Hair today gone tomorrow

Throughout the years people have worn some pretty extravagant hairstyles and not much has changed today. Daring dos and lavish locks are in fashion and bigger and bolder styles are considered trendy.

Here are some of the craziest hair pieces from the past and present.

Reformation Wigs

Marie Antoinette Image Source

The Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century and many changes occurred in society. Law and restrictions on wigs were lifted and both men and women wore big, bouffant and elaborate hair pieces.

During the 18th century women often wore wigs that were over one metre high and lavishly decorated with fruit, birds and even ships. They would don the same hair piece for months and each creation would be matted with lard to stop it falling apart. Unfortunately, however, the wigs often attracted insects and at one point caused embarrassing lice infestation amongst the upper classes. Nice!

Egyptian wigs

Ancient Egyptian Wig Image Source

Incredibly extravagant wigs were worn by wealthy Ancient Egyptians of both sexes. The hair pieces would be extremely ornate and would be decorated with beads, ribbons, hair bands, tiaras, tassels and even flowers. The wigs were often made from human hair which was sometimes supplemented by plant fibres or sheep’s wool. They would take hours to make and were available in dark as well as blonde shades.

A little fascinating fact: Egyptians were obsessed by hygiene and often shaved and plucked every hair off their body to protect them from lice. They would rub scented oils onto their heads (or natural hair if they still had it) and walk around smelling as good as possible all day.

Judges wigs

Lord Chief Justice Image Source

Judges and barrister in Britain have worn elaborate head gear in courts for hundreds of years including flat bonnets and caps. It is thought that wigs were introduced around 1680 and were originally made from powdered white or grey hair. In 1822 a man called Humphrey Ravenscroft invented a legal wig made of whitish-grey horsehair which did not need frizzing, curling, perfuming or powdering. It is thought that judges initially began to wear wigs as a form of disguise; however, today they have become part of practice and tradition.

Panto Wigs

Panto Dames Image Credit

The pantomime Dame is renowned for being utterly hilariously and highly entertaining. Normally played by a man in drag, this traditional character often wears an outrageous wig, bright make up and behaves in a melodramatic way. The hair pieces come in all different shapes and sizes but are usually as wacky as ever. Dames have been seen in blue, green and even red wigs which clash wonderfully with their mismatched outfits.

Hair extensions

Girl Having Extension Put In Image Credit

Extensions are extremely popular in modern culture and are used to add length and volume to natural locks. Usually made from human hair or synthetic fibres, the extensions can be sewn, glued or clipped in and can last for as long as eight weeks at a time. Available in a number of natural colours, it is possible to match a particular hair colour entirely or select darker and lighter tones for highlights. The hair pieces are also available in bright, bold colours for a more dramatic effect and are raved about in the celeb world.

Clip in fringes

Clip On Fringe Image Source

Believe it or not you can now buy clip in fringes to transform your look in an instant. Available in all different styles and colour, the fringes simply attach to the front of your head and blend in with your natural cut. There are many colours to choose from so you can either select a shade which best matches your natural hair or go completely wild and choose a different colour altogether. Nothing seems too extreme when it comes to hair these days, so whatever you go for, just flaunt it with confidence.

Pony hair

Fake Pony Tail Image Source

Hair pieces are all about convenience these days and are designed to be simple, yet effective – if not slightly bizarre. Incredibly, you can actually purchase your very own pony tale which connects to your hair and is supposed to look like the real deal. So, forget spending weeks and months growing your natural locks and perhaps opt for a clip in style instead. As with most hair accessories, there are a whole range of colours to choose from, so you can go for a totally natural, or a completely wild look.

Hair headband

Plaited Hair Band Image Source

Headbands have always been popular, with many children wearing them awkwardly to help tame a haggard fringe. Nowadays, however, you can actually get braided headbands that look like real hair. They simply go over your head to make it look like you have cleverly twisted a unique style. Whether this idea is wonderfully clever or just tacky is a matter of opinion, but there is no stopping the enthusiastic designers out there.

Twist ups

Twist Up Hair Piece Image Source

There is no shortage of crazy hear pieces and the twist up look is designed to give you a real posh up style in seconds. Simply attach it to your real hair, twist it up and you will look like you have spent hours crafting a “wonderful” look. Select your natural hair colour and the idea is that nobody will know you have anything but your own hair to flaunt.

Hair styles, accessories and wigs are hugely popular and are a major part of fashion. Whether you prefer the natural look or something more elaborate is up to you, but there is no shortage of weird and wacky products to try out.

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