Head Wraps and Turbans to Flatter Your Face Shape

A fashion solution for a bad hair day or hair loss are colorful head wraps, turbans and layered scarves, which can be worn indoors or out, from casual to formal looks.

If you think you don’t look good in the latest head wraps or turbans, maybe you haven’t found the right style for your face shape. Just like choosing a hairstyle, your goal is to accentuate the positive and balance the shape of your face.

Remember this is an accessory - part of an outfit. A little planning can turn a plain outfit into a fashion statement!

What is Your Face Shape?

A quick trick is to stand in front of a mirror, smooth your hair away from your face and draw an outline of your reflection on the mirror with a soft eyeliner pencil or old lipstick.

1. Notice the overall length and width of your face.
2. Compare the width of your face in three places:

• Across your forehead just above your eyebrows
• Across the top of your cheekbones
• Across your jaw line and chin

An oval face is about 1-1/2 times longer than it is wide and the most balanced shape. Whether or not you have hair loss, you can wear just about any style of head covering.

If the length and width of your face are fairly equal, you have a round face and will want to embellish the flat outline of the basic turban or head wrap. Add height by layering with a twisted band or scarf. You can further soften lines with a bow, half bow or silk flower on one side just above your ear.

A square face is about the same width across the forehead and the jaw line. Add height with a twisted band as described above. To soften your jaw line, tie the band just behind your ear, with full ends flowing in front of your collarbone. Or tie a large bow above or behind your ear.

A heart-shaped  face is widest across the forehead and/or cheekbones, with a small, narrow jaw line or chin. The edge of the wrap can be a little lower on your forehead, with the knot behind your ear and the tie ends hanging long in front or back.

For you, scarf ends that are square or rounded will look better than pointed ones, which can exaggerate a pronounced chin. A full bow towards the top of your head will accentuate your eyes.



For all face shapes, first bring the edges of the piece around your natural hair line to cover the tops of your ears, and play with twisting, wrapping and tying the end in knots, bows or half bows (only one loop).

If the turban completely covers or replaces your hair, you can balance the look even more with earrings that are larger than you may normally wear.

With the increasing number of women every year that undergo chemotherapy, almost everyone has someone close that has to deal with the side effect of complete hair loss, known as alopecia. As our population ages, many women experience thinning hair from thyroid problems and other medical conditions. In normal circumstances, simply having a bad hair day is aggravating, but hair loss compounds the devastating effects of greater health challenges.

It is not shallow vanity to want to improve our appearance. As visual creatures, we instinctively want to decorate ourselves to relate to others and display our need for connection. Even through illness, you will be more encouraged be around people if you know your unique beauty still reflects from the inside out. Being around those who love and support you is one of the best natural medicines you can find.

Experiment with tying the knot on one side and then the other, with tail ends hanging down. Spread the fabric of the bow for maximum fullness, and position it in different areas around your head. What is your best look?

The Healing Wardrobe - 5 Tips for Using Color to Lift Your Spirit

For better or worse, color has a significant impact on our emotions. It may not surprise you to know the way each of us perceives color is unique. Bright colors that lift one person´s mood can be overwhelming or garish to someone else. Pastels that aim to soothe the spirit may be too dreary for a bubbly personality.

The colors you wear not only affect your mood, but also communicate something about your personality. The effect of color in our lives can be mystical, psychological and even functional.

During meditation, feelings of well being are enhanced with visualization of color that has specific meaning to the person. Deep breathing exercises that use a sense of color being directed at different areas of the body can help patients cope and better manage the stress and fear related to their illness.

The influence of color had never been so obvious to me until I was faced with hair loss during chemo. With a bald head, I looked - and felt - absolutely drained unless I wore flattering colors.

With the other side effects of chemo, the stress of a chronic illness or alopecia, we need all the cheering up we can get. Our hair is such a significant part of our self image that sudden, complete hair loss often has a deep impact on our identity and confidence.

Each year, thousands of women have chemo hair loss or alopecia from other medical treatments. And at some point in their lives, another 4.5 million people in the US will be affected with baldness from other causes.

But we can face this change by using our favorite colors to our advantage.

Before you choose a cancer hat, tie a head wrap scarf or turban, here are 5 tips for selecting your best colors:

1. Grab a pad & pen. Go through your closet and write the top 3 colors that look best on you. If you´re not sure, hold it near your face in front of the mirror.

2. Add to the list one or two colors that get you compliments when you wear them.

3. List 1 color you purposely avoid wearing (you may or may own that color).

4. Write down one emotion you connect with each color, whether positive or negative. For example: red (exciting, irritating or?); blue (healing or boring?); black (sophisticated or gloomy?).

5. If you don´t own at least 3 colors that make you feel good, fill in your list with the colors you need to add to your wardrobe - and the positive feeling each one gives you.

By consciously making this list, not only will you be drawn to your healing colors, but you will "anchor" that good feeling. Every time you wear these colors, it will reinforce the memory of the positive emotion.

You don´t have to buy a new wardrobe. An accessory worn near your face, such as earrings, or a colorful necklace, can change the whole mood of your appearance.

Is that gray sweater depressing? It can be a beautiful background for a head wrap of fuchsia, purple,turquoise, elegant black, crisp white or an animal print.

For those that unfortunate folks that are stuck with having to deal with their hair every day, dyeing it to match each outfit is not a sensible option. But without hair, you can look elegant with a scarf, turban, head wrap or hat that is a proud statement of your colorful spirit.

Sunset Fiesta Turban, Head Scarf or Chemo Hat

These colors are delicious - vibrant orange and soft yellow sweep together like a summer sunset in a light, sheer chiffon.  Embroidered with jewel tones of deep blue and teal, this will look stunning with summer outfits - from crisp whites to jeans or a bathing suit.  You can shop and see and other styling ideas at Titillating Turbans.

Last year at the LA Textile Show we took some time to browse through the fabric district outside.  Seems 13 floors of fabric just wasn't enough for me.  I saw this fabric from across the street and bought the whole bolt.  Sadly, it is one-of-a-kind and I can't get any more, so if you like it grab it now!

It ties beautifully into a bow, you can wrap the ends around the band to create a turban look - for Sex and the City fans - or wear the band alone as a light scarf, headband or sash belt.

In between working like a crazed elf, I'm wandering more deeply into the wonderful world of textiles.  This month I'll be taking classes to update my skills in silk painting and then learning to texturize it with other fibers.  A long, labor intensive process, but the possibilities are endless.  I am so curious to see how it eventually ends up on my head.

I hope you are enjoying this fabulous weather! Our garden has loved the alternating rain & warm weather, and we have more blooms and figs than ever.

What are you doing this season to dust off the cobwebs (whether your house or your brain)?

Turban in Hibiscus Print, Summer Head Scarf Sets

Whether you need a chemo hat for hair loss, an easy to tie head scarf, a turban for after exercise or yoga wear, the collection at Titillating Turbans is always expanding. 

You'll feel like you are strolling a Hawaiian beach in this festive pattern of hibiscus flowers on a background of turquoise and purple.  

Visit here to see over 50 colors and fabrics for every occasion. Whether for yourself or a gift, this accessory will be enjoyed for many years to come. 

Every 2-piece set of hat and scarf ties into more than a dozen different styles.  

 www.TitillatingTurbans.com

Why Turbans?

When I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in June, 2008, I focused on the high chances of recovery. I imagined myself a warrior in a dark adventure, full of unknown challenges that would force me to find solutions to help all of us that face this journey. As both a patient and a doctor, maybe I would even discover a natural cure.

As the days of chemotherapy and radiation closed in, I didn't feel so adventurous. Above all, I became obsessed with how to deal with losing my hair. The doctors encouraged me to maintain my lifestyle as much as possible during treatment, which meant being in public almost every day. I wanted to be a positive role model to my own patients, no matter what my condition.

At least initially, a cancer diagnosis rips away our sense of control over anything. Unlike gradual appearance changes, like weight or normal aging, chemo hair loss can happen over just a few days, and we can't do anything to stop it. Living in a body that has turned against you, chemo leaves you tired, cranky and hairless, and you don't even recognize the person in the mirror.

Some days it's difficult to just get up, yet there are daily tasks, medical appointments, a job and a family. With barely has the energy to put on lipstick, you would think appearance is not important, but the comfort of the familiar, and that need to look good and be accepted, never goes away. Besides feeling awkward, I didn't want how my head looked to scream "I have cancer." I admit, I'm a teeny bit of a control freak, but I wanted to inspire hope, not pity.

Going through treatment in the cooler months, few women I met went bare-headed. Other than wigs, most wore skimpy kerchiefs and caps that were more of an emergency measure than a conscious style decision. As we chatted in the waiting room, many complained that they were self-conscious about their hair loss and dorky hat, often looking worse than they felt, and frustrated by this constant reminder of their illness.

Once I lost my hair, my scalp was so sensitive from other chemo side effects that wigs were unbearable. I experimented with wrapping scarves of all sizes until I came up with a turban effect that was actually more flattering than my hair had been. And I could wear colors to match an outfit, I ­ couldn't do that with my hair! Every time I went to the treatment centers, the nurses ran over to see what new wrap I was wearing. Best of all, the patients would always brighten up and ask me where they could find one already wrapped.

Seeing the turbans made everyone well, titillated. And the idea of Titillating Turbans was born.

Because wraps can be challenging, I wanted to create something that would be easy for anyone to just plop on their head, and style according to their own personality. There were no patterns similar to my turban, so I started snipping and stitching until I developed a workable pattern and found the most comfortable fabrics. I made a prototype and by June, 2009, a year after my initial diagnosis, I had all the business aspects complete, and a new line of head wear that makes women perk up and smile from the moment they see the variety of gorgeous colors and soft fabrics.

Throughout my life, my mantra has been, "Everything happens for a reason." Then I got cancer, and entered a family of thousands of cancer patients of all ages. And I can find no reason for all this suffering.

Now I believe stuff happens for no reason. But what we do with that "stuff" defines who we are. What I do see is that we are incredibly loving beings, with instincts not only to preserve our own survival, but to ease the suffering of others. Whether you knit a cap, send a card, call, tweet or discover a cure, the roles are equally important. Our strengths arise from our ability to sense the needs of others and our resiliency in the face of adversity to find solutions that will ease their pain.

I hope Titillating Turbans is an encouraging link in the chain of recovery. They were created to help women remember they are so much more than their hair; each person has a unique style and beauty that comes from within. No matter what happens to our bodies, we are creative creatures and will find a way to decorate and celebrate who we are, connect with others and share the healing wisdom that awakens as we embrace each moment of this precious life.

This article originally posted on Join Our Loop. Please visit and support this inspirational gathering place for collaborative insights and information on breast cancer - before, during and after diagnosis and treatment.

I'm Still Here!

Posted Jun 8, 2009 1:11am

I can't believe it's been almost 3 months since my last update. I'm working on a long one, but until I complete that epic saga, here's the synopsis: good news and more good news!

My six week follow up with the radiation oncologist was awesome - no burning, no discoloration or tissue damage. So to celebrate, last month I went for my first mammogram since all this started, and I'm happy to report it wasn't any more uncomfortable than usual. That means there is no residual inflammation from the radiation. Yipee. Follow up heart scan, MRI and mammo are all clear, blood tests are good... whew. Five more months of herceptin and I'll graduate to an oral drug for a few years.

LONG story short - I did design a user-friendly turban, and the site is up and running starting... NOW!!

You are invited to visit! Click here: Titillating Turbans!



Since I had designed them for women who had hair loss from chemotherapy, I was really surprised when other women also started grabbing them up when I brought them to the office - just because they add so much pizzazz to your look!

Most important, please share this site with anyone you know that has either lost their hair or works in any business related to cancer care. I know there was a reason I was forced to find a way to look stylish no matter how lousy or discouraged I felt. It would brighten my day so much to get a compliment from someone who loved my turban, especially on those days when I wondered if I would ever look normal again!

June 12 is my first "cancerversary;" it has been a year since the initial diagnosis, and I feel so blessed to report all the post-treatment tests are clear. With renewed energy and well on my way to a healthier, cancer-free life, it's time to bring a little color into the lives of those who are still in the toughest process of their healing journey.

Whether it's a no-hair day or a bad-hair day, women feel elegant in these soft, colorful turbans. You can order on line for direct shipment, and if you are local, please come by the office to say hi and try them on.

I'm pooped - it took all day to photograph all that stuff and post it. Truly a labor of love. It's past my bedtime. I love you all, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued love and support.
Nightie-night,
Laurie

Rainy Day Rantings

Posted Jan 24, 2009 2:52pm

It is six weeks post chemo, and three months of turban wrapping has started to lose its fascination. Dave said leave it to me to turn hair loss into a glamorous experience, but now I would like to see a little replacement growth before I start radiation. The latest displacement of my fears of cancer recurrence is to perform a new morning ritual of searching my scalp for signs of peach fuzz. Just prior to my usual primping, I don my “googly-glasses” (3.25 strength usually reserved for close bead work) and devote a few minutes of squinting into the magnifying mirror on my windowsill to closely examine my scant buzz cut under the clear light of day. I was very fortunate to not lose my brows or lashes, although they thinned a little. But you can imagine my renewed hope when I found a freshly sprouted eyebrow hair a few days ago.

Unfortunately, during hibernation the follicles seem to have lost some of their innate intelligence to follow an appropriate growth pattern. This young hair appeared on a random spot in my upper eyelid, like a confused baby animal that wandered away from the safety of the herd, so my lioness instincts attacked it with tweezers and plucked it away. The brows may be thin, but they are neatly aligned. In my world, OCD trumps phalacrophobia (“a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of becoming bald”).

Those neuroses aside, I am delighted to find my energy and mental acuity are back to their normal hyperexcited levels. Since the last chemo, the post-holiday dietary cleanup and other good stuff mentioned in the last post have helped me to increase my activity, start toning muscle a little, and drop a couple of pounds. I had taken a break from oxygen therapy for a few weeks over the holidays, then started them again last week. Now that all the chemicals are leaching away from my system, the oxygen therapy can take full effect and I feel like my brain is on fire – in a good way!

Like the old saying, I had been down so long, it felt like up… my brain just won’t shut off and the creative juices are flowing. I went on a long overdue frenzy of office cleaning/filing/correspondence catching up this week. This weekend I’m catching up on household and art projects, and last weekend I cooked up enough food for two weeks of lunches and dinners.

All this is just in time for six weeks of daily radiation, which starts next Tuesday. I’ll go the same time every day and be in and out in about 20 minutes, including time for costume changes. The “big chemo” is over, and now I’m doing all the periodic re-tests. In preparation for radiation, last week I had a CT scan and two tiny tattoo dots (painless) to designate where the radiation beams will be aimed. I was positioned on the treatment table with my arm overhead & a mold was shaped around me so I can duplicate the position every time I get zapped.

This past week I had another MRI (inspiring visions, although not as intense as the first one), and in 2 weeks I have the second MUGA scan. This is so weird for me. I went from a lifetime of just going for an annual physical to planning my daily life around my treatment schedules.
So far everyone has said radiation is a cakewalk compared to chemo, and if I’m going into it feeling this good, I may be able to stave off the most common side effect of fatigue. Here’s a little aside on the word origin of “cakewalk.” In the 19th-century, this was a strutting contest held among African Americans in the southern US in which the contestant who walked with the fanciest steps won a cake. It is also the origin of the expression, "Well, if that doesn't take the cake!" Its origins actually go back to traditional dances hundreds of years earlier, and there is a fascinating story at www.jakelegstompers.com/Media/Text/Cakewalk-Chronology.pdf . As usual, I digress.

So what am I going to do with all this energy? I look around to see the magnificent accomplishments of other women that have survived horrific experiences with cancer, and mine seems like a sniffle in comparison. Some started international movements, nonprofit organizations to support education, where do I go with this?

As much as I enjoy being on stage, I know my best work is done when I work one on one. Right now I feel the faster I can get back to school, the more I can learn every day and better help each patient I see. It’s no different than what I’ve been doing for the past 15 years or so, but it’s with a different perspective, a deeper compassion, a broader understanding and empathy. Before this happened, I was never sick, never had to chose among activities based on my energy reserve or physical limitations. So allow me to leap to my soapbox for a paragraph or several…
Let me tell you, feeling lousy sucks – literally. It pulls you away from fully enjoying life and the people around you, so the earlier you can prevent it, the easier it will be to get back on course. A patient described it perfectly the other day. She is in her 20’s, reasonably healthy, but felt she wasn’t participating in her life – it was just “blah.” She was functioning and getting through day to day, but mildly achy and tired, without excitement or interest in much, and no “forward thinking.”

The good news is that she has the foresight to recognize early that something has gone awry & she is popping back very quickly. Had she not, in another 5 or 10 or 20 years she would be like most of the women that come in, overwhelmed and exhausted, frustrated with increasing medications, needing months or even years to unravel the complexity of all the things that are malfunctioning. It’s not hopeless, but the longer we wait, the bigger the mess and the more work it is to clean up. And being so pooped from feeling lousy compounds the effort required to get well.

Just like it’s easier to lose the first 2 pounds than wait till it’s 20, don’t wait to take care of your health, no matter what stage. Our “health” culture trains us to cover symptoms with a quick fix, or “wait and see” but by the time you have a symptom, something has been wearing away for a long time.

Recently an elderly patient was not getting any relief from her back pain after a few weeks of treatment, although she used to respond within that timeframe. Long story short, after a series of deeper questioning, she reluctantly gave me the details of other recent symptoms that were obvious red flags that her low back pain could be due to cancer. I convinced her to immediately call her doctors, which she did, although in the past they had minimized the significance of her symptoms. Because she had been convinced that her symptoms didn’t mean anything, she was embarrassed to “complain” about them to anyone else – including other doctors.

Even with my referral, her GP said her heavy constant rectal bleeding was probably because she took a lot of meds and didn’t eat enough vegetables, and an MRI wasn’t important. The advice was to improve her diet for few weeks, and if she didn’t improve, they would consider a CT scan. Wait and see… Fortunately, with the new information, her previous surgeon was concerned, scheduled her for surgery within a couple of weeks, and what the GP dismissed as a hemorrhoid was actually an early malignancy. Now they are keeping a close watch and following up with the appropriate tests.

This isn’t the first time there has been a case like this, and I’m afraid it won’t be the last. I won’t mention the name of this healthKare enterprise, but this has also happened with many other providers, and as you know, that includes some of my own. I know I keep repeating myself here, but I can’t emphasize enough that when something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it or cover it up. Trust your instincts, listen to your body and be proactive – and if no one listens, get a second or third opinion. In the meantime, get your regular checkups – even if you feel good, eat your fruits and veggies, take your vitamins and shake your booty.

Have a fabulous weekend – this rainy weather is great for indoor projects, like cooking up a batch of healthy soup for the week (hint, hint)!
Love, Laurie