Hi Everyone!  Andrea here!

So besides doing awesome stuff here at Wrapunzel, most of you are aware that I’m also a professional cellist.  I often recieve messages from you Wrapunzel ladies asking when/where I’m going to be performing and I’m what up to in terms of music, so I’m really excited to share here something we’ve been working on for a while now that has finally come to fruition!

My husband and I are often asked, “Why would you young people, with so much to give, devote your lives to a dying art?”  And our answer is simple, “Who says it’s dying?”  We believe that music is the universal language, the vessel that connects this world to the world above.  It opens up places within us that words (and even scarves!) fail to penetrate.  What is ‘dying’ is the elitist presentation of classical music; our audiences are desperate to connect, and we, the musicians, have a responsibility to take you through an expedition that transcends the physical and penetrates the soul.  Simply hitting the right notes (no matter how impressive) and playing expressively isn’t enough anymore.  In short, it is our dream that our audiences experience the same joy and elevation that we as professional musicians feel when we play and listen.   My husband especially has a rare gift of being able to speak words that allow audience members to go on a guided journey, instead of feeling like they’re on their own in the murkiness.

We started this concert series called Chamber Encounters.  The main musicians in it are myself, my husband, and violist, Sarah Lowenstein.  We are bringing in guest artists from all over the world to join us and are engaging with our audience in a way that breaks down the museum glass wall that so many concerts seem to have.  Music becomes alive, and performances are a once in a lifetime experience between us, the musicians, and the audience.

Anyway, I digress.  I could talk about this stuff for ages!

We had an amazing photoshoot for our group, and our first concert is going to be on November 24th, presented by the Gordon Center here in Maryland.  We are playing INCREDIBLE music!  Two of these pieces are on my bucket list to play in this lifetime.  I have no words.  Barber Adagio for Strings.  The Borodin.

Let me know if you want to hear more about this!  (And here are some more photos!)

This is the outfit that I wore for Shabbat.  It was one of the most profound, joyous Shabbats that I’ve had in a long time, thank Gd.

My tichel was using a gold creme shimmery, an old piece of lace that I love, a cream ruffled waves sash, and a new pin that we’re hoping to bring to the store soon.  All of these are sold out currently, but we are working on getting more 🙂  I loved using my ruffled waves sash like this!

On the next day I wore the same outfit and tichel, except I did not use the pin and did a subtler tie.

Wishing you all clarity, peace, and love.

xx Andrea

The “Wendy” is taking the world by storm!  We are so in love with this revolutionary volumizer/shaper!  Here is a tutorial by Rachel showing the many ways to use it (with a little addition from Andrea at the end, showing the volumizer OFF of her head.)

Enjoy!

I thought I loved ponchos before… but I never knew I’d love them this much!  These ones have such a flattering shape for every body type, and they’re snuggly too!  They’re lovely in the early hours of the morning when there’s just a little nip in the air, and when the sun goes down at night and you want something graceful and warm without changing your outfit.  They don’t take up much room so you can pack ’em away midday when the sun comes out or drape it over your chair for a comfy place to sit.

At Wrapunzel headquarters, we’re having so much trouble choosing which of the seven colors we like best… the royal ones are gorgeous, but the neutral ones just match everything!  (Everyone should have our problems.)  We have no idea how the sequins were worked in so perfectly… usually sequins are a little to glitzy for my taste, but these are sewn in a way that offer the subtlest shine.  *sigh.

There’s also an added perk for all you nursing mamas… these make the PERFECT nursing cover!  I was on the plane to Israel and of course it was cold, and it was so easy to nurse in the poncho while keeping modest.  No back exposure or pull down risks!  I never thought it would be so useful!

Modelling these with my friend Devorah was such a treat!  She’s a true beauty, inside and out.  Doesn’t she look just like Snow White?  Snow White and Wrapunzel… hmmm 🙂

From all of us at Wrapunzel, we hope you’re staying warm and enjoying the gorgeous fall weather!  May these ponchos help you feel loved, protected, and help you realize the infinite beauty that resides within you.

All my love,

Andrea xo

(Oh!  I know you’ll be asking: Devorah is wearing the Shine On tichel, and I’m wearing Noteworthy with the Light and Shade headband.)

Recently in the Wrapunzel inbox, someone wrote to us with a conundrum: she had this beautiful dress, in a striking black-and-white floral pattern. But she never liked the look of either black or white tichels by her face. What else could she wear that would work with the dress?

I love this question, because it’s relevant to so many people. Lots of us like the look of a formal black dress, or a crisp white shirt under a black blazer, or a sassy stripy skirt. Unfortunately, many ladies (including me!) find that wearing a pure black or white (or black-and-white) tichel can feel a little harsh next to their skin tone.

Thankfully, there are some really good solutions! These are my favorites. I’ll demonstrate with my new stripy dress, and I’ve asked permission of a few other Wrapunzelistas to share their pics, too!

1. Bold solid colors: Jewel tones and pastels
   Any bright pastel or deep jewel tone is a win with black-and-white. Ruby, teal, royal blue, purple, or emerald green are good jewel tones. If you look good in pastels, try a robin’s-egg-blue, bubble-gum pink, sherbert orange… you get the idea! Pick your favorite richly-colored scarf, add some sparkles, and you’re all set!
   
   

   
2. Metallics
   Silver, bronze, or gold go with just about everything, and black-and-white is no exception. If you’re not feeling like a bright pop of color, a shiny silver might give you just the perfect solution!
   
   

   
3. Use black or white (or both!) – but add something else. If you want your wrap to feel “matchy,” but plain black or white doesn’t work on you, you can still pull it off. The trick is to take a flattering bold color or metallic (as in #1 and #2), and add it into your wrap alongside the black or white. If black or white works by your face, you can add your pop of color over top of the black or white base scarf, as Wrapunzel Fangroup member Miriam Perl did here:
   
   If you don’t like the look of black or white by your face, you can use a flattering color as a base scarf, let some of it show right by your face, and work your black/white magic over top of that!
   For example, I like raspberry by my face more than black:
   
   

   

   And Wrapunzelista Shira adds a little white (or black-and-white!) to turquoise for a stunning effect!
   

   

   

   

    

    

Do you have a favorite wrap to wear with your blacks and whites? What tichel makes you feel fabulous when you pair it with your little black dress or suit? How about wrapping styles – tails or no tails? Share with us in the comments!!

Happy wrapping,

 

Naomi Rose

So you all know how much love my teal Shimmery… so much that it got a hole from overuse!  I showed here what to do with a shimmery that gets a hole in it… and then treated myself to another teal Shimmery as a replacement!  So now I have one full, one thick sash and two thin sashes.  Guess what I did for Shabbat!?

I am so excited about this wrap, and I can see so many possibilities emerging!  Imagine a gold, beige gold, and brown braid.  Or royal colors!  I’m half tempted to start ripping up my other shimmeries, but I will retrain myself… for now 🙂

As you can see, I’m making a concentrated effort this year to incorporate more white/cream into my wardrobe for Shabbat!  It’s difficult for me with the see-through factor and also wanting to not look like I’m in spa/sleepwear, but I am determined!  Check out this last photo of the wrap!  As you can see, in order:
– A half shimmery twisted
– Two quarter shimmeries, in a rope twist
– A full Shimmery tail, twisted
– 4 quarter shimmery tails, in a 4 way braid
– 1 full shimmery and 2 half shimmeries, in a regular braid

I loved this wrap most because it’s super fancy, but also not too loud.  It’s intricate, but only if you look closely!  And it really didn’t take that long to do!

Hope this idea inspires you and wishing you all a healthy, productive, safe, and inspirational week!
Love, Andrea

Got an old Shimmery with a hole in it that you don’t know what to do with?  Or have you always wanted to do braids and twists with your Shimmery but find it a little to thick to work with?  Check out this awesome idea!  I’m loving it!

And yes, that is a 4 strand braid I’m wearing!  Want a tutorial?  It’s so easy and looks awesome!

Shabbat shalom ❤
Love, Andrea

The Zig-zag Criss-cross Wrap is a Wrapunzel classic – it’s hard to beat the stunning visual of crisscrossing layers and angles in a wrap. But did you know that you can get the same effect using just one scarf? Check out Naomi Rose’s tutorial below for two different versions – one with a tail over the shoulder (pictured above), and one with all the ends tucked away, Regal Wrap-style. This is an amazing wrap to do with any rectangular scarf or pashmina – with solid-colored scarves it’s subtly elegant, and with multicolored scarves it’s a head-turner! Enjoy!!

What is this wrap? Well… it’s a little like the Yael, and a little like the Regal Wrap, and a little like the perfect turban… but it’s not any of those! It’s a gorgeous, elegant, and very simple wrap for any pashmina – and just in time for the change in the weather! It’s possible to wrap it completely knot-free, it works with even the thickest pashminas, and it takes just a few minutes. Introducing Rachel’s latest!

 

Here’s how to do it yourself:

 

We saw this recent photo on the Wrapunzel Fangroup and LOVED it… and so did everyone else! Carmen is a true wrap star. Not only did she come up with this amazing side-bow style, but she also has her own YouTube Channel and Facebook page full of beautiful wrapping videos! It’s called Earth Crowns – don’t miss it!

In the meantime, shared with permission, here is her tutorial on the Golden Crown, which is the style in the photo above. ENJOY!!

And here’s Naomi Rose trying it on for size. New formal wrap favorite! Thank you, Carmen for sharing this with us!!

**Hint: To get a tail over your shoulder, as in Naomi Rose’s photos, just use the second shimmery end (the one NOT in the bow). Bring it over your head behind the bow (just like in the video), and then instead of tucking it in, secure it by your ear with a pin, letting the fringes hang down.

 

a Yom Kippur wrap – solid white 2 in 1 with a white Dreamy Lace over it

 

Yom Kippur is a tricky day for me. If you’re curious about what this holiday means and what kind of energy it has, you should definitely check out Andrea’s amazing videos from last year and this year, which are full of inspiration and detail and provide some great food for thought. These are Jewish ideas, but really they’re about personal growth, relevant to everyone. And in a world where we’re constantly bombarded by materialism, gossip, and advertising, where we’re constantly being told that fame and money are the only real definitions of success… personal growth has never been harder.

I didn’t grow up religious and the idea of a season of judgement at the beginning of each year, where G-d reviews everyone’s actions, never sat well with me. It wasn’t that I thought I should be able to get away with doing whatever I wanted, it was just the idea of G-d as this Santa-Claus-like entity dealing out promotions or tragedies like presents or coal into a kid’s stocking. What kind of a concept was that?

I understand where my frustration was coming from, but of course I was getting a lot of things wrong. I have a bit more perspective now about what’s going on at this time of year, and how I can relate to it in a way that makes sense.

simple white clothing for services

As little kids, we never hesitate to ask for a “do-over” when we try something and it goes wrong the first time. If we fall off the bike, we don’t assume we’ll never learn how to ride it. We just cry about it, wash off the scrapes, and then eventually get back on. As adults, sometimes we lose this sense of confidence and control over our actions. We become more passive. If we try something and fail, we start to think that maybe it’s not for us. If we have a rough time in a relationship, it doesn’t take long before we consider breaking up. If we don’t get the job we were hoping for, we start to think we might not have what it takes to make it in that field.

This passivity is a creeping disease. We put ourselves in danger of never finding out our true potential in life, of never becoming the person that we want to be.

The purpose of Yom Kippur, and the days leading up to it, is to prevent that. The practice that some people have of wearing white for the holiday alludes to this. The white represents a blank slate. A reset button. A “do-over.” It’s not about sitting there waiting for G-d to dole out our fate for next year. That’s the passive version, and it’s completely wrong. This is an active time. It’s a time to figure out the difference between the trajectory we’re currently on, and the trajectory that will actually take us where we want to go in life. It’s about taking tiny little steps, but in a new and better direction. And then when we reach Yom Kippur, we can confidently say: I’m hitting “re-set.” I’m not the same person anymore; I’m a person that’s headed for different and more fulfilling things. I’m accepting responsibility for all the mistakes I made, but deciding not to define myself by those mistakes. I’m going forward, so please send me new challenges that will teach me to be active rather than passive. Send me the learning experiences I will need in order to become the best version of myself.

Sisters in white – an outtake from Wrapunzel’s fall photoshoot

This isn’t about asking for things we want, and then waiting to see what happens. It’s about redefining ourselves, and turning into someone new, someone whose needs are different. And the reward isn’t a promotion, or a new house, or a winning lottery ticket – that’s not the way G-d works. The reward for personal growth is a new set of circumstances: not ones that will make our lives easier, but ones that will give our lives meaning.

May we all have the strength to take that first tiny step on our new trajectory.

 

Love,

Naomi Rose

This year’s Yom Kippur is going to be very different for me.  Here are the life lessons I’m learning here in Israel!  I hope it helps all you that also suffer from FOMO affliction 🙂

Gmar Chatima Tova.

And here is last year’s Yom Kippur video that I referred to:

Does anyone else ever realize that their outfit was inspired by food? Anyone…..? (crickets chirping) Okay, it might just be me, but I loved putting together this casual outfit this morning! I needed a contrasting color for the raspberry pink, and dark chocolate brown was just the perfect choice.

I used a Striped Delight in Wild Rose and a dark brown 2in1 to make this wrap. Click here for a tutorial on how it’s tied – it’s the 2-scarf Regal Wrap, probably one of my favorite weekday tichels!

This is pretty standard fare for me, clothes-wise – unless I’m going somewhere fancy, I usually wear comfy skirts and tops in basic colors with one or two little details (like the collar on the t-shirt, or some nice earrings) to keep it from getting too boring.

Do you have favorite color pairings for your outfits or tichels? What inspired you to try them together? Have you ever found inspiration in an unusual or silly place? Share with us in the comments!