add coverage, they can also add a fun element to many outfits. I have cardigans in different lengths-- long/ grandpa-style, waist-length, and cropped. Between those three, I can make one type work with most things. Some of my favorites are here (on sale!), here (use my link from yesterday for 20% off!) and here.
• Use scarves creatively. If you have a cute top but it has a lower neckline, a scarf can be an excellent accessory if placed strategically. However, if it's the only layering piece, just be ready to commit to wearing it all day. (And if you're like me and you're cold much of the time, scarves are helpful for extra warmth as well.)
• Some people also wear pencil skirts under shorter skirts and dresses. This isn't generally my look, but if you like to go that way, you can find good options here and here. You can also buy a skirt extender, which is like a slip until the bottom, where the fabric is full.

2. Think creatively. A few months ago, I saw I dress that I LOVED at Anthropologie. Unlike almost everything else at Anthropologie, I could actually afford it, on account of it being on crazy sale. However, when I picked it up, it was clear that it was way too short for me to ever wear as a dress. It was a little too long, though, for me to wear as a tunic. So what did I do? I went back to the racks and found it in petite. When I put it on, it was just the right length to be a tunic! So don't feel bound by what an item is supposed to be. If it can work as something else-- a tunic, a vest or jumper, an accent piece-- then embrace that and make it your own!

3. Explore expanded sizes. On a related note to #2, while not often found in stores, many stores offer petite and tall sizes online. While it's not always possible to buy a dress in tall (or in petite to wear as a tunic), depending on your body's proportions, if you carry your height in your torso, a tall dress might provide the extra 3-4 inches that makes the dress adhere to your standards of modesty. And for skirts, tall length usually just means that the skirt is longer, so that should work no matter how your height is distributed. GAP, LOFT, Old Navy, Boden and many others offer tall sizes for at least some items on their websites, so order some things and see what works. (Even when extended sizes are only available online, you can almost always return them in store.)

4. Know when to walk away. I recently tried on a super adorable dress. It fit me perfectly, had a pleated skirt, and was made of a warm sweater-like material. I was in love. It was at least 4 inches too short for me. I tried to figure out if there was a way to make it work, over a skirt or pants, or if I tried the petite length. Ultimately, I had to come to terms with the fact that there was no way to make the dress work. Sad, yes, but there are so many options that can be worn modestly, that there is no reason to look silly unnecessarily. Not every trend can work for everyone. This is true because of modestly, but also because of things like coloring, body shape, and other factors. So admire yourself in the dressing room mirror and then move on to something else. You look fabulous!

What are your modesty-maintain tips? Leave them in the comments!