This is TNT By Tallie: Ask the Wig Maker Volume.1

TNT by Tallie’s Real Talk Series: The Wigs, The Woes, and the Woman Behind Them

Dear Wig Maker,

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you're setting out to do with the TNT by Tallie series. I loved the first article you wrote, it really resonated with me.

While I don’t have a full-blown sheitel horror story, let’s just say... it’s complicated.

Every time I buy a new wig, it feels like I’m back in middle school, awkward, exposed, and being talked at, not listened to. I’ve been to stores with great service, but nothing fits. I’ve been to others with tons of options, but no soul. I have long, thick hair (which my husband adores, by the way, so cutting it isn’t happening), and every appointment turns into a tug-of-war between what I want and what they want to sell me.

I’ve had stylists insist my straight hair is “definitely wavy,” or tell me to come back in three weeks to cut a piece that already feels off. I’ve left showrooms in tears, sitting in my car, wondering if I can actually do this mitzvah and still feel like me.

Where are the places that get it, that know the stakes, that take their time, that won’t pressure you to cut bangs into a $3,000 sheitel on your first nervous inhale?

Thank you for creating this space. I’m looking forward to wherever this goes… and maybe, finally, to finding a wig I actually want to wear.

With love,Still Searching in LA

Dear Still Searching,

I felt every word of your letter. You’re not overthinking this, you're actually asking the right questions, and you're not alone. Sheitel shopping can be daunting. No one really talks about how vulnerable it makes you feel, especially when you're juggling personal identity, religious commitment, and a whole lot of money. I’ve been in this industry long enough to know: it’s not about the wig, it’s about the woman wearing it.

When someone sits in my chair, my job isn’t to push a product, it’s to listen. What does she need? How does she live? What does confidence look like for her? That’s the starting point, always. And let’s be real, cutting into a $3,000 sheitel when you're not sure it’s right? That's terrifying. We take it slow. Sometimes we trim just a little. Sometimes we wait. Because I know, once it’s cut, there’s no going back. And you deserve to love what you see in the mirror. And about thick hair? Don’t ever feel pressured to chop it. There are ways to work around it, we’ve done it. It’s not about changing you. It’s about creating something that feels like you.

Covering your hair shouldn't mean giving up your sense of self. If I can help even one woman feel more like herself in a space that often strips that away, then I’m doing my job.

So thank you, for trusting me with your story. And for reminding all of us why this matters.

Let’s change the wig world. One honest conversation at a time.

With love + great hair,

Tallie

Want to share your wig story? Email us at editor@thelajewishhome.com with the subject line

“Dear Wig Maker.”

You might just see your letter in our next issue!

TNT by Tallie | 8360 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048(323) 496-3229 | sheitels.com |  @tntbytallie