W.W.S.D.

When someone moves to a new place there is an adjustment period during which he/she becomes acclimated to local customs and fashions. 

Our move to Israel has proved no exception to this rule.

Over the past two years I have embraced many of the local customs and um, fashion statements.

For example, I have become more flexible with footwear... being equally at home in my old choices (penny loafers by LL Bean or well-worn Topsiders by Sperry) or the more Israeli look (sandals by Teva).

However, having grown up in New England, I have been deeply indoctrinated in the 'preppy' school of dress and some of my old habits have proven harder to break.  For instance, the color palette of my slacks ranges anywhere from khaki to, well... um, khaki.

In addition, all but a handful of my shirts are button-down oxfords (most of which are light blue)... and all of these oxfords - without exception - have long sleeves. 

Herein lies the cultural problem. 

You see, Israeli men seem to overwhelmingly favor short-sleeve shirts. 

Another small issue is the collar buttons (I'm talking about the buttons that hold the collar points down, not the topmost button that closes the two sides of the collar together!).  I was raised to understand that the collar buttons are buttoned whether or not you are wearing a tie.  I mean, hellooo... they don't call it a 'button down collar' for nothing!  But good luck trying to explain that to a typical Israeli!

One Israeli friend of mine actually presented his rationale for wearing the collar buttons undone by saying, "What if I needed to put on a tie?  This way I can put it on quickly."  I asked him when he had last worn a tie and he admitted that it had been perhaps 15 years... but he wouldn't back away from his argument (that too seems to be very typically Israeli!)

Anyhooo... I'm really fine with an untucked shirt once in awhile... you know, like on Shabbat afternoon on a hot summer day.  And I can even ignore the Philistines who insist on walking around with their collars unbuttoned. 

But short sleeves???   All I can think of when I see these shirts is Detective Andy Sipowicz (of NYPD Blue fame). 

I've tried... I've really, really tried.  But every time I come close to buying a short-sleeved dress shirt, all I keep asking myself is, What Would Sipowicz Do*?

[sigh]

Maybe by next summer I'll be better acclimated.

Image is by Danny Feld/AP

* No connection whatsoever to the book by the same name.