A Quick History of European Hair Wigs
In the 16th and 17th centuries, European hair wigs were used widely and served as a practical way of improving personal hygiene and appearance. Many people at the time shaved their heads to reduce head lice infestations and wore artificial headpieces on their bald heads.
Queen Elizabeth I of England famously wore a bright red hair wig, while King Louis XIII of France and King Louis XIV of France kicked off wig-wearing fashions among men in the 1620s. It was virtually obligatory for a man with any social standing to wear a wig, and wig makers gained prestige.
In the 18th century, men’s wigs were powdered (with a mixture made of finely ground starch and scented with orange flower and lavender) to give them a whitish color. Women powdered their hair gray or bluish-gray, and used artificial hair to enhance their real hair. These powdered wigs and hair were an essential component of formal dress, and were particularly in vogue among royal women of Versailles like Marie Antoinette.
By the 19th century, wig accessories were no longer worn as a social status symbol in France and in the new United States of America (only the first five US Presidents wore wigs).
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Posted in: European Hair Wigs
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