Life is tough as a fashion forward Orthodox Jew. The concept of "Tzniut," which roughly means 'modesty' or 'humility,' sets forth general rules for leading a modest life. This includes a dress code, as it were. For women, dressing modestly means covering collar bones, wearing at least 3/4 sleeves (to cover elbows, the sexiest of the joints) and skirts that are at least long enough to cover the knees when sitting. At one point in time, following this dress code meant wearing hand-me-downs and Salvation Army finds, because modest clothing is almost never synonymous with fashionable clothing. If you've taken a walk through Roger's Park you will have noticed more than a few women with full length denim skirts and sneakers. That ensemble never graced the cover of Vogue. But that time ended when Kaylas Blessing opened, specifically setting out to mix modesty with fashion.

Perhaps remembering past horrifying clothing experiences, the proprietress certainly had the religious community in mind, but not to the point of exclusivity. Any girl who works in a business casual environment can tell you how difficult finding non-stereotypical, work-appropriate clothing is. Another goal of the owner was to make the store widely accessible by keeping the prices reasonable. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to find too many items over forty dollars on the racks.

From one perspective, the store, located in West Rogers Park, is in the perfect location. It's accessible to the Jewish community in that area, on the same block as a middle eastern restaurant, a kosher pizzeria and a kosher grocery store. Still, it is a shame that the average, non-religious girl-about-town is unlikely to happen upon the store in her day-to-day life.

Kayla's Blessing carries unique clothing, and it's not just because of it's Rabbinical approval. It is obvious upon entering the store that the merchandising selections are not based on current trends. You're not going to find any of the '60s inspired minidresses that are covering the pages of your favorite fashion rag. But the garments emerge as stylish and current in a way that allows them to be worn season after season. Kayla's selection of mid to long skirts (ther are no pants in the store), incorporate elaborate beading, sequins, or interesting seams to create stand-out garments that could be sold in any number of high end boutiques. The assortment of tops is no less interesting. There are embellished sweatshirts, beaded cardigans, dressed-up sweaters, and jazzy blouses splashing the walls.

While the store meets the fashion needs of the local religious population, the aspiration is not limited to that community. Especially with the recent addition of a website, www.kaylasblessing.com, the store is reaching out to a customer base that is not necessarily associated with the neighborhood. This store is for religious girls without a doubt, but it is also for working girls (not that kind of working girl), and those with boutique tastes without the salary to match. The motivation behind Kayla's Blessing was to create the future of modest clothing. The result is a store that manages to meld the Jewish laws of modesty with distinctive, tasteful, and many times sparkly fashion.