Sheitel, Fall or Tichel? Choosing the Covering That Fits Your Day

Most comparisons of Jewish hair coverings set up a contest between two options: the sheitel and the tichel. Real life is rarely that tidy. The same woman may wear a full sheitel to the office, a tichel to the park with her children, and a hat with a fall to a Sunday brunch. Between the full wig and the scarf sits a middle ground that many women love and few guides mention: the fall, the band fall and the hat fall. This article walks through each, so you can build a week of coverings that suits you.

Which coverings your community considers appropriate, and how much hair each must cover, are questions for your rav. What follows is the practical side.

The Sheitel

A sheitel is a full wig that covers all of a woman's own hair. It is worn on its own, with nothing on top in most communities, and it is styled to look like natural hair.

• Best for: work, formal events, Shabbos, and any setting where you want to look polished all day.
• Strengths: complete coverage, stays in place, looks like your own hair when well fitted.
• Things to weigh: it needs regular washing and setting, and it is warmer than a scarf on a hot day.

For the reasons many women choose a wig over a scarf, see Why Do Orthodox Jewish Women Wear Wigs?

The Tichel

What is a tichel? It is a scarf, from the Yiddish word for cloth, tied to cover the hair. In Hebrew it is often called a mitpachat. A tichel can be a simple cotton square knotted at the nape or a layered wrap in several fabrics with a volumizer underneath for shape.

• Best for: home, errands, the beach, summer heat, and days when you want something light.
• Strengths: cool, quick to put on, and many women enjoy it as a form of self-expression.
• Things to weigh: it can slip back, and it signals clearly that you are covering, which some women love and others prefer to avoid at work.

How to wear a tichel

Fold a large square scarf into a triangle, place the long edge across your forehead just at the hairline, tie the ends at the nape over the point, then twist or braid the tails and tuck them in. A snood, by comparison, is a bag-like covering gathered at the back, and many women find it simpler than a tied tichel for daily wear.

The Fall, the Band Fall and the Hat Fall

This is the middle ground. A fall is a partial wig worn under a covering at the front, so the hair you see at the sides and back is human hair, while the top is covered by a hat, headband or scarf.

Hat fall

A hat fall has no front hairline. It is designed to be worn under a hat, beret or cap, with only the lengths showing below. It is cooler and lighter than a full sheitel and is a favorite for Sundays, travel and summer. Browse our hat fall human hair wigs, or ask about converting an older sheitel with our hat fall conversion.

Band fall

A band fall attaches to a wide headband, often in fabric, that covers the front of the head. It looks like a woman wearing a headband with her own hair down, and it goes on in seconds. Browse our band fall human hair wigs.

Sheitel vs fall

The difference comes down to the front. A sheitel has its own hairline and part and is worn uncovered. A fall needs something on top. Many women own both: a sheitel for the week and a fall for days that call for a hat.

Toppers and Jewish Hair Pieces

Women sometimes search for a kosher hair topper or a Jewish hair piece. A topper is a smaller piece that clips onto your own hair at the crown to add volume, and it is not usually worn as a covering on its own. Some women use a topper under a tichel or hat for fullness at the sides. If you are thinning and covering, our human hair toppers and a fall can work together. Ask your rav how a topper fits your practice.

Side by Side

	Sheitel	Hat fall or band fall	Tichel
What shows	A full head of hair with a part	Hair at the sides and back; hat or band on top	Fabric only
Feel on a warm day	Warmest	Lighter	Coolest
Time to put on	Quick once styled	Quickest	Varies with the wrap
Upkeep	Regular wash and set	Less than a sheitel	Laundry
Typical setting	Work, Shabbos, simchas	Sunday, travel, summer	Home, errands, beach

Building a Week of Coverings

Many women in our shop describe a rhythm rather than a single choice. A sheitel for weekdays at work. A tichel at home. A hat fall for Sunday outings. A second sheitel, freshly set, for Shabbos. Thinking in terms of a week helps you decide what to invest in first. If you wear a covering mostly at work, start with a sheitel. If your days are mostly with children and outdoors, a fall and a few good tichels may serve you better until you are ready for a full wig.

Women sometimes ask how a tichel compares with a hijab. Both are head coverings worn for reasons of modesty in different faiths, and the tying styles and customs differ.

Covering Choices at Tallie Wigs

Our sheitels are kosher; confirm with your own rav. In our private fitting room on W 3rd St in Los Angeles, Tallie fits sheitels, hat falls and band falls in European, Slavic, Russian and Ukrainian human hair, and she can color a fall to match the sheitel you already own so the two look like the same hair. Clients come from Pico-Robertson, Hancock Park, Beverly Hills and the Valley. Learn more on our sheitels page.

Book a Private Fitting Want to talk through which piece to start with? Call or text (323) 496-3229.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a sheitel and a tichel?

A sheitel is a full human hair wig that looks like natural hair. A tichel is a scarf tied over the hair. Many women wear both at different times.

What is the difference between a sheitel and a fall?

A sheitel has its own hairline and is worn uncovered. A fall has no front hairline and is worn under a hat, headband or scarf.

What is a hat fall?

A partial human hair wig made to be worn under a hat, so only the lengths show. It is lighter and cooler than a full sheitel.

What is a band fall?

A fall attached to a wide headband that covers the front of the head. It goes on quickly and looks like a headband worn with your own hair.

Can I wear a sheitel some days and a tichel on others?

Many women do. Ask your rav whether your community has a preference for particular settings.

Can a sheitel be turned into a hat fall?

Often, yes. An older sheitel can sometimes be converted by removing the front, giving it a second life under a hat.