I realized recently that I throw around certain terms all the time, assuming that everyone who reads my posts knows what I’m talking about.  But you all know what happens when you assume…so, I decided to post a handy-dandy list of hat and hair covering words that everyone should know, and I’ll also refer you to our ongoing glossary project as a reference.  If I ever use a word that is unfamiliar, comment and I’ll explain!

• Bandana – a square or triangular piece of cloth.  Comes from the Hindi bandhana, which means “to tie.”  Used around the head, around the neck, and wherever else you can think to put one!
• Beret – a soft, round, brimless cap with a flat crown.  Often made of wool.
• Bucket hat – a soft hat (usually heavy cotton) with a wide, downward sloping brim.  Bucket hats often have eyelets to let air circulate around the head when it’s hot. (more…)

Now I know why so many cultures throughout time, all over the world, developed customs relating to haircovering and hairstyles for women: to keep their babies from yanking them bald.  I have a 4-month-old daughter who recently discovered the joys of grabbing the tender hairs at my neck, kind of behind and below my ears (the part just outside of my tichel too), and giving a nice sharp tug.  She even found the end of my ponytail today.  OUCH.

But when we go out, she’s kind of like an accessory for me.  Before you think that I think my baby is just a necklace, let me explain what I mean.  When you wear a really nice scarf or belt or something, people come over and comment on how nice it is.  An eye-catching accessory can start a conversation, as well as make you feel like you look good. (more…)

Does it drive anyone else crazy to see people dressed all in black? Especially in the summer or at a wedding? I know it’s chic and slimming and whatever, but it’s also boring and depressing and hot!

Color psychology is the study of the effect that color has on mood, emotion, and even behavior. It’s sort of an alternative field of study used mostly by marketing and advertising departments and interior designers. According to experts, black does evoke style, power, and mystery – but it is also associated with death, formality, fear, evil, sadness, anger, and remorse. Too much black is overwhelming!Since today is the first day of summer, I feel obliged to point out that black absorbs heat more than any other color – and to better spot bugs, it is recommended that you wear light-colored clothing. Just something to keep in mind!

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Does it really exist?

I don’t know about you, but I find guys to be very hard to shop for.  The first year I was married, I took my husband to Home Depot for his birthday and let him pick out a cordless drill; that was the only thing I knew he wanted, but there was no way I’d be able to find the right one myself.  I can always get him a new tie or cufflinks, but there’s a limit on how many of those he actually needs, since he only wears them once a week (unlike my tichels, for example!).

I like to be practical with gifts – I’m not going to get him a framed copy of some sappy ode-to-daddies poem, or a meat branding iron with his initials (just in case he gets his hamburgers mixed up with the neighbor’s?).   (more…)

You’re probably thinking of those weird pointy things that you associate with fairy princess costumes.  Well, so am I – see the bit about hennins below.  Here’s a run-down of some of the styles that were popular in medieval Europe (from around the 12^th century through the 16^th).  Click on the pictures in the gallery to see the whole thing!

• Chaperon – no, this does not mean a hat that accompanied children on class trips!   The chaperon started out as a hood with an attached cape that pulled over the head (hoods were really poular themselves).  Then people started making the tip of the hood longer (called a liripipe or tippet), and around 1300, they started putting them on so that what used to be the neck hole was now around the crown of the head, so that the tail and the cape were hanging down. (more…)

Anyone who covers as a rule ends up with a couple of funny stories to tell about the time they ran out of the house without a hat on, or the time a kid pulled it off in front of the rabbi, or something like that.  Just a couple of days ago, my friend’s boyfriend came over while she was babysitting for my daughter.  When I got home from work, I was schmoozing with them as I took off my shoes and went into my room to take off my sheitel (wig).  Someone said something I wanted to respond to, so I ran out of my room – then I realized a minute or two later that my hair was showing, and ran back for a tichel.

We’ve got some really good haircovering-fail anecdotes on our website that were collected a while back.  Here are some of the most exciting of the bunch – and feel free to comment below with your own!

Story #1 Michal, R

“It’s hot in Texas much of the year, so I may not cover during the day if it’s just me and my two young kids at home. I always have a beret ready by the door, just in case someone comes by unexpectedly. Last week, I kept getting after my kids for moving furniture around to climb up to my spray bottle of water (for disciplining the cat and, okay, the kids, too) and my spray bottle of vinegar & water (for cleaning).  A package arrived so I took my beret off the table with the spray bottles and slipped it on to get the mail. (more…)

Sometimes it seems as though covering up and keeping cool are mutually exclusive.  When summer hits and most people seem to be out in as little as possible, it just seems logical that whatever you’re covering up will have to be hot in comparison.  But that’s not true!  You don’t need to bare it all in order to be comfortable when the temperature rises.  Heck, people in the hottest places are often the most covered up, because clothing provides sun protection.

So for those of you who are already feeling the heat – or those who are planning their summer wardrobes! – here’s a list of things to look out for to help you make the most comfortable choices at this time of year.  Some of these apply to the rest of your clothing, too.

1. Lightweight – hair coverings should be made in thin, airy fabrics, like our printed and striped lurex tichels. (more…)

I’d like to preface this post by letting you all know that I took my own advice.  Yesterday, I put on a black and white outfit, and was going to use a long hot pink scarf for a headband.  But on a whim I tied it around my waist and decided it looked much cooler that way – and it broke up the monotony of the black and white.  *Curtsies*

When you think of certain people, you automatically picture them with a hat on.  Or when someone mentions a certain hat style, you automatically picture a certain person.  Just like Superman and his cape, the man and the costume become inextricably intertwined.

I was going to leave fictional characters like The Man in the Yellow Hat, or Sherlock Holmes and his deerstalker, off this list, but I came across the term “alice band” and decided it was too cute to leave out.  So, here’s a short list of people and the headgear that made them great –or the headgear that they made great.

1. Nefertiti and her “cap crown” – the name of this Egyptian queen immediately calls to mind the famous 3000-year-old limestone bust of her wearing a tall, blue headdress – she’s famous for the beautiful face under it as well. (more…)

We all miss the alarm sometimes and wake up with ten minutes to get dressed and out the door.  When you’re in a desperate rush, you usually have to abbreviate your
routine, which can lead to a blah appearance for the rest of the day.  But just because your hair is wet or your makeup is half done or your shoes are mismatched
doesn’t mean that you can’t look good.  Here are some quick ways to add a little zest to your outfit, even on your busiest mornings.

1. Pick your shoes/bag/belt/hair covering in noticeably different color than the rest of your outfit – like a lime green headband with a denim skirt and black shirt.
2. (more…)