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A Yeshiva Bochur’s Wardrobe – by Off the Derech
The average yeshiva bochur wears black and white most of the time. It may seem simple to get what you need, but it’s not. Here are some guidelines to outfit your yeshiva guy:
First of all, if you’re not in New York, get to New York. There’s so many stores there, great selection, and the prices…!
Here are some of the things you’ll need:
Hat: If you have to wear a black hat (lo aleinu), you’ll want to get your arse into a big store like Fersters or Bencraft. No, you don’t want those Roches from Kova. If it’s not a Bors, don’t waste your time. This coming from a guy who spent years trying alternative hats before settling on a dang Bors. Needless to say, try on the hat before you buy it, and make sure that you like it with the brim down, because that’s how it will be most of the time (unless you’re REALLY yeshivish. long story). Maybe another time I’ll go into details about cleaning and taking care of the thing, but for now I won’t, because a) I’m too lazy, b) I don’t want to take too much time, c) it’s not too hard to get that information from your average a-hole in yeshiva.
Shirts: Not as easy as you might think. First of all, do you go with cotton, or with one of those 65/35 mixes? Cotton is generally a bit more expensive, but they’re higher quality and look MUCH nicer. I say go with cotton. For things like this, you’ll want to check out discount stores like Marshall’s, TJMaxx, and Century21. Much cheaper than retail. Oh, and lose the cufflink shirt already. Who do you think you are, Donald Trump?
Winter Coats: This one is tricky. Do you want one of those fluffy coats? Or look really yeshivish and wear a wool coat, like some rosh yeshiva? How about a trench coat? All good questions. I say go with a ¾ length wool coat (grey if you’re really daring) from The Hat Box or Marshalls.
Suit: You know what to do.
Jacket: For davening, you’ll probably be expected to wear some kind of jacket, or blazer. I used to wear old suit jackets. No big deal.
Ties: Ties are very serious business. They’re practically your only chance to show any color or personal taste. You’ll want to go to a store with a big selection and take your time picking them out, keeping in mind the suit that it’s going along with (no, it’s not assur for them to match). Again, the goyish stores are your best bet (let’s face it, the Jews cut corners).
Shoes: Not easy to choose. First of all, you’ll probably want a separate pair for Shabbos and weekday. Do you want leather soles or rubber? Nisht pushet. I say go with a nice comfortable rubber-soled pair for weekday, and more stylish leather-soled (clicky) ones for Shabbos. I’m hearing pointy shoes are coming back in, so you might want to stock up on those.
Any comments, questions, or insults, that’s what I’m here for.
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