Is there a religion that requires the wearing of wigs?

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A friend of mine is an optitian, she sells glasses. A woman came in with her daughter and they were both pretty obviously wearing wigs. When my friend went to fit a pair of glasses behind her ears, the woman explained "I wear a wig for religious reasons."

Friend called me later asking what that religion might be, and I'm stumped.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps she was a Rastafarian but didn't have her own dreadlocks?

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps it was a religion (ie Hare Krishna) that requires some kind of shaved-head hairstyle, and she wears the wigs in public to avoid persecution/funny looks or something.

― NA. (Nick A.), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Hasidic women wear wigs.

― slutsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe they're a Wiganarian Family.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)

you know I don't remember if she and her daughter had shaved heads underneath, or what they were dressed like otherwise. I thought of the Hare Krishna thing, too. I didn't know that abt Hasidic women, but I don't know how many Hasidim we have in mpls.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

honestly my first impulse was that it was some kind of family cult.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

google img srch for "wig religion" turn up one pic:

http://www.wilshirewigs.com/Merchant2/graphics/costume/70x70/co33.jpg

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, Cult or Nutso to you, is Divine Religion to another.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Why do Hasidic women wear scarves or wigs?
A: This rule is not limited to Hasidim -- Orthodox Jewish women in general cover their heads after marriage, as do many non-Orthodox women also. Any head covering will do -- they can wear a hat or scarf or wig. Many women prefer wigs because, if you are going to keep your head covered all the time, it's easier to have a short haircut and wear a wig for purposes of comfort. As one woman remarked to me, "When you have five children, there's no time for sitting under a hair dryer at the beauty parlor, so it's easier to just send your wig out!"

However, there is no requirement for women to cut the hair or wear a wig. Some women wear a snood which is a beret-like hat with room for long braids under it. The religious reason for covering the head is modesty, since women's hair is a sex symbol in many places. The men dress modestly, too. For example, Hasidic men do not wear shorts or go without a shirt.

From the FAQ on Chassidism (Hasidism).

― slutsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

that sounds promising, but the young-daughter-in-wig doesn't fit. Unless she wasn't. I'll have to quiz my friend again.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe she got married young.

― slutsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Slutsky is quite right - I'm willing to bet she was Hasidic. I got a shock when I was young and learned that an acquaintance of my mother's had been waering a wig the whole time I knew her.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Thursday, 15 May 2003 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

"wig religion"

what a terrific band name!

― Annouschka Magnatech (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 28 September 2003 20:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmmm. And yet there are some Christian (primarily fundamentalist) sects that forbid women to cut their hair (but the men can cut theirs).

Do Sikh women also not cut their hair, like the men?

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Monday, 29 September 2003 03:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Hasicic women wearing wigs makes sense, having seen some of the young Jewish mothers in my (very orthodox) neighbourhood who have hairdo's that look really .. well, wiggy. That sort of obviously bouffanty hairdo like you see women in disguise on Riki Lake wearing.

mind you - covering up ones hair with hair seems a bit strange!

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 29 September 2003 03:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Hasicic = hasidic, obv. Im very very tired, today. I called swords "balloons" earlier. Don't ask.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 29 September 2003 03:38 (twenty-two years ago)

What if the wig is sexy as all get-out? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of covering one's head out of modesty? Those Hasidics really should have thought this through a little more carefully.

― ScottRC (ScottRC), Monday, 29 September 2003 03:43 (twenty-two years ago)

trust me, that's not really a problem

― s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 29 September 2003 06:05 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

Why do u wear the wigs how is it religions i'm doing a project if u could just answer me bac please

― Courtney, Monday, 26 April 2004 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hottiegirl112"!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 26 April 2004 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

that means there are 111 girls more hottie than she!

― The Huckle-Buck (Horace Mann), Monday, 26 April 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

What if the wig is sexy as all get-out? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of covering one's head out of modesty?

There are people who find the symbols of innocence a turn-on...think of Elvis' fondness for white cotton socks or panties.

A couple years ago I read a New York Times article about some comparatively worldly Orthodox Jewish women who wear wigs, but have them custom-made to look like their natural heads of hair.

And would it be blasphemous to compare these women to strippers who, in jurisdictions that require them to wear something over their crotches, wear merkins designed to look like natural pubic mounds?

― j.lu (j.lu), Monday, 26 April 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, I didn't know such laws existed!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 26 April 2004 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

It's called Wigga.

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 26 April 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

haha i'm such an ignorant tool

― g--ff (gcannon), Monday, 26 April 2004 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe she's Wiggan.

xp!

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 26 April 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

On the road to Wiggan pier?

― Michael White (Hereward), Monday, 26 April 2004 18:11 (twenty-one years ago)

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