How to make tichels look professional?

amother

Wed, Jan 09 2013, 10:33 pm

I'm so tired of wearing a shaitel to work. Don't like the discomfort, don't like the expense, don't like the fake hair concept at all.

I'm starting a new job, in a new field, soon, and I feel like this is my big opportunity to start over. No one at my new job knows me. So I want to know - how can I look professional (as an OT) in a tichel rather than a shaitel? I'm not a fancy person so it needs to be simple. Something quick & easy & comfortable.

I know muslim girls who wear headscarves (hijab? if that's the right word) and are working in regular environments so I know it can be done.

Ideas? Pictures?

dee's mommy

Wed, Jan 09 2013, 10:40 pm

Many ideas here:

http://andreagrinberg.com/hair.....w-to/

Be sure to click on the links on the very top of the page, because I don't think all the videos are actually linked on this page.

Also, look for "The Style Underground," which has many videos on tichel tying techniques. I don't remember, but I think there are also more videos than what is on this page:
http://www.thestyleunderground.....rials

Other similar ideas in these videos, mostly stories, but a few "how tos."
http://rivkamalka.com/category.....ge/2/

Also, maybe you would like to try something of these particular styles:
http://www.judithdeparis.com/

Good luck.

Last edited by dee's mommy on Wed, Jan 09 2013, 11:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Wed, Jan 09 2013, 11:03 pm

It can be done, but I don't think it looks professional. And while I respect Muslim women who cover their hair, when I look at them, all I see is their head covering. I don't see the woman, the PROFESSIONAL underneath. And I'm sorry if this is offensive, but I don't think tichels have a place outside of Israel or an insular religious community (ie streets of Flatbush) if you are working for or among religious Jews, go for it. But out jn the world, no, I don't think they look professional.

Waffles

Wed, Jan 09 2013, 11:06 pm

I think a lot has to do with your work environment & community norm. I don't feel tichels look professional at all, I am a product of my environment (Yes, I wear a shaitel, yes I am uncomfortable, no I would never wear a tichel to work). The working women that you know & feel look professional - how are they wearing their hair/tichels?

Roots

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:35 am

hey, take it from a imamother that only wears head scarves everywhere: to work, to shopping, to appointments and to weddings! it is possible and definitely looks nice and professional.
check out the links that dees mommy posted above- how do these women look?
learn few tying techniques that work easily for you and do them.
a mitpachat is beautiful and can be color coordinated with your clothes, which is fun.

Do itm you will love your self for it and it looks beautiful

and if you want some inspiration, come to israel and see that bank managers, secretaries, computer technicians, therapists and doctors who are religious all wear head scarves and it looks great!

Orchid

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:40 am

RutiS wrote:

and OP's quote

amother wrote:

Think Rebbetzin Weinberg from Eyaht for example.

You are both giving examples of how women can look professional in Israel, and I agree. One can look professional in Israel while wearing a sheitel. But somehow I can't fathom it looking professional at all in America. Comparing wearing a tichel in Israel to wearing it in America is an apples/orange comparison. I'm not telling you not to do it, and I agree some Moslem women wear a hijab. But I just can't fathom it at all! So basically.... much hatzlacha in your quest and hope it works for you!

Last edited by Orchid on Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:42 am; edited 1 time in total

Isramom8

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:41 am

I was in my local Helen's Hats this week, and the saleswoman showed me a technique I can't believe is so simple. I was looking for a simcha look, not a business look, but maybe it can be applied.

Start with a tight black snood with a built in bump on the back. (I didn't know they sell snoods with built in bumps!)

Over it, place a tichel in a gorgeous material in one single layer. Tie a double knot on one side of your neck. The knots should be decently tight but not straining.

Add a scrunchie in the same color on top of the knot.

Adjust the tichel so that it looks flowing at the sides, and has a slight fold at the forehead.

You can add a band with a detail like a flower. The detail should be worn on the side of your face opposite from where the tichel's knots are.

I got engaged when snoods came out (yes, there was a time they didn't exist) and never properly learned to be comfortable tying tichels. I'm excited about this look!

If you wear a tichel in one solid color and tie it neatly, I think it can look as professional as it can. I would definitely go for it. Enjoy the physical and psychological freedom of your new look.

Last edited by Isramom8 on Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:46 am; edited 1 time in total

Orchid

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:44 am

Isramom8 wrote:

While this sounds beautiful, it is totally inappropriate for a corporate America look, which is OP's quest. To find a professional American tichel style. Sorry, I believe it cannot be done. Sad

shoeboxgirly

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:44 am

I wear tichels in a professional environment. I have plenty of friends who don't feel it is appropriate, but I disagree. I do feel that it is important to be comfortable with the choices that you make, and I have some rules

- dress professionally and neatly, doesn't matter what's on your head if the rest of you looks a mess
- coordinate well, my usual dress code is black skirt, black cardigan, plain coloured top or shirt. I wear two tichels, a black one on top of a coloured one. The colour of the coloured tichel has to match or be a close match to the top. I wear them in a large bun where the colour acts as a fringe in the front and ties around the black bun at the back.
- do your make up well but don't wear too much of it, looking like you work for mac doesn't make you quite in work attire
- be confident and professional, act the part and be known for your output not what you look like.

I'm not sure what I do would work in every company, but I'm the only woman in my team so I already stick out, doesn't mean I'm not a highly valued member of my team. I don't wear tichels when I'm out on a client site or out of London, just a personal preference but dressing the way I do and wearing tichels is easier in a more multicultural environment. When I'm in tichels I also have clips keeping in the wispy bits and make sure I don't have loose ends poking out, tichels should be tied tightly enough that they stay in place, slipping shouldn't happen in at least the first 6 hours of working time.

Roots

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:49 am

orchid:

well what if SHE will be the one to start a healthy trend in the US??
I wasnt planning on living in israel when I got married, and I was 100% not going to buy a shaitel.
My mom in the US doenst wear a shaitel either, she is one of the most proffesional people I know and looks very respectable the way she is.
IT CAN BE DONE!

Runner18

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 9:57 am

Isramom8 wrote:

Corporate America would just have to respect my wardrobe choices, as long as they are not offensive. I am sure that with self confidence and good taste, a woman can wear an obvious head covering to work. And I would.

I wish that was true, but with aldo respect, in a economy where there aren't many jobs and you're lucky if you can get an interview, you don't want to walk in dressed too much like a trailblazer.

I work in a very professional environment with many non-Jews. My boss, who is frum but does not cover her hair (hold your horses ladies, no need for a new Imamother thread on that), asked that I only wear my sheitel because it's important that clients I meet with do not make assumptions about my values-- which they inevitably would if they saw me wearing a scarf/hat/tichel.

When you are frum and working in a secular work environment, you gotta pick your battles. So while yes, it may sound inspiring and "you go girl" to try to challenge the system and insist that the workplace norms conform to what's comfortable for us, it's important to think about which issues are worth rocking the boat.

amother

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 10:03 am

roch84 wrote:

Isramom8 wrote:

Ditto. Couldn't have said it better myself.

amother

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 10:10 am

OP here. Isramom, do you know if the tight tichel with the built-in bump can be bought online?

Shoeboxgirly, your look sounds very put together and beautiful!

Has anyone bought the Kaly from Judith de Paris? Did it work for you? I really like that look but it's hard to picture them on my face. The models are all slim and beautiful and I'm a bit on the plump side.

I agree that it might be hard to wear a tichel in corporate America. That's not my work environment though. As I said in my original post, I'm going to be an OT. I'll be working one on one with people in a therapy environment. The dress code will be smart casual. I think a nice tichel would look good.

Orchid

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 10:11 am

RutiS wrote:

I wish you were right, but my gut is (like roch said), it's a risk. In my work environment, it definitely would not work AT ALL and you can bet I wouldn't be gainfully employed for too long if I looked bizarre to our clients (and even a beautiful tichel can look bizarre to people who have never seen them before). Perhaps op has a less waspy environment, or more melting-pot ethnic crowd than most corporate offices. Perhaps. I wish her much hatzlacha!

PS- I fully agree that she has "every right" to do this. I'm just questioning if, especially in this tight economy, it's really wise.

morah

Thu, Jan 10 2013, 10:17 am

To those saying it can't be done, clearly you are ashkenaz and have a choice. I do not have a choice, my husband is sefardi and his family rav says absolutely no sheital, full stop. Our rav is not sefardi, but I asked about it, and he said if this is my husband's minhag, I have to follow it. When you have no choice because you have to follow your psak, then you find a way to make it work. I currently work in a Jewish environment and can wear what I want on my head, but I have worked in secular environments and its not a problem if you dont draw attention to it. Understated, muted colors, no tails or fringes, secure so you're not fixing it all day, and nobody will blink. You may get asked about it from time to time, but its no different from being asked about why you don't eat BLT.