Wrapunzel took a few moments to gather some information about Roo, who has recently been busy creating an amazing series of Beginner Videos – Wrap 101! Here are the questions we asked her and her responses. It’s always great to learn about the lives and wraps of some of our most visible Wrapunzelistas! 🙂

Hi Roo. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your journey with head wrapping? How did you first discover Wrapunzel?

Sure! My name is Roo. I’m 38, and I’m a wife and mother of two living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We have two fur babies as well! I’m also a mixed-media and watercolor artist, although I’ve been taking a little break from traditional media. Art making has always been an important part of my self-expression, which is a skill set that’s translated really well into wrapping! 

I found Wrapunzel in January 2024. At the time, I was taking a class on developing intuition and metaphysics. The instructor suggested covering the head and back of the neck with a scarf for people who tend to get energetically overwhelmed. I did a basic Google search on scarves and found Wrapunzel! I recall my first order being a solid black pashmina and a Constellations scarf in Olive. I still love them both!

What drew you to headwrapping, and how has it become a part of your personal style and daily life?

Initially, I only intended to cover my hair for ritual purposes within the context of my spiritual practice, or possibly in crowded areas to preserve my own energetic boundaries.

I was very drawn in when I found the Wrapunzel Community and the pure breadth of wrapping possibilities. I became intrigued with it as an art form and also as a way to develop and honor my own physical and energetic boundaries. From there, I discovered modesty as a spiritual practice and lifestyle, which has become a huge part of my journey. I owe a lot to the Wrapunzel and Orthodox Jewish communities.

Do you have a favorite go-to wrap style or scarf that you always reach for?

Oh my goodness. I will admit I have an obsession with new pretties, and my collection has gotten pretty large, so I’m always trying out a new scarf or style! Right now, I’m definitely obsessed with Israeli styles, particularly giant squares wrapped around a bobo. It just makes me feel like a queen!

What inspired you to start your Wrap 101 series, and what can people expect to learn from it?

I wanted to share my knowledge and experience. I’ve only been wrapping full-time for just over a year, but I felt an absence in the space of short-form media for beginners’ content. My vision is to have one localized place where people can go to get essential information when they’re getting started, both on IG and YouTube via playlists/highlights. 

There is a ton of information and so many tutorials out there. As a beginner, I remember learning from so many different places and people, which I highly recommend! At the same time, I remember the frustration of just beginning and having to research and hunt things down. I thought I could make a small contribution by bringing together some of the missing pieces and consolidating them into a series.

My hope is to help beginners build their foundational wrapping skills, which will be useful in approaching any wrap style! Once you learn a lot of the basics, it becomes easier to take inspiration from wraps you see on social media and try something similar for yourself without needing a detailed step-by-step guide. 

What’s one tip or trick that you think every beginner should know when starting out with headwrapping?

Start with one scarf! I know it’s so easy to want to jump right in and start creating layered looks. That’s exactly what I did! If I could go back, I would definitely place more value on mastering a few basic wraps with a single scarf before adding the complexity of layers. It would have saved me a lot of frustration!

Have you had any funny or unexpected moments while filming your tutorials?

Oh my gosh so many. I keep thinking I should put together some outtakes of me yelling at the dogs or asking the kids to keep it down. I know I’ve caught myself on camera throwing up my hands in frustration due to tichel tantrums. I think I even accidentally hit myself in the face once! I should really start keeping that footage…

How has the Wrapunzel Community influenced your wrapping journey? Are there any special connections you’ve made along the way?

Wrapunzel has had a huge impact on my journey! In the beginning, I relied heavily on YouTube tutorials from so many different Wrapunzelistas. Andrea and Sarah Rivkah both have been major influences on my own style and helped me learn a lot of the basics. 

The Wrapunzel Facebook Group has also been an incredible source of inspiration and support as well. It never ceases to amaze me how innovative and creative this Community is and I’ve made so many connections with wrap sisters along the way!

What do you love most about being part of this vibrant, global community?

I love how accepting, supportive, and respectful everyone is of each other. We all come from different backgrounds and have our own stories. We all wrap for different reasons, and that’s okay. I love that something so creative and beautiful has brought us all together as a community to lift one another up!

If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting their wrapping journey, what would it be?

Be patient with yourself and don’t give up! For me, I severely underestimated how challenging it would be to tie a scarf around your head and make it look pretty. I remember feeling like I would never “get it” and that I would never be able to create anything nearly as beautiful as what I was seeing from others online. There were days it brought me to tears and I couldn’t understand why it felt like I was the only one who couldn’t “do it right.” Maybe that’s just a personal hang-up, but for anyone out there feeling that way, know that you CAN do it and that it just takes time!!! 

Take lots of photos so you can look back at your progress. You’ll be blown away in a year when you see how far you’ve come. Also, don’t underestimate the value of practice and experimentation! The best way to learn is by doing. Try everything.

What’s next for you in your head-wrapping and content-creation journey? Are there any exciting plans or styles you want to explore?

I’ve got lists of plans and ideas for days!! Right now, I’m really focused on Wrap 101, but at some point, I would really love to do a series on wrapping with the bobo! Wrapping around a bobo is its own skill set, and it’s my absolute favorite kind of shaper right now. It’s starting to become part of my signature style! There’s definitely so much more to explore. You’ll just have to wait and see!

If you had to describe the feeling of wrapping in three words, what would they be?

Creating Sacred Space

You can find Roo on Instagram at www.instagram.com/exoprismart!