It seems I’m hitting my midlife crisis early, and it’s called “wrapping.”

In my community, covering one’s hair is de rigeur for married women, and mostly that’s done with a wig.  Lots of us cover our hair more casually, like with a chenille snood or pre-tied bandanna, but that would be akin to changing into your sweats.  Like, if you’re “dressed,” you’re also wearing a wig.

But in my recent trips to Israel, I’ve become more and more gaga over these beautiful scarves that women wrap their heads with.  They are just magnificent.  No yoga-pants-look here.  These women are dressed.  There is just something about the sheer authenticity of covering one’s hair with a scarf that grabs me.  And so, with the help of Wrapunzel and their cool YouTube tutorials, I’m wrapping more and more.

I’m not ditching the wig anytime soon.  There are plenty of community occasions where I’ll feel more at home in a wig – but my heart is with the scarf, no question about it.  I’ve polled some women on the matter, including some of the lovely women on the Wrapunzel Facebook fan group (a sizable minority of whom are not Jewish) and got some great responses, which I’ll share with you in my next post.

But first, here’s this chart.  It shows my personal, and I repeat, my personal, opinions comparing wigs and scarves in various categories.  Commentary is below.  I’ve rated each category on the basis of a 5-star system, with 5 stars being awesome and no stars being abysmal.  You know, like hotels, except no one gives hotels zero stars, though they sometimes should.

WIG
SCARF
Comfort
**
*****
Price
*****
Aesthetics
***
*****
Anonymity
****
*
Ease of use
***
***
Maintenance
**
*****
Religious
preference
**
****

Comfort:  Some might find wigs more comfortable.  Not me.  If they have bangs, they look more natural, but then they’re always hanging in your eyes.  Grr.  Scarves, done right, stay put, out of your face and off your neck all day long.  I can see and be seen!

Price:  Yes, I know you can buy really cheap wigs.  Cheap wigs look like cheap wigs.  Scarves are so cheap it’s funny.  Especially at the Israeli shuk.

Aesthetics:  Again, this is personal preference.  To my view, what makes a wig beautiful also makes it inauthentic.  A beautiful wig that’s also modest?  Ummm.  Scarves are beautiful and modest at the same time – that elusive blend I’m always seeking.

Anonymity:  This is a biggie, especially for those in mainstream professions.  If you need to blend in professionally, a wig is going to be a necessity.  On the other hand, there is something about outing myself as a religious Jew in public that I am finding incredibly liberating (no faking) and also giving me a much greater sense of responsibility in terms of being an ambassador of my faith.  Overall, it’s a little scary and very exhilarating.  I like it.

Ease of use:  I gave these matching ratings, because some women find it very easy to just slip on a wig and very difficult to tie a scarf just right.  Once it’s on, I find the scarf way easier.  You don’t have to fuss or mess with it.  Wigs always need to be brushed, flipped, and adjusted.  Also, once you get the hang of wrapping, it’s easy.

Maintenance:  Wigs don’t require that much maintenance.  Once a month (depending on frequency of wear) they need to be washed and done.  Transporting them is a bit of a pain.  If my wig is done for a special occasion, I’ll transport it in a “shaitel box” (if we’re traveling for a wedding, say) but otherwise I literally toss it in a ziploc bag.  No comparison, of course, to transporting a scarf.  Duh.

Religious preference:  For most religious groups, with the notable exception of Chabad, covering one’s hair with a scarf is preferable.  In some Sephardic circles, wigs are actually a no-no.  The Chabad leader, Rabbi Scheerson, maintained that wigs were preferable for two reasons: one, if women felt beautiful they would more likely stay covered, and two, no hair shows out from under a wig, whereas occasionally hair can slide out from a scarf.

So that’s my comparison chart.  In my next installment, I’ll share other women’s personal reflections on the scarf vs. wig debate, plus why they cover, with what and when, and how it makes them feel.  Stay tuned…