Bright And Shiny For A Dark Day

I think this was what I wore on a snowy day- admittedly, a while ago.  The scarf is thin wool, which suited the weather nicely.  The pin's sparkles made for some brightness amidst the winter gloom.

 The pictures were taken in my bathroom mirror, as a change of pace/use of the best light in the apartment, when depending on artificial light.  .

And a closer-up of the pin.  The silhouette isn't perfect, but oh well.

Experimental Tichel

This is something I put together a while ago, quite different from anything I usually do.

I started with the orange base scarf, then braided one side of that with a doubled-over scarf (the multicolored one).  Then I pulled the braid over my head.  But I now had some of that doubled scarf left over, and another orange tail.  So I twisted the orange tail with the dark red scarf, pulled it over my head, and braided the leftover red end with the leftover multicolored scarf.

Altogether, it felt like french braiding, only with scarves.  I liked how secure it felt.  It also reminded me of my mother doing my hair when I was a kid (which went on for quite a long time- through the end of middle school), so there was something nostalgic about it, too.

It made a higher and broader "crown" than many of the other styles I tend to wear, and at first I was a little insecure about it, but I did end up wearing it all day.  It held up well, and I might well do it again, if I can manage duplicating it.

What do you think- something worth practicing, and eventually making a tutorial for?  Something you'd try, or not?

Finally, Some Photos Again

I haven't been feeling all that inspired lately (as seems to happen frequently in the summer, when it's too hot for much in the way of layers on the head, for me), but yesterday I had some actual motivation, wherever it came from, and here's the result.  I have like twists lately, when I do anything creative.

Also, welcome to the first photos I'm sharing taken in our new apartment. I'm still learning how to set myself up so as to get enough light without setting the windows behind me.

Look out for an experiment from a while back, coming soon (it's worth seeing- I'm not sure if I could recreate it precisely, but it was quite a different look), hopefully photos from a family wedding coming up, and of course, more history and halakha posts when I get them written (there are some in progress).

Playing With Accessories and Trimmings

This is going to be quite a picture-heavy post.  I've been thinking about the incredible things that you can do with some ribbon, so I put on a one-scarf turban, and played with some different pieces of ribbon (and a few other trimmings I had around).  I wanted to take a look at how much of a difference details can make.  I look forward to hearing your input.
Here's what I started with:

First, I did two variations with a narrow navy blue ribbon.

 I particularly like the criss-cross effect in this one.  I'd like to play with more effects in this style- keep your eyes peeled (at least if it goes plausibly well).

Then the effect of adding just one wrap around of different ribbons at different points:

 Finally, a very long, wider ribbon (this one's about an inch or more wide- you can see, this much of it really dominates and transforms what's going on):

And then a few other accessories, since I was already playing, and wanted to show some other effects:

Some of the differences are subtle, others, more dramatic.  How different would the look need to be in order to wear the same scarf two days in a row? I'm thinking that ribbons are a lot easier to pack than whole scarves, especially the larger ones.

Of course, I'm not that efficient or planned-out a packer.  I throw things into a suitcase, and therefore often end up bringing more than I quite actually need.

Colors of the Sunrise Wrap

 This is a re-do of a shabbos day covering I put together.  Somehow, it was just a bit better the day of, but I like the re-do, too.  It was a rainy, dark day, and I was feeling tired by it.  Then I put together an outfit that was all blacks and browns- so I decided I needed something really bright and cheerful on my head.  This is the result.  And since today is cold, if sunny, it felt like a good time to put up something warm and colorful.

One pashmina, two narrow scarves (too narrow to use on their own), and two yards of lace ribbon.

The first time I did it, it stayed nicely.  Then I accidentally mussed it up, and it kept slipping for the rest of the day.  Hence- this is a reconstruction.

Sometimes, I Run Out of Titles

Two scarves, one headband here.  The orange scarf is actually tied on first, then the green square one (with the tails tucked in), and the tails of the orange scarf are pulled over- one mostly flat, the other twisted, and the little blue headband is added to show off/differentiate the twist.

Low-Effort Shabbos Style

Even though it's only Tuesday, here's a Shabbos style- from last Shabbos.

I was planning something rather different and more complex when I started this wrap.  It's just a turban with some tails hanging, really.  And the tails just looked so fun, as I went, that I decided to run with it.  \

Then I added a pin to help keep the tails in place, and to dress things up just that little bit.  It's not a pin that I can use on a scarf very often, since it dangles.  This just worked out perfectly.

As you can see from the other side, it's really a very basic thing- one scarf, the other narrow one over, then the tails of the first brought over, and all tied together on the side.  

It's always nice when I have enough time to actually take pictures of my shabbos evening outfit and covering.  Often enough, there isn't really quite the time.  No matter when I start, things do seem to just grow into the time available, don't they?

A Favorite Shabbat Style

We're at least in theory (note the likely weather- there's supposed to be quite a bit of snow overnight) heading out for a shabbos at a shul out of state, so before I head off (tomorrow), and only one day late for the StyleCrone's Hat Attack, here's a favorite shabbos style of mine.  You've definitely seen it before, but I like the color combination here.  

 I find this style to be a good Shabbos default for me.  It is simple enough to do that I can put it on in a rush on a Friday afternoon, but between some sparkle in the scarves and the height it adds, it feels formal as well. It has layers and color-contrast, but is less persnickety than a wrap with all the tails layered over the head (making it faster, for me, than a full six color swaps, or layers, or whatever you want to call that).

 These scarves are Israeli ones- bought for quite little while I was in Israel, way back when, and with a coarse enough texture that they stay in place really well.  But I've done this with a pretty wide variety of scarves.  In fact, someone at my husband's internship pulpit asked if I always wore my tichels like this...

And here's one taken with a flash.  Who knows which is "more accurate"?

Side Braid, Back After An Absence

It's been a while- I almost forgot about this style.  This is a turban with a side-braid over it.  I doubled up a thin sash with a narrow scarf in making the side-braid, which gave a little bit more color, and some bulk to the tails that fall over my shoulder.

My favorite aspect of this style is that it has the ability to be done in advance, then assembled, as it were, on the spot, if you want.  Great for days when you need to flow from one sort of activity and level of formality into another.

Tutorial coming soon, since I think this one is easier to learn by seeing than by reading a description.

Simple But Matchy

 I got this yellow sweater with my mom and sister over Thanksgiving.  Thing is, I have almost nothing yellow in my scarf stash.  However, I do have this one silk scarf that's white, yellow and orange, a gift from a friend.  It all came together fairly easily.  One rectangular scarf in what one might call a half-up half-down- one tail over the top of the head, one around the bun, then the yellow and white one twisted and around over the top.

It all went with a purple top under the sweater, so the result was pretty matchy-matchy, but hopefully not over-the-top.  Anyway, wearing gifts and things that I associate with people I love always makes me feel good.  

What's New With HowToCover

I'm very excited to be quoted over at The White Hindu, in a post thinking about passing and visibility as a person in a minority religion.  Ambaa's thoughts are a fascinating addition to the conversation that Liz and I have both talked about here.

Also, I've been doing some tichel style sessions with friends, in preparation for running a program out in West Hartford, CT on Saturday night.  Good stuff has been happening.  I've been having fun, my trial students have been enthusiastic, and it's quite exciting to see how things look on another person's face.

Working Backwards

Now that I already posted a tutorial video for tichel heidi braids, here are some pictures of what the style actually looks like on me.

Here's one from Thanksgiving, with my Dad thrown in...  This one is actually a little different- rather than layering two square scarves, I just put on the one, then took a narrow rectangular scarf, held it with the square scarf's tails and the ribbon, braided down both sides, and it worked out quite nicely.

And here are some earlier pictures, that didn't get up since I was computer-less for a while.

 And here's a view from on top, so you can see the braids and their arrangement clearly.

 And yet another day.

 And here's still another one.  Of course, they're all done with the same purple ribbon, since that's the one that I know is long enough.  (It came off the wrapping of a wedding gift.)

 On this one, I covered up the first scarf entirely, except for using the tails to braid with.  It's a simpler, cleaner loo.

Travel With Tichels: A Capsule Wardrobe

I dug this up in my drafts folder, and it seems pretty ready to go- so here's a mildly editted version of my writing from last year.

In my (admittedly limited) reading on style blogs, I've encountered the idea of a "capsule wardrobe" for travel- that by packing clothes in similar colors, you can pair things together in different ways, and create a bunch of different outfits with a minimum of stuff to schlep around.  So I decided to experiment with the same idea with tichels.

So here are 9 varied styles, all done with just 3 scarves.  6 of them all use the same 2 scarves.  Looking back, I see I did none with just the blue scarf and the white scarf.  So there are another several variations available, which could break up the similarity of some of these looks quite a bit.

1. 2 scarves, the smaller as a headband, with the ends hanging loose.
2. The same 2 scarves, but with the smaller put on first, folded back over the second/larger scarf.  The second scarf's ends brought up as a crown, and the smaller scarf's ends tied over my bun in a bow.  (They could also be left down, twisted with the larger scarf's ends in the crown, or just wrapped plainly over the bun, or tucked under.)
3. Same scarves, braided together.
4. Ditto, with the braid brought over and around the bun.
5. No braid, but with the ends of the two scarves twisted together in two twists, and wrapped around the bun.
6. Same again, but instead of wrapping the twists around, they're twisted tighter, then bent to twist back around themselves at two lengths.
7. Three scarves, two put on as headbands/folded, and the ends braided together.
8. Each scarf put on just a smidge behind the other, then one end of each of the first two twisted together and brought over as a crown behind the third scarf.  The rest of the ends are hanging (or could be stuffed back underneath), and could be secured with a clip, or a bow.
9. The second two scarves, layered over each other, and the ends brought up and over, each just behind the last.

The differences here are sometimes fairly subtle- but moving back and forth between combining different pairs of the three scarves in any of these different ways, with different profiles- I might alternate between an arrangement that has lots of hanging tails or braids first and then one that creates a lot of height, etc, to make the differences more dramatic.  Switching which two scarves are used will also create more of a sense of variation.

Throwing in a fourth color scarf, or a couple of small embellishments (pin/headband/hairclip) will also make more distinction between styles.

Of course, do I listen to my own advice in this post when I pack? Almost never.  Maybe some time soon I will though.

My First Tutorial

I finally sat down and just did it- here's my very first video tutorial, for one of my recent favorite mildly-dressy style.  It basically looks like Heidi braids- only done with 2 tichels and a ribbon.  Think of it as a braided variation on the dutch crown, but with only a very moderate amount of height added.

So without further ado:


If that doesn't work for you, here's the link to it on youtube.

Lazy Shabbos Outfit

I want to let you know that you can now like How To Cover on Facebook, for more chances to share reactions to posts, share your own pictures of your inspired coverings, receive an alert when there's a new post up and more. Please join us over there as well!  And now, on to pictures...  

This is actually a previous shabbos- this week we were away at my husband's internship.  

This was a pretty lazy shabbos, in terms of picking outfits.  Here's what I wore with this covering.  A favorite, very comfortable dress, and a multicolored shirt, along with a necklace that came from my grandmother at some point (I really, really don't know when- when I was quite little, I think), and earrings Mom picked out for me on a family vacation ages ago.

The covering itself is fairly homogenous in colors, although there are two scarves going on there.  I wanted to play with having less contrast.

But to make this special for shabbos, (and to add a little excitement) my friend the purple clip came back out.  Surprise!

Bright and Cheery

Once in a while, I have no inspiration for getting dressed- but by the time I get to my head, I find it.  This was one of those days: dark clothes, picked for comfort, and and a bright, exciting head covering.

 I'm pretty pleased with this combination, and grateful that it got my mood back on track...

 This is a rectangular scarf underneath, then a large square (actually a piece of fabric I bought- I haven't gotten around to hemming it, but I happened to think of it yesterday, and took it out anyway), with the ends twisted up with ends of the base scarf.  One was longer than the other, the way things turned up, so I tucked the shorter into the longer, which means I had one twist on one side, and two on the others.  I rather liked the differentiation.

 I added a purple flower from the dollar store (you've probably seen it before here), which gave the whole thing a bit more pop.  I originally put it where I tucked in the second end, but it ended up feeling better farther to the side.