About a year ago I was getting ready to go on vacation and I was lamenting what to do about my head. You see, I have baby-fine hair and it is inevitable that I’ll be sunburned on the top of my head. There’s really not much you can do aside of keeping your head covered, but I look like an utter dork in almost any hat. More importantly I would feel compelled to take it off when going inside, especially restaurants, and the case of hat-head that was going to be involved just made me cringe at the very thought. Things just weren’t going to be pretty after walking around Austin, Texas on Memorial Day weekend when the temps would be running in the low 100s.
My friend Divash, came up with the perfect solution – headscarfs. Divash is Jewish and, as part of her modest dress, wears a head scarf. She pointed out that she NEVER has “bad hair days.” When I went to look at scarfs at ModestWorld I was instantly drawn to the beautiful prints and fabrics available. I was slightly worried that a scarf would make my already round face look even more so, but learned that there are many ways to tie a head scarf, some that add height to the crown of your head, and actually make your face look thinner. I was hooked!
In the summer, a scarf can keep you cool in two ways. One, it keeps the sun from baking your head. Secondly, if you wear a cotton snood or stocking cap beneath it, the cap will wick sweat away from your head and any light breeze will have a cooling effect. You can also wet the cap before going out and get a head start!
I also like wearing a scarf in the kitchen for much the same reason. Here it also has the added benefit of keeping my hair out of my face and out of whatever food I might be fixing. It’s certainly a far more attractive solution than a hair net! My favorite way of wearing my scarf in such a situation is the “Dutch Crown,” which has all the ends neatly tucked into the twist that crosses over the forehead so nothing is dangling.
How to Tie a “Crown” Style (As pictured above)
1. Start with a cotton snood and a rectangular scarf.
2. Get all of your hair tucked into the cotton snood. If you have long hair, putting your hair in a pony tail can help!
3. Lay the scarf over your head, arranged so that one side is slightly longer than the other (Off-center).
4. Pull the ends back behind you and gather them so that the scarf fits close to your head and then cross them, without tying them, at the nape of your neck. Pull the ends forward over your shoulders.
5. Take the long end and twist it, then bring it up and over the top of your forehead. Tie it into a knot and let the ends dangle free!
The “Dutch Crown” is just an extension of the “crown,” which is pictured at the beginning of this article.
How to Tie a “Dutch Crown” Style
1. Follow Steps 1-3 above, but keep the scarf centered, with equal lengths to each side.
2. Tie the ends in a half-knot at the nape of your neck.
3. Twist both ends, then bring them up to the top of your forehead and tie another half-knot.
4. Tuck and wrap any remaining length around the crown that has just been formed.
You can also find a few “how to tie a head scarf” photo instructions by Googling it or looking on YouTube. An additional search might be “how to tie a tichel.”
ModestWorld.com has my vote for a source of beautiful scarves. The proprietess’ prices are more than fair, her service is quick and friendly, and she stands behind her products. All images courtesy of ModestWorld.com and used with permission.