Evolution and popularity of wigs
Black women have an interesting relationship with wigs
Wigs, like pretty much all fabulous things, can be traced back to ancient Egypt. And, like high heels, worn by both men and women to frame their beauty, and reflect their status.
Made out of human hair (clearly this is a long-standing tradition!), wool or vegetable fibres, these wigs created the impression of hair. It is said Egyptians used wigs to protect their shaved heads from the sun, and shaved their head because head lice infestations were apparently common at the time.
Wigs got more elaborate depending on status. And could be adorned with beads and lots of jewellery. This was a symbol of wealth. Wigs were apparently also de rigeur in ancient Greece and Rome where, like the Egyptians, served both function and style.
Then there was The Renaissance (a period spanning the 14th to 17th century Europe) marked by cultural and intellectual movement, shifting from the medieval period into a modern era.
The Renaissance brought about a shift in thinking, challenging traditional beliefs and inspiring the spirit of inquiry, innovation, and artistic expression. Naturally, this greatly impacted society, laying fertile ground for the extravagance of The Baroque period in the 18th and 19 centuries.
In the 18th century, wigs reached achieved peak popularity in Europe. Large, powderedwigs made from horsehair or human hair were fashionable with the rich.
In fact, theexpression ‘big wigs’ can be traced back to this time. Just like powder rooms existed for the intricate process of powdering wigs to clarify them. Wigs were returned to wig makers to refresh and decorate.
Elaborate wigs
I suppose the effort was too much for the 19th and 20th centuries that did away with the regular practice of elaborate wigs. But the legal profession adopted the peruke aka legal wigs aka full-bottomed wigs.
Theatres, of course, continued to use them for their power of transformation.
Now, wigs are worn for many reasons, none more superior than the other. Reasons include a change of hairstyle, covering hair loss, usually as a result of alopecia, hair loss or chemotherapy, to personal choices.
Actors still wear wigs to perform. Wigs are fashion accessories, and even locally, a symbol of status. Not every woman walks around with a 28’ to 32; weave cascading down her socialite-y back.
Wigs are also practical. Have you heard of Akila Davis? She is a 34-year-old race and culture reporter who for the past decade has had to prefer wigs and weaves over her sister locks. Wigs, for her, meant she got to keep her job until she freed her dreads.
In this century, wigs are worn for their versatility. It allows women, especially Black women, the opportunity to change their look without making permanent alterations. Wigs are now more often than not, an experiment with one’s personal style.
Women with hormonal changes who experience hair thinning or hair loss use wigs to restore their confidence and to make them feel attractive.
Wigs are also quite convenient for the busy professional woman who doesn’t have time to stop and style her hair on the go. It reduces salon visits and allows her to still look the part.
The most common reason for wig-wearing though is protective styling. It prevents damage from heat, chemicals or manipulation.
Black female celebrities from Beyonce to Rihanna to Nicki Minaj and Kerry Washington are all known to wear the hell out of a wig. For someone like the late Tina Turner, wigs even became a part of her image as is the case with Mary J. Blige and the young, playful Zendaya.
This latter crop of women also wears wigs for self-expression and a sense of fun. Wigs allow women to achieve whatever look they desire. They can also be worn by women who feel insecure about their natural hair.
In some instances, women, such as those who are Orthodox Jews wear wigs known as sheitels to symbolise modesty and faith. One reason isn’t superior or nobler than the other.
While I have discussed women wearing wigs, men are in on it too. Not all of them will look like Donald Trump’s head of hair. Some will look very natural for men suffering from male pattern baldness. Men who wear wigs are however not open about it like women are. And if you find a skilled barber, neither will anyone else.
Wigs have evolved from a thing old people wear that ages them to pastels young women play around in and the average woman can access online be it on social media or Jumia.
Waist-length wigs
Joy Kendi’s bald head is sometimes occasioned by those waist-length wigs - and evenaffordable wigs that she shows women how to style. We KNOW they are wigs, and those endear her even more.
Now, we cannot talk about wigs and overlook where a lot of this human hair comes from. Sourcing for wigs has been controversial with poor women selling their hair cheaply to feed their families. The majority of human hair used in wigs is collected from China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Russia, Malaysia, the Philippines to India. The human hair industry is thriving and worth billions. Women will either sell their hair, donate hair in Hindu temples or collected as hair waste from salons.
Owing to the sometimes laboured extraction of this hair (sometimes women donate them to temples where the shaving process can be brutal), the silkiness of said hair and the effort required to make a wig, they do not come cheap. Few women are troubled by the curation of human hair wigs.
The desire to toss our hair flippantly overrides the urge to champion humane ways to get human hair.
There is a flip side though - synthetic wigs. I know when you hear this, you automatically think of unattractive tufts sticking out of your head. Not so. The synthetic hair market is, with the rise of technology, getting better by the minute, and as much as is humanly possible, wanting to emulate Indian and Chinese natural hair.
We know Black hair has literally no market value in and of itself. But it is worth billions in terms of products and services rendered. The hair market, without the Black leg of the stool, wouldn’t be as sturdy.
