Help with a sheitel

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Forum -> Fashion and Beauty

Help with a sheitel

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mommymia ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 6:03 am

I'm wondering if some of you can help me out-- this will be my first time buying a sheitel, I was given a gift certificate to a specific store. I went in to look last week, and I had no idea what to ask for.

I have covered my hair for about ten years now, but primarily with a scarf/snood or a fall that I got years ago. I have delayed buying a real sheitel because of the expense, but I really need one, and I feel like I have deprived myself for way too long.

I am not really questioning cost right now, like I said, I have the gift certificate so that will help alot, and I have saved for a while for this.

Can someone give me some guidance as to what to ask for when I go in? When I went in to look last week, the owner showed me two sheitels and told me not to bother looking at anything else since it would "confuse me". (Think she could tell it was my first? LOL

) But seriously, it seemed like she didn't want to bother because I wasn't a "serious" shopper.

What I need to know is: What is a visit to a well known store to buy a sheitel supposed to be like? What do I ask for? How much time and help do I expect from the sheitel macher? And also, please, brands, qualities, etc.? I really need it to be light, soft and comfortable, and hopefully, natural looking.....

Thank you!!

amother ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 6:12 am

mommymia wrote:

I was in the shaitel business for 20 years. You should go to several places, and you will see that each is a different experience. You will know when you meet the right one, who will have the patience to let you try on as many as you want, and will guide you to what is best. Maybe you should try a place that has precut wigs to give you a better idea what the wig will look like when done. Some of the most expensive and highly sought after shaitel machers will be very rude and nasty, not caring, because they are doing a lot of business without you, with people that "trust" them totally. There was a shaitel poll here recently where Shevys wigs were the winners, but I have one and do not find it comfortable at all. I had it styled by one of the "top" shaitel machers, and was not too impressed.....Take your time and hope you will be successful.

↑ mommymia ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 6:19 am

Thanks for your reply, but the problem is, I was given a gift certificate to this particular store, so I have no choice. After my first experience there, I certainly would not have chosen to go there. But since I have to, I'm guessing I will need to know exactly what I want, since she does not seem to be very helpful. But I don't know exactly what I want. Could you possibly give me a few guidelines to go by? Thanks so much

red sea

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:31 am

Do you have an experienced sheital buyer to go along with you? That would be best.

The cap must fit right. It should feel like a swimming cap fit without the clips being clipped on. If they insist the clips are needed for the fit to fit, then it does not fit right. And a bad fit is the most important thing to avoid.

↑ amother ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 1:42 pm

I agree with the next poster to try and take someone more experienced with you that can help you choose. Even though you have a gift certificate, she still has to give you the service that you deserve. So you are entitled to make sure that the wig you get is what you want. Hatzzlacha.

↑ amother ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 1:42 pm

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 6:10 pm

Firstly, do you know what lengths/styles you're looking for? Not just hairstyles but whether you want full sheitel or a fall you wear with a headband. Definitely ask a friend to come with you, let her criticise/praise how you look in the sheitels. Do you also know what types of hair it is made of? Processed/bleached (esp if you're blonde)? Is the colour on skin part look natural? I'm not a big fan of fringe/bang but looks like almost everyone has fringe/bang to make it look natural.

↑ mommymia ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:00 pm

thank you for your replies-- I will try to find someone to go with-- Also, I guess I'm wondering, what should good help/service look like? How many sheitels do you usually try on? What questions would you ask about the type of hair, type of cap, etc.?

ra_mom ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:06 pm

mommymia, even once I knew what size, color and length I wanted, I tried on 10 different sheitels in that exact size, shade and length, before I decided on the one that I just "knew" was for me.
So take your time. Figure out your size. Choose a color. And then keep trying. Don't allow the sheitel macher to rush you, or make you feel like you don't know what you want.
When you try on the right one, you'll just know Smile

Hatzlacha!

↑ amother ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:08 pm

mommymia wrote:

Its a mazel thing, you never know in advance how happy you will end up. They never tell you the truth about the hair. Feel it yourself, it should feel soft and silky. Ask if it is guaranteed not to frizz up...usually they dont guarantee anything. The cap should be lightweight. The whole wig should feel light, not like you are carrying something on your head. Its should fit comfortably like a glove. The color should be nice to yor face. I will usually ask to see a few of the same color and style if they have a selection in stock. Sometimes the same wig looks different even though they are supposed to be the same. Again, with all the precautions, you can still end up with something you are not happy with. The cut has to be right, and the hair has to be good quality hair. Not overly processed hair. Hope you have success! Usually the first time around no one is happy, but you never know!

↑ mommymia ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:26 pm

so, how does a "typical" visit to one of these salons usually go? You sit in the chair, and they bring you sheitel after sheitel? Do they measure anything? Do I need to be very specific, in terms of type of hair, type of cap, etc.?

It just seemed so wrong, to basically toss me 2 sheitels, one of which did not even fit on my head, and tell me, don't look at anything else, it will just confuse you, these are right for you. This was incidentally at a well known salon.

I just needed a reality check in terms of whether that was normal or not, and what others do when looking. Obviously I need to go back, and buy there, because of the gift certificate, but I don't want to go in again feeling naive....

↑ ra_mom ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:30 pm

Definately take a seasoned sheitel wearer with you. It will help you to have someone with you, to stand up for you.
Ask her if you can try on a size extra small, small, medium, etc. first. Any color will do. Just figure out your size. Then decide on a color. Go with your natural hair color, but sometimes it's best to go with the color your hair was before it was stuffed under a headcovering, and before it became mousy, lol.
Then decide on a length. And if she doesn't have what you want in stock, have her order it for you. Yes, she can do that for you, and she should!

↑ mommymia ↓

Thu, Oct 22 2009, 7:41 pm

thanx!

↑ amother

Fri, Oct 23 2009, 10:26 am

I second taking a seasoned sheitel wearer with you but would up the ante a little.

When I got my first sheitel I asked my rebbetzin to come with me. She is pretty well known and respected and also gets her sheitels from this one place we went to. The Sheitelmacher (who has a terrible reputation for being rude and not spending time with you) spent a whole hour finding a nice one. I found a beautiful one AND she gave me a discount (ok, "discount" bc I know they're overpriced) This sheitel is gorgeous and has lasted a long time, so it's very good quality.

I went back six months later by myself to buy a fall and she let me try like 3 or 4 claiming they were all the same, just different cap sizes. She assured me they were all human hair so I figured I'd just get the one I liked. it didn't occur to me she was rushing me but looking back, thats probably what happened. Well it turned out it was a lemon. Definately not 100% european hair like she said. The sheitel is all frizzy and feels like wool at this point. It also has split ends. It's dead. Looking back I wonder if she would have sold me a different one if I had brought my rebbetzin with me....

↑ mommymia ↓

Sat, Oct 24 2009, 8:12 pm

thank you for sharing that-- it is exactly what I felt when I went....

Ronit ↓

Sat, Oct 24 2009, 8:21 pm

I will echo what everyone else is saying.

Take a sheitel wearer along with you. The best is if you like the kind of sheitels that woman wears.

Also ask them if they or your sheitel macher can wash it - so you can see how the hairs naturally dry.

↑ mommymia

Sat, Oct 24 2009, 8:24 pm

JudyJudith wrote:

Also ask them if they or your sheitel macher can wash it - so you can see how the hairs naturally dry.

do you mean before I buy it?

↑ Ronit

Sat, Oct 24 2009, 8:25 pm

Yes sure I had this done.

↑ ra_mom

Sat, Oct 24 2009, 10:00 pm

mommymia wrote:

JudyJudith wrote:

Also ask them if they or your sheitel macher can wash it - so you can see how the hairs naturally dry.

do you mean before I buy it?

A really sound, and very important, idea!

Imaonwheels

Sat, Oct 24 2009, 10:41 pm

I am a sheitel machers nightmare as I am fussy but don't have much money. I tell them straight up that $1000 can stay in the box as I don't have that kind of money. I will not take something that is almost what I want and I do not accept the conventions they usually have for people my age and weight but only does it look good. I have excellent but very light skin and do not "have" to wear a blonde, short pitriya. I actually like going to a a place with a frei worker who knows religious women. My best experience - the big Yaffa on Jabotinsky in Bnai Brak. The 2 frei ladies spent over an hour with me and dh (nobody else was there but us) getting something we both would like. They wanted me to look good and wanted him to like it.

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