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Wig

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A wig is a covering for the head.

Wig MET 74.153.1g front CP4
Wig MET 74.153.1g front CP4

It can be made from human hair. It can also be made from animal hair. People wear wigs to change their look. Some wear them to hide baldness.

Ancient Egyptians used wigs to shield their heads from the sun. They used beeswax to keep them in place.

Wig makers 15-29-18
Wig makers 15-29-18

In Europe, wigs became very popular for men. King Louis XIV helped this fashion spread. These wigs were often very large. They could cover a man's shoulders. They were also very heavy and hard to wear.

In the 1700s, men used powder on their wigs. This made them look white or off-white. The powder often smelled like flowers.

William Hogarth - The Five Orders of Perriwigs
William Hogarth - The Five Orders of Perriwigs

Some women also used hairpieces to add to their styles. In France, some women wore very large, themed wigs.

Fashion changed over time. A tax on hair powder helped end the trend. Today, some people still wear wigs for work. Lawyers and judges in many places wear them in court.

The House of Commons 1793-94 by Karl Anton Hickel
The House of Commons 1793-94 by Karl Anton Hickel

This is a long tradition.

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🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:Hime cut.jpg
Hime cut.jpg
File:William Hogarth - The Five Orders of Perriwigs.png
William Hogarth - The Five Orders of Perriwigs.png
File:Wig MET 74.153.1g front CP4.jpg
Wig MET 74.153.1g front CP4.jpg
File:The House of Commons 1793-94 by Karl Anton Hickel.jpg
The House of Commons 1793-94 by Karl...
File:Treaty of Greenville.jpg
Treaty of Greenville.jpg
File:Wig makers 15-29-18.jpg
Wig makers 15-29-18.jpg
File:Human Hair Partly Bleached.png
Human Hair Partly Bleached.png
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