Are there still Harry communities

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 6:08 pm

kenz wrote:

Tottini and Kidichic are the least expensive of the frum companies. Additionally, Kidichic has tons of sales and stuff is very cheap then. You can get a lot of stuff for just a few dollars and the prices are just like Target for better quality and a more Jewish look.

I never said they're not the cheapest options of Jewish stores. Indeed, they most probably are. Just got my daughter some nice dresses for $11.
Was just saying that in my experience they are not looked down upon by in-town crowds. This is where everyone shops. It's a very in-town look.
When I lived out of town most kids were wearing Children's Place.
Like another poster mentioned, online shopping in recent years must have created a shift of the in-town look OOT too.

amother

Navy ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 6:21 pm

amother Mulberry wrote:

Umm it’s very looked down upon in town. It’s nerdy and not at all in style according to fashionistas.

amother

Ebony

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 6:44 pm

amother Royalblue wrote:

I think Rochester, but it’s small. Maybe someone who lives/lived there can answer .

Yes definitely! One of the rabbis rides around on his bike all the time;)
You can home school but the schools are small enough that they will work with you, so most people don't choose to even further limit their kids socially
There's no material pressure but thay comes at a "cost" - there are no local kosher restaurants or clothing stores to create that pressure, everything is a 3+ hour drive away (or online)
It's wonderful!

amother

Honey

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 7:28 pm

amother Navy wrote:

Umm it’s very looked down upon in town. It’s nerdy and not at all in style according to fashionistas.

Such a snobby post. Glad I don't know any of these fashionistas.

amother

↑ Oxfordblue

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 7:48 pm

amother Cerulean wrote:

I was coming on here to suggest Pittsburgh

I love Pittsburgh, but Squirrel Hill is expensive by local standards (and local incomes). Greenfield isn't as bad, but then you're not in the main community.

Some of these cities have reasons they are not growing. The community may be located in an expensive neighborhood or not have room to expand. Lancaster doesn't have a school. Harrisburg does, but will never be big enough to support a high school, which limits its growth.

amother

↑ Navy ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 7:52 pm

amother Honey wrote:

Such a snobby post. Glad I don't know any of these fashionistas.

That’s what I dress my kids in. And it’s considered nerdy. I’m still ok with it. Just letting oot people know how it is, because it is absolutely not the in style clothing. Not sure how you misunderstood me and called me snobby but ok.

amother

↑ Cerulean ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 7:55 pm

amother Navy wrote:

Are you talking about kiddichik and Tottini?

amother

↑ Cerulean

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 7:56 pm

amother Oxfordblue wrote:

Everywhere is expensive to live now

amother

↑ Navy ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 7:57 pm

amother Cerulean wrote:

Are you talking about kiddichik and Tottini?

Yes

amother

↑ Mulberry ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:09 pm

amother Navy wrote:

Umm it’s very looked down upon in town. It’s nerdy and not at all in style according to fashionistas.

I work in a large preschool. About 80-85% are wearing kiddichic or tottini on any given day.
Where do you live?

amother

Babypink

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:12 pm

Cherry Hill NJ is exactly what you are describing!
Also look into Henderson Nevada and queens ny, and
Many frum yeshivish women won’t ride bikes around their neighborhood but will go biking in a park bike trail day trip in the country or away on vacation or something similar

notshanarishona

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:30 pm

Atlanta, I rode a bike through high school. Also I find the term very offensive, can we say simple/ not stylish without calling the people nerds?

amother

Electricblue ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:34 pm

OP, Baltimore MIGHT fit your criteria. It definitely did 20 years ago. I do agree that standards here are (unfortunately) changing somewhat, especially in a few select neighborhoods. Maybe something more oot might work? Orlando, Jacksonville, Columbus, Plano/Dallas, Norfolk are a few that come to mind, but I do not have firsthand knowledge of them.
One very strong point for you in Baltimore would be a nice homeschooling community. You can check out the Jewish umbrella group here: https://lhug.net/ (It is not all Lubavitch, that's just their name). I believe Silver Spring has homeschoolers too, but the housing is definitely more money there than Baltimore.

amother

Kiwi

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:35 pm

amother Cerulean wrote:

Are you talking about kiddichik and Tottini?

Weird .. the lkwd store is always busy . In a fancy area surrounded by bougie stores

amother

↑ Navy ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:38 pm

amother Kiwi wrote:

Weird .. the lkwd store is always busy . In a fancy area surrounded by bougie stores

Yeah it’s busy because many people buy the cheaper things that we have available here. But it’s absolutely not in style or worn by anyone following trends.

amother

Lawngreen

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:40 pm

Cherry Hill NJ!
Close to tristate area..
Very low gashmius pressure. Mix of people. Decent price housing ! ( Although property tax is high here)

amother

↑ Navy ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 8:40 pm

amother Mulberry wrote:

I work in a large preschool. About 80-85% are wearing kiddichic or tottini on any given day.
Where do you live?

I live in Lakewood. And sure it’s popular because it’s the cheapest frum brand. That doesn’t make it trendy or in style. It’s literally not and anyone into trends considers it nerdy. The people buying it don’t care about trends they care about easy tznius clothing for cheap. And yes the majority of the frum world wears it because the trendy ones are not the majority. But it’s about ease and price and not trends. Popular does not equal style and trendy.

amother

↑ Iris ↓

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 9:26 pm

amother Lightgreen wrote:

For all those screaming BALTIMORE, I wonder if we live in the same Baltimore.
OP you're right- Baltimore is diverse. BUT, to say it is full of Harry's is stretching it, by a lot. Maybe 20 years ago like you said (I don't know I didn't live here yet), but it has become very in towny in certain neighborhoods and shuls. Are there Harry's? Yes. Are there those who are not mainstream (to put it mildly)? uhhhh....Yes. I work in one of the schools. I get to see close up the dynamics. The Lakewood in town type- think cool, yeshivish are considered mainstream here.
The more colorful, interesting ones are on the fringes.
They have each other and are happy. But please don't say they're the norm, because you're setting them up for disappointment. I get to see daily how some of these kids truly suffer because their only friends are similarly interesting and they are not accepted by the popular groups. The schools try hard to help these kids but is that how you want the hanhala to think of your kid?
I'm saying it how it is. People come to Baltimore thinking that you can do what you want and you'll be accepted by one and all. You won't get eyeball rolls like in some other places, but your kids will not be becoming friends with the with-it crowd anytime soon and you will find yourself on the fringes. If you're alright with that, then by all means come.

Almost all women wear skirts and cover hair but there are a nice amount of modern families here and the more yeshivish men try not to shop at the local grocery certain days when there are lower standards of skirt lengths and hair covering.
It is not acceptable for women and girls to ride bikes- those on the fringes like I referenced earlier will do that, but are not considered mainstream.
There are kids that are homeschooled, definitely not the norm and see above about "the fringes"
You need a car
Normal to play outside. Drive up and down the streets, kids are everywhere on scooters, bikes, segways.....

It's a great place to live, but want to be honest about the reality. If you want to be nerdy, you will find like-minded people and kol hakavod to you, but don't be surprised to find that you're not considered in the box

I think Silver Spring is a great choice and also Atlanta, Cleveland, Boston, Passaic, Philadelphia from what I know.

Not Passaic, probably similar to Baltimore. Not as out of towny as OP would want AT ALL.

Not Boston either. Sure you can do what you want like in Baltimore but will still be somewhat on the fringes. There are a lot of Lakewood people there too. Also, very expensive. But, a super nice and welcoming community, used to inviting people over all the time, very hospitable (lots of people come for grad school, residents to hospitals etc so Boston people are always welcoming - and a few years later saying goodbye- to people.)

amother

↑ Iris

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 9:30 pm

You won't be a trendsetter wearing Tottini or Kidichic but your kids will be very much in the norm (same if they wear the in style, nicer styles from Old Navy or Target) but if they wear things that are totally off and different than the more Jewish style looks, then yes, they'll stick out in most larger OOT communities that are at all with it nowadays.

Also, Tottini on sale is super cheap and tznius! Where are you buying shirts and skirts that cheap in the summer that are fully tznius without alterations, or layering etc???

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 3:16 am

I appreciate everyone trying to help me understand the different frum brands but can we keep this on topic please?