Hi Fashionistas! While some people spent their winter breaks working or lounging around their home towns, I spent mine exploring Israel. It was a ten day whirl wind of culture, history, food, and of course, fashion. I went all over the country, from the Golan Heights (north) to the Negev desert (south). Although Israel is a small country there were some obvious changes in weather in different parts of the country, which effects the dress. With that being said the coldest it got was 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and I was told this was Israel’s coldest week of the year so far!
I found the featured Fashionista in the Jewish quarter of the old city in Jerusalem. We chatted for a bit as I photographed him, and he told me about fashion and life as a millennial living in Israel. He is a twenty-year-old soldier in the IDF (Israel defense force). He has one year left and wants to go to college after his service is done, possibly to study art (his drawings were amazing). I asked him where he gets his fashion influence and he said the same places American teens do. He did say he buys most of his clothing on his trips to Europe rather than in Israel. I asked him if distressed clothing was a big trend in Israel since his shirt had professionally placed holes. He me gave an enthusiastic yes, and asked if the trend was the same in America. He said he was dressed down in casual but fashionable civilian clothing warm enough for Israel’s mild winters. He told me he loves the distressed trend, but also loves oxford shoes and beanie hats for when he’s not working. I was surprised he wasn’t wearing blundstones; a kind of work boot style I had noticed almost every Israeli wearing. He has a pair and was surprised I’d never heard of them before.
Many might have the impression that Israelis all dress in big hats and long robes, but that’s far from the truth. All the people I saw in Tel Aviv and the majority in Jerusalem were dressed in fashions similar to what an American millennial would wear. They get their fashion influences from pop culture, magazines, and Europe; like us. They add their own Israeli flair, making it distinctly their own.
If you’re interested in seeing more pictures from my time in Israel checkout my social media outlets.
