Wig

A wig is a head covering made from various materials. These materials include human hair, animal hair, or synthetic imitations. The term is a shortened version of the word "periwig." People use wigs for many different reasons. They may wear them to disguise baldness or to alter their physical appearance. Wigs also serve as part of certain professional uniforms.

The process of wearing and maintaining a wig has changed over time. In ancient Egypt, people used beeswax and resin to secure wigs to their heads. In the 18th century, men used powder to achieve a white or off-white color. This powder was often made from finely ground starch. It was frequently scented with lavender, orange flower, or orris root. Some wigmakers used unique methods to keep hair moist. In Paris, they would bake hair into a dough. Gingerbread bakers often helped by baking this hair dough for the wigmakers.

Wigs have appeared in many distinct forms across history. In the 17th century, periwigs for men were often shoulder-length or longer. These imitated the long hair fashions of the 1620s. Some wigs, called bag wigs, had the back hair enclosed in a bag. In the 18th century, women used hair extensions to create large, themed styles. These were known as "boat poufs" in the French court. These coiffures were often very heavy due to pomades and ornamentation.

History shows that many ancient cultures used wigs for fashion or protection. Ancient Egyptians used them to shield shaved heads from the sun. Other cultures, such as the Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans, used them as everyday fashion. In China, wigs became popular during the Spring and Autumn period. In Korea, women wore large hairpieces called gache during the Goryeo dynasty. These were eventually banned in the late 18th century.

In Europe, the revival of wigs was driven by royal patronage. King Louis XIII began wearing wigs in 1624 due to premature balding. His son, Louis XIV, helped spread this fashion across Europe in the 1660s. Wig-wearing remained a dominant style for men for about 140 years. This era ended due to the changes brought by the French Revolution in 1789. The fashion for powdered hair also declined after 1790. In 1795, the British government passed the Duty on Hair Powder Act. This tax of one guinea per year helped end the popularity of hair powder.

Professional wigmaking was a highly skilled and prestigious craft. In 1665, a wigmakers' guild was established in France. Other European cities soon copied this model. Wigmakers used different materials based on cost. The best wigs were made from natural human hair. Cheaper versions used the hair of horses or goats. The Lyon Wigmaker Guild even petitioned to ban certain types of hair. They argued that bleached human hair and coarse goat hair were poor quality.

Even as fashion changed, certain traditions remained. In the United States, only four presidents wore curly powdered wigs. These were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams. While most republics abandoned wigs as symbols of the ruling class, some professions kept them. In many Commonwealth countries, lawyers and judges still wear wigs. Barristers wear styles from the late 18th century. Judges wear shorter wigs for daily work. For ceremonial occasions, they wear full-bottomed wigs. This connects modern legal systems to centuries of tradition.