Question:
B”H
Kavod haRav,
Regarding ladies clothing, is it permitted to wear a belt that cinches the waist? Also, is there a specific hair length for ladies per halacha before they are married? The question pertains to someone who is single and dating for marriage. Thank you
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
Tznius questions of this type are a gray area and we have to know the concept and then apply it accordingly. One of the ideas of tznius is to be dressed in a way that will not attract undo attention. While a woman should be dressed in a respectable presentable way, it is incorrect for her to dress in a loud way that calls attention to her physical body. A Jewish woman has a very important job in the world, she is the one who builds her home, raises her children, and is the queen of her home. When she dresses in a way that accentuates her physical body, she is giving off the message that her value is in her physicalness. This is making herself very cheap, and causing people to see her as an object of pleasure, which is very far from what her inner beauty and value really is. Therefore when dressing she should dress in a presentable, respectable way, but not in a way that that will accentuate her body parts. Regarding hair length, it depends on the local customs, what is the norm in that area, and also the way that her hair is laying and styled.
Best wishes
