Why are Shtreimels and Sheitels so Expensive??? Rant!!!

Chickensoupprof

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 9:07 am

amother Amaryllis wrote:

Agree that all of them are factors, but the highlighted one has the biggest impact. There's no reason why shtreimelach need to cost this much - other than taking advantage of the crowd. It's a hat. Even if its made from fur, the price is ridiculous. You can buy a full length fur jacket for $5k, a hat uses much less material than that. There are multiple kinds of fur that can be used, no reason for only the craziest expensive one to be used. Let's not even go down the route that a shtreimel has no connection to halacha or any Torah specifications. It is simply a uniform worn by a select group. Nothing more.

A sheitel is related to a halacha and is a very personal item. So understandably there is much more involved. But regardless, the current high prices are just taking advantage of the women's need for them.

This and because everyone wears them they can raise their prices because it will be bought. With indeed no connection to torah u'mitzvot but just because of the levush and it's a new thing. In the alter heim it was only worn by the Rav and the shochet but after the war, to prevent assimilation and promote insularity they insisted on shtreimels especially the satmer rebbe Yoelish IIRC.

Bnei Berak 10

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:04 am

amother Amaryllis wrote:

Keep in mind that a shtreimel probably need some/a lot of hand made work stitching.
When you say a fur jacket for 5k, do you refer to genuine fur from animals? Are those fur jackets made in China or in the US?

dancingqueen

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:06 am

amother Hunter wrote:

I'm with you op.
This isn't just about inflation. This is about raising the standards that require these things to be so expensive.
Our expectations for how wigs and shtreimels should look have gone through the roof and with that the cost went up too.
Maybe I'm biased because I'm a woman but an expensive shtreimel is a bigger waste of money and unnecessary expense than a pretty sheitel. I wish we can can abolish shtreimels or have them made out of much cheaper materials.

(Signed, a chassidish woman.)

Do streimels need to be made out of real fur?

amother

Honeydew

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:12 am

YounginBP wrote:

Wait a second, $400 on a hat does make sense??

Op, the stores run sales on steimalach every once in a while. It's expensive, but lasts at least 10 years. Many times more.
You don't need to spend $6k (I think).

Not sure it helps you, but ey is cheaper. I've heard of Brooklyn boys purchasing them as chasamin in their last zman there. Usually the rain one.

yeah DH's is 14 yrs old and still going strong.(was expensive $5k)

amother

NeonPink

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:32 am

amother Amaryllis wrote:

Oh come on, there is NO halacha to wear a long lace top $5k wig. A short synthetic wig is anytime more acceptable halachicly and costs a tenth of the price.

There is a ~~halacha~~ minhag about men wearing a double covering, and (chassidish) men are choosing a very expensive one, just like some women are choosing a very expensive wig.

There ARE somewhat cheaper options for both, for whoever really wants

*mistake- its a minhag

Trademark

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:40 am

For shtreimlach there is wide range of prices. You can buy something on the lower end. And it lasts for at least ten years so I don't think the cheaper ones are that expensive.

If you can't afford even the cheaper ones right now you can give in for them to refresh it.

amother

Goldenrod

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:44 am

amother OP wrote:

If you belong to a community of tichel wearers and non shtreimel wearers please Silent

For those of you lucky enough to require these items, unless you want to be an outcast, please chime in....
Dh needs a new shtreimel yesterday. How am I supposed to just fork over thousands of dollars for a decent one?
And sheitels, used to be cheaper brands were in the thousand dollar range. No more! They are all above the two thousand dollar range now!.

Did he ever give it in to redo? They can often rebuild an existing one for far cheaper than a new one.

amother

Amaryllis

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:51 am

amother NeonPink wrote:

Oh come on, there is NO halacha to wear a long lace top $5k wig. A short synthetic wig is anytime more acceptable halachicly and costs a tenth of the price.

There is a halacha about men wearing a double covering, and (chassidish) men are choosing a very expensive one, just like some women are choosing a very expensive wig.

There ARE somewhat cheaper options for both, for whoever really wants

I think you misunderstood my points. The first point being that its halacha for women to wear sheitals as compared to shtreimel. The second point is that women naturally want to look their best. So the sheitel industry is banking on these two points to be able to set these outrageous prices.

If the men want to do away with shtreimels, there are zero repercussions to it. Not for halacha and not for personal comfort levels.

But women can't do away with headcovering requirements, nor can they do away with their innate desire to look their best. So women are really being taken advantage of.

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:53 am

amother Amaryllis wrote:

Yes! I think inflation is just an excuse.
The prices are just going up and up.
Like you said, they are taking advantage of women wanting to look their best.

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 11:54 am

amother Goldenrod wrote:

Did he ever give it in to redo? They can often rebuild an existing one for far cheaper than a new one.

He did it a few years ago. Gonna ask him if possibility.
Thank you for idea

amother

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 12:01 pm

ShishKabob wrote:

Waiting for Bingo to start selling shtreimels and sheitlach. (they sold very cheap hats years ago)

I think they sold rain shtreimels a few years ago.
But I doubt will look better than dh existing one...

ShishKabob

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 12:09 pm

amother OP wrote:

I think they sold rain shtreimels a few years ago.
But I doubt will look better than dh existing one...

Yeah, you're right. Hey, you never know. Also, they do have some good sales on shtreimlich here and there.
Or, you can go to a Shtreimel store and have them redo it like a sheitel. I'm kidding you not. They add hightlights, change the cap, and can brush the hairs upwards so that it looks like the ones in style. I think it's nuts, but I'm an old lady.

amother

Teal

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 4:32 pm

I'm as chassidish as they come. My most expensive wig bought 2 years ago was 1100. My weekday wigs cost between 25 and 300.
DH got two shtreimlach as a chussen. He is tall and refuses to get a taller shtreimel. It's been 15 years and he's given them in to redo once, not total renovation he he, just clean and brush. We made bar mitzva and e/o was telling hiim he must get a new shtreimel, but he says no. He'll get a new one to our oldest's chasuna.

amother

Obsidian

Thu, Jun 29 2023, 4:49 pm

amother Teal wrote:

Exactly what my father did. 21 years after buying his shtreimel for his own wedding he bought a new one for mine and the older one didn't even look that bad. That's a shtreimel lasting 21 years right there.