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Forum -> Fashion and Beauty -> Sheitels & Tichels
Staying alive in this business
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 11:47 am
I have been in this business for over a decade now. It is our sole source of income. Lately there have been so many changes to the industry and the only way to stay relevant is to move with the trends. I feel like I dont have a choice but I dont like it at all Sad
I used to feel so good being in this business but its gotten really rough. I have constant thoughts about quitting but we need the parnassah... uugghh
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 12:41 pm
Maybe keep it as a part time job and find something on the side that's more reliable?
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watergirl




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 12:45 pm
All businesses have to contend with changes, new trends, and new forms of competition. Aliexpress, for example, has been wonderful for the consumer but very bad for businesses. I feel horrible for Yonit (the creator of the Wunderwig), for example, who found a whole new and exciting way to make a ponytail wig with an affordable price tag - until that Jack guy popped up. People are coping her and even using the name.

Any business that does not stay relevant and up with the times is going to have a very hard time staying afloat. Instagram, facebook, etc... all new things that seem to be extremely important now.

Good luck, OP.
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hodeez




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 1:32 pm
I wear a tichel so please excuse my ignorance, but what are these trends and why do they make you uncomfortable? Are they difficult to do?
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 1:39 pm
hodeez wrote:
I wear a tichel so please excuse my ignorance, but what are these trends and why do they make you uncomfortable? Are they difficult to do?


Trends that are questionable with regard to tznius like lace tops. More than that is the social media aspect of the business... its a huge pressure and over $exualizes women while doing a mitzvah of covering the hair. The whole industry is turing into a big fat oxymoron..
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 1:44 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Trends that are questionable with regard to tznius like lace tops. More than that is the social media aspect of the business... its a huge pressure and over $exualizes women while doing a mitzvah of covering the hair. The whole industry is turing into a big fat oxymoron..


So stay true to yourself and your belief systems. Parnassah comes from Hashem.
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hodeez




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 1:48 pm
Reminds me of Sarah schnirer who used to have girls come to her to shorten their skirts. From her came bais yaakov. Iyh you can have such an effect on klal yisroel and start the change!
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 1:50 pm
imorethanamother wrote:
So stay true to yourself and your belief systems. Parnassah comes from Hashem.


Thank you. Dh feels the same way and I ask a rabbi before doing anything. I definitely have restrictions other sheitel machers dont have or didnt ask about. Wnvr I get chizzuk I pick myself up again but the last few days it really feels like im walking against the current Sad
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amother
Crimson


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 1:52 pm
There are hundreds of thousands of people wearing shaitels. Everyone needs their wigs to be serviced so this is a thriving business. My shaitel macher asks shailos from poskim about questionable styles. Being that I don’t wear a lace top front she was comfortable telling me that a certain big posek said that they are forbidden. She said she doesn’t have a large clientele wearing lace tops so it’s not so much of an issue for her but she still asked so she knows how to handle it. As long as you are a nice person and you know how to make a wig look nice on a woman you should have a good business going for you. My very young shaitel macher told me that she loves her job! I think if you love what you’re doing you can do very well.
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imorethanamother




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 2:07 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Thank you. Dh feels the same way and I ask a rabbi before doing anything. I definitely have restrictions other sheitel machers dont have or didnt ask about. Wnvr I get chizzuk I pick myself up again but the last few days it really feels like im walking against the current Sad


I'm not against lace tops, and I don't go to the poskim that say they are forbidden. (It seems like these same poskim feel like I'm forbidden by just existing.) But I do hate social media, and took steps to remove myself from it. I tell people that I had no idea there were so many gorgeous Jewish women out there, because it seems like every instagram account has one gorgeous girl after another in their new wig. I got tired of the constant selling.

You're not alone. If you have reasonable prices that aren't a huge mark up, if you sell quality, if you don't limit yourself to just frum women (there's a huge market for women who have hair loss, who aren't Jewish), then there's no reason why you can't be competitive. Word of mouth is great.
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Cheiny




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 3:53 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
I have been in this business for over a decade now. It is our sole source of income. Lately there have been so many changes to the industry and the only way to stay relevant is to move with the trends. I feel like I dont have a choice but I dont like it at all Sad
I used to feel so good being in this business but its gotten really rough. I have constant thoughts about quitting but we need the parnassah... uugghh


Which trends are you not comfortable with? Do you men those that compromise Halacha?
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Cheiny




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 3:55 pm
imorethanamother wrote:
I'm not against lace tops, and I don't go to the poskim that say they are forbidden. (It seems like these same poskim feel like I'm forbidden by just existing.) But I do hate social media, and took steps to remove myself from it. I tell people that I had no idea there were so many gorgeous Jewish women out there, because it seems like every instagram account has one gorgeous girl after another in their new wig. I got tired of the constant selling.

You're not alone. If you have reasonable prices that aren't a huge mark up, if you sell quality, if you don't limit yourself to just frum women (there's a huge market for women who have hair loss, who aren't Jewish), then there's no reason why you can't be competitive. Word of mouth is great.


What’s wrong with lace tops?
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amother
Jetblack


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 4:03 pm
There was a busy sheitel macher in monsey that took off her wig put on a tichel and after only started doing synthetic wigs and girls hair cause that was her belief! I heard she’s busy! I say stick to your guns
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happymom123




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 4:14 pm
You have so much to be proud of! Really, you are inspiring. It's so hard to choose what's right when it comes at the expense of your parnasa and wow, you are really strong.
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naturalmom5




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 4:22 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Trends that are questionable with regard to tznius like lace tops. More than that is the social media aspect of the business... its a huge pressure and over $exualizes women while doing a mitzvah of covering the hair. The whole industry is turing into a big fat oxymoron..


OP...dont take this wrong way , but do you want to be a sucessful business woman or do you want to be a Rebbitzen/Mechanches....

If you feel that strongly about the things you mention, perhaps its time to go into a different business
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hodeez




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 4:27 pm
naturalmom5 wrote:
OP...dont take this wrong way , but do you want to be a sucessful business woman or do you want to be a Rebbitzen/Mechanches....

If you feel that strongly about the things you mention, perhaps its time to go into a different business


It's not about being a rebbetzin; why can't she just do her job without impeding on her morals?
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amother
Blush


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 4:32 pm
How about doing hair cuts and coloring? I live oot and there's no place for me to go that has a private room. The shaitel machers by me only do wash and sets and don't cut. I can't believe I'm the only one who cares that my real hair looks nice.
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naturalmom5




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 4:49 pm
hodeez wrote:
It's not about being a rebbetzin; why can't she just do her job without impeding on her morals?


What if I own a Kosher deli, with the best hechsher there is , but I dont want to serve meat because I feel no one knows how to remove chelev properly...
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qwerty4




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 5:01 pm
naturalmom5 wrote:
What if I own a Kosher deli, with the best hechsher there is , but I dont want to serve meat because I feel no one knows how to remove chelev properly...


That's a stretch from OP's dilemma.

It would be sad if anyone who has personal beliefs and values cannot implement them in their lives, unless they are a rebbetzin...
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amother
Chocolate


 

Post Thu, Jan 02 2020, 5:05 pm
qwerty4 wrote:
That's a stretch from OP's dilemma.

It would be sad if anyone who has personal beliefs and values cannot implement them in their lives, unless they are a rebbetzin...


Of course everyone can implement them in their lives, they just have to be willing to accept any consequences that come with them. If it means losing some business, then so be it.
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