>>17166308
>>17166917
Wigs for Different Occasions
Men wore different styles of wigs for various occasions. There were powdered wigs for casual wear, dinners out with family, and even horseback riding.
Powdered wigs became more formal by the late 1700s, and many professionals wore them as part of their uniforms.
Bishops of the Church of England, for example, would wear long ceremonial powdered wigs. A judgeโs wig for the courtroom was as short as a barristerโs wig, except for judges โ their wigs were neater and more decorated.
Powdered Wigs Inspired Military Wigs
During the late 17th century, officers wore wigs as part of their uniforms. Military officers at the time typically wore their hair under their powdered wig, but this became a problem when military personnel realized that this was not attainable for the rank of the infantry.
When the powdered wig trend shifted to shorter styles, officers adopted shorter looks.
In lieu of wigs, men would grow out their hair and trim it to a short length; British military fashion rules did not permit long hair.
The British soldiers would style their hair by using beef tallow or fat from other animals to grease their hair. The grease helped them style their pigtails and made it easier to tie their hair back and make it appear shorter.
Later that century, more people began to wear their hair greased and tied back.
Wigs Were Not Just for Men
Even though pictures of these powdered wigs were more often seen in menโs fashion, wigs were worn by women by the late 18th century. Some of the reasons men wore these wigs also apply to women, especially when covering up evidence of syphilis.
Hair powder was trendy because it enabled women to add blue and violet shades to their wigs. Womenโs wigs also included hairpieces and other accessories like jewelry, stones, and flowers, which ultimately made their wigs very heavy.
When Did Powdered Wigs Go Out of Fashion?
Wigs started to go out of fashion in the late 18th century. Here are a few reasons why:
Financial barrier. A tax on hair powder was introduced in 1795 by William Pitt the Younger to fund the Napoleonic wars with France. As a result of this tax, wigs became more expensive, and fewer people were interested in buying them, causing the wig fashion trend to decline over time.
Wigs were uncomfortable. Short, natural hair became more highly desired for men in Europe and other parts of the world. Wigs were very hot, heavy, and high-maintenance, so soldiers eventually decided to forgo the style and sport simpler, more natural styles.
A disdain for the British. Also, wigs were closely linked to Britainโs monarchy, causing colonial men to wear their hair naturally to distance themselves from anything remotely similar to the British.
How Wigs Have Changed Over Time
Even though full wigs in the 19th and 20th centuries were not fashionable, British judges and barristers continued wearing them until the early 2000s.
Womenโs wigs, however, developed differently. In the 1800s, a hairpiece known as a postiche became a staple in the average womanโs hairstyle repertoire.
Derived from the French word meaning โadded hair,โ postiches were ideal for women who were experiencing hair thinning or just wanted to make their hair look fuller.
They are not exactly the same as wigs. In fact, they are much like what we know today as hair extensions, being that the wiglets were applied to the personโs natural hair by using clips.
About a century after the rise in postiches, bobbed hairstyles became a favored look for women. With this trending hairstyle, postiches and wigs declined in popularity temporarily.
It wasnโt until the 1950s that wigs came back in style, and manufacturers began to use wig-making machines instead of making them by hand with advanced technology.
We donโt see many powdered wigs today, but we often see actors wear wigs in film and theater in the United States and other parts of the world. They are also frequently worn during Halloween as a part of costumes.
But most notably, these hairpieces have become a way for people to express themselves or hide imperfections in their natural hair (hair loss, balding, etc.). Their aesthetic has really come a long way, so it can be nearly impossible to tell whether someone is wearing a wig.
Even though powdered wigs are not nearly as prevalent as they used to be, fashion trends are always cyclical. Who knows? Maybe we will see the powdered wig trend come back in the future. The chances are slim, but only time will tell!