Why Did People Wear Powdered Wigs Back in the Day?
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When you look at portraits of Louis the Great, Alexander Hamilton, King Charles II, or prominent figures in history books, you can’t help but notice the fluffy curls draping their shoulders.
These powdered wigs have a very distinctive look that begs the question, “why did people wear powdered wigs?”
This article will explore why people wore powdered wigs during the 17th and 18th centuries and how wearing wigs eventually went out of fashion.
Why Did People Wear Powdered Wigs?
Historians point to syphilis as one of the main reasons wigs started to become popular. Syphilis, a dangerous STI, began to spread in Europe in the late 1490s.
By the late 16th century, the disease had reached epidemic levels in Europe and was incurable. One of the main symptoms of the disease is patchy hair loss, so Europeans resorted to wigs to hide these patches caused by the illness.
The Addition of Powder to Wigs
Head lice was a huge problem when it came to wearing wigs, and the only realistic solution for many was to stop wearing them. But most Europeans did not want to get rid of their wigs, so they searched for a solution – the solution, of course, was powder.
It was thought that adding powder to the wigs would improve the lice problem.
It was also challenging to maintain wigs with their foul smell, so the powder was scented with roots and flowers to help mask the stench of wigs.
The Powdered Wig Trend
Originally called “periwigs,” powdered wigs grew in popularity in the mid-17th century when King Louis XIII started to go bald at 17 years old.
As he and his father, Henry IV of France, wore wigs more often, Europeans began to copy the style. The same thing happens today when a celebrity makes a certain fashion or lifestyle choice.
Powdered Wigs Symbolized Status
.Colonial America focused intently on class distinction, and clothing and wigs were the two major possessions that denoted class differences. Throughout the 18th century, men wore powdered wigs to display class status – they were often used to indicate wealth.
For a while, powdered wigs were only worn by the upper class. But as decades passed, wigs became more common among other classes.
Judges, military officers, and others who worked in the legal profession typically wore white wigs. Men in the trade profession wore brown wigs, and men with professional occupations of higher status typically wore gray wigs.
Powdered wigs eventually grew a strong association with royalty in France, which became so in other countries soon after.
Men Wore Powdered Wigs for Sophistication
Fashion trends during the 18th century dictated whether you were a part of the higher or lower class, and those who were part of the higher class strived to seem older and more sophisticated.
Powdered wigs helped accomplish this goal for men. Husbands were more likely to be older than their spouses, so they wore wigs and intricate clothing to make themselves look even older.
White became the most popular hair powder shade because it worked well for people with lighter hair shades. It also gave darker hair a grayer appearance, another common feature of the more “mature” look for men.