The dress code varies depending on the occasion. Jews are distinguished with a high taste in a dress almost always. Nice or strict costumes of men and elegant dresses of women have become an inseparable part of the style of modern Hebrew people.
Specifically, the good taste manifests itself when it is required to dress up on some occasion. In this article, we’ll try to give some nice pieces of advice on women fashion when it comes to such a good occasion as Bar Mitzvah and its dresses.
Bar Mitzvah dresses
When speaking about the dress for women on such special event, it is nice to consider your personal style to complete the style of your man. Of course, it must suit the requirements of your congregation if there are certain specificities defined. However, the general advice can be also given.
For a woman, it is always pleasing to wear the new dress, the one that no one has seen before yet. Besides, women have far more occasions to dress up. Even every Sabbath is when we can change the regular dress to something festive, exposing our personal treatment to this specific day. We also tend to meet guests in the house wearing something holiday-styled, not ordinary. However, going out on such bright event as Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah is far more irregular happening than just some Saturday.
During every large festive event, (that also includes wedding), it is considered a good tone to bring joy and festivity to all present guests and the hosts of the evening. So, based on the global idea of an event, we can roughly subdivide all festive dresses into two types: for a cocktail party and for a more formal evening occasion. Bar Mitzvah dresses actually exclude cocktail versions. Cocktails are drunk the best somewhere between 5 and 7 PM but for us, the evening option (after 7 PM) is already the case.
So stick to something regularly allowed: refinement of lines and simplicity of cut are best of all manifested in a long dress that covers ankles or, at least, knees, 15-20 cm down. Your image tonight is well completed by classic jewelry (including pearls), as well as by humble and pastel tones of clothes.
The cut
Long downfall skirts always associated with something aristocratic and refined. That is why from all types of cuts of evening dresses, it is best to highlight those:
A-silhouette.
It is the most widespread type of skirt cut. Waist-fitted and expanding down, it gives semblance to the bell. The best association it gives is with ‘A’ letter – that’s why it has been named like that. Its universality allows wearing this dress or a skirt for women with all types of figure, profitably hiding all drawbacks of the body.
Dress for the ball.
Originally, it has light and elegant top with open shoulders or thin invisible straps. It also can be with the closed top and have a massive bottom with several layers of cloth. The dress for the ball can be long and midi-size (10-20 cm below the knee line to make no problems when sitting).
Cylinder.
It is an upturned, heavy skirt that looks bulky and gives the impression of being inflated. Profitable for a figure of those who do not have weight problems.
4) A pencil.
Gives a straight silhouette but is not a body-tight. Suitable for women and girls with a figure of any type, with an inclination to slimness.
5) Wave.
A collected and compressed fabric forming wavy patterns. It looks great and helps hide the wide hips.
Evening dresses are self-sufficient in most cases when it comes to the dress solely (not jewelry). It means that if you decide to wear more clothes on the body along with the evening dress, there are high chances you will spoil the image – and sometimes, drastically. It is better of all to select the dress that already has accordance to all requirements of modesty (צניעות, צניות) and style to avoid the redo-s to make it more humble or more fitting the occasion of Bar Mitzvah. Select the cloth and materials right – and consider that the ready-made dress that tailored to your body is the best solution.
Cloth
All cloth types that are used to make attires for Hebrew people differ for non-Jew variances with the thickness of cloth and its complete non-transparency. When chiffon, lace, or other transparent fabrics are used, they are obligatory supplemented with the backing made of a dense layer of fabrics.
Velour and velvet
Velour and velvet are always in favor when it comes to selecting an evening dress. The fabrics itself looks profitably and rich when in the roll. Inserts made of those are never overlooked by the other people when used in the evening dresses of women. They give a touch of perfection to every image. In many congregations, clothes made of these fabrics are worn by women most often on heads and bodies during the festive occasions of various degree of solemnization.
Skirt and blouse
The festive image may be very good made of skirt and blouse. It is advised to always check how well buttons are sewed to the main fabric of the blouse to prevent the occasional unbuttoning of them in the wrong moments. It would be fine if there was no extra tension given to buttons when buttoned up and some free space is preferable. Another fine choice will be to select a blouse without buttons at all or with fake buttons. If you have a nice slim waist – you can demonstrate it choosing a body-tight blouse.
To have a festive and tender look, choose the following fabrics for the blouse: silk, chiffon, lace, soft high-quality knitwear. Considering the requirements to modesty, explore the possibility to wear the dense cloth or to combine two layers of cloth in your blouse – and you will see how many advantages this will bring, as it is always nice to feel the natural fabrics on your skin rather than wearing something synthetic.
Jacket
A jacket can complete the evening image and adorn the simple blouse or skirt.
A festive jacket can be of a bright color to create contrast within your image, have embroidery, jewelry made of lace and stones and bright appliqués. Of course, it is always worth weighing the relevance of these or others accessories and avoiding going too far in them, especially as far as the Jewish fashion implies certain rules of the modesty to the dress code (the same, as the first ladies of the countries are required to fulfill). It is always better to strive for simplification, rather than complicating your outfit. Classic fabrics for such a jacket are satin, tweed, velvet. The fabric itself will introduce a festive mood into your image.
Pleated or corrugated skirts
We want to especially highlight this kind of skirts. Maxi pleated or corrugated skirts always look festive. This skirt gently streams when walking, does not crumple and is always relevant even in the everyday life.
Afterword
When going to a festive event, it is noteworthy that the dress you choose will influence your mood, uplifting or downing it. It will also show your personal treatment to the host of the event and will signal about your wealth (if underscored wisely) if you want it.
We, the Jewish people, must carry refinement and tenderness to the world and have the festivity of mood in our souls to the known extent – especially when combined with such a great event as Bar Mitzvah, the dress code to which must be corresponding.
Have a nice holiday and read more of our articles with practical pieces of advice!
