I can only wonder as to how many women cringed upon reading the title of this post? Sitting at my computer at 7 AM on a Saturday morning, barely awake enough to deal with my own RL hair, I spied a new photo from Henriette Louise de Clemenceau with a picture of her avi in a wig. Her photo was titled "Me and a wig" and the comment read, "The wig can look good at first sight, but i really, really, doubt to wear it again..." which made me giggle.

Thinking back to my childhood, I, like many young girls, dreamed of being a princess in a big castle with gowns, parties, carriages, horses, princes and more. As I grew older, I began to recognize the poufy wigs worn in the later centuries and thought that these might be alright if they were pretty when one actually wore them.

My arrival at 18th century SecondLife society gave me a crash course in wigs and hair and it made me appreciate the enormous amount of effort that goes into making really good hair. I have purchased hair and wigs from a variety of vendors and while I haven't purchased hair from everyone on the 18th century market (I do try to share the love and buy from something from everyone be it a dress, shoes, hair, a parasol etc) my debit card has seen some definite use on the SL marketplace... which, along with a quick glance at my avi's inventory folders, also tells me that I have purchased a lot of hair.

I think the SL hair crafters and artisans do an impressive job at recreating wigs that closely resemble those worn in 18th century (and other) eras... but sometimes, I feel like my avi is walking around wearing a giant marshmallow with a few white curlicues tossed on for good measure. Some of the wigs are really good and others, not so much. Which leads me to my next thought, what would women of the 18th century wear, if they had access to all of our goods & materials of modern day? Would they stick with tradition and wear wigs that might not look so hot (as seen in old paintings and portraits) or would they branch out and embrace the latest line of Jessica Simpson clip-in hair extensions, hair weaves and bonded toppers? Of course they would! Just say no to glued-on mouse fur eyebrows!

I'm trying hard to learn about 18th century appropriate dress, but I can only wonder, how closely I should model my avi after 18th century. Yes, I understand that for court, hair should be piled on top of the head and decorated, but wow, trying to find a really good wig is difficult Bad wigs make me run kicking and screaming to the shops of my favorite designers while simultaneously, I realize that I don't think anyone intentionally makes a bad wig. Wigs, like any other designer's work, require effort, talent and an enormous amount of patience. They are works in progress and I don't think any designer shows up, starts building and is an instant overnight success. This in mind, I think any serious attempt at a wig, with bad or good results, should be commended.

Thinking back to Henriette's comment on her wig, how many of us have felt like the Great White Marshmallow Queen of Candy Land when we enter a room?

updated by @renonys-daquitaine: 06 Oct 2016 06:06:43AM

In terms of wearing a wig, or any hair, in 18thC settings, the choice of the individual *does* depend on your av, your char, as you interpret her, and the location you are in. If you are a Versailles courtier IC at Versailles, then the best thing is to fasten on the wig you most like from one of the several accomplished period wig makers, especially the lower ones they have been bringing out as the court is now set in the year 1772 and the pouf was not introduced until 1774 (when it took over with a vengeance!). If you are a Coeur resident at home in the Duche, you can wear almost an unlimited choice of styles by providers from across the grid, as long as it is in keeping with your character and the period - for example, I think it would be very hard to justify hair in an unnatural bright pink or yellow for which dye would not have been available within the broad time limits set by the Duche, but more natural long styles or updos in natural colors are not a problem at all, and your character might even have a reason for wearing a rather short style, it is possible! So it really depends on all these factors, which is why it is fun to visit different locales in our world; there is a challenge both in meeting stricter standards, and in having a very free rein in our choices.

I have tried to make wigs and they are not easy at all. The "successful" period designers seem to have an eye for style and also for what will work in SL. Interpreting period dress and costume in SL presents unique technical challenges that different designers approach in (sometimes radically) different ways; this can be seen not only in the varying shapes and styles of women's skirts, but also in the different approaches taken in modelling men's coats. With clothing it often comes down to a question of the display of fabric and design of the garment versus achieving a feel of movement of the fabric and the garment; some designers tend to one preference in their technical solutions and some to the other. With wigs and "hair", it is again, I think, a question of recreating the shape and image of the wig as it seemed IRL, versus having something on the av's head that "moves" and "feels" like hair. Of course, for any attachment, be it part of a garment, hair, whatever, the *ideal* is that it both re-present the shape and texture of the thing as it is IRL, *and* seem to have the same sort of movement, thanks to how the designer has created the prim(s), manipulated the gravity, etc. This is exceedingly difficult but the longer designers work at it, the better they become.

As a side note, I'll add, for "modern" SL, I tend to buy hair from Truth, I just adore how she has achieved this sort of realistic shape and beautiful hair textures, yet she tends to add just the right amount of flexi-hair to achieve movement. I also adore Lamb and Clawtooth, but after wearing Truth hair, sometimes Lamb and Clawtooth hair just seems to ... sit there! Ah well, the problem of finding good stuff, it ruins the other stuff for you!! ;^P

What have I done...

Yes, I know, some wigs are/were cool, but others... just a headache of the weight! But I imagine that it's one of the hardest things a designer has to do. I've just found ones that seemed to be nice (the photo is waiting aproval) and I'm aware that for role play on Versailles you needed a wig, I's just that some wigs doesn't work with me, or anyone!

Oh dear, I did not mean this to be a 'slam' against the wig makers... it was just meant to be a commentary or a summary of the work I've seen in my short time on SL. I certainly did not mean that ALL wigs make me feel like the Great White Marshmallow Queen... but only that some of the round poofy wigs fuel my (already overly active) imagination in that comical way I would like people to please know that I do value all of the attempts at making wigs and this was not intended to be a slam or insulting to anyone's work.

I feel so badly if I've caused anyone sadness or anger or insult; please know this was not intended.

It didn't seemed like one slam, it's just one good debate.

Absolutely not! Interesting discussion actually. No worries! :^)