But, I was intrigued, so I did some research. Here is what I found: the knee length pencil skirt actually evolved from the hobble skirt of the early 20th century. The hobble skirt was a full length skirt, gathered at mid-calf, which, although nice and modest, seriously impeded the wearer’s ability to walk. Well, if you ask me, that sounds like fashion hell. Thankfully, the French uber designer Christian Dior re-introduced a much shorter version of the hobble skirt that also included a slit in the back for ease of movement. Thus the modern-day knee length pencil skirt was born. But could I find long pencil skirts that would appeal to my discerning, modest daughter???

Ughhhh! How uncomfortable does THIS look???

So my daughter and I hit the mall for some serious shopping. As she tried on pencil skirt after pencil skirt, I had to admit that although I very much liked the silhouette they created, most of these skirts where waaaay too short and tight. So back home we went to try and find something more suitable online. To our delight, we found some great stuff: a decent selection of long pencil skirts that hit well- below the knee, which meant they were both age-appropriate and modest. We decided that the slenderness of the long pencil skirts would be nicely balanced with a loose tunic top or a flowing, soft jacket. We found a couple of terrific denim pencil skirts that would look really cute with leggings underneath, and elegant black pencil skirts that would be great for more fancy occasions.

Long Pencil Skirt

Even Posh often wears classy, modest long pencil skirts!

So at the end of the day, my daughter ended up with a new wardrobe replete with long pencil skirts that completely fit our modest way of dressing, and I ended up a way cooler, fashion-forward mom!

Kosher Casual makes modern and modest clothing that make you look and feel great! The line of super comfortable, quality women’s and girls’ modest clothes makes it so easy to buy stylish and affordable fashions!

Now is your chance to win a $100 gift certificate just in time for the holidays! Here is the link to enter:

Runner-up Emilio Sosa was my favorite Project Runway designer, mostly because he always surprised me with his interesting (and entirely ‘wearable’) designs. One of his best modest fashions was a colorful turtleneck presented during the final runway show. The shirt was sleek, modest and would look great paired with a wide range of different skirts.

I did not particularly love the black-and-white aesthetic that Project Runway designer Mila Hermanovski favored, though I did enjoy her submission to the mother-daughter challenge.

On the other hand, I did love Amy Sarabi’s uniquely-textured designs (even though the judges usually didn’t). One thing that really struck me was a green sweater, which would be entirely modest if worn with a layering top underneath.

Finally, I really think it’s worth mentioning Jay Nicholas Sario, who did present at NY Fashion Week, even though he wasn’t one of the top Project Runway designers. I enjoyed watching him all season, and while some of this outfits probably need to be adapted in order to be practical for the real world, they were quite stunning. One of the most modest (and charming) things that Jay showed at Fashion Week was this shirt, which, with a bit of modification can probably be worn for both day and evening events.

Do you have a favorite Project Runway designer? I’d love to hear about what designs and designers you specifically liked!

Fortunately, I’ve found multiple solutions that I think will enhance my summer wardrobe in ways that I never thought possible. The layering clothes that I’m most excited about are Sleevies. At first glance, Sleevies remind me of legwarmers for my arms, but without the bulkiness or bunchy style of those ’80s staples. Instead, Sleevies are made from cotton and Lycra, so they cover your arm without sliding down or making you too hot. With Sleevies, I’ve been able to resurrect several short-sleeved shirts from my wardrobe, and I’ve even purchased a few more because I know that I can wear them without covering them up or overheating with a full long-sleeved shirt underneath.

Another great item I’ve found which enables me to wear my clothing layered in the summer is a cropped ¾ sleeve layering tee, which as its name suggests, makes it look like I’m wearing a full shirt underneath an outfit, when really, I’m only wearing the top of a shirt. There are 3 major benefits of this type of layering clothing. Firstly, I can cover my arms and my chest modestly and stylishly without having to add a full extra shirt on a hot summer day. Secondly, (and I hope you don’t mind me being a bit personal), is that wearing a cropped shirt often allows me to get two uses out of my top shirt before needing to wash it. Finally, wearing a cropped shirt prevents the bulk that often results when I wear 2 full shirts, so that I can look stylish without looking like I’ve gained 5 pounds.

I know that these fantastic finds will make it possible for me to enjoy the look of layered clothing all summer and to purchase clothing that I would otherwise never consider because of its lack of modesty. I truly love being able to shop in ‘regular’ stores while knowing that I can gently adjust my clothing to become more modest, without compromising on style. In fact, if you ask me, wearing my clothing layered just gives me even more of an opportunity to express myself!

I guess I should mention that we have 3 daughters, so I was hoping to find quality school skirts that would service my girls for the next few years. After failing at the most obvious chain stores, I began to ask around about specialty stores might carry the treasure I was hunting. One of my friends suggested Kosher Casual…and, I’d like to say that the rest is history.

I loved the black velour school skirt so much that I actually bought one for my second daughter as well. And at $10, a probably should have bought one for daughter #3! The girls love wearing them to school and for special events because the fabric can be dressed up or dressed down. (I just love them because they’re easy to wash and don’t pill or tear even after dozens of uses).

Another favorite of the girls was the knee-length tiered denim skirt, which makes a great girls school skirt because it keeps their legs warm during the winter and is loose and cool in the summer. My daughter loves the tiered denim skirt for another reason as well- it enables her to wear pants under her skirt on gym days without having to change for gym during the day.

Although the girls schools skirts that I purchased from Kosher Casual are only a few months old, I’m thrilled that they are still looking fantastic- and that the girls still love wearing them. I know that next year when I need to buy skirts in the next size I’ll know exactly where to go. Which, of course, will give me more time for finding the exact writing implements that my children’s teachers request!