Wigs are kind of a strange piece of fashion, when you think about it. A wig is really a sort of hat that you put on your head…but it’s made to look like hair and shouldn’t, at all, look like an actual hat. It’s sort of a secret hair hat. Wigs are designed to look like real hair and they’re made to go over the hair on your head. But as anyone with lengthy locks knows, having long hair makes lots of fashion choices a little more complicated. Should you wear a wig with long hair? Can you even pull it off? Are there special tricks you can use to make it easier? Or is a wearing a wig with long natural hair just a no-go that’s always going to look weird and wrong?
FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion and hairstyle examples to illustrate the points being made. In some cases, imagery is exaggerated to hammer home the point.
A Weird History of Wigs
There are many different reasons why you might want to wear a wig. They’re a fun option when you want to dress up in costume. The simple addition of a wig can turn you into a celebrity, a famous character, a totally different person. Some people wear wigs because they don’t want to take the time to style their own hair or their natural hair hasn’t got the right look. Many famous celebrities have done this, including Beyonce, Dolly Pardon, Lady Gaga, Nicholas Cage and Robert Pattinson.
However, wigs are certainly not a modern Hollywood invention. In fact, the earliest wigs are thousands of years old. The history of wearing wigs dates all the way to ancient Egypt. It was difficult to have long natural hair under the hot Egyptian sun, so people who lives here shaved their heads and wore wigs instead. Pharaohs and other upper-class Egyptians wore wigs made from human hair, wood and palm leaf fibers. Very fancy wigs were made from silver. Yes, actual silver!
Ancient people in Greece and Rome also wore wigs. In fact, Julius Caesar wore a wig. Later, it became the fashion to wear natural hair instead of wigs. Fashion trends were a thing even back in the year 50, apparently.
Throughout history, wigs came in and out of fashion several times but they never completely stopped being worn. New wig styles and materials continued to appear as handmade creations and later became commercially available as the centuries passed. Queen Elizabeth was known for wearing a wig in the 1500s and many others copied her look.
Wigs continued to be worn all through history and they are still worn today. So why not give it a try? Whether you have long hair or short hair, you can wear a wig and make it look great.
Wearing a Wig Well
No need to wig out! Well, actually yes, do wig out. You can definitely wear a wig when you have long hair. You’ll just want to take some extra steps and take the time to build a good foundation for your head before you put the wig on.
Can you pair a wig with long hair? WikiHow, a site that provides expert advice on everything, says yes!
“If you want to try other hairstyles but don’t want to cut your own luscious locks, a wig is a great option! With long hair, you need to tuck the hair up under the wig. The easiest way to contain your hair is to braid it and wrap it around your head. If you want to wear a wig longer than a day, you can also try cornrows, which are braids you weave tightly against your head. With your hair tied up, you can cover it with a wig cap and then attach a wig.”
Simply Wigs agrees. “Having long natural hair doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the fun of wigs. Wigs are a great opportunity to experiment with styles and colors, and the wide variety of wigs available means that you can change your look alongside your mood!”
Prepping Your Long Hair
You absolutely want to use a wig cap if you’re wearing a wig and that’s a good idea whether your hair is long or short. All your hair can be tucked up inside the cap and this will create a smoother foundation for the wig, which will allow it to slide on your head more easily and look better once you have it on. You’re also going to need bobby pins and hair gel.
Start with brushed hair that is tangle-free. Now, spread hair gel around your hairline and slick it all back to create a very smooth, flat line all around your hairline.
Use a comb to part your hair down the middle. Take one half of your hair on one side of the part and pull it back toward the back of your head. Twist the hair into a long tube and roll it into a large, flat bun against your head. The goal is to get the hair as flat against your head as possible. However, you don’t want to twist or pull too hard. This should not be painful. You want your hair flat against your head, you don’t want it to be pulled so tight that you end up getting a headache.
Use the bobby pins to pin the flat bun against your head. Repeat the process on the other side until you have two large, twisted, flat buns of hair pinned against your head. Remember that you don’t want any hair drooping down on your neck or straying outside of your hairline. Remember also that your buns don’t have to look cute. No one is going to see the pinned-up hair you have under your wig, so don’t stress out about making this look good. The main thing is that you want it to feel good. Don’t let the pins poke against you or pull your hair in a painful way. You’re likely to wear your wig for several hours so comfort is key.
If your hair is unruly and hard to control, braid it instead of twisting it. You can braid your hair in two sections or four, depending on what works for you. It might be necessary to play around with several different methods before you find the one that works for you. Get your hair as flat against your head as possible however you can, as long as it’s comfortable and all the hair is on your hair and not falling lower than your hairline.
Once all your hair is pinned in place, slide the wig cap on. You want it to cover all of your hair completely and sit right on the hairline. Tuck any flyways up into the cap. Use more bobby pins to secure the wig cap around your hairline, placing several pins all around the hairline at intervals to hold the cap in place.
Now, your hair is perfectly prepped and ready. The wig will go right on over the wig cap and your look will be complete and ready. Your wig still needs to be brushed and styled and you’ll have to make several little adjustments to get the fit and the look just right. Even with all this extra work, however, many people find that it is much easier to put on and wear a wig than to create and wear an elaborate hairstyle.
By taking the time to get your hair up and flat against your head, you can wear a wig with your long hair. These methods will work even if you have long thick hair. You can even use these techniques to wear a short wig with long hair. And wearing a wig is very easy but only once you’ve done all the prep work first. Unfortunately, getting your hair ready is just the beginning. You also have to make sure you’ve to got the right wig to slide over your hair.
Getting the Right Wig
People have different-sized heads. You’ve probably noticed that already. This means that many custom-made and well-made wigs are not one-size-fits-all designs. Costume wigs are made this way but wigs that are intended to look more realistic and be worn every day are actually made in many different sizes. You need to measure your head to make sure you get a wig in the right size.
To measure your head, wrap the tape measure around your head all around the hairline. Go from the front of the head, right at the middle of the forehead, to the middle of the nape of the neck. Measure also from temple to temple and measure all the way around the head. Write down all three measurements. This will help you get the perfect wig size.
You need a wig that’s sized to fit on your head because otherwise, the wig won’t stay in position and it won’t feel good. A wig that’s tight on your head is going to cut off the circulation in your scalp and may even cause you headaches and other pains. A wig that’s too loose is going to slide out of place, slip off your head and just won’t look right.
Different Wig Options
Whatever your reasons for wearing a wig might be, you don’t want to feel uncomfortable while you have it on your head. During summertime and during times when you’re being active or working out, you don’t want a wig that’s going to feel hot on your head. If heat is a concern, opt for a synthetic wig. This is going to be lighter in weight and cooler to wear than a wig made with human hair. This is because human hair is naturally heavier and denser than the synthetic hair fibers used to make wigs.
Synthetic hair wigs are made to have one particular style and to stay in that style. You need special tools and products to re-style synthetic hair wigs. You will need to touch up and learn these wigs frequently to keep them looking great. Synthetic hair wigs are made from both human-made materials and animal hair. Wool, yak hair, feathers, buffalo hair and horsehair are all used to create synthetic hair wigs.
Real human hair is easier to style and you can use standard shampoo, condition and hair products on wigs made with real human hair. This is more expensive than synthetic hair wigs, however. Real human hair wigs must be maintained and styled regularly in order to keep looking good.
What about lace-front wigs? You’ll hear a lot about lace-front wigs when it comes to celebrities. It’s a very popular option for those who can afford it. Lace-front wigs simply look more natural, using lace to blend more naturally into your hairline. This keeps the wig from looking like a wig. This option only matters if the wig doesn’t have bangs or otherwise has an exposed hairline.
What You Need to Know About Wigs
Wigs can be a fun way to change up your look. They can help you restore your self-confidence. They can be a time-saver. Wigs can do a lot and truthfully, they’re pretty amazing pieces of fashion. But there are some things to remember about wearing a wig. First, don’t ever sleep in your wig. YOur natural hair and scalp need to breathe. Don’t neglect your scalp or your real hair, even if you have wigs that look beautiful.
Also, remember to wash your wigs. You need to wash wigs every few times they are worn and even more often than that if they get dirty. Use products designed for synthetic hair if you are wearing synthetic hair wigs.
Wigging Out in Style
Can you, should you, wear a wing when you have long hair? If you want to and if you like the look, why not? Wigs are made to be worn with all different kinds of hair, no matter what length your hair might be. As long as you take the proper steps to hide your natural hair and care for it when you aren’t wearing a wig, there’s no reason why you can’t play around with wig style, too. So have fun and wig out all you want.
Sources:
Breast Cancer – Wigs and Warm Weather: How to Stay Cool and Comfortable
History of Hats – History of Wigs – Ancient Wigs
PureWow – How to Wear a Wig So You Can Shake Up Your Look Whenever the Mood Strikes
Wigs – How To Wear Wigs With Long Bio Hair
Wigs101 – How to Put Your Hair Under a Wig