By Bari Cener
Each year we tally up the latest trends from the red carpet and give you the must-haves for the year’s Bar Bat Mitzvah fashion.
This year, we profiled nine girls and boys who recently had their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and asked them what they wore, why they wore it, and how it made them feel.
Who: Chloe Cornell
Where: Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, NY.
Theme: Since Chloe’s initials are CC, and she loves fashion, her theme was
“Chanel.”
Dress Inspiration: “Keira Knightly in her wedding dress; a white tulle
strapless dress with an A line skirt to the knee designed by Karl Lagerfeld.”
Personal Touch: Chloe added a rhinestone and pearl belt to add a little
sparkle and “Chanel” detail.
In Her Shoes: For the service, Chloe wore white flats with a black tip and
pearls on the heel. For the party, she changed into white sneakers with
flower cut outs.
Jewelry: In honor of her Bat Mitzvah, her parents gave Chloe a gold bracelet.
Family Matters: The party colors were black and white with gold accents so
mom Kim wore a black gown; Chloe’s dad and brother wore black suits,
white shirts and black and white striped ties.
Photo Credit: Michael Jurick
Who: Sydney Cohn
Where: Basking Ridge Country Club in Basking Ridge, NJ.
Fashion Statement: An ivory party dress with a jeweled
bodice by Terani Couture from It’s Simply For You.
Theme: The budding fashionista chose a high heel theme
in black, white, hot pink, and lime.
Footwear: For pictures, Sydney wore a pair of Vince Camuto silver YSL Tribute inspired shoes. She then changed into Ash silver
glitter sneakers for the party.
Sentimental Jewelry: A Tiffany diamond solitaire
necklace, which was one of the favorite gifts she
received.
Family Matters: Mom Lori wore a jumpsuit at the nighttime kids’ party, while dad carried the theme in a pink and white shirt. Sydney’s little sister wore a hot pink leather dress to celebrate her sister’s big day.
Photo Credit: Angelito Jusay Photography
Who: Mason Gruber
Where: Temple Isaiah in Stonybrook, NY, for the service and Temple
Chavarim for the party.
Theme: “Mason Nation,” incorporating his and his dad’s love of the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
Cool Couture: A classic black tuxedo was paired with a yellow tie, a nod to
the Steeler colors. Black dress shoes completed the look.
Fan Out: “My best friend gave me a Steelers bow tie that I changed into for
the party.”
Family Matters: All of the men in Mason’s family wore black tuxedos and
yellow ties, including his dad, grandpa, great uncle, uncle and cousin. Mom
Beth wore head to toe black.
Photo Credit: White Light
Who: Molly Steinberg
Where: A Havdalah service and party were held at Club Infinity in Purchase,
NY.
Theme: The family took their late October date and cleverly wove Molly’s
name into the theme to make “Molloween.”
Fashion Statement: Molly’s whimsical white and ice blue ball gown was
custom made and ordered online, sight unseen. Long gloves, small diamond
studs, and a crystal tiara completed the look.
Something Borrowed: To make the day even more special, Mom Lainee gave
her daughter a pendant to wear for the occasion, which she wore on a satin
blue ribbon.
Sole Mates: Instead of heels, Molly wore white converse high tops. “We
handed out monster-slippers during the party for everyone. It was a huge hit
and very comfortable.”
Dress Code: Costume attire preferred, and 99% of the guests dressed up!
Celebrity Inspiration: “We researched every celebrity Halloween party we
could and took elements from each.”
Photo Credit: Aureli Photography
Who: Sarah Cassuto
Where: Temple Sholom in Greenwich, CT, and party at Club Infinity in
Purchase, NY.
Fashion Statement: Sarah chose a light blue ball gown with a jeweled bodice
that complimented her red hair. “The dress just made me feel happy.”
Theme: “Camp Sarah,” since Sarah is a camper at Nock-a-Mixon, and the
date was a week before camp started.
Fancy Feet: Sparkly silver high tops kept Sarah’s feet comfy all night.
Family Matters: Sarah’s dad and brother wore black suits, while mom Wendi
wore a floor length halter ball gown.
Dress Code: Cocktail attire.
Fun Fact: The light blue and purple invitations (handmade by Sarah’s aunt
and mom) matched the blue of Sarah’s dress
Photo Credit: Club Infinity
Who: Isabella Goldberg
Where: Her service was at Temple Beth Am in Merrick, NY, and the party
was at Love Club in Carle Place, NY.
Tasty Theme: Because Bella loves to bake cupcakes, the family drew
inspiration from Baked by Melissa and created “Baked by Bella.”
Best Dressed: The pink ombre gown was a reflection of her personality
— beautiful, vibrant, and happy. The color was so striking that the “Baked by
Bella” logo was created to match her dress from It’s Simply For You.
Treasured Gift: A white gold Hamsa/Star of David necklace given to her by
her grandparents as a Bat Mitzvah present.
Dress Code: Cocktail attire.
DIY Shoes: Bella wore one-of-a-kind bedazzled shoes that she created
herself.
Fashion inspiration: “Julie Chen, Big Brother, baby!”
Photo Credit: Kenneth Pierce from Starlight Express/Double G
Who: Ethan Berman
Where: Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, NJ, and Crystal Plaza, Livingston, NJ.
Theme: In lieu of a candle lighting, Ethan was the host of the night, complete
with an opening monologue for the “13th Annual Ethan Awards.”
The Modern Suit: “It was a three-piece metallic black suit from Sams in
Livingston, NJ, similar to the kind of suit someone would wear while hosting an
awards show. It really stood out.”
Family Matters: Mom Shari wore a metallic gown, while Ethan’s brother
wore a black velvet blazer along with a shirt and coordinating socks that
reflected his colorful personality. Dad wore a black suit with a blue dress
shirt that complemented Ethan’s, while his younger sister wore a
custom-made blue dress. His 3 year old brother may have had the best
red carpet look of all, in a black three-piece suit complete with a monkey tie.
“He definitely rocked it,” says Ethan.
Photo Credit: Sarah Merians Photography & Video Company
Who: Dylan Maskell
Where: Service was held at North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, NY; party
was at Temple Sinai in Roslyn, NY.
Theme: Since Dylan is a dancer and a gymnast, she chose the theme
“Dancing Past Midnight” which matched her initials, DPM.
Dress Code: Cocktail attire.
Color Coordination: The room was decked out in black, silver and teal and
Dylan’s white party dress from It’s Simply For You, featured teal accents
which continued the theme.
Let’s Accessorize: Dylan danced all night in silver sneakers, and teal and
silver bracelets accented her dress.
Red Carpet Moment: “There was a moment getting dressed when the bow in
the back of my dress was tied and I felt like a princess,” she says. “I knew that
minute that the rest of the night would be amazing!”
Photo Credit: Hi Tech Photography Events
Who: Riley Maskell (sister of Dylan)
Where: North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, NY, and the party was at Temple Sinai in Roslyn, NY.
Theme: To complement her initials RM, Riley chose
“Reach for the Moon.”
Fashion Statement: A teal blue ball gown with a jeweled
bodice coordinated with the party room. “The dress and
decor was a total personality match; lots of bling with a
lot of elegance!”
Accessories By Mom: One of Riley’s favorite gifts was
the hand-stoned high heeled converse shoes with
colored laces.
Fashion Disaster: “My dress wouldn’t stay up!,” says Riley. “I tried everything from making it tighter to even using fashion tape, but because we were dancing and sweating, the tape just slid off the dress and stuck to my skin. I just held it up with one hand and didn’t stop dancing all night long!
Photo Credit: Hi Tech Photography Events
This story is from the 2015 Mitzvah Market Magazine. If you would like to request a free copy, click here.
