Tag: Inspiration

Rachel: Your Signature Party Look

On By RachelIn Clothing Ideas & Inspiration, Wrapping Photos, Written Pieces5 Comments

After our latest newsletter for Wrapunzel the store  was released (Do you receive our weekly Gazette? Click HERE to sign up!), I decided to write a bit more on the blog about the subject of party wraps. Be sure to keep reading until the end, where I describe the process of choosing a very special tichel for a very special event. Enjoy, ladies!    

-Rachel

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Let’s be real for a moment- it’s only mid-November and I’m already talking about party season? Well… yes… but with good reason! It’s in early November each year that I attend an annual black tie event with my husband (THE black tie event of the year for us, in fact) and the preparation for this always involves careful planning of both my outfits and the scarves that I choose to go with them. Needless to say, party wraps have DEFINITELY been on my mind lately and I love dreaming up ways of making them match distinct styles of dress.

Previous years and events of this caliber have seen me wearing all sorts of intricate multi-scarf looks. Double turbans, Waterfall Twists, a Tiple Zig-Zag or two… My mind always seems to equate fancy events with extra fancy wraps and it wasn’t until recently that I discovered that just a single scarf could look and feel equally as beautiful. It didn’t garner thoughts of feeling underdressed, as I had feared and there are many ways of making this work, no matter what style of dress you choose!

Many of us wind up at fancy affairs during the month of December, so with our calendars filling up and party season creeping ever-so-closer, why not start thinking about styling options now? Whether it’s celebrating the holidays, New Years Eve, or even just seasonally with friends (There are those with birthdays during this time of year, too!), let’s take a look at matching wraps to your party/fancy/formal dress wear, while letting just one scarf be the focus –  complicated multi-scarf styles optional, which is perfect for wrappers of ALL skill levels.

Your Signature Party Style

Dressing up for parties is fun and can allow us the chance to don many different garments that we wouldn’t normally look at for weekday wear. The same can be said for tichels! Once you know the theme or dress code for the occasion and have found a way to amp-up your personal style- now what? Well, it’s time to choose the perfect scarf and style of wrapping, of course!

*Remember that watching tutorials and practicing wrapping styles well before the event is always a good idea- There’s nothing worse than getting dressed and finding yourself tangled in scarves, attempting to wrap in a way you discovered just minutes before! Being prepared will help eliminate stress and give you more time to concentrate on other pre-party preparations. 

Here’s a few ideas to get your started:

Feminine Elegance

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A black Ultimate Wedding Tichel tied over a very light blue 2 in 1.

Is your signature party look influenced by a feminine wardrobe? Romantic blouses and skirts, soft pastels, ruffles, laces and silks are commonly found in this woman’s closet. It can be classic and understated or include bold statement pieces, both of which pair perfectly with quite a few wrapping styles!

One of the most obvious choices of wraps for this look would be lace and there certainly are plenty of easy ways to wear it. Lace triangular–shaped scarves come in a multitude of colors and are quite possibly the easiest-to-tie tichel of them all. Their sheerness also means that you can easily incorporate another colored base-scarf underneath it, for a multitude of different effects. This is not necessary, though, as there are plenty of women who simply wrap them over a black or white volumizer and call it a day, making them a quick and easy way to wrap for formal occasions.

The Ultimate Wedding Tichel (shown here) is new to my wardrobe, but has quickly become my all time favorite feminine scarf. For women who aren’t into lace (like myself), it is an excellent choice! I love how it utilizes sequins without being over the top and its beautiful silky fringe is a level of formality not found in many other tichels. The combination of sheerness, sequines and embroidery lends itself perfectly to a top made of satin or silk (see photo), which will create a party look that’s feminine, yet understated.

Suggested Tutorials:

Shira Tails (shown here)
Lovely Lace & Perfect Loop (2 scarves, but SO worth it!)
Easy Fancy Lace Tutorial
Silky Oblong Tichel Tutorial

Turbanista Extraordinaire

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Stellar in red.

Turbans can be stunningly glamorous and look amazing at parties of all types! The women who wear them might favor trendy minimalistic outfits or big bold prints, but one thing’s for certain- a turbanista exudes CONFIDENCE where she goes!

The most comfortable scarf I’ve ever found for turban-tying is jersey, but it can sometimes be tricky to dress up for parties, particularly when worn solo.  One way to do so is by opting for a glittery version, which is such an easy way to fancify your favorite turban ‘do. Adding a glitzy pin will also take your beloved turban to the next level.

If you’ll be dressing for the most formal of occasions, even more sparkle might be necessary. A one-scarf turban tied with a tichel that has a sheen throughout is an easy way to achieve this, whether you go for one that is soft and flowy or bold and more structured. Try matching the color of your turban to your shoes and purse, for a perfectly polished, party-ready look!

Suggested Tutorials:

Ultimate Turban (shown here)
Sari Scarf Turban
Rachel’s Turban Tutorial
Comfy Jersey Turban

Boho Chic

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Patterned scarf (coming soon!) over a navy Shimmery with Infinity Clasp.

Peasant skirts, maxi dresses, flowy fabrics and varying textures, are the cornerstone of this party style. Add some chunky jewelry or accessories and you’ll be good to go! But what about the wrap? Making the choice is easy, once you know how to unify your look:

  • If most of your outfit is a print- Try a solid-colored wrap: Pick one of the main colors from the print as your scarf color.
  • If most of your outfit is solid- Choose a printed scarf that contains your clothing color within its pattern.

Now, I know that I said that this post would be about letting just one scarf shine, but Naomi Rose’s photo here shows an excellent way to wear two scarves, while keeping just one as the focus. Her formal-looking Shimmery makes a wonderful accent to the patterned scarf, which dresses up the wrap subtly, ensuring that the two won’t be competing for attention. A party-ready look, for sure!

Suggested Tutorials:

Kallah’s Trick (a two-scarf tie, shown here)
Beginner’s Luck
Amped-Up Beginner’s Luck
The Countess Veil

 Bold & Beautiful

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Belle of the Ball in gold over a red base scarf. 

This one focuses on how to wear boldly printed pieces in a super matchy-matchy way, with the end result being a stunning look, worthy to be worn at all sorts of parties and events!

Both the print and outfit are frequently duotone and focus on both patterns AND texture. Pattern mixing among the scarf and garment can reign supreme, but that’s not to say that solids don’t play a part, as well. I typically start with one eye-catching printed piece (say, either a dress or blouse) and then complete my outfit with one or both of that pattern’s colors throughout.

Andrea’s gold Belle of the Ball (shown here) was a perfect match for her outfit! While the shades don’t have to match perfectly (Notice the variation among reds in said photo.), keeping them within the same family is essential for this look to work. Matching a wrap to a perfectly coordinated party outfit like this will take careful planning to make sure everything is just right, but will also make a BIG impression. The payoff is so, so, SO worth it!

 

Suggested Tutorials:

Stephanie’s Belle of the Ball Tutorial (two scarves, with one as the focus)
Basic Sari Scarf Wrap
Miriam’s Pashmina Veil
One-Scarf Zig-Zag Criss-Cross

Retro Glam

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The Shimmery in pewter.

Here’s where I get to write a bit about how I chose that very special tichel for a very special event! But first, let’s talk a some about how to pair you wraps with an ultra-glamorous, retro-inspired party look.

Vintage fashions and the headscarves that went with them have always been cohesive. From silent film stars to the globe trotters of the 1930s to Barbara Streisand’s 1970s high fashion turbans, we’ve seen complimentary pairings that were perfectly curated to both the outfit and to the wearer. The best part? Throughout history, some of the most glamorous of these looks have involved wearing just a single scarf in a similar color or pattern, complimentary to the outfit itself. Even a simple wrap tied with a glitzy scarf will look truly incredible! (more on that below)

Suggested Tutorials:

Extra Fancy Shimmery Turban (shown here)
Regal Wrap
Turban-style Regal Wrap
Yael’s 1920-style Turban
Zahava’s Chignon

So, it was keeping with all of that in mind that I began to think about what I would be wearing to this very important black tie event, but the decision was, by no means, an easy one. With a fabulous vintage-inspired dressed picked out months in advance, I had a LONG time to think about what to wear on my head, yet it really wasn’t until about a week prior that I started to give it any serious thought.

Despite what I knew about retro turbans and styling, I did find myself considering an exotic multi-scarf style to wear with my gorgeous sequined gown (This, after all, is always an easy way to look formal and there are no “rules” when it comes to wrapping), yet not a single color combination I could think of seemed to jive… not a single two-scarf style seemed to work! I was 99% sure that I wanted to wear The Shimmery, but was not at all sure of much else and was feeling immensely frustrated. A couple days before the big event, my gown had arrived and I was STILL feeling totally blank and without a single shred of inspiration. My frustration was now reaching maddening proportions.

In the end, it was my husband who suggested I drop everything I know and start from scratch, reassess all of my usual formal styles and trying something new. Oh, how right he was! You see, once I was able to take a step back and come at it from a different perspective, I realized that the reason my intricate wraps weren’t working was because they were competing far too much with my dress- an easy solution, but one that I wasn’t able to “see” previously. Simple had worked for fashionistas of the past and it was going to work for me, too!

The next question was, bright and bold or a classic monochromatic look? While the answer wasn’t immediately clear, I did get a chance to experiment some and try a few scarves on during a photoshoot the day before our event, which was immensely helpful. No matter which one I would ultimately choose, I could go into it knowing how each could be wrapped, lifting part of the indecisiveness off my shoulders and making getting ready before the event a breeze. I had narrowed it down to: The Shimmery in red (Tied in a Turban-style Regal Wrap), The Shimmery in purple (Tied in Shira Tails), Belle of the Ball (Tied on the side with a hair elastic.) and The Shimmery in pewter (Tied in an Extra Fancy Turban with a feather fascinator.).

@drewcarrying photography 

 

Fast forward to 24 hours later to when the night of our event was imminent, and we were about to walk out the door. The very last thing I had to do was to put on my tichel and it was then that I gave the pile of possible contenders one final look, before deciding to leave the decision up to my wonderful and loving husband. One glance was all it took- he knew exactly which one he would choose!

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Marine Corps Ball 2016

What followed was an awesome evening where I felt like a million bucks and couldn’t have been happier to arrive in my one simple scarf. A little time, a little preparation, a little frustration and a little stepping back, all led to discovering my signature party look (for this event, anyway.) and I hope you all can enjoy the adventure of discovering yours, as well!

I’d love to write more about matching headscarves to the clothes that we wear! Got any requests? Let me know in the comments below. -Rachel

Wrapunzel Challenge: Turban Extraveganza!

On By RachelIn Challenge of the Week!, Wrapping Photos5 Comments

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Hello, Wrapunzel Ladies! Another two weeks have passed, which means that it’s time for another Wrapunzel Challenge! But before we get to our next theme, let’s take a look at some of the incredible creations the wrappers in our community came up with recently for our turban challenge: We saw turbans with one scarf and turbans with two. Big turbans and more compact, subtle ones. Turbans utilizing bold, bright colors and ones with earthy hues… Endless creativity all around!

While they certainly aren’t for everyone, it was wonderful seeing ladies experiment with something new and different, sometimes even find a new favorite way of wrapping entirely! Check out this awesome email we received from one of our participants:

I actually didn’t like the turban style for myself, or so I thought, until I actually did one this morning with a twist on top, and it took me like 3 minutes tops to achieve it, and it is now my favorite wrap to do! 😀 It feels like it stays on my head better too.

Amazing, right?!

We hope you all enjoy our gallery and be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to learn the theme of our next challenge. We’re SO excited for this one!

#wrapunzeledinturbans

Wondering what we’ve got up our sleeves for our next challenge theme? This one’s simple as can be and is a seasonal favorite for many, especially as we go into the Chagim… The theme is WHITE! For the next two weeks, we’ll be experimenting with white wraps and accessories, ladies! In the colorful world of Wrapunzel, we find that this color can frequently get overlooked, but there are still TONS of possibilites for how to incorporate white into your wraps. Whether it’s wearing one white tichel or adding it as a complimentary hue, we just know that you’re going to love this one!

Would you like to participate in the next Wrapunzel Challenge? Head on over to the Wrapunzel Fangroupand share your pictures using the hashtag #wrapunzeledinwhite. If you would also like them featured on the next bi-weekly blog post, make sure to also post them in the comments on the pinned post at the top of the Fangroup page, so we know to share them. If you’re not on Facebook, you can also email your pictures to us at wrapunzelthestore@gmail.com with the subject line “Wrapunzel Challenge“. Instagram users can DM them to us, too at our Wrapunzel_Ladies account! We can accept up to 2 headshot-style photos per person– no collages, please. Deadline for submissions is Friday, October, 13th. Can’t wait to see what you create!!

 

-Rachel

Sensational Sashes & Our Brand New 31 Day Challenge!

On By RachelIn Challenge of the Week!, Wrapping Photos6 Comments

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Hi, ladies! It’s time for another Wrapunzel Challenge wrap-up post and we’re SO excited to share these amazing creations with you! We’re also pleased to be announcing a VERY special 31-day Wrapunzel Challenge, so be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post, after you’ve perused this week’s gallery. It’s one that wrappers can participate in during any month of the year!!!

Our most recent theme was wrapping with sashes and it’s been incredible to see all of these diverse looks on social media and elsewhere. Thank you all SO much for your participation!!!

What is a sash exactly?  Well, they’re what we call scarves that don’t cover your head completely. They might be too narrow or perhaps are a scarf folded lengthwise (to be worn as an accessory over another scarf). Either way, there is a seemingly endless amount of ways to wear them and if you’re looking for inspiration for how to wear your sashes as a head scarf, this post is not to be missed!

 

Well, if you’ve made it this far, you surely must be wondering what we have in store for our next challenge… After all, 31 days is a long time! We’ll be back in June with our regular bi-weekly challenges, but in the mean time, we’re gearing up to have a month of fun! Inspired by two members from our Facebook fangroup (Thanks Willow and Justine!!!), we’ve decided to make an EPIC challenge for the entire month of May.

It’s simple, really! To participate, each day a wrapper wears a totally different style wrap than the day before, with the challenge lending itself to experimentation and fun! Tichel newbies can enjoy the practice and learn fundamental techniques, while more experienced wrappers might discover a new favorite style or step out of their comfort zone a little. You can participate as little or as much as you’d like!

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Links to tutorials can be found at the bottom of this post.

 

For day one (today- May 1st), we’ve decided to start with a war,-up day! Easy peasey, right? Some of these styles can be quite challenging, but remember- it’s all about having fun!

As with all of our Wrapunzel Challenges, you can share your photos on social media and use the hashtag #wrapunzel31daychallenge. We will not be compiling a collage at the end of the month, but are truly looking forward to following along and seeing what you all create!!! 

  1. Warm-Up Day!
  2. Regal Wrap
  3. Rachel’s Turban Tutorial
  4. Double Braid
  5. Shira Tails
  6. Zig Zag/Criss Cross
  7. Double Knot Turban
  8. The Gigi Knot
  9. Beginner’s Luck
  10. The Liezl
  11. Yael Twist
  12. Mirjam’s Veil
  13. Waterfall Twist
  14. Turban-Style Regal Wrap
  15. Artsy Side Swoop
  16. The Kallah’s Trick
  17. Layered Waterfall Twist
  18. One-Scarf Zig Zag
  19. Girl With the Pearl Earring
  20. Yael’s 1920 Turban
  21. Naomi Knot
  22. Duchess Wrap
  23. Ultimate Turban
  24. “Triple C”
  25. Layered Shira Tails
  26. Zahava’s Chignon
  27. Triple Waterfall Twist
  28. 2-scarf Yael /2-scarf Yael with a Tail
  29. Half Zig-Zag
  30. It’s KNOT Hard Wrap
  31. The “Laila”

~Rachel

Do the Shimmery 2in1 Happy Dance!!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Daily Scarf Creation23 Comments

Can I even begin to tell you how happy these scarves make me??  The Shimmery is my forever dream scarf (I’ve been wearing my gold one for YEARS!) and the 2 in 1s make all my braiding fantasies possible!   Here are two styles I’ve been wearing lately!  Woohoo!

First of all… the elegant double twist braid (with the ends tucked in instead of out) done with the 2 in 1s  – it’s never been easier!
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And now my two current favourite Shimmery colours: Teal and Green!  Been doing a version of the zig zag criss cross with these!


I will say this again and again (and again!):  the MOST important part of tichel tying is having fun!  I am so lucky that I get to do this mitzvah of embracing my soul, marriage, and self worth in such a beautiful way every day!  Enjoy and let me know what you think!

The Fascinating and Beautiful Heather!!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Lady Wrap Stars31 Comments

Our lady wrap star, Heather (yes, our second last lady wrap star is also Heather – I couldn’t plan this sort of thing if I tried!) has been part of the Wrapunzel community since… well.. since before it was the Wrapunzel community!  Over the years I’ve caught bits and pieces of her story and about whom she is.  She always came off as such a warm, stable, articulate and just, well… such a cool person that I really wanted to know!  She is all kinds of awesome and I’m so happy to introduce her to you officially!  In a word, her story is FASCINATING.  A must read.  Here’s Heather!

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First, I am INCREDIBLY honored to be asked to write for Andrea’s blog. It is definitely a high point for me in my covering journey! It’s been a rather bumpy one, and something that is not seen often where I live, in Southern West Virginia.

You don’t see many women like me in this community and buying from the store: women with beautiful tichels and adornments covering their hair. I’ve not had any rude comments as of this writing, but I HAVE had many compliments. My family is a mixed bag of support and reluctance. My husband is supportive of me covering (now), my father hasn’t said anything for or against it. My mother, though, is okay with it, so long as I don’t wear it in places that it would be seen as unusual. She asked me if I was going to “wear that thing” to a job interview. I told her that I was, that it was my head and if they had an issue with that, then I wouldn’t want to work there in the first place.  I have many cousins who love my tichels, and have expressed interest in purchasing and wearing their own (and I have offered my time to help them as soon as they want me to!) I see a few ladies covering their hair; it’s rare, but I have seen them. They wear the hijab, and it’s lovely, and I think quite brave of them, in all honesty. I always brace myself for a nasty comment when I leave my house, and while I HAVE gotten strange looks, I have yet to hear a snide remark. Good thing, too. I’m not as apt to take it as I was when I was younger.

As for religion, I’m not Jewish. I’m not Christian or Muslim either. I’m a very secular lady who has no religious reason at this time to cover. I did have one at one point, but I have done a lot of soul searching and found that religion is just not something that I feel is necessary in my life right now. It took a long time for me to admit, even to myself, that I fall into the agnostic atheist category, but I’m there, and I feel perfectly happy (though I do wish I had a local community to be a part of sometimes). I won’t reveal what religious beliefs I had after I left Christianity (I don’t want certain people to see this and decide they wouldn’t want to be part of my life anymore), but I will explain my coming to my current position as best I can.

Photo collage by Heather's husband - Heath! He is a graphic artist and does awesome work!
Photo collage by Heather’s husband, Heath! He is a graphic artist and does awesome work!

So, where to begin the story of how I came to covering my hair? Well, I’ve heard that it’s best to start at the beginning, so here goes:

I have always had a love/hate relationship with my hair. Ever since I was a child, I would take a lock of my hair and place it between my index and middle fingers and let it slide through. I loved (and still love) the silky, cool feeling of my hair moving between my fingers. A few strands would come out, but nothing major. It drove my parents up the wall, and they would always tell me to stop if they were in the same room with me. I also never could fix my hair properly. I tried so hard, and got so upset every day. It got to the point where I was begging my mother to help me fix my hair – and this was all the way into high school! I was just terrible with my hair. Makeup, I could do that! I rocked out makeup, manicures, etc. I even got asked to do prom makeup for people! But my hair just never did anything I asked it to do. So most of the time, when I was in college, I would just pull it back into a tight bun or a ponytail and let it go at that.

I also love coloring my hair. My natural color is a light reddish brown, but it’s currently dark brown/black (I’m a community theatre actress and I colored it for a role last summer). I have always wanted to wear funky colors in my hair, and I even went so far as to bleach it and color it teal in 2004! I LOVED it. Every morning I would get up and look at my hair, and was just amazed at how gorgeous the color looked. Unfortunately, it was a wash out color, and when it started looking dingy, I colored my hair black. It stayed that color until I moved home from college.

Well, that covers (no pun intended) how I feel about  my hair. Now let’s discuss how I came to love covering my hair:

I was raised Christian. I went to church, belonged to Christian school groups, read the Teen Bible, etc. I started seeing a guy who had books about OTHER religions. I had no idea that anything else really existed. We don’t have much religious diversity here (other than different denominations of Christianity). Anyway, I found a book that struck a chord in me and I devoted myself to the religion within its pages. I won’t elaborate on what that religion was, as I am not totally open with a lot of people in my area. (Following a different religion usually gets you harassed here.) During college, I grew apart from practicing ANY religion, mainly due to depression and sadness (I married the guy I was seeing and he became abusive). I left him in 2006, right after I gave birth to a son. After I met the man who would later become my actual husband, I began practicing my religion again, and I did so until recently.

During my reawakening, I began reading about the priestesses of Hestia and Hera, the Greek Goddesses of the hearth and home, and marriage and family, respectively. I have always been fascinated with ancient Greek mythology/theology and in all the research I did, I discovered something: both of those Goddesses wore VEILS! Their Priestesses wore VEILS! They all covered their hair! I was fascinated. I still am! I had never thought about covering my hair aside from doing it to keep it out of my face, but I saw that women used to cover their hair, that they would wear it like a crown. They were the Queens in their homes, in their marriages. That appealed to me greatly, and is a reason why I cover. I am the QUEEN of my life, and these tichels are my crowns! Then I found Andrea’s and Rivka Malka’s YouTube channels. I was absolutely smitten! I started wearing bandannas frequently around the house, doing my chores with a smile on my face. I felt much more connected somehow, and I couldn’t figure out why.

I was on Facebook a lot (as I still am) and a friend and I discovered a group that was for women with similar beliefs to me who covered their hair. I decided to give it a try, both the group AND the covering. The group wasn’t really for me, I found, and at the time, I wasn’t very good at covering. I didn’t have many scarves or veils, and I felt a little silly covering outside of the house because you just didn’t see that sort of thing here where I live. Not to mention that my husband wasn’t too keen on the idea (then anyway).

So, I stopped. For nearly 3 years.

During that three years, I became an agnostic atheist, which is to say that I am unsure if any higher power exists, and while I doubt, I cannot prove or disprove it. I lean towards the belief of no Deity at the moment, though I still believe Nature itself is divine and I celebrate the passing of the seasons, and mark the days with celebrations, even if it’s just a small acknowledgement of it. Because of that, I have no religious reason to cover my hair. None whatsoever.

But I rediscovered my love for it.

One day, out of the blue, I started covering again. It wasn’t something I set out to start doing, but I revisited Andrea’s blog and YouTube channel, and discovered Rivka Malka’s blog and YouTube channel. I went into my room and dug out my scarves and Israeli tichels (as I mentioned above, I didn’t have many at the time) and immediately began covering.

I suppose you could say I heard a call, not with my ears, but with my heart. I don’t believe it was a call from a Deity, personally, but more of my own desire to acknowledge something beautiful within myself. Right before, though, another group that I’m in had a couple of girls who decided to try and cover during domestic duties. They began to ask me about it. That reaffirmed my desire to start covering again. I cover every day, even at home, as it keeps me from sweeping up hair all the time and pulling my hair as well. Plus, it makes me feel gorgeous, and since it sits on my head, it keeps me mindful of things. It reminds me to use my head when I would rather use my heart when reacting to things. I am a very emotional person, and I have issues with anxiety and my tichels and headcovering practice helps me deal with it by giving me something to focus on rather than what is causing my anxiety. It also reminds me that I am a QUEEN – and I mean capital Q-U-E-E-N! I use that term to remind myself that I am in control of myself, my body, my mind, my spirit, my entire being. My tichel is my crown, and now my husband is on board with me covering (as he put it, it’s  my head and he would love me no matter what). I love discovering new combinations, new ways to tie. I even made a tie myself, that was inspired by The Girl with the Pearl Earring painting.

I have begun to do tutorials for women who are just starting out, because I can show my hair. I can show from beginning to end how I do it, and give them tips that they may not be able to see anywhere else, because I am able to show my hair as a secular woman with no commandment from a Deity to keep my hair to myself. Of course, I’m not knocking those who DO. It’s just not my particular calling, and if I can help a woman who feels it IS her duty to keep her hair for her husband but doesn’t know where to begin, I will do so. And I will love every minute of it!

The Beautiful Carmen!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Lady Wrap Stars19 Comments

Carmen is a true artist – and her talent for pairing gorgeous colours with the perfect accessories is nothing short of inspirational!  She and I have known each other on facebook for a while… yes, she is the one that inspired the pearls post recently!  I continuously wowed by her creativity… and her gentle and loving comments always let me know about the depth within her.  In the following photos make sure you click on them each individually to appreciate how she puts things together – it’s incredible!  I am so proud to introduce her to you as Wrapunzel’s Lady Wrap Star!
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By Carmen Mendez, edited by Nadia Kijanka

 

Helloooo Wrapunzel Ladies,

 

Let me start by saying that for me, the decision to cover my hair came suddenly and with a conviction that lasted longer than I expected. It started in November of 2013 when my husband showed me a YouTube tutorial and since then I’ve been covering every single day. The journey I’ve made from then until now was nothing immediate or easy. Though I must admit that while I always had a hidden passion for covering, I had no one to personally teach me how to do it, so the few times I did cover were not the best experiences for me.

 

In the YouTube video, a beautiful young woman was tutoring on how to wrap a scarf. This young woman was so humble and delicate that I was instantly captivated by her beautiful smile. The first video of hers I saw was set to Classical music, one in which she said nothing, but did a step by step demonstration. I was so amazed at how simple she made it look that I ran to my room looked for the few scarves I had collected in a box and started playing with them. I must admit that the first wrap I ever did popped right off! Like a typical beginner, I worried about my wrap staying in place, so I tied it really tight. It kept getting loose and moved around until it finally fell off. 

 

I had no clue that essentials like volumizers and velvet headbands existed until this beautiful girl spoke in another video about tips and tricks.  Later on, I find out her name, Andrea, and she has a blog called Wrapunzel. I literally spent two whole days just watching video tutorials on wraps and looking at pictures on her site. Based on her recommendations, I went onto the Judith de Paris website and purchased my first volumizer and velvet headband… I was starting to make a decision that would affect my everyday life from that point on, and I felt like the happiest woman alive!

 

While waiting for my volumizer and velvet headband, I decided to follow one of the recommendations on a Wrapunzel tutorial—I got one of my husband’s sock, rolled it, and placed it on my bun to create more volume. Then, I selected a really thin and comfy scarf and wrapped it on my head as a base, stuffing the ends inside the back for a little extra bulk.  I then proceeded to place another scarf on top of the “base,” accessorized it, and walla…my first real wrap! 

 

I went to work that day, and that’s when it all began. The first few days were pretty quiet and went by with very few comments, if any. Then, as weeks started to go by, eyebrows were raised and questions began to flow. Being the only person that covers in my place of work, some of my co-workers began to inquire why I was doing it everyday. Co-workers in my immediate circle know why I cover since most of them are Jewish, but others from different departments are still probably asking themselves the question if they’re too shy to just ask me directly.

 

Sometimes, others can really stumble on their words when they address the subject of my covering, but I have learned that being different can be an empowering side effect of following your heart. Before I covered, I felt bland and mediocre. I felt like I could have blended into the walls when in a crowd. There was nothing on the outside of me that reflected the more colorful, vibrant personality inside that Hashem created me to be. Since I started covering, everything about me has changed. Even my wardrobe has changed. Once that beautiful crown goes on my head, everything takes on a different roll than it did before; I’m different, transformed. I understand that you can’t show your entire self in every venue of your life. At the same time, spending hours of your life in an outfit that doesn’t express the person you really are feels terrible. I can’t even explain this transformation, but after it happens I feel beautiful and free. I am my own person, and I absolutely love the woman I’ve discovered I am through wrapping.

 

 When I leave work at the end of the day, I come home to my beloved husband whom I met in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico where I was born. I have also lived in New Jersey for 32 years and now reside in South Florida, where I have been working in a private school for close to 12 years now. I am the mother of six, with a Brady Bunch-styled family: three of my children and three of my husbands, and the grandmother to 13 beautiful grandchildren. After cooking dinner, I always choose the wardrobe I’m wearing for the next day—a habit I’ve had since I can remember.

 

 I love combining my wraps to the clothes I wear. The best part about this whole scenario is that at work I have students that visit me in the office just to see what color I’m wearing that day. When I wear their favorite color they come to see me more than once just to tell me that I’m wearing their favorite color. I have co-workers and even some parents that compliment my wraps and ask me how I do it or if someone does it for me. One parent even told me that she saw a beautiful scarf and remembered me when she saw it…she bought the scarf hoping she could learn to wrap it so she can wear it one day. I told her I would be more than happy to show her how.

 

 One of the most touching experiences I’ve had since I started covering was that one Sunday afternoon my husband and I went to a flea market. A young Jewish salesman called us over. We didn’t need the product, but my husband decided to help him out with a sale. A conversation between this young man and my husband developed, and I noticed the young man would continue to look at me, not in a disrespectful way, though. All of a sudden he said, “My friend I envy you so. I would like for your wife to meet my wife because I see that your wife is the perfect example of tzniut.”

 

This is a word that means “modesty” in Hebrew, and I felt honored by his comment. My husband smiled and the young man later explained that his wife doesn’t cover because she feels uncomfortable as no one else she knows covers. I realized how difficult it can be to represent something about yourself that you love for fear of judgment that may or may not even exist. It can be so easy to blend in, to not “rock the boat” or “look for attention,” as critics might say. What we can sometimes forget is that those are sayings used to keep us all the same, keep us from being ourselves. 

 

One of the things I love the most is accessorizing my wraps. I tend to visit thrift stores, department stores and swap shops to look for different accessories for my wraps. One of the accessories I really love are pearls. If I find them in all color and sizes, big or small, you can be sure they will adorn my wrap! I even learned to make pearl necklaces into headbands by taking off the clasps and adding elastic in their place. My collection of hair covering continues to grow and grow, but pearls are always a nice personal touch! 

 

When it comes to tips and tricks for covering, I really have nothing of my own as every tip and trick I do know I’ve learned by watching Wrapunzel tutorials and other women that cover. I do however like the idea of wearing a thin scarf as a base underneath the one that will be exposed (for the extra volume). I wrap the base scarf to make it look neat and round; this way, I know that the top scarf will look neat as well (this is optional as I don’t do this all the time). Accessories can be tricky for me—I have so many that sometimes it’s hard to choose! There are times I’m afraid I may over accessorize, so I observe caution. When in doubt, a simple string of pearls goes a long way in my experience.

 

From covering my own hair, I’ve learned that a woman that covers herself, whether for religious, health or personal reasons, will always be the center of attention especially in a community that does not use head covering. Positive or negative comments will surely arise, but that is something that can’t be controlled by the barer of the cover. I’ve been fortunate; so far I have received nothing but compliments from those around me. But I must say—the journey can be lonely. In my case, I’m the only one that uses a hair covering in my family, the community in which I live, and my work place (for the time being). The most amazing thing is, through discovering Wrapunzel, I have realized I am not the only woman going through this, not by a long shot! Reading the blogs and posts, seeing the daily/weekly pictures, and learning new wraps have inspired me to start and keep going with this self-expression. 

 

I am overjoyed that my husband love’s my wraps, too, and somehow I get the feeling this is something he planned all along (as it was him who found the Wrapunzel site). I am grateful he sticks up for me and pushes me to be confident in myself and my decisions. 


 

You’ve seen this scarf before… but I’m obsessed!!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Daily Scarf Creation17 Comments

Hi ladies!!  Check out this new way to wrap your sari scarf!  It’s a normal tie, just with the lines on an angle… and then the pin is placed at the top of the head instead of the side like I’m used to!  Yay happy experiments!  What do you think?

And do y’all think it’s about time I got myself another sari scarf?  😛

Hope you’re all having a beautiful day!
Love, Andrea

Bright ‘n’ Beautiful!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Daily Scarf Creation6 Comments

I try to convey to women that one should continuously strive to love covering her hair (as with all mitzvot), which means coming to understand it deeply, emotionally, philosophically, logically, and then learning how to put all that knowledge into her daily practice.  On the same note, I would never advise a quiet, subdued woman begin by wearing outlandish wraps, same as I would not advise an extroverted, bubbly woman start covering by wearing something neutral.

That being said, we are so much more than the labels that we give ourselves, and I ALWAYS encourage women to try something new and not get stuck in a hair wrapping rut.  I have often surprised myself by loving colours and styles that I had previously deemed “not me”.  Hence the story behind this beautiful wrap;  Hot pink, bright green and a huge yellow flower?  So not “me”.  But I tried it, and ended up loving it!

Here are too many pictures of this beautiful wrap.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did 🙂

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andrea grinberg wrapunzel tichel

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andrea grinberg wrapunzel tichel

Wrapunzel Gallery

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Daily Scarf Creation, Wrapping Photos13 Comments

It has been requested that a gallery be made available of all the daily post wraps.  Here it is, saving you from scrolling!  This “Wrapunzel Gallery” much like the pink header up above, but instead showcases ALL the wraps featured on the site so far.  Some of these photos were taken before Wrapunzel existed, when hair wrapping was just a small section of my other website, but the majority of them were featured as daily posts.  This gallery is for you to save, pin, print, share with friends, etc.  Think of it as a comprehensive scarf tying database and use it for inspiration!

Click on the photos to see them in full size and go through the gallery!  If you have questions about a specific wrap, leave a comment on the actual photo by clicking on it 😀

Ladies Do the Twist!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Lady Wrap Stars, Wrapping Photos4 Comments

It’s wonderful that so many of you tried the twist over the past week and had such beautiful results!  Here is the tutorial on how to do it.  Thank you for sending in your photos!

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Please continue to send us photos of your twist and I will include them in this post!  Happy twisting, everyone!

Meet Myriam!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Lady Wrap Stars5 Comments

I am happy to introduce you to a woman that knows a lot about looking beautiful with very little time required.  Here is Myriam and her marvelous hair coverings!

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Hi Myriam, what is the most memorable thing that has happened to you today?
I am running a lot of errands today instead of working (my office is closed for maintenance, what can I do ) but I am also cooking and bringing a meal to a friend of mine who just had a baby (last week). Our community organises a meal rota for new moms. The best thing: this friend asked if she can also be on the rota for the next two of moms who are due in a couple of weeks! Some women are incredible!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am French but have lived in Israel, Ireland and now England for the last 7 years. I am doing a PhD in international law which I am hoping to finish in the next 6 months. I am hoping to lecture at university and be a consultant on my main expertise, which is counterterrorism.
My husband and I hope to move to Israel in the next couple of years, where my four sibblings already live.
I also absolutely love baking and, when I have time, I make costume jewlery.

How long have you been covering your hair?
Since I got married, almost three years ago.

Have your feelings about hair covering changed over time?  If yes, how so?
Before I got married, I wasn’t sure how often and how I would cover my hair. My husband always said I had to do whatever I felt was right and once I got married, I actually didn’t even think and covered all the time (although not when alone at home with him). What has changed is the way I cover: I used to have short hair and so would cover most hair but have some sticking out.
I have now grown my hair, so I now ‘put it all in’ and cover everything.

What is your favourite aspect of covering your hair?
I never particularly loved my hair so it wasn’t too hard to cover. I love the variety of it, and also, I never have a bad hair day! I have always loved hats so it’s mainly fun.

How do you normally cover?
I tend to wear hats/berets during winter and scarves during summer, although I have light cotton berets and warmer scarves. I quite like the seasonal aspect of my covering.

How do you cover your hair on formal/unique occasions?
I have a couple of fancier scarves which I tend to wear at all formal occasions. I do buy expensive scarves and hats in general because I am not original at all and am useless at ‘wrapping’ with various colourful scarves. So I tend to be lazy and buy scarves and hats that are already a bit special. I am always so impressed by what Andrea comes up with, and the jewlery etc, but I guess I am either too lazy or not brave enough to try. I’ll tend to go for a scarf which has a wow factor already. My bank manager would probably prefer I didn’t….

wrapunzel lady wrap star miryam

Has covering your hair affected your work/study?  How so?
Interestingly, no one has ever commented or asked about why I started covering my hair (although the Brits are way too polite to ask anything anyways 🙂 My thesis supervisor never mentioned anything.
I must stress though that I am a student and even if I attend conferences and teach, I do not work as a lawyer, or have clients. I do think that if I did, I might feel more comfortable with a wig, even though I do not want to wear one (and don’t have one). I also know that I always feel more ‘normal’ covering when I am in Israel.
I have had a couple of muslim colleagues ask for recommendations of where to buy scarves.

What is your most vivid hair covering memory?
Presenting a paper at a conference and having a couple of people commenting on how nice and elegant my hat was. One even said ‘women used to cover their hair when they went out in public, things have changed’. It just felt funny to be discussing such things in the middle of a very serious conference on state sovereignty and the european union. I guess everybody needed a break!

What kind of community do you live in, in terms of hair covering practice?  How does this affect you?
In my community, most women only cover their hair for shule, if at all. There are only a couple of us who cover entirely and all the time. I have always been a very independant person so I don’t really care what people do and think, although most people comment on how nice my hats are, which doesn’t hurt 🙂
Our community is very intellectual and cultured so I feel that this is what matters most, not particularly the physical appearance or the religious practice.

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What is your favourite hat?
Hard to choose, usually changes on the season. I have a favourite designer though (see below).

Can you recommend some of your favourite places to find hats?
I buy A LOT from Chirelle D, a former student at my Jewish school in France, who makes scarves and hats. They are all unique and handmade creations, which means they are very expensive.
But because I cover everyday and feel like I have to look professional, I have invested in many of her creations, which always make me feel glamorous, original and professional at the same time. She has such an amazing creativity and, as I said, for those of use who can’t make it beautiful wraps, her scarves and hats are the answer. She has people who sell her creation in France, the UK and Israel and will soon sell online. I usually try to wait for sales but it is my guilty pleasure (on the contrary; I have like 3 pairs of shoes…)
I have bought hats from arts fair in Toronto, shops in Jerusalem and brands like H&M, etc. Israel is always a great place for diversity and price.

What are you grateful for?
I am grateful for having a really supportive family and an amazing husband; for my good health and for the internet that allows me to share my passions (cooking, hats, etc) with so many people and which allows me to connect with everyone dear to me.

Our First “Lady Wrap Star” ~ Rivka Malka!

On By Andrea GrinbergIn Lady Wrap Stars, Updates, Wrapping Photos8 Comments

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Rivka Malka is a woman with so much to give, and someone that I look up to very much.  Along with being a wonderful wife, mother, mentor, teacher, cook, speaker, and friend, she also wears the most stunning scarves on her head!  Here are some photos of her creations.  Love the colours!

Rivka Malka also has a beautiful site – rivkamalka.com.  In it, you’ll find lots of brilliant, deep, quirky, informative and creative videos, writing, and photos.  The site is about everything spiritual, and everything fun!    Have fun exploring!