By Hannah Reich Berman

 Being a fashionista is not my thing. Yet each year, just before the yamim tovim approach, I suddenly become clothes conscious. It never fails! Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment. It is when we stand before G‑d and plead our case to be given another year of life. One would expect that someone in a court with his life on the line would wear solemn black. But, paradoxically, on Rosh Hashanah, we always dress in our nicest and fanciest duds.

It is possible that we do this because we have confidence in Hashem’s kindness and in the outcome of the decision. But that is probably not the whole story. The likelihood is that many of us simply forget that this holiday is not supposed to be a fashion show.

In years past, some women did not buy something new to wear on Yom Kippur. It had nothing to do with the solemnity of the day. The reason was that it did not pay to invest in something new (or fancy) because nothing ever looked good with sneakers. So why bother? But, as time marched on, that changed, and now what we wear looks significantly better on the Day of Atonement.

This is thanks to espadrilles and all manner of fashionable canvas footwear with cork or rubber soles. We no longer need leather shoes to look good. But, while many women manage to always make a fashion statement, for some it is more of a fashion question.

I pay attention to what others wear. I love looking at hats and clothing and tend to act as something of a fashion critic. But my main critiquing is not about what friends and neighbors wear to shul. I save my opinions for celebrities and all those in the public eye.

If anything ever begged for change, it would be what Hillary Clinton wears. The pantsuit was once a fashion hit, but it has had its day! Apparently, however, not everyone agrees with this assessment; it seems that Hillary Clinton has worn nothing but pantsuit-based outfits for more than a year. If she has ever worn a skirt or a dress, I missed it. I occasionally wonder if the woman has legs. Clearly her stylist (and we may assume that she has one) feels that a pantsuit works best for her size and shape. But enough is enough.

It would be a refreshing change to see the lady in something feminine. It will not change anybody’s opinion of her moral character, but she might as well look good while she lies. At the very least, she would definitely not look any worse!

My next critique involves my favorite TV news station, Fox News. I make it a point never to watch the Clinton News Network–known to most as CNN. Three of my favorites on Fox are Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and Greta Van Susteren.

Sean Hannity intensely dislikes liberals and constantly criticizes Obama, both Clintons, and Kerry. While I agree with his ideas, his obvious bias destroys his credibility and makes it difficult to take him seriously. But, as he is a full-blown supporter of Israel and has high regard for the Jewish people, I overlook his obvious bias and tune in to his program every evening.

Fashion and style are not limited to females. As both Hannity and O’Reilly are public figures, it is only natural to give some attention to their appearance. I once thought that Hannity should find a new barber. He has that attractive hair color which is often referred to as salt-and-pepper. But I thought his hair comb was weird because of how he parts his hair–off center. Then I learned that, in the world of men’s hair fashion, an off-center part is considered an attractive, rugged, masculine look. OK! So maybe he should keep his barber after all. And maybe I should limit my opinions to clothing and skip commentary on men’s hairstyles.

Bill O’Reilly is always so impeccably attired that he could have stepped right out of the pages of GQ. The color combos of his shirt, tie, and jacket are spectacular. Chances are that O’Reilly feels exactly as Hannity does about the Obama—Hillary gang and has little use for any of them, but he, at least, pretends otherwise. For that reason, he can be taken more seriously than Hannity.

Greta Van Susteren, the female in the evening lineup, is an oddity. It is a pleasure to listen to her, as she is intelligent and outspoken and has many professional accomplishments. However, there is a total lack of inspiration in her fashion. Like Hillary with the pants, Greta is the “Johnny One Note” of style. She always sports a masculine look, constantly attired in a blazer and an open-necked, man-tailored shirt.

And, again like Hillary, the only thing that changes is the color of her jackets and shirts. Most television personalities, including journalists, have stylists who choose their clothes. So it is odd that Greta is never seen in anything with frills, ruffles, or lace. She also never sports any jewelry. Since it is highly unlikely that a stylist would dress her the same way each time she appears on the screen, maybe her position as an anchor at Fox was felt to be so secure that she could select her own attire. That being the case, she will never be thought of as being fashion-forward. Fashion backward maybe, but forward, never! (Note: This author is currently in mourning due to the sudden departure of Greta Van Susteren from the Fox News network.)

This concentration on fashion and style is preferable to focusing on the current campaigning and the coming election. Hillary Clinton’s lies and the bluster from a narcissistic Donald Trump are hard to take. The outrageous unfairness of the media is infuriating. With a smile, Hillary turns a deaf ear to questions that she chooses not to answer. Yet the liberal press continues to love her. And recently, even that august institution known as the FBI is suspect. It appears that James Comey, the head of this (supposedly) nonpartisan group, may have been instructed to give Mrs. Clinton a pass. And that he did! The truth has gotten lost and is nowhere to be found. Sadly, that is just the way it is! v

Hannah Berman lives in Woodmere and gives private small-group lessons in mah-jongg and canasta. She can be reached at Savtahannah@aol.com or 516-295-4435.

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