Bargain Jewess

Archive for the ‘Women’ Category

Aviva Rizel has big warm brown eyes and a stylish brown bob with side bangs. She looks like a typical good frum girl but she has a mission. To help every woman out there feel comfortable, and beautiful, while keeping the mitzvah of kisui rosh- Covering ones head.

Aviva’s story is not typical. In fact when I spoke with Aviva she told me her great love is neuropsychology and anything relating to neurons. Wigs wasn’t something she chose, but rather wigs chose Aviva. It started in seminary when a friend begged her to cut her hair. Aviva protested, but eventually using nail scissors gave her friend a haircut. Soon she was cutting everyone’s hair in her seminary. While in Stern College she continued cutting hair, and decided to enroll in Yaffa’s wig training course, so she could truly learn to cut hair and-eventually wigs-the right way.

This eventually led to Swanky hair monsters and then Aviva wigs, her current business. Read on for my questions and Aviva’s answers.

Bargain Jewess: Lets start with why Jewish women cover their hair in the first place, give us some biblical sources?

Aviva Rizel: Obviously this is a very large topic with many opinions by many Rabbis, but there are two main sources. One being in Parshat Korach when, Korach and his followers go from house to house seeking men to rebel against Moshe. As they approached On Ben Pelet’s house, his wife stationed herself outside the house with hair uncovered thus keeping her husband from sinning.

The other source is when Sotah is discussed and the text says we remove the hair covering of the sotah. Both of these serve as proofs that Jewish woman have a halachic obligation to cover their hair.

BJ: For me and probably for most readers comfort is super important, what would you say is the most comfortable and durable wig and also how can you make sure you won’t get a lemon?

AR: In my opinion the most comfortable wig is a hand sewn, stretch cap. This allows for the wig to stretch side to side, as well as front to back. Also you want a wide flex comb about four inches at the forehead. This will take the pressure off the rest of your head and for many people they won’t even need to use snap combs. Also Mongolian hair tends to stand up better than European hair with the same hand feel and texture. In terms of insuring that you don’t get a lemon make sure that the company or sheitel macher has a policy that they will fix or replace the wig should it knot, shed or oxidize right away or within 6 months of purchase. In general the longer the wig the more likely it will knot at the nape, especially if it’s wavy or curly.

BJ: What should you look for in a wig?

AR: Look for texture, ie: the hand feel and that the texture whether straight or wavy is what you want. Additionally, make sure the color is right, as well as the hairs being double knotted. Double knots will allow the wig to last longer. Also if you don’t have a vision of what you are looking for, look at precuts.

BJ: Is cut really that important to the look of the wig?

AR: yes absolutely. A good key is cut. Even if you have to wait awhile for an appointment it’s worth it if someone knows what they are doing cut-wise and you have seen their work and liked it.

BJ: As my readers know I’m a big fan of the Yarmulke fall? As a wig stylist what’s your take?

AR: I started carrying them in my current salon. Originally I didn’t necessarily believe in them or feel I should carry them since I myself would not wear them. I didn’t even carry band falls because I wouldn’t wear one myself and I didn’t want people to buy something that I did not think was halachically permissible for myself.

But then a very good friend had a crisis of faith. Her wig was making her hair fall out and her scalp bleed and she was completely ready to stop covering her hair. Then someone introduced her to the kipa fall and she wears it every day and has continued to cover her hair. I realized if I could help someone keep the mitzvah to the best of their ability, I was still helping them to keep the mitzvah even if it wasn’t the way that I keep mitzvah. It’s a great stepping stone in either direction as well.

BJ: Tell us about Swanky Hair Monsters and how that Turned in To Aviva’s Wigs?

AR: when I was starting my business, I called my sister to have her help me brainstorm for a business name. We grew up not in a world where people overwhelmingly covered their hair so wigs to us are kind of weird. So when I asked my sister what she thought of when she though of wigs, she said hairy monster. We both had a good laugh and then we got out the thesaurus and came up with Swanky hair monsters. Unfortunately not everyone had as good a sense of humor as we did, so I changed the business name to Aviva’s wigs an enchanted garden of a store straigh out of a midsummer nights dream, and moved fromonline to a store front at Aza’s Health and Beauty Bar, off of Cedarhurst Ave, parrallel with the tracks.

Contact me WITH ANY SHEITEL NEEDS. I will not push my product on you, I just want you to be happy with the Mitzvah!

You can visit Aviva and see her beautiful wigs at Aviva’s wigs 525 Chestnut Street, Cedarhurst, Tuesday-Friday 10am-3pm, Sunday 11am-3pm, or by appointment call 516-256-WIGS (9447.)

You can also check out Aviva’s website www.Avivaswigs.com

Aviva is really a pleasure to speak to and will truly help you find a beautiful wig that’s perfect for you.

I wanted to give some more information on kipa falls and how they work. Today it seems that every frum Jewish girl covers her hair with a sheitel when getting married. Every time I’m in Brooklyn the five towns Teaneck etc it seems a new sheitel place has opened. For those happy with sheitels great. For those unhappy and uncomfortable there are other options.

When I decided to start covering my hair again this year i began to do a lot of research on sheitels and the various types that existed. I cam e upon the kipa fall and realized this was my solution.

The kipa fall was originally made for women with thinning or bald spots to cover the crown of the head and add volume to their hair. It is referred to outside of Jewish circles as a topper, mini fall and sometimes a wiglet.

I had my kipa fall made from a regular fall which will make two kipa falls. I have a friend who did it also and is super happy with it.

If you fell that every strand of hair must be covered then a kipa fall is not for you but if you wear hats with your hair hanging out then a kipa fall may be your answer.

I also personally find that kipa falls are a lot more tznius than the perfect sheitels I see. Sheitels are usually blown and curled and super sexy. Kipa falls usually look like your hair on a regular day. They are a lot less glamorous.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. If i can make3 the mitzvah of kisui rosh more enjoyable for anyone it will be my greatest pleasure.

All the best,

Arielle AKA Bargain Jewess

There’s a widespread mentality in certain Jewish circles that being on the cutting edge of fashion and style is not in the confines of tznius- the Jewish dictates of modesty. In my years in bais yaakov teachers went so far as to tell us that being on the cutting edge of fashion was clearly against the laws of tznius. That a girl who was dressed extremely attractive was drawing unnecessary attention to herself. I was told that this rule also applied to sweatshirts or t-shirts with chest logos and even dark nail polish. All of these things fell under the guise of what is know as prust or improper for the Jewish girl/woman.

I’ve veered pretty far away from that line of thinking and most of those people today would definitely call me a shiksa in my jeans and tichels/hats/occasionally sheitel and they really would have run the other way if they met me in my non-hair covering phase. Although I’m certainly no halachic authority, I went to bais yaakov after all(where they teach you just enough to get your MRS) and I certainly hope no takes this as any psak or halachic ruling I would like to speculate on this further, especially as this seems to a topic on many of my fellow j-bloggers minds……

A Jewish woman is considered a princess in Hebrew, a bas melech. The daughter of a king would only be kitted in the finest of fashions and of course would set the fashion tone for the entire country. She of course would never be dressed in any way that would disrespect her father the king but she certainly would always be expected to look more beautiful and put together than anyone else in the kingdom. The same goes true for the Jewish princess.

I honestly feel that an orthodox Jewish women should always be as fashionable and as classy as possible. There are many ways to look fantastic without baring it all. In general the women I find the most elegant are those who choose to cover it up rather than let it all hang out. Obviously just because you wear a skirt doesn’t mean that you are classy, or elegant I have seen many pants that are more modest that certain skirts. I’m also not here to get into debates on pants, short sleeves, how you cover your hair or any of that sort thing, in my opinion each person must do what they feel comfortable doing and it is between them and God.

Yet I think that each Jewish woman and all women should think of themselves as a princess and therefore there is nothing wrong with wearing stylish fashionable clothes so long as they aren’t thigh high and cut down to the belly button. I think that if you dress stylishly but elegantly you are still tzanua and in no way breaking any tznius code. I think that when people tell you otherwise they are steering you away from looking and feeling your best.

As a Jewish princess you should buy the best clothes you can afford, the best head coverings and conduct yourself with grace and class. There is no one in the world that will argue with you that you are not tznius if you follow those rules.

In a related albeit different topic I see many ads and in store displays showing head covering styles popular among Jewish women. In this month’s Vogue there is a Ralph Lauren ad showing a woman wearing a chasidic style turban, but Ralph’s real surname is Lipschitz after all and he grew up in the 50’s in the Bronx he probably saw plenty of those. I was also recently in Zara and I saw a mitpachat style tichel on a mannequin’s head, this could also be due to all the Muslims in Spain but I’d rather think that this is the influence of the stylish Brooklyn and Israeli chicas rocking the mitpachat.

I think that it’s important to remember that what narrow minded people tell you isn’t always halacha, and that tznius and fashion forward can go hand in hand, and not only not be polar opposites, but heighten the honor and grace of the Jewish woman.

In my fledgling days of advising people on what to wear I’ve come to realize that a very important aspect is knowing your body. What do I mean knowing your body? Well you need to know the good the bad and the ugly. Say you have a tiny waist but a big butt. The goal is to draw as much attention to your waist and keep the attention off our bottom. In that vein here are a few of my suggestions on how to flatter your figure. If you’ve got an hourglass shape you know that finding clothes that properly hug your curves is no easy task. Hourglasses tend to have a big bust small waist and big hips. They also tend to be shortwaisted making them appear even bustier. V-neck sweaters shrink your bust and hug your curves well. Stay away from anything ribbed, ruched, or horizontally striped it will only make you look top heavy. Those with hourglass figures need to wear fitted tailored clothing. Men’s shirts are also great if you love button downs. They won’t gap like women’s shirts just make sure you have the sleeves shortened and the shoulders taken in. Avoid empire styles which can make you look pregnant. Pencil skirts, wrap dresses, full skirts, v-neck cardigans tailored nipped in jackets all suit you. Also make sure to invest in good foundation garments such as bras that properly support you. A well fitting bra can make you look pounds slimmer. For the pear you’re skinny on top with thin arms, and waist but your bottom half seems to be taking up way too much space. To compensate wear brightly printed tops with solid bottoms. Bootleg or flared pants with a crease lengthen the body and make thighs look slimmer. Try wearing interesting fun tops that draw attention to your upper half and keep the bottom simple. Stay away from overly full bottoms which will only make you look bigger. Try wearing a skirt, tights, and shoes all in the same color. This will give the illusion of a long lean line and make you appear taller and slimmer. Stay tuned for my next post on the apple and straight/banana body types. Embrace your body and learn to clothe it properly. When you dress for your body type you’ll learn to love all the things you used to hate. If you need help shopping for a big event or just to buy a new wardrobe check out my page on Bargain Jewess Consulting. I can help you achieve any look at any price. Arielle AKA BargainJewess

So as you all know I always try to find ways to do things on the cheap. I’ve been doing my own nails now for awhile but I always end up smudging them, plus they are always breaking. I figured I’d buy nailtiques a really great nail strengthener that works. Thing is the Rite Aid I stopped at on my way home didn’t have it. I decided to try fake glue on nails. I was thinking they’ll always be perfect and they’ll last awhile. What I didn’t realize was that the glue bonds and bonds fast. In the best of times I’m not the neatest of people and this time was no exception. I glued on pinky, ring and middle finger successfully. I had some glue around the edges but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. When it came time for pointer it just wouldn’t stay as I tried to hold it down with my thumb and right pointer my fingers bonded from the glue on them and before I knew it left pointer and right thumb were glued together.

Lucky for me I knew a quick remedy. I called my husband who was washing dishes in the kitchen, because as you can imagine I couldn’t do so much with my hands. He poured nail polish remover in a dish for me and I soaked my fingers till they came apart. I still have gray glue remnants on my fingers but at least they’re not stuck together. Although I usually always recommend a DIY in this case spend the money and get a manicure it isn’t worth the headache. Although my nails do like nice….

On another note I tried a new product last night and it’s really fantastic. Loreal came out with a new line of shampoos and conditioners for color treated hair. It’s called Everpure and is vegan, not tested on animals, and free of sulfates and salts which dry the hair. I bought it for my wig, but used it on my hair and it’s really great. It gets the bargainjewess stamp of approval.

From the time I was a little girl, I was told women could do anything. There was no one who ever said -not parents, not teachers, not TV-that a girl couldn’t be anything she wanted to be. I grew up with so many aspirations. When I was really small I wanted to a Doctor till I my mom told me about bedpans. Which by the way mom, nurses change not Drs. Then I wanted to be an actress, a figure skater, a film director and always I was encouraged. When In high school I told my parents I wanted to be a lawyer they kind of laughed at me. Not because women can’t be lawyers, but rather because I was such a dismal student and they couldn’t imagine me working that hard. Thing is I happen to have done exceptionally well in college and suddenly my parents had new found respect that I could be a lawyer.

I on the other hand had become caught up in more glamorous career pursuits. I saw myself in marketing or advertising, not a lawyer wearing stodgy suits buried in legal briefs. I tried PR only to realize that in order to make it you must be both cutthroat and a backstabber, two things I just wasn’t capable of. I realized at that point that law school was the way to go. Thing is there was always this weird doubt in the back of my mind.

There was this part of me that loved to cook and make my own accessories. Who sometimes thought it might be fun to be a stay at home wife albeit one who ran a business from her home but a woman’s woman; engaged in womanly pursuits and feminine sensibilities. I was shocked when I thought these things. All my life I had been told I could do anything, that I was smart and competent as any man. I started to wonder is it ok to not want an intellectual career? Is it okay in my community to not want to make a $100,000+ a year? I mean are making money and a fulfilling job not possible? Better yet does being a woman today mean that one must have a career that is deemed challenging and stimulating?

So many women fought for the right to work; the right to be free of their husband’s domination. These women fought to be more than a secretary or somebody’s mother. So it’s not surprising that I feel guilty for wanting to be the next Martha Stewart or Susie Fischbein. The question I ask myself, is it ok to crave domesticity instead of the boardroom? Or am I setting women back by wanting to have the choice of having a high powered career or the opportunity to work from home at my own pace? Have we as women come to a place where it’s ok to be women? Or are we still struggling to keep up in a man’s world……

It is a consistently amazing phenomenon to me the power that we as women hold. We as mothers, wives, sisters, caregivers, are endlessly compassionate. Women around the world are the voice of reason the voice of kindness. Many of us can remember the cool touch of our mother’s hand on our hot foreheads, or the calming balm of embrace of a friend or sister in difficult times. With the situation in Israel escalating Jews the world over are engaging in vigils to say tehillim-psalms for the safety of the Israeli soldiers and Israel.

Today in my office we had such a service. One employee an-Israeli transplant-spoke of the call she received from her brother for him to say goodbye. His unit was being deployed to Gaza and he would be out of contact for three weeks. He did not know if he would return home. I looked around the room. It was mostly filled with women; women whose eyes, were swimming with tears. Who silently cried as the tehillim was read responsively. I suddenly realized that if only we, as women banded together we might be able to change the world. For thousands of years women have been trying to keep men from sinning. In the bible when the Jews are all set and ready to make the golden calf- they run to their wives demanding their jewelry. The wives refuse. In their honor they were given as a holiday Rosh Chodesh- or the festival of the New moon which takes place once a month.

In more recent times women are assuming power in countries stained by slaughter and tragedy. In Rwanda a country who saw a genocide that killed 1 million people. Women now nearly half the seats of the lower parliament and more than 50% of small businesses are owned by women. Chile a vehemently patriarchal society has recently elected Michele Bachelet, a single mother who is a self-describer agnostic in a very Christian country. After having many leaders who turned a blind eye to the suffering of many of its people, the people spoke and chose a woman.

Standing in that room today made me realize that we as women have the power of change. We have all heard the stories of Jewish women and Arab women forming friendships. Deep down all of us aspire to peace, to love, to harmony, to live a life rich and full. I call on Israeli women, on Palestinian women, and all women to join together and end this fighting. It is in our power to do so. We as women just need to stand together and remember we are fighting the same fight for good to win and evil to be vanquished.

May we see peace in our days; may we see the safety of Israel, its citizens, the IDF, and all innocent women and children who are used as pawns in the games men play.

For those of you who have been reading my blog you know that I have had my fair share of at home hair dying experiences. For those of you who don’t I refer you to some of my earlier posts. I have tried many brands of hair dye and have dyed my hair many colors. Recently I went back from being blond to a reddish-brown I used loreal preference and it was a great experience. The dye was extremely easy to use, just mix the color and developer together and voila masage it into your head and you are done.There are many hair dyes out there some are better quality that others. I have found that loreal makes a great product as does clairol. If you’ve never done this before you’ll need a few tricks:

• Put some face cream, or vaseline around your hairline and the nape of your neck to prevent any staining of the skin.
• Wear ratty clothes that you could care less about and have a ratty towel or two.
• Make sure to use a timer and start it as soon as you are done applying the hair color. This is extremely important because without you may over or underestimate your time and end up with bad results because of it. Kitchen timers work great for this.
• I have a white bathroom and at the corner of my doorway is a brown stain. If your bathroom is white find another place to do it, or cover surfaces with newspaper, because hair dye always splatters.
• A way to really have the color set is to pat a plastic shower cap on your head. The heat helps the color sink in.
• Most importantly monitor the color, each type of hair is unique some take the color faster some take it slower. Don’t be afraid to leave it on for an extra few minutes.
• When dealing with bleach don’t freak out if some pieces get really light, thats ok they’ll blend. Don’t wash the bleach off before you’ve bleached the whole head properly.
• Make sure to use color safe shampoo and conditioner. Blondes and redheads especially should use color depositing shampoos between colorings as well to keep color vibrant.

Last but not least if you end up with something you are not happy with, remember hair color fades give a few days you might love it. If not wait a few days and try it again. If anyone has tried perfect 10 by Revlon let me know I hear it’s really great.

Here’s to being a blond, brunette or redhead by choice. You don’t have to be born with it to work it.

Bargain Jewess.

In our culture there is the ever increasing search for the mysterious fountain of youth. On the gossamer whispers of there being some magic essence that might keep us young, the beauty industry sells thousands of products and makes billions of dollars. The thing is, is it our physicality that makes us young or our minds? There is no doubt that our bodies age, based on our DNA and how we have treated it and that this is one aspect of whether you look young or old. Is it possible though that our minds play any role in our youthful countenance? Can a youthful outlook keep us looking and feeling young?

I was looking at an event on Facebook. As I looked at the girls going I thought about the fact that they are all older than me. Then I thought about how even though I am a college graduate, with a real job and married almost two years I still think of myself as a girl. My mindset in how I view myself and those close in age to me,  to the context of the world has not changed. That’s not to say that when I turned 24 on October 15th I didn’t feel old or worry about what I was doing with my life, since most people my age are in grad school, or graduating from grad school. If anything though maybe that’s what has added to my feelings of youth. The fact that I am still unsure of myself, that I have yet to become disillusioned with the world or think that any of my dreams are not possible. I still entertain the idea that I will be wealthy, famous, and successful one day.

The people I know who look the youngest, are those who act young, who enjoy life. They may have laugh lines or gray roots but in their eyes is the spark of life, of fun. In their smile, the joy of dreaming.  So if you’re looking for the fountain of youth, stop searching because you already posess it, in your mind.

Social Media has learned a really great trick that marketers have used for years- targeted advertising. In the past few months every time I log onto Facebook there are always ads targeted to me; they range from discount shopping, Israel and Jewish related ads and this new site called Lifebooker, which offers beauty services at fairly decent discounts. I tried one of their salons once for a Brazilian. They did an OK job but they left all these little hairs and my aesthetician left the room to converse in Chinese with her friend/co-worker mid-wax. Plus people kept looking in not the experience you’d want. Needless to say I complained because even with the discount it wasn’t super cheap. Amazingly the place did not charge me and apologized so I got a free, albeit crappy Brazilian.

I’ve checked the site recently and they do have some great prices for various services. I’ve seen single process color for as low as $30 and highlights for $75. Half hour massages at Sothy’s Institute, will run you $30, a pretty great bargain. I suggest checking them out the next time you want to book a beauty treatment. http://www.lifebooker.com

If you really want things done on the cheap consider local beauty schools such as the Aveda institutes here in NYC. You can find them by Googling them. They’re super cheap although you will be working with a student and not a trained stylist. You can also call all the chichi salons and make an appointment for their training nights. The following is a training night list of New York’s best salons.

Antonio Prieto Salon
Cutting classes are Thursdays at 8:45 am, $20. Color appointments are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11pm-7pm. $20 for single-process, $50 for highlights. Clients must sign up and pay in advance and in person; cash only.
• 25 West 19th St., 212-255-3741

Arte Salon
Training sessions held on Tuesdays at 10am. Cut and color, free. No appointment necessary.
• 284 Lafayette St., 212-941-5932

Aveda Institute
Appointments with supervised students are Tuesdays through Saturdays. Colorings, 9am or 1pm; $30 to $75. Cuts, 9am to 3:30pm; $15. They also hold advanced classes for which models are recruited, free of charge.
• 233 Spring St., 212-807-1492

Bumble & Bumble
Model calls are Mondays from 5 to 6pm. To find out more about the program potential models should call 646-282-1008. They can also sign up for a model call invitation on the web site.
• 146 E. 56th St., 212-521-6500

Dop Dop
Wednesdays at 6:30pm; cut and color classes alternate by week. $35 for color, $20 for cut; cash only. By appointment only.
• 170 Mercer St., 212-965-9540

Frederic Fekkai
Tuesdays at 6pm. $40 for cut or color; cash only. Stylings are determined by the class director, so call ahead for a schedule.
• 15 E. 57th St., 212-753-9500

John Barrett
Wednesdays at 7:30am, except during August. $35 for cut or color. Models are selected for an appropriate class based on the information they provide about their hair and on a first-come, first-served basis. In the fall, they will be offering training classes for children’s hair. Call for an application.
• 754 Fifth Ave., 9th Floor, 212-872-2700

John Sahag
Tuesdays at 6:30pm, except during the month of August. $40 for cut, $60 for color; cash only. Call on Mondays to book an appointment.
• 425 Madison Ave., at 49th St., 212-750-7772

Kim Lepine
Tuesdays at 5:30pm. $25 for cut or color; cash only. Book in advance.
• 667 Madison Ave., near 61st St., 212-832-6529

Louis Licari
Wednesdays at 5:30pm. $45-$75 for color, $30 for cut; cash only. By appointment only. They also offer appointments with assistants free of charge when available.
• 693 Fifth Ave., at 53rd St., 212-758-2090

Mark Garrison
Wednesday nights, color at 5pm, cuts at 6pm. $40 for color, $30 for cut; cash only. By appointment only.
• 820 Madison Ave., between 68th and 69th Sts., 212-570-5820

Oribe at Elizabeth Arden
Mondays at 11am; cut and color weeks alternate. $45 for highlights, $30 for cut or single-process color; cash only. By appointment only.
• 691 Fifth Ave., between 53rd and 54th Sts., 212-319-3910

Paul LaBrecque
Mondays at 6pm. $20 for cut or color. By appointment only; East Side location only.
• 171 E. 65th St., 212-595-0099

Peter Coppola
Tuesdays at 6:30pm. $40 for cut or color. Call in advance to leave name, number, and service desired.
• 746 Madison Ave., between 64th and 65th Sts., 212-988-9404

Prive Salon
Model cuts and color are done by assistants as available Tuesdays through Saturdays. $25 for cuts, $20 for single-process color, $40 for highlights; cash only. Call to request service, and a stylist will call back with availability.
• 310 W. Broadway, 212-274-8888

Salon Ishi
Cutting classes are Wednesdays at 6pm, color on Fridays at 5pm. Services are free. By appointment only.
• 70 E. 55th St., 212-888-4744

Space
Tuesdays at 9:30am for color, Wednesdays at 9:30am for cut. $25 for color, $15 for cuts. By appointment only.
• 155 Sixth Ave., at Spring St., 212-647-8588

Vidal Sassoon
Wednesdays at 6:30pm. $14-$18 for cut, $25-$50 for color; cash only. Stop by on Wednesdays at 6:15pm for a consultation for the following week.
• 90 Fifth Ave., at 14th St., 212-929-9668

For those of you living outside New York, I suggest calling up the hottest salons in your town and asking about training nights. Most good salons will have them and haircuts and color will be a lot less than normal. Just make sure that the stylist working on you is properly supervised as I have heard of disaster stories. Hopefully you’ll get lucky and discover the next Brad Johns or Orlando Pita.