How to Make 18th Century Wigs

Wigs were worn in the 18th century by both women and men.

Clothing styles have fascinated us for centuries, as fashion is a mirror to times past. The 18th century was considered the golden age for wigs, as both men and women felt incomplete without a wig adorning their heads. Even the working classes wore them. Working class men often wore a queue, a single braid attached in the back by a string that encircled the head. Wigs in this era were constructed from human hair, horse hair, and goat or yak hair from all over the globe. Today's replica wigs draw from the past but use current materials to make the wigs more comfortable.

Things You'll Need

• Photo of the desired look
• 1/2 yard stretchy netting, matching wig hair's color
• Head block
• T Pins
• Thread and hand sewing needle
• Tailor's chalk
• Scissors
• One yard of bias tape
• 14 inches of boning material
• Hat wire
• Hair pins
• Bag of 6 to 8 inch long strips of hair from wiglets
• Narrow elastic
• Flexible wig comb
• Curling iron
• Hair spray
• Decorative ribbon or wig bag
• Hair net

Instructions

1. Drape stretchy lycra or lycra net over the head block and hold it in place with T pins. Hand stitch darts into the lycra to loosely mimic the shape of the head.

2. Place the loose cap on the head of the person who will be wearing the wig. Mark the hairline edges with tailor's chalk.

3. Place the lycra back on the head block and trim away excess, adding 1 inch to the markings for shrinkage.

4. Finish the edges of the lycra by sewing bias tape on them. Reinforce the wig base with hat wire on the front edge and add 3 inches of boning at each temple and 4 inches of boning just behind the ears.

5. Sew the hair on in rows across the wig cap, starting at the back bottom. If you are using hair from wiglets, pull it apart to get small strips of hair. Sort by color. Sew it on sparsely. You can always add more later if desired.

6. Brush the hair out and fit the wig onto the person's head. Make any necessary adjustments.

7. Sew a casing to the inside of the wig, at the hairline. Insert a piece of narrow elastic band and adjust to fit around the person's head. Sew in a comb at the forehead area.

8. Trim and shape the hair on the wig. Curl with a curling iron. Spray heavily. Add a decorative ribbon or wig bag at the back, if this is a man's wig. Drape a hairnet over the wig to help it retain its shape between uses.

References

• Colonial Williamsburg: 18th Century Clothing
• Williamsburg History: 18th Century Trades Sampler
• The Costumer's Manifesto: 18th Century Men's Wig Project