[Avodah] [Areivim] Tsniut

[Moshe Yehuda Gluck]

R' Moshe Feldman:
> Are you agreeing with my psychologist acquaintance that there is
> always some subconscious sexual element to dressing attractively, and
> that the difference between attractive and seductive is whether the
> woman *intends* to use sex appeal in their dress?
> 
> In that case, habituation to one's surroundings can easily play a
> role: if a teenager's friends all dress in tight clothes, the teenager
> may view dressing in that way as simply dressing in a trendy way,
> rather than trying to be seductive.

No, I don't agree with your psychologist acquaintance. I think that Halacha
is concerned with the woman's conscious thought, and (as I pointed out in
that blog piece) that is the real challenge of tznius - to look accurately
and detachedly at one's self and to analyze whether one actually is dressed
seductively. There may be a subconscious sexual element to dressing
attractively, but there may not, and it will differ in each person (R' MB
pointed out on my blog that Dinei Tznius apply to men, as well) based on
their fashion sense and ability for honest introspection. 

I'm going out on a limb here, but I think that your hypothetical teenager,
who lives in a community where everyone dresses in tight clothes and is not
trying to be seductive is dressing tzniusly. Of course, once she crosses the
Howell/Lakewood border she is not (or B'nei Brak, etc.). I actually know
someone who travels between Lakewood and Flatbush often. She'll wear denim
in Flatbush, but not in Lakewood. I think this is praiseworthy.

So, although I disagree with your friend, I think that your delineation of
the difference between attractive and seductive is what I intended.

Question: Do the women on list have no opinion about this?

KT,
MYG