I love the softness of this colour combination – goes perfectly with my warm, grey sweater!
Tag: Wrapunzel
Volume How-To
Ever wondered how to get that perfect bun and amount of volume at the back of your headwrap? Here is the secret solution! (Well, not so secret anymore.)
Actually, I gave you a grand total of 7 solutions in this video!
Here are the links to some of the places I mentioned in this video (fyi – these resources are not sponsored… just ones that I have used and/or know!)
The volumizer can be found through Judith de Paris. And on facebook. Judith is a lovely woman. You can talk to her personally if you need advice on what size to get etc. – or just ask me for help!
The hijab hump bonnet can be found on ebay through this seller. It comes from Malaysia so you need to have some patience when waiting for it, but there was a lovely handwritten note included. I’m thinking of buying a cotton one from them as well.
My post on how to make it look like you have a huge bun using a long scarf is here.
The volumizer that can be made out of a loofah has a couple of diy tutorials on youtube. Here is one that someone sent to me.
And this is what the hair donut I was describing looks like:
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Silk Discovery
A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a lovely woman’s scarf “shop” on etsy.com. For those of you that don’t know, Etsy is a site that allows artistic people to sell their handmade creations via the internet. I love this concept, because it allows you to buy beautiful creations directly from the creator. Most of the prices are very reasonable, but even if some things cost a few dollars more, I will gladly pay that to support small businesses and be able to forge a relationship with the person that makes the products. For me, that relationship is so important and something that my generation is often lacking. Anyway, I messaged the woman, talked a bit, picked a scarf, and just received it in the mail! It’s beautiful, colourful, and light. I love the paneling and that it’s the perfect size to wrap around my head. Anyway, her name is Norma, and you should check out her creations here.
Here is the scarf I ordered:
The first wrap that I did, I used a purple israeli scarf to bring out the purple hues in the green one:
The second wrap (which I’m wearing today) is my father’s influence. He spoke to me recently, telling me about a woman that he saw on the subway wearing a really cool headwrap. He tried to describe it as best he could, telling me that the ends were hanging down on both sides like hair, and this is my attempt at recreating what he told me!
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Lady Wrap Star, Cynthia!
I am excited to feature Cynthia as this week’s Lady Wrap Star! Cynthia contributes so much to this community, with her lovely comments and ideas, as well as her photos that she shows us on the facebook group to give inspiration. I love her use of different shades and soft colours, and was not surprised to hear that her thoughts on hair covering are just as beautiful as the wraps she wears! Read on…
Lady Wrap Star known as:
Cynthia Doniger
How do spend your time?
I am a Licensed Massage Therapist (18 years) and a Certified Aromatherapist—After a long full career, I now see a few private clients, do consultations and teach continuing education workshops with Cross County Education. When on a teaching tour I am in 3 cities in three days. Lots of travel!
How long have you been covering your hair?
Since I married my best friend in the world!
Have you changed how you cover over time?
I began covering my hair at shul after marriage by wearing hats…I had an extensive collection which I only wore once a week. I was hat shopping and having a conversation one day with a very liberal Jewish friend—we were both trying on hats and she put on one that was gorgeous for her. I told her so and her reply was that since she normally wears a kipah & tallis, she would feel hypocritical wearing a hat or covering her hair. This chance remark began some significant soul searching on my part. I decided to cover my hair all the time, I gave away my hats because I felt like putting on a scarf (or two) was similar to my husband putting on a tallit…it was an opportunity for me to grow closer to Hashem. BTW-the friend who started all this later tried to apologized for her remark, but I wouldn’t let her because she spoke the truth as I needed to hear it,
What is your favourite scarf and/or accessory?
I have shared the pictures of my collection….I love them all! I discovered that I like volume and invested in a volumizing cotton cap for under the scarves…best accessory EVER!
What are you wearing on your head today?
Today is a lazy day wrap a heavy square gold & black square folded in a triangle just tied & tucked. I have this scarf in black & red also black & teal.
How has covering your hair affected your professional life?
It may sound crazy but I feel authentic. Because it is obvious that something is different, my students & clients all know that I am Jewish. I seems that somehow this actually gives them permission to be authentic too. So far, professionally it has been a good thing.
How did your family and friends react to your covering?
Most of the family said nothing. Either it didn’t matter or they were following the old adage –“if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” There were a few whispered remarks from liberal relatives & friends- “Well, that’s just ridiculous!” and “Where do you think you are…in the shetel?” Some Jewish friends who had not seen us in awhile took my husband aside to ask if I had a “medical condition”?!?
Any funny or inspirational covering stories you would like to share?
What I want to share (especially after that last question) is the JOY I get when I am out and encounter another woman who cover. I have to travel 2 hours to buy kosher meat. When I first got to Detroit this last time I pulled up to fill the gas tank at Costco. As I was standing there the woman at the car behind me peeked around her open car door, our eyes met (after taking in the mutual head coverings & skirts) and we shared the secret smile!
Any recommendations to someone that has a similar face shape and/or colouring?
Don’t assume that you can’t wear a particular style until you try it. I was stuck in a simple wrap style until I met Andrea and her awesome videos—now I have a wonderful time trying new wraps!
What are some of your hair covering tips/tricks/secrets?
Allow yourself some “play time” to experiment—not all wraps will be sucessful….but the more you do the more you learn.
How do you store your scarves?
My wonderful husband made a rack for me out of a wooden strip with cup hooks and I use binder clips to hold the scarves!
What is your favourite colour?
I tend to really like to match my head wrap to my outfit and so my tendency is to gravitate towards black, ivory, gold and other neutrals, but Andrea’s artistry has got me experimenting with more colour.
What are you grateful for right now?
I am grateful for finding this group of women. The Jewish community in Grand Rapids, Michigan is small. The observant Jewish community here is even smaller. Sometimes it gets a little lonely….it’s nice to connect to so many beautiful women!
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Awesome Wrap!
I do have to say… I am quite happy with today’s wrap!
Take a look at the tutorial here. The pin that I added is something that I found in a thrift shop! I honestly don’t know how anyone would wear it other than on a headwrap 😛
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Green & Blue
Y’all encouraged my colour experiment with light green last week, so I am wearing the green scarf once more! I contrasted it with my blue flowered scarf and wrapped it into a layered wrap, which was surprisingly easy to do, given how long I’ve gone without tying one of these!
So the conclusion is: for those of you that may have had trouble with the “Layered Look” wrap, just be persistent! Once you get it, you won’t forget it! (The one difference between this wrap and the one in the video is that I tucked the ends into themselves instead of underneath the wrap, and left one of the green ends hanging down.)
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Wrap of the Day
Here is what was on my head today! I was inspired by the lady that commented, metioning how she likes to mix pale blue/green/purple hues with brown. I had a little trouble with the slippery fabric of the scarf so… easy solution: tie the ends together with a hair elastic! (in lieu of knots, which can come undone!) Of course, the pin on top hides this, so no one will know that you cheated 🙂
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Hair Wrapping Cartoons!
A friend of mine recently contacted me with some innovative scarf tying ideas. She didn’t want her face on the internet, so instead, she drew instructions for us! Aren’t they adorable? Can’t wait to try ’em!
Here is the first wrap, using one long scarf and a beret:
And here is the second one!
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Lady Wrap Star: Batsheva!
Meet this week’s lady wrap star, Batsheva. Batsheva hails from the beautiful land of Israel, and has some very unique insights about hair covering to share! She welcomes any questions we might have about her post, and will answer all comments!
[Tichel=the Yiddish word for head scarf.]
Hi! What do people usually call you?
My name is Batsheva Tova. I use my middle name often, but most people call me Batsheva. There is quite a story behind it. My father fought in the 1982 Lebanon war and lost 7 of his friends. When I was born in October ’83, he named me after them (sheva=seven in Hebrew).
How long have you been covering your hair?
I have been covering since I got married, 8 1/2 years ago. My mother covers her hair, so I always knew I would too.
I have been covering since I got married, 8 1/2 years ago. My mother covers her hair, so I always knew I would too.
What kind of climate do you live in? How has this affected how you cover?
I live in the beautiful Golan Heights in the north of Israel (y’all are welcome to visi!) The winters here are quite cold in local terms, and I tend to wear more ostentatious arrangements in the winter. Summers are boiling hot and therefore minimalistic.
Have you always covered your hair with scarves?
Mostly scarves. I had a couple of hats when I got married, but they didn’t last long. When I am not in the mood, I wear berettes.
Have you changed how you cover your hair over time?
Oh, yes. When I was newly married, the tichels and the way to wear them were very different. The tichels were all made of thickish cotton, and were monochromatic. No patterns, unless a gradual hue counts.We used to tie them in various “Rachel Imenu” styles; We wore square-triangles and we switched the ends behind our head and across the forhead. Some took one end under the hair and the other one over it. We sometimes did it with two tichels, one was the cap on top and the other one went around it. If anyone ties them this way today, they look very dated. When the scarves first came out, we use to tie them in a special way too, creating a kind of sack holding our hair and going above it. There were other covers too. There was a time when women wore small hats and wrapped their hair in black fabric like a black snake down their back. I saw a woman doing that the other day and thought:”Boy, we were peculiar”. Today, many women here wear “designed” tichels which are sewn from several fabrics with laces and decorations on them. They cost at least four times the price of a plain scarf. Back when I started wearing them, there were only square-folded-into-triangle type tichels. I must sound like a tichelosaurus. If you ever do a retro-tichel post, I would be happy to demonstrate!
Can you share with us some advice about the technique of hair covering?
I always wear a tricot (tshirt material) triangle tichel under anything I put on. It prevents slippage and gives a nice smooth shape to my head.
What is the most important thing you have learned/realized from covering your hair?
Honesly? To always be comfortable. The rest doesn’t matter. And also to follow your belief. I believe that I should cover all of my hair, even though around me most women do the ponytail-out look.
How did you figure out how to wrap your scarves so beautifully?
A LOT of trial and error,and also jealousy of my sister. She has only been married for 9 months and is already a Ph.D. level tichelist.
And obviously this site and Rivka-Malka’s one have inspired me.
How do you wash/care for your scarves?
Most of them are hand-wash only. I also fold them an extra fold in the front so they stretch a little less over my forehead. I included a photograph of the AMAZING tichel cupboard my husband got me for my birthday. The drawers underneath store my pins, brooches, lace ribbons etc.
What are some of your recommendations that you would give someone with your hair type, face shape, colouring etc.?
I am quite pale, but lucky enough to be olivish toned. Most colours look good on me. The only colour that I should really keep away from my face is black. I don’t like black, so this is rarely an issue for me. In my experience, black tichels make pale women look sick and swallow up the dark-skinned ones.
My face is roundish and quite full, so I like volume in my tichels. If there isn’t enough volume, I feel I look like a balloon, or a bald person!
My hair has nothing unique about it, just a wavy brown. I do recommend keeping it long – it helps holding up the whole thing. I know a girl with very frizzy long hair, and she doesn’t need a volumizer or an extra scarf or anything – if some of you disliked your frizzy hair, you’ll have a lot of fun when you start covering. For extra volume I use big velvet scrunchies on myhair, and also use a special sponge shaped like a bagel which is quite popular here.
One more pointer – I have a big head, so I always try to get the longest scarves/biggest squares, otherwise I have to work really heard to make them fit…
What do you love most about covering your hair?
I love having this neon sign on my head declaring that I am an observant Jew and a lawfully wedded wife.
To me head coverring is as much a part of tzniut as wearing a shirt is.
On a more materialistic view, I feel it help sme complete my outfit and make a match between garments that wouldn’t go together without it.
What is your favourite way to wrap your scarves? What is your favourite scarf/accessory?
My favorite way is when I get a “chassidic” look, with a lot of volume – like the Breslev women do. My favorite scarves change from time to time, but it is always an item which I like for being comfortable more than the colour or any other criteria. I have many accessories and I also make some (such as the brooch on the pink-and-gray do photograph). I don’t know if I have a favorite, but there are some I wear often like the bobby pin with the creamflower on the mint green-and-maroon look.
What are you wearing on your head today?
I haven’t gotten dressed yet, so I am still wearing the dark green berret I sleep in.
Do you have any stories (funny, meaningful) you would like to share about hair covering?
I don’t have many stories, though I do remember as an inexperienced newlywed wearing a silk scarf to shul. It slipped off and I ran out to rearrange it. I also remember at my wedding, during the dancing, knocking the hat off my newly married friend. You can see it quite clearly in the DVD. She doesn’t wear hats anymore…
Before I gave birth 4 months ago, I had a serious discussion with a friend about what to cover my head with in the delivery room. We decided on either a berret or a snood (I love charedi snoods – very lite and comfortable) or a very comfy tichel. When the time came it was shabbat morning, and I couldn’t stand the thought of getting in the ambulance in plain clothes. So I put on a shabbat dress, tied a sparkly shabbat tichel with a lace ribbon and got on the ambulance. I only changed in the delivery room.
What are you grateful for right now?
I am grateful for the biggest treasures Hashem has given me. A lovely supportive kind-hearted husband, and my two beautiful daughters, aged seven years and four months old, and for the being a stay-at-home mom. I am grateful for the lovely house we have built recently in which we live, and for our loving families and friends.
Thanks for giving me this opportunity for self reflection. It was very interesting. Have a lovely day!!
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The Wonder Scarf
I always appreciate scarves that make your wraps look much more intricate than they actually are. Scarves that have multiple patterns and colours do this job very well as you can see in the following photos:
Yes, this is just one scarf, tied in the simplest long scarf wrap (see tutorial here). A beautiful beaded pin finishes off the look and the final result is something that looks much more complicated than it actually is. Yay!
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Something new!
I bought this scarf on a whim because light green is a colour that I’ve always liked on other people, but never thought of wearing it myself. I tried wrapping it today and… I think I like it! Definitely feeling the twists and accessories too – I am enjoying this flower pin from the gap (50 cents at a thrift shop, new with tags), and the colourful earrings. What do you think of the light green scarf? Is it something you would wear?
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Introducing the Amazing Stephanie!
I am so happy to introduce you to this wonderful woman. Stephanie and I found each other over the internet when she was searching for hair covering resources, and recently we got to meet in person when she made a 4 hour drive to my hair covering workshop! You can see some pictures of her at the workshop here. Anyway, we talked for hours before and afterward, and I am so grateful to now call her a good friend. She is hilarious, wise, warm, giving, and tells great stories! Her journey and reasons for covering her hair are quite compelling, as you will read, and she does so beautifully!
Hi Stephanie, do you have any nicknames?
I do, Steph, Stephers, Step-on-me (when the kids – church or family – wanna rough house), sweetie, hon, hey you, and on it goes. 🙂 The newest reference of me that I’ve heard was some little kids who couldn’t remember my name from church calling me “the lady who covers her head”. I like that one.
How long have you been covering your hair?
I have been covering since approximately Nov of 2011, and I only cover part-time (we’ll get to the why).
What led to your decision to cover?
Well for me it’s an obedience thing. I felt as though I was being led to do it after praying and studying on it for about 6 months.
When people ask you why you cover, what do you say? Do you have a long and short version of what you tell people?
Yes there is a long and short version depending on how interested someone is.
Short version: I choose to cover because I believe it has been asked of me in the Bible and i want to obey.
Long version: I wear one because I believe we are held accountable for what we know. In studying the Bible one night I read this: “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (the second word ‘head’ is referring to the order- God being head of Christ, Christ head of man, man head of woman- its explained right before that verse) 1 Corth 11:5. I certainly don’t want to dishonor my husband or God so I cover. Now there is a lot more to the verse (so please take a look at 1 Corinthians 11:3-16) but that specific part struck me. So I prayed about it for about 6 months and in that time I felt like God really wanted me to obey. I kept having “just obey Me in this” going thru my head. I did and I have felt like God has really blessed me for doing so. I wear them in church or anytime I’m in leadership or going to be publicly praying (and I let my husband define “public” for me). I have gotten to the point that if I am without my husband in public I will typically wear one (I go bare headed with him [unless we’re praying] since he loves my hair and I wish to respect him). I have tried many styles of covering but this one just fits me best. 😀
How has your community responded to your covering?
I live in a small town and to my knowledge I am the only non-muslim that covers in about a 50 mile radius (maybe more). That being said I do occasionally get the odd stare but typically no one seems to notice or care much, either way not a lot of attention is drawn to it, except for in church- I get ALOT of nice comments about it then – just this last week I had one of the older ladies look at my tichel and exclaim “you have GOT to show me how you tie those.” Needless to say that made my day.
Any cool experiences/realizations you have had since starting to cover?
I’ve realized just how much I wish to be more modest- not that I wasn’t considered modest by general standards but I desired modesty more. I realized that modesty does NOT have to be drab and boring black – but about how wonderful the things are, big or small, that you share with just that one person that makes you whole.
What are your favourite scarves and accessories?
Oohhh thats a toughie!! I think for me my favorite scarves are the variegated ones (I have a brown, blue and pink variegated ones) the wonderful thing about them is you don’t have to exactly match the color since all shades are included. My favorite accessories hummm I have too many to decide!! I strongly suggest a silver and gold thin scarf since these make wonderful additions in color, I make my own flowers and often pin them in on the side or back on my bun. Stick pins are terrific!! They are getting harder to find, so again I started making my own, then I make matching earrings so I have a nice cohesive look. Regular pins/brooches work – they just can be a bit harder to get in, however any pin will help hold together your layers to keep from slipping!
What do you find is the best way for you to tie your scarves when you consider your colouring and face shape?
I like height in the back, the BIG bun look. I don’t like height so much on the front half of my head – it seems to make my face MUCH rounder looking (so I stay away from the crown/dutch crown look). I also do a lot of the hanging tails (braided or not), I find that style helped me get used to not having my hair down to play with since I’m a hair twirler.
Any secret tips or tricks that you have?
ABSOLUTELY!! 3 big ones! 2 smaller one.
1) It sounds odd I know, but honestly I never use an undercap, headband or wig grip (my head is too round they slip right off), I use a pair of pantyhose!! You can leave the legs on or off- your choice (if you leave them on you can make a bun of them). When I use that I have to work pretty hard to get it to slip off.
2) You can make it or buy it, but if you have thin or short hair and want it to look nice and bigger at the back get a ‘bun enhancer’ (I bought mine at icing by claires’- and they come in multi colors and sizes) I have heard of others making theirs from a bath scrubs and even socks, so the choice is yours!
3) I know you have heard this from many sources (including our dear Andrea) but really don’t forget to wear earrings (and maybe a necklace) they REALLY help finish off a look! Personally for my round face I find teardrop or dangles work best (I try to stay away from hoops, loops and studs) if you don’t have dangle earrings you can find a great set of gold,silver and black teardrops at target for $5 and it will go with ANYTHING! (love mine they were a present from my father-in-law.)
4) If you wear glasses and you keep your ears ‘in’ then make sure you don’t tie it too tight or you will end up w/ pain from the glasses digging in above your ears.
5) If you want your hair to look pretty decent when u take off your wrap DO NOT wrap while your hair is still wet. You will end up with weird frizziness and VERY flat hair.
Do you match your head scarf to your outfit or the other way around?
Well it depends I suppose. usually match the outfit to the scarf but if I get something new then I work the scarf around the outfit. Usually I go by mood – if I’m feeling pink or purple I’ll assemble an outfit and scarf around that.
What are you grateful for today?
I am grateful for new friends, for my WONDERFUL husband, and a good day. 🙂
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Brrrr…
It’s cold, I needed to wrap something quickly, and I’m going to be outside quite a bit today. So of course, a pashmina is exactly what I need to wear! (See tutorial on how to wrap pashminas here.) I especially like this one because it’s so soft, warm, and the colour is beautiful. A pretty antique-y pin pulls the look together perfectly.
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So much colour!
I have a feeling that a tutorial is going to be needed on this one! Hint: all it takes is one very large, light silk scarf, and a hair elastic!
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Sunrise Hues
There was a time when I went through a contrasting colour phase; All the colours I wore had to be contrast with each other, especially the ones on my head! Blue and orange, yellow and purple, green and pink, etc. would all make bold appearances together. However, lately I am going through a monochromatic phase where I will pair together blue and green, purple and navy, red and orange, and pink with blush. Today was no exception! What colour pairings are you loving lately?
The Wrapunzel Blog 