Spiritual Gangster Part 1

I'm excited to present a series of looks inspired, ironically, by none other than synagogue. Always a fan of a play on words, I initially titled this post "SINagogue". That felt a taaaddd sacreligious. Then "Spiritual Gangster" popped up, and I loved it since that slogan has become ubiquitous, and now I could put my own twist on it.

On the seventh Day, God rested. He had created sooo much all week and took a much needed, well deserved break. And so that's basically why we have the Sabbath, which is perhaps the greatest gift in our religion. We unplug from electronics, we connect with humans, we reflect on the past week as well as about the upcoming one. Shabbos candles be lit, yo!

Over the next month I'm sharing several looks that can be worn to synagogue, but easily translate to any other scenario that requires you looking like a fancy pants (er, fancy skirt). Hey, for those of us that have this as a weekly part of our lives, we may as well keep it fresh and not boring. We always perform better when we feel confident in the way we look, so let's show up to the House of God ready to deliver and do our part. No convent mentality here; Ladies, take notes. In the words of the hilarious comedian Billy Eichner; "And away. We. Go."

The concept here was to put together outfits to wear to synagogue, but that are boss enough to wear to any special occasion. It's customary for Jewish married women to wear a head covering, hence the top action going on here.

Head coverings are optional here, coolness is not.

It is also customary for us to wear skirts or dresses as opposed to pants. Sabbath is the focal point of the Jewish week. It is a day of no work, no creation, it is centered on strengthening our connection to God and to our families.

For me, synagogue is a crucial part of that. I do very much enjoy praying and sitting in a quiet, reverent space, especially next to my daughters. I feel a great responsibility to teach them how to tap into prayer and reflection. The Hebrew words are a guide for me only. Prayer is so individual. We must tailor it to how we can best communicate with our higher power. Synagogue is different than anything else I do all week, so on that level alone it feels refreshing. And it's a beautiful sight seeing everyone in their best clothes, looking proper and respectful. In a time where people wear sweatpants to the theater, and jeans are now considered black tie, it's important to cling to the times and places where putting forth our best effort is just the right thing to do. We wouldn't wear sweats to Buckingham Palace would we? No. But we could wear this...

This look is one of my all time favorites. It conjures up images of what Nancy would look like if she and Sid turned to Judaism. That was a Sex Pistols reference, btw. Sid and Nancy were the king and queen of 70's punk rock. See, music comes into play literally everywhere, fascinating...

I recently bought this Commes de Garcon coat at Maxfield's on a trip to LA. I fell hard for the color, plaid, and ripped deconstruction everywhere. I felt so British punk. It fit me perfectly. It went so well over this long black leather pleated Sharon Wauchob skirt, one of the most useful items on my closet. A classic black turtleneck underneath. Black leather fingerless gloves. No jewelry, there's too much strength in each of the pieces. Accessories would be way too much. Respecting the statement of the select pieces is enough. Any hardware with this pattern should be yellow gold. There's yellow in the plaid so it feels consistent. The only hardware is on my Brian Atwood ankle boots, which are so comfortable. Running after my kids in synagogue requires functional footwear, as does handing out lollipops and snacks to keep them quiet during services😉.

The clincher here is this rad Mohawk hat by the incredibly original milliner Nini K. Nini was my very first legit Instagram liker and follower. She gave me that initial validity when she "liked" my posts. I looked up her account, reached out, and we established a lovely communication. I crave talented people, and I was so impressed by her unique head wear. I have a few of her pieces, and I love love love wearing them. All handmade, a throwback to true quality. Each component to this look is so sleek, chic, and a statement unto itself, but they work so well together here. This look is about strength and confidence. God, I'm ready for You. Coming at ya. I know You are waiting for me with open arms❤️

Turtleneck J Crew. Jacket Commes de Garcon. Booties Brian Atwood. Gloves Ranka. Hat Nini K. Skirt Sharon Wauchob