When you get engaged, it’s not uncommon to show up at your first sheitel appointment feeling like a deer in headlights. There are so many terms to learn—what’s a Sary? Or an Irene? What’s a lace top? Virgin hair vs. processed? Ahh!
So many women say their first sheitels were a total wash because you learn so much more after wearing one about what you like or don’t. But that doesn’t (and shouldn’t) mean you can’t love what you get right off the bat.
Plus, no matter what stage of life you’re in when deciding to get a new wig, it’s an investment. Feeling confident will only help you love the mitzvah (and your look!) more. Here, Marlene Kolangi of Kaituz shares her tips to help you make that happen.
1. Set your budget.
Sheitels can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands upon thousands. When going to meet with an expert, it’s important to know what you’re comfortable spending so you don’t get your heart set on something that turns out to be way out of your price range. “There’s no end to how much things can cost,” Marlene explains. “I tell my customers, based on their budget what they can get for their money and if it will act the way they want it to. My job is to maximize their budget as much as possible to get them what they want.”
If you have your heart set on something that does happen to be beyond your budget, you don’t have to just forget about it. “I’ll suggest to some customers to hold onto their money and keep saving over the next six months or year and then come back when they have a little more. This way they can get something they really love versus settling for something you’re still spending a lot on. They appreciate that.”
2. Get locks for your lifestyle.
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that women talk. So, a lot of the time, someone who’s in the market for a new sheitel—kallah or not—will determine what she should get based on what others suggest. For example, a woman will think she needs two full sheitels right off the bat or has to start with one full wig and one band fall (a wig that is designed to be worn with a headband or scarf).
In reality, the true determinant is based on your lifestyle. “If you’re working in corporate America, you’re probably not wearing a band fall every day,” Marlene says. “But if you’re a nurse in a hospital, you probably are. I like to really get an idea of who the customer is, what she does and how she lives her life.”
This could also be dependent on personality, and not just career. “Some people like to get very glammed up during the day in six-inch heels even just to go to the coffee shop,” she says. “Others have no interest in wearing a glam wig every day.”
Think about your everyday lifestyle and what you truly want to wear, not just what you feel like you “should” have. This way, you’ll get the most use out of your locks and you’ll feel more like you in them.
3. Style according to your self.
Right now, it’s all about the lace, and maybe a few years ago, it was about the volume, and a few years before that, the sleekness. Trends change, but just because they do doesn’t mean you have to change with them. “When something is trending, it is for a reason,” Marlene says. “A lace wig, for example, is the most comfortable. But that doesn’t mean it’s for you.”
She stresses that if you love body and texture and aren’t finding that in a lace wig, then don’t pressure yourself to get one just because that’s the in-thing right now. Staying true to your vibe and style is the only way to guarantee you’re going to be happy, even if it means going against the crowd.
Bring photos of what you love and be as specific as you can about what you’re looking for. “My eye is trained to see the end result of everything,” Marlene says. “I listen to my customers very closely and always ask to see the end goal. I’m a very visual person and I have to bring that vision to life.”
To learn more about Marlene, click here!
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