Why Did They Wear Wigs in The 1700S?

Okay, so wigs in the 1700s were like the Ariana Grande ponytail of today: EVERYONE who was anyone rocked them, and there were tons of reasons why! But what exactly made wigs such a big deal back in the day? Like, why would people go through the effort of wearing these huge, over-the-top hairstyles when they could probably just, you know, use their natural hair? Get cozy because we’re about to spill the (powdered) tea on all things wig obsession in the 1700s. 🌟

Alright, so first, let’s set the scene: it’s like the late 1600s/early 1700s, and fashion is a WHOLE vibe at this point. People are super over-the-top with their heels, their makeup (hello, face powder), and yep, their wigs. And honestly? Wigs weren’t just a look… they were a Status. Symbol. 💅 Like, if you were walking around without a wig, were you even ~in~?

But why, you ask? Let’s dive into some major reasons:

💀 The Disgusting Hygiene Issues

Omg, where do we even start with this? People in the 1700s had ABSOLUTELY NO access to the fancy shampoos and deep conditioners we now basically hoard in our showers. And since nobody had TikToks explaining 12-step skincare routines, hygiene was low-key… questionable.

Washing your hair was rare, honestly. Like, most people would go WEEKS or MONTHS without it. Yeah, even thinking about that freaks me out, too. And let’s not forget the little friends that often came along with not showering: LICE. 🐜 Seriously, lice were everywhere. Lice infestations were so common that snatching wigs was one of the few ways to avoid dealing with lice directly in your natural hair. Imagine walking around with a lice-infested mop… nope.

🔥 Louis XIV: King of WIiiiigs

Okay, so we HAVE to talk about this dude, King Louis XIV of France. He basically started one of the biggest wig trends ever. Picture this: it’s the 1600s, and King Louis (aka “The Sun King” for some reason cause this guy was obsessed with himself) starts losing his hair. Like, cue the sad violin music, right? But instead of just dealing with it, Louis decides to go out and get some HUGE wigs to cover up his baldness. Like, we’re talking MEGA wigs, y’all. Extra AF.

And, because people were suckers for trends (just like today, obviously), everyone wanted to copy Louis. I mean, it’s like when every celebrity randomly starts wearing those mini sunglasses, and suddenly you’re like “?? I need those too?? Right now??” Well, that’s wigs in the 1700s. If the King was doing it, everyone else wanted in.

“Wigs became the equivalent of posting fire selfies back then: it was all about showing off.” – probably someone from that era 😂

💸 Wigs = Instant Status

Here’s the tea: If you couldn’t afford wigs, that was pretty much like not being able to afford a designer bag, lol. And let’s be real—nobody wants to be the person at the party rocking a knock-off wig. 🤦‍♀️

Wigs were signs of wealth. The bigger and more elaborate your wig, the richer you were. People weren’t just strolling around in simple ponytails or messy buns. OH NO. They were out here wearing structures on their heads! Like, there were wigs that were 3+ feet high. Three feet, y’all! IDK about you, but I can’t even imagine walking out of my house with a headpiece that tall without catching some serious neck pain.

Different occasions meant different wigs, too. There were everyday wigs (but you’re still rich) and special wigs (you’re richer than your rich friends, duh). The point was that wigs said out loud (well, not out loud, but still LOUDLY!) that you had cash 💰 and you weren’t afraid to show it off!

The Influence of Courtly Life 👑

It wasn’t JUST King Louis who was obsessed with wigs: basically, anyone who was ANYONE at court was wigged up. Courts everywhere—whether in France, England, or even America—were all about making the most elaborate fashion statements. In fact, at places like Versailles (aka the fanciest of French castles), people would show up wearing wigs that didn’t even look like anything CLOSE to natural hair.

Royal courts would show off their luxurious wigs at big fancy parties that lasted hours, sometimes DAYS. And can we talk about the wig color trend? They would powder their wigs white and gray, which were like the equivalent of today’s edgy neon shades (minus the Manic Panic).

😷 Wigs Covered Up All SORTS of Hair Issues

Remember the lice situation? Yeah, well, that’s also why wigs were popping! 🐜💀

People had awful hair. There were diseases, lice infestations, grossness… you get the idea. So, wigs were like the ultimate ~beauty hack~ to hide that ratchet natural hair that you honestly didn’t want ANYONE to see. Diseases like syphilis were super common back in the day, and one of the side effects was hair loss. Wigs let people cover that up (thank goodness, I guess) so they could still flaunt their fancy selves around town without anyone knowing what was actually going on.

This is lowkey the same way we use wigs today for protective styles or just to feel ourselves without stressing over our growing-out dye job or bad hair days. If wigs were a thing today like they were in the 1700s, we’d probably all wear them when we got a bad haircut.

FUN FACT: Wigs Took FOREVER To Put On

So picture this: you’re in the 1700s. You didn’t just throw on a wig and leave the house. Nope. Putting those babies on took WORK. Wigs were made out of stuff like human hair (yeah, creepy), horsehair (also creepy), and other random fibers. They were MASSIVE and involved serious styling (gotta maintain those hair heights, right?).

Wigs needed powders, oils, and pomade for that perfect look. Plus, you needed someone to help you put it on! It wasn’t just an easy grab-and-go thing. Imagine coordinating plans with your BFF, but she’s running late because she’s applying pomade to her horsehair wig… 🙄

So, Who Actually Wore These Wigs? 👀

We know dudes were obsessed with their wigs, but don’t think for a second that women were gonna miss out on this trend! Nope. Girls rocked wigs too, just usually in a smaller, more ‘fem-me’ style, but still extra AF. Women of the upper class wanted to flaunt their elegance, wealth, and taste just like men.

In fact, some historical ladies were known for damn near holding up their wigs with scaffolding. If you were a noblewoman, you HAD to make sure your wig game was strong because, honestly, a flat wig = social suicide in those circles.

So yeah, wigs were kind of ~universal~ among the rich and elite.

But What Happens If You Didn’t Wear a Wig? 😬

Oh honey, NOT wearing a wig in the 1700s was basically broadcasting to everyone that you were broke. 😂 If you walked around bald or with just your natural hair, it was considered sooo not up-to-far with fashion standards. People would literally judge you based on your hair length, which is WILD.

It’s kinda similar to how some beauty standards today are wrapped up in showing off flawless skin or having the “perfect” eyebrows. Back then, it was all about who had the highest, most hair-raising wig. You couldn’t walk into a fancy event with your natural hair and expect people to be chill about it.

Why They Stopped Wearing Wigs (Wait, What Happened?)

Alright, by now you’re probably wondering: Did they ever just STOP wearing wigs???

So yeah, eventually, wigs totally fell out of fashion. By the late 1700s (a.k.a. THIS was around the time of the American Revolution and Marie Antoinette scandal vibes), wigs started to get less cool. Tbh, wigs became ridiculously expensive to maintain, especially cause the dude running France (Louis XVI—THE King Louis XIV’s grandson) almost bankrupted the country. YIKES.

Plus, younger generations thought wigs were soooo the old days and opted for more natural hair looks (MESSY buns, anyone?). So wigs slowly faded into being a thing only for REALLY fancy, formal situations.

Honestly, wigs in the 1700s were gigantic, powdered, itchy, status-packed fashion essentials. Terrifying but true. But on the upside, we get to rock our modern-day wigs and feel just as fabulous, minus all the lice, powder, and neck pain 😜. Let’s be grateful for progress in fashion, fam! 💁‍♀️