Friday, January 23, 2015

A Kosher Casual Review: Getting Comfy in a Raglan Top

I've been watching Kosher Casual for many years as they grew and expanded, and I was elated when I actually got to go to their store in Bet Shemesh. 

Kosher Casual seems to be the only shell purveyor that has the crop-top, sleeveless shell with a high-enough neckline. I attempted to pick some up from Halftee.com, but, unfortunately, the neckline just drops and drops throughout the day. So I'm experienced with Kosher Casual's shells, but I haven't really ventured into their clothing line, mostly because of my, let's say, physique. 


It's no secret that I'm a bit on the curvy side, and a lot of modest clothing websites don't cater to anything close to my size. I rely on stores like Old Navy, Target, Ross, and TJ Maxx for tops, not to mention Lane Bryant (when I feel like going broke) and Lands End for skirts and other accoutrements.

When I was approached by the kind folks at Kosher Casual to pursue their new, sleek (no seriously, and it's not just because the homepage graphic features my purple IKEA couch) website and see if there's anything that fits the bill for review, I was hesitant. 

I immediately looked for a Plus Size section, then looked over the size charts. Nothing from the waist down was meant for me at Kosher Casual, which makes me sad. The amount of times I've gone into an Isreali skirt shop and struggled to find a skirt in my size (because the shop owners like to peg your size, and let's just say everyone thinks I'm smaller than I am) is depressing. Unfortunately, Kosher Casual still isn't on the plus-size skirt game, which has huge huge huge opportunity in Israel. 

I moved on to the tops, knowing that I can wear their shells, and opted for the Loose-Fitting Raglan Shirt with a 3/4-Length Sleeve in Dark Purple. Then poof the shirt showed up at my apartment and I have to say, I love it, with the exception of the seams. 

The shirt has a sort of baseball t-shirt look, and because it's all one color it means that it looks a little strange, meaning I wouldn't wear this purple shirt without something over it like a cardigan or jacket. Okay, now that I'm writing it and thinking about it, I'll probably wear this shirt without a cardigan in the dead of summer and it'll be super, crazy comfortable, not to mention airy. 

It's incredibly comfortable (am I wearing a shirt?), and the fabric is very forgiving. The color, too, is beautiful. I might just have to order every color, because the neck is the right amount of modest and the sleeves hit in the perfect spot and are not binding, either. 

Although there isn't much in the way of plus size fashion at Kosher Casual, they have some essentials that are simply perfect, and basics can go a very, very long way when it comes to modest fashion. The company is owned and managed by an American immigrant to Israel, Gary Swickley, and I can't say enough about a company that is committed to its production staying in Israel. When you can, support Israeli companies, people!

If you want to enjoy some of the casual and comfy fashion from Kosher Casual, enter their bi-monthly raffle to win a $50 Kosher Casual gift certificate! The next drawing will be on January 31, 2015. 

Note: I wanted to post pictures of myself in this shirt, and I will, but since we've both been sick all week, the shirt got used as a kleenex by my 1 year old. TMI? :)