For example, both Rav Ellinson in his book “HaTzneh Lechet” and Rav Henkin in his book “Understanding Tzniut” (both of which I highly recommend) show how most poskim interpret the Gemara in Brachot 24a to allow a woman to show up to a tefach of a normally covered area (which, on page 37, Rav Ellinson estimates at 9 cm for above the elbow). Rav Henkin also states that according to different estimates of how much a tefach is, today there is probably no problem with most women’s necklines (page 17). Additionally, the Divrei Hamudot on the Rosh (Berakhot 3:37) states that women’s upper arms are considered like her “face, hands and feet” which are never covered, and one can rely on local custom to determine whether or not one exposes them, as long as the majority of the arm is covered (see also pages 22-25 in Rav Henkin's book).
We know that minhag hamakom plays a role in determining what the standards of tzniut are for a community. It's used l'chumra, for example, some poskim say if one decides to live in a community where woman wear tights because they hold covering the “shok” extends to the ankle, one would also have to keep this stringency. It's also used l'kulah, for example, the Arukh HaShulkhan (OC 75:7) allowed men to pray opposite women with uncovered hair (though stating it was a very bedi’eved situation) since men were so used to seeing women’s hair, there was no longer a problem of hirhur/distraction. Although the Arukh HaShukhan is decrying this practice, we see from this precedent that standards of modesty do change over time. This principle of changing standards of tzniut can be used to support following a minority view of not covering one's elbows.
BUT, I don’t think this idea can be applied more broadly to include, as you suggested, tank tops or skinny jeans. Yes, society’s standards of tzniut have become a lot more open, but this does not mean that we accept every societal change especially when it comes to tzniut. Firstly, in the Halakhic sources, no poskim allow people to show areas of the body that are normally covered and all maintain that there is an objective standard of “hirhur” that does not change over time. Halakahic literature aside, I think we need to think long and hard about the values being reflected by a society that sets no limits on dress and allows people to wear as little as they like. Yes, “a woman’s body is her own”, but is that really the statement she is making when she walks around half dressed?
Like it or not, I think that certain parts of a woman’s body are objectively more alluring than others and need to be covered in order to create a society based on kedusha, where women are seen as more then bodies and where there isn’t an overt environment of sexual inappropriateness. Without it, as much as one can try to convince oneself that today it’s different and tank tops and short shorts are normal by today’s “tzniut standards”, in a co-ed crowd, this will undoubtedly change the appropriateness level of the group (Yes, this does have to do with men’s reactions, but that’s how women’s bodies are made. Additionally, women often dress a certain way knowing the attention it attracts).
Which bring me to my take on tzniut. Personally, the “saving yourself for your husband” argument doesn’t really speak to me. My attitude towards tzniut stems largely from my Bnei Akiva upbringing, which taught me to believe very strongly in the positive aspects of a co-ed halakhic environment (another minority view). There’s a lot to be learned from the other 50% of the population and a co-ed community (or camp) can be a very powerful resource for Am Israel. Halakhic boundaries are there not for us to lock ourselves away from situations that can be halakhically “dangerous”, but for us to know exactly how to conduct ourselves in order to succeed in them. These boundaries include negiah, yichud, and of course, tzniut.
One of our goals as Torah observant Jews is to create communities based on kedusha; where people act in a halakhically appropriate way and where sex isn’t demeaned in how people talk, joke or make comments about each other. This is very difficult to maintain even in a post-year-in-Israel co-ed society, kal vachomer with teenagers (no offense). Tzniut and our standards of dress are imperative to maintaining this atmosphere of kedusha. While I don’t think shorter sleeves are a problem, showing off more objectively alluring body parts would be counter productive to this goal, no matter what goes on in outside society. Imagine Mach Hach if everyone were in tank tops and shorts – it’s hard enough to have an appropriate avirah even with the dress code! I think there is objective tzniut that does not change with time, and it isn’t about saving yourself for your husband, it’s about creating an environment of kedusha, especially in a co-ed environment, to ensure women are being seen and treated as people and not as just as bodies, and where the environment reflects kedusha and holiness and not inappropriate behavior and lewd language.
However, as stated above, the standards of tzniut can be expanded within halakhic guidelines to include a more lenient approach of dress that in my opinion in no way compromises the kedusha of the environments we live in or are trying to create. This is also since (as has been expanded in other posts) the way we dress is only one part of what acting tzanua mandates – it is also how we talk, how we carry ourselves, and our general affect, not just our sleeve lengths, skirt lengths and necklines.
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