Tales of tzniut (modesty), or the lack thereof

Here’s an Orthodox manifestation of the problem, which Shifra describes as the “Hot Chanie.” Check out her two posts on the subject, which have a veritable legion of commenters.

Here’s an example of a non-Orthodox version: The Bat Mitzvah girl wore a top cut in a wide, deep V that exposed her cleavage. My first reaction was to be floored that a Bat Mitzvah girl would wear something that I consider so inappropriate. My second reaction was to be equally taken aback that it apparently never occurred to her parents that such a low-cut outfit was inappropriate.

When I was a girl growing up in a Conservative synagogue, one didn’t go to shul sleeveless, barelegged, or even in red, which was thought to call too much attention to oneself. Now, some seem to think that anything goes.

I think this is a manifestation of a cultural shift. In my younger days, it was considered unprofessional for a woman to dress in a manner that called attention to her body. For the most part, conservative clothing that deemphasized the female figure was de rigueur (though mini-skirts were the rage, back then). Nowadays, either that’s not a case, or the understanding of what calls attention to a woman’s body has changed. Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the women on the television newscasts, whether anchors, sportscasters, or meteorologists, almost all seem to wear clothing that exposes a little cleavage?

Some will say that the more relaxed attitude is an improvement, that attitudes toward women’s dress used to be too prudish. Others will say that our standards of modesty have become too lax. What do you think?