Here at Wrapunzel, one topic we get questions about time and time again is how one goes about matching tichels to their outfits. While some choose their outfit first, others  start with a scarf and many more are “switch hitters”, so to speak, alternating between the two. Most days I definitely fall into that last category, going with the flow and waiting for inspiration to strike.

However, last week, with the first night of Pesach quickly approaching, I had an awesome minimalist dress (my husband’s choice) to start with and absolutely no clue what to pair it with. The end result was a look that I got more compliments on than almost any I’ve worn before and its simplicity is truly what made it a FABULOUS tichel. At our Seder, my family simply adored it!

So, where did I start? Well, given that any color can go with black, I had a totally blank canvas- one that almost anything in my extensive tichel-wardrobe would match. This might sound like a good thing, but I felt totally intimidated and had no clue which direction to go! Alas, I had to start somewhere and my first attempt was what is almost always my fancy outfit go-to: The Shimmery. I tried a Layered Waterfall Twist using blues… then pewter and black… and then mulberry. Yet, they all felt too “loud” to go with this dress. Liking the idea of something sparkly, I moved on to my trusty green Shiny-licious, tied in a Chignon. While the green did then inspire other parts of my outfit, the scarf itself still felt like it was too much and did not match my rather subdued pre-Pesach mood.

It was then that inspiration struck and my epiphany happened: What I needed was a simple black Silky Square! Given that it’s not an oblong-shaped scarf and is therefore out of my comfort zone, I knew that my options for tying it would be limited, but this was exactly what I needed. Not to mention that its sheen matched my dress perfectly! Before putting it on my head, I added an olive drab jacket and matching suede boots (Thanks to that green Shiny-licious’ inspiration!), adding a slightly-edgy touch and bringing me closer to what ultimately became this completed look:

Now came the most important part- tying on this luxurious-feeling scarf and adding accessories! With a simple side-knot, my husband told me that I was looking like a retro movie starlet, so I knew that the finishing touches would have to match. Pearls seemed like an obvious choice (and are a personal favorite of mine), so I added my Galaxy Glimmer Pin, vintage pearl necklace and some over-the-top sparkly Art Deco-era earrings (clip-ons, no less!). In a previous lifetime, I might never have mixed gold and silver together like this, but rarely concern myself anymore with committing “fashion faux pas.”.

Well, Wrapunzelistas, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! For those celebrating Pesach, I wish you a chag kasher v’sameach! If you Wrapunzelistas are up for it, tell me, which do you choose first? Your outfit or your tichel? I’d love to hear all about the process you use in the comments section below this post!

-Rachel