For the site of my ethnography project I chose the Brooklyn neighborhood of Cobble Hill, specifically the block of Bergen St between Smith and Court streets, an area that has held my attention for years.

What has made it so interesting is that although Cobble Hill has long been gentrified, this particular section of Bergen street remained (at least visually) largely untouched until about 5 years ago. It was the last place in the neighborhood that you could get any sense of its more blue collar, industrial past. An iron works still remains in business here, but the rest of the factory buildings along the street stood vacant and decrepit for years. Considering the constant changes occurring in all of the surrounding blocks, it has always felt like a bit of a relic to me. In recent years, however, the rest of the neighborhood has finally bled onto this block. It has now become a hub for art exhibitions, dining, upscale retail and more.

Most businesses have chosen to keep many of the exterior (and sometimes interior) elements that have made this block stand out, keeping much of the facades intact, resulting in a blending of the past with the present. There is no mistaking that it is upscale, but there is definitely a laid-back feeling that permeates, as well.

The changes are highly reflective of the demographic who lives around here, too. There are a lot of young families, and it’s not an unfamiliar story to hear that many have come to Brooklyn after years spent living in Manhattan. They have a stylishness that is often coupled with a very relaxed feel to their look. To me, the woman I spoke to for this project typifies this resident.

In regards to her personal style, she thinks of it as simple and tomboyish, with her quintessential outfit consisting of black jeans, paired with a black sweater and a brown pair of boots. There is not much variance between the way she dresses for work, versus how she dresses the rest of the time. She says that her outfits typically consist of black, grey and white elements from brands such as Madewell and shirts from James Perse. When asked if she follows trends, she says sometimes, but that her interest in them usually only extends to accessories.

While she likes to put some thought into what she wears, this isn’t something she obsesses over. She knows what she likes, and selects her garments accordingly.

Vinnie’s Iron Works remains as the last surviving business from the block’s industrial past.

This greenhouse is an extension of The Invisible Dog Gallery. It holds exhibition in addition to periodical pop-up shops from designers such as Eileen Fisher.

The Invisible Dog Gallery

Warby Parker is latest business to come to this street, right next door is Aesop, who is also fairly new to the neighborhood.

As a Modern Orthodox Jew, my relationships with both the secular and religious worlds are complicated to say the least. These complications apply to every aspect of my life, including my clothes.

Jewish law requires a certain level of tznius, or modesty. The specifics differ per community, but for women this usually entails covering the knees, elbows and collar bone. I attended private religious schools growing up and our unofficial uniform was a knee-length denim or black skirt and three-quarter sleeve boat neck tee or cardigan. Although I dressed differently when I was not in school or synagogue, it wasn’t practical to buy non-tznius clothing for the rare occurrences when I could actually wear them. Until the invention of the Kikki Rikki.

A Kikki Rikki is a shell to wear under your clothing. It is skin-tight and comes in a variety of colors (you can even dye one a specific color to match an outfit – people often do this for weddings). They come in three-quarter or long sleeves with necklines that extend slightly onto the neck. Kikki Rikki is only one brand of shells that exists but it is by far the most popular in the Jewish community. When a woman is wearing a Kikki Rikki, she can wear anything over it no matter how un-tznius the outfit may be. No longer are strapless dresses and low necklines off-limits; in a Kikki Rikki, a Jewish woman is free to make whatever fashion choices she desires.

My relationship with the Kikki Rikki is certainly complicated. While the ability to buy any dress I want is liberating, the Kikki Rikki is restricting as well. It is incredibly tight and I usually sweat a lot while wearing one (especially in the heat of summer). The neckline is higher than my usual length and I often feel suffocated by it, both physically and figuratively.

If I am wearing a Kikki Rikki, it usually means I am not in my element. I could be in a stricter synagogue or attending a very religious friend’s wedding or visiting my Hasidic cousins, etc. The Kikki Rikki allows me to fit in with all the other women who are assuredly wearing one like a second skin and reminds me that my usual behavior is off-limits. I cannot curse or make crude jokes. I cannot discuss how I often spend the weekend by my boyfriend or even hold his hand if he is with me (touching between two people of the opposite gender is prohibited until marriage). I often cannot talk about pop culture because the crowd abstains from secular music and movies and won’t understand the reference. I cannot dance or sing if men are in the room and often find myself speaking quieter than my usual volume.

The author and her sister, both wearing Kikki Rikkis

As Eco writes, “the syntactic structures of fashions also influence our view of the world.” (p. 317) For the ultra-Orthodox, the Kikki Rikki is a way to uphold the traditions of tznius in a modern world. For me, the Kikki Rikki is a reminder that I do not belong. While many women feel a sense of community and solidarity, I feel like an imposter trying to fake my way through tznius behavior without getting caught. The Kikki Rikki communicates shared values and traditions outwardly, but somehow always makes me feel more alone.