The History of the Wig

The Sun King, Louis XIV (left)

Wigs have been present since Ancient times, especially in Egypt, when Egyptians shaved their heads and donned wigs, rather than keep their hair clean from lice and sweat. In Greece and Rome, the human hair wig was used by many men and women who wanted to look younger, but the bald often painted their scalps. European hair wigs are best known, and they came into dominance during the Early Modern period.

Louis XIII donned a wig to disguise his baldness. Similarly the Sun King, Louis XIV started losing his hair in his mid 30’s, and began wearing elaborate wigs. His court began to wear wigs to honor him, and in his old age, wigs became all the rage. The Sun King wore an enormous curled wig as looking older became fashionable.

A human hair wig was expensive and considered an investment. Combing one’s wig in public was permissible, especially when conversation languished. Human hair wigs became so popular that the flour needed for making bread was instead being used as powder by the landed aristocrats, and riots resulted. After Louis XIV’s death in 1715, the wig’s popularity declined. By the 1760’s more men were wearing their own hair, but more conservative men continued to wear wigs.

Today, wigs retain popularity among many women, and some men. Though not as grand or elaborate, the human hair wig will likely always remain as a cultural product of humanity’s obsession with hair.