The word ‘wig’ derives from the French word ‘perruque’ which eventually became ‘periwig’. This term was abandoned in the mid 1600’s as more people began to shorten it.
In past centuries more wigs were worn by men than women especially within royalty.
King Louis XIV worn enormous wigs, the bigger the better. Wigs became a status symbol for the upper classes.
Queen Elizabeth I owned 150 individual hair pieces!
In 1765 wig makers petitioned King George III demanding a law be created to ensure certain professions always required wigs to be worn. King George denied the petition but tradition persisted. Today British judges and barristers wear wigs as a sign of respect for the offices they serve.
The second Lord of the Rings film, The Two Towers, had an enormous amount of costumes, but did you know that it also had the most wigs ever created for a single movie.
The most expensive wig ever sold at an auction was the one that belonged to a famous painter and filmmaker, Andy Warhol. The wig sold for an astonishing $10,800.
Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry are just a few celebrities known for wearing wigs in public.
