I'm wearing a tichel!

I am pretty sure that half of my readers just said "huh?" to themselves and another chunk are about to comment "Mazal tov!" :)For the first group: A tichel is a head scarf married Jewish women wear.For the second group and now the first who are in the mazal tov category: No, I have not gotten married. :)Recently we celebrated the Jewish holiday of Purim. My personal favorite holiday of the Jewish year (maybe because I was born on Purim and it is my Hebrew birthday). Purim is NOT the Jewish Halloween though there are a few similar traditions. The biggest similarity being that we dress up in costume. It's a day when everything is backwards and upside down.This year for Purim, my self-described 'work-wife,' Mel, and I decided that we would switch identities and come to work as each other. This was particularly hilarious since we both have very a specific style of fashion which are different and unique... oh and she is married and wears a tichel or scarf all the time. Let the hilarity begin!We went shopping together to pick out outfits that the other would wear. It was pretty hilarious. "Okay Mel, would you wear this?" "Yeah, I would totally wear those... but will you wear them outside of Purim because you shouldn't spend the money otherwise." HA we were very cost conscious and thoughtful about it! But the most interesting part came the morning of Purim.I arrived at Mel's house at 7:45 am. She was dressed as me and I was dressed as her. Her husband had a good chuckle at us and we went to work. We picked out jewelry and then got down to the good part. I had to pick out a scarf to wear and she had to get her brand new wig situated. Yes wig. My dear friend, who hasn't had hair graze the back of her neck in more than two years, purchased a 'lovely' (read: cheap) red wig to mimic my hair. We dissolved into giggles and I helped her position it. Then it was my turn. We picked out a lovely plain brown scarf and then a fun, silky giraffe print scarf to top it off. She put it on my head and tied it for me...WOW.I went from wacky single to mature married lady in one quick tie! It was a complete change for me... I felt different. Modest. Amazing. We drove to work and stopped at a fruit and veg mart to get some goodies for our co-workers. I felt funny... oddly conspicuous and inconspicuous at the same time. For a minute I wanted to shout... "THIS ISN'T ME! I'M NOT MARRIED YET!" but I also wanted to revel in the respect people paid me. More than anything... I started getting a crick in my neck! I felt like I had a work of art on my head and I couldn't move.We got to work ... and well everyone was shocked! Half couldn't figure it out... even though we were wearing each other's name tags but a few got it right away. Interestingly, everyone recognized me immediately and saw I was in costume but Mel, well they thought she was a new employee! It is truly amazing what some hair, or the lack of it, can do.Mel and I got very different reactions... or maybe the same reaction but the flip sides.Everyone asked me why I would cover my hair and how can I cover my 'beautiful' locks? Their reactions to Mel were joyful. They loved her even with the cheap, plastic, nearly purple hair. They begged her to consider wearing a wig or sheitel occasionally.For sure this was an interesting experience for both of us. Together, as dear friends, we learned a lot and have had some great conversations regarding hair, tzniut (modesty) and married life. To hear Mel's reaction to wearing a wig, check out her blog here, Redefining Rebbetzin.To cap off the experience, Mel and I went to a sheitel sale shortly after Purim at a friend's house. She sells and styles wigs for a living and we went to play. I have to say, after trying both I find the wigs more comfortable and an easier transition for me from single with hair to married without my own mane showing. After wearing the tichel for 12 hours, I couldn't wait to get it off and scratch my scalp!What are your experiences with wigs or scarves or covering (or not) your hair after marriage?And just for fun, a friend who dressed as a Jerusalem Ultra-Orthodox Jew and I pose in the "Frum Lean," typically seen at a vort or engagement celebration. Here are some other examples of the lean: Extreme Lean & Only Simchas Lean.