Queen Elizabeth I of England was famous for wearing an elaborate, tightly curled, red wig. It was King Louis XIV of France, however, who is most responsible for catapulting the wig into almost absurd popularity in the mid-to-late 1600s.
The trend started with France's Louis XIII (r. 1610-1643), who started losing his hair in his early twenties. Some historians think his premature balding arose from either syphilis or the medicinal use of mercury. The wig trend expanded under Louis' son- who was conveniently enough, also named Louis.
It dates back at least to ancient Greeks and Romans, and according to archaeologist Elizabeth Bartman, even despite the Ancient Greek ideal of a “bearded, long-haired philosopher,” women in that society still had longer hair than men regularly did.
Royal patronage was crucial to the revival of the wig. Queen Elizabeth I of England famously wore a red wig, tightly and elaborately curled in a "Roman" style, while among men King Louis XIII of France (1601–1643) started to pioneer wig-wearing in 1624 when he had prematurely begun to bald.
Constructed over intricate frames and adorned with horse or goat hair, these wigs were a sight to behold, held in place by a concoction of flour, gum, starch, or even plaster of Paris. Powdered Wigs: But it wasn't until Charles II's restoration to the English throne in 1660 that wigs truly became the height of fashion.
For years, television personality and talk show host Oprah Winfrey wore wigs on film and for cover shoots for O Magazine. Some weighed up to 3.5-pounds! Though Oprah got her start as a journalist and media personality, she rapidly became a fashion icon as well.
Queen Elizabeth I was likely a natural redhead and probably had wavy or curly hair. However, most of her life she wore wigs. She chose to keep to the bright shade rather than opt for another colour. Her signature locks were so popular that some courtiers dyed their beards auburn as a trend.
The first documented use of hair extensions and wigs is around 3400 BC, in Ancient Egypt. Whilst body hair was a big no, thick hair on the head was seen as a status symbol. Wigs and hair extensions were worn by both men and women who were higher up in society.
The wearing of wigs dates from the earliest recorded times; it is known, for example, that the ancient Egyptians shaved their heads and wore wigs to protect themselves from the sun and that the Assyrians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans also used artificial hairpieces at times.
The 1990s urban style heavily influenced by Black Nationalism and African trends began with the blousy pant sported by famous figures in the rap world such as MC Hammer, who popularized oversized "Hammer pants", and fezzes. However, men were not the only ones to embrace this new form of street wear.
As a longstanding tradition, Choctaw people have worn their hair long for generations. The earliest European accounts from the Choctaw homeland (1540-1720) indicate that neighboring tribes called us Pashi Falaya, or the Long Hairs (Rangel 1993[1557]:296; Adair 1775:192).
Men like your long hair for the same reasons they like high heels and dresses; because it looks feminine. Long hair affords the wearer far more variety than shorter styles. You can wear your hair straight and smooth, wild and wavy, half up, half down, pinned, in braids – the options are endless.
The roots of big hair trace back to the 1970s, a time when glam rock and disco introduced bold hairstyles to the mainstream. Icons like David Bowie and Donna Summer pushed the boundaries of style, while Farrah Fawcett's feathered look brought volume and glamour to everyday fashion.
By the 1700s, wigs were considered “a symbol of wealth, status, authority, even occupation.” The wealthier somebody was, the better the quality of their wig. The truly rich had wigs made with human hair, while those on a tighter budget would have something with horse hair or, even cheaper, goat or yak hair.
There's a growing demand for wigs that can mirror the unique kinks of curly hair or the subtle waves of beach-blown locks. This trend is not merely a nod to aesthetics but also to the empowerment of wearing hair that feels real and is treated as such.
Following the great spread and success in the continent, the wig makers, then called “Coiffeurs”, obtained great consideration and specific guilds were founded all around Europe. In England the trend of wearing wigs was introduced in 1660 by King Charles II, who took back the throne after a long exile in France.
Wigs were commonly used to cover up hair loss, but their use did not become widespread until two Kings started to lose their hair. King Louis XIV of France experienced hair loss at the early age of 17, and he hired 48 wigmakers to help combat his thinning locks.
Whilst hair loss isn't a widely acknowledged as a smallpox symptom, it could be that the trauma to Elizabeth's body resulted in her experiencing telogen effluvium, where hair falls out due to sudden unexpected stresses on the body.
In the yearly 90s, the grey was almost an ashy, slate-like tone. Throughout the Noughties, while we saw Her Majesty's hair slowly transform from grey to white, her signature style stayed the same. And oftentimes we saw The Queen wear a hat, which could have been to help Her Majesty conceal a finer style of hair.
She also introduced wigs and hair extensions to her siblings; the rest is history! The Kardashian sisters switch up their wigs just as often as they change their outfits. Be it brunette, icy platinum, pink, purple, neon green, or powder blue—you name it, they've worn it.
Jennifer Abandoned wigs Extensions for Damaging hair.
Jennifer and her hairstylist, Chris McMillan, stunned the world in 2011 when they chopped off all traces of Rachel's Hair and styled it into a fashionable haircut.
We have wondered just how long Parton had embraced wigs as part of her signature style. As it turns out, the wigs go back to The Porter Wagoner Show, which Parton started performing on in 1967.