Over time, wigs have been a fashion item since antiquity. They are definitely not something new, since they've always been in style. Lately I've came across an online wig store that really made me (re)fall in love with wigs and made a little research on the subject.
For example, did you know that in the ancient Egypt both males and females wore wigs? They were made of human hair, wool or vegetable fibers. The material of the wig they wore was corelated with, of course, their social status. So, egyptians used to always shave their hair. The temperatures there were very high, so shaving their hads was something comfortable. Moreover, no hair meant no risk of getting hair lice, which were very common at that time. Still, they wanted to cover their heads with something so they invented wigs. Their purpose was also to protect their scalp from the dangerous UV rays and to prevent sunburns. So they started wearing them on a daily basis and they became an indicator of one's social status - the more elaborate the wig was, the higher their rank in the society.
During the 18th century, people still used to wear wigs. Queen Elizabeth I of England, for example, was known for her elaborate wigs. All the elite wore them and they had very elaborate hairstyles.
By the end of the 18th century, many wing creators appeared and they were popular all over Europe. They became so easy to get that they were no longer luxury items - everybody could get one, regardless of their status.
Today, women still wear them as fashion wigs. Their quality got better and better in time, so that they are really comfortable to wear. Besides from being a fashion item, people also wear them for medical purposes. Some treatments such as chemotherapy or even autoimmune diseases such as alopecia cause hair loss. And there are also the party wigs, which are colourful and fun to wear at all kind of events.
I was telling you about the wigs store that I came across and I saw there such realistic wigs that made me wonder - can you still make the difference between natural hair and wigs nowadays? There are still many people wearing them and I bet you couldn't even notice. Let me show you some examples:
