Sheitel

Sheitel (Yiddish:שייטל‎, sheytl m.sg., שייטלעך, sheytlekh m.pl. or שייטלען, sheytlen m.pl.; Hebrew:פאה נוכרית‎) is the Yiddish word for a wig or half-wig worn by some Orthodox Jewish married women in order to conform with the requirement of Jewish Law to cover their hair. This practice is part of the modesty-related dress standard called tzniut. The word is most probably derived from the German word Scheitel (which means hair parting; or "Schädel", which means "skull"). The related term in Hebrew is pei'ah (פאה). Traditional sheitels are secured by elastic caps and are often designed with heavy bangs to obscure the hairline of their wearers; however, more modern designed lace-front wigs with realistic hairlines are growing in popularity.