Since ancient Egypt, humans have incorporated wigs into their cultural style. Whether as a treatment for lice, sun protection, or just fashion, wigs have found their way onto the heads of people from many different cultures. At Bang’n Bangs, we believe in staying connected to your roots (no pun intended), so let’s check out how and why the pros wore their wigs!
The practice of wig-making and -wearing dates back to ancient Egypt. Because of the heat and the dangers of lice, most Egyptians chose to shave their natural hair and wear wigs instead. Wigs protected their scalps from sun damage, and were easier to delouse than regular hairs. Wigs were attached to their bare scalp with beeswax and resin, and were often accompanied by scented animal fats.
Wigs fell out of fashion until 16thto 18thcentury France. Made popular by the aristocracy, wigs were used both as a fashion statement and a way to protect oneself from lice. Wigs were made from human, horse, and goat hair, traditionally powdered and white, and were as big and elaborate as possible. Some of the Founding Fathers of America wore white powdered wigs, although that fashion had mostly been phased out by the 19thcentury.
The quality and construction of wigs has only improved over the years. In the 1960s, synthetic wigs were invented, which made wigs affordable to many people. Although human and animal hair wigs are still available, synthetic wigs are most prominent– particularly in the entertainment business. At Bang’n Bangs, we offer wigs of all kinds, so no matter what era you want to echo, we have it for you!
