Wig Out: The Fun and Frivolity of Fake Hair

I remember the moment like it was yesterday. I had just walked out of the salon, took one look in the mirror, and burst into tears. My once long, flowing locks had been reduced to a choppy bob that did nothing for my face shape. “It’ll grow back,” the stylist had reassured me, but in that moment I felt utterly devastated.

My Introduction to Wigs

On a whim, I decided to stop by the beauty supply store next to the salon to pick up some deep conditioner, hoping it would help soothe my damaged ends. As I wandered down the aisles, one display caught my eye – a wall of colorful synthetic wigs in every length, texture, and hue imaginable. I hesitantly reached out to touch one called “JALIZA,” a lush deep purple pixie cut that reminded me of a stormy night sky. The synthetic fibers felt surprisingly soft and natural.

 

Intrigued, I pulled the wig off the stand and nestled it on top of my head. I turned to look in the small round mirror attached to the display. Gasping, I hardly recognized myself – but in a good way. Gone was the sad choppy bob, replaced with this bold pop of plummy purple. It brought out the blue in my eyes and made my complexion glow. Better yet, it hid all evidence of the stylist’s mistakes. In that moment, I felt like a new woman.

 

I quickly paid for JALIZA and wore her proudly all the way home, delighting in the glimpses of my mysterious purple doppelgänger in store windows. For the first time since leaving the salon, I smiled. Maybe this fake hair thing wasn’t so bad after all. And that’s when my love affair with wigs began.

 

My Growing Collection

Over the next few years, my collection grew exponentially. I had wigs in every color – reds, blues, greens, pinks, blondes, brunettes. Styles ranged from cascade curls to blunt bobs to crimped afros. No two were ever the same, allowing me to reinvent my look depending on my mood. Wigs became my therapy, blank canvases I could transform at will. Why be stuck with one boring hairdo when you could have a rainbow on your head?

 

One of my go-to wigs for casual days was my trusty “Bobrina,” a chin-length chocolate brown bob with soft layers and side-swept bangs. She was low-maintenance yet chic, throwing on a pair of jeans and a fitted tee. But when I wanted to feel like a glamazon, out came “Diva,” a voluminous platinum blonde updo reminiscent of old Hollywood starlets. Paired with a bodycon dress and stilettos, I was ready for a night on the town, painting the city red with my friends and turning heads wherever I went.

Caring for my Wigs

While my wig collection brought me endless styles to play with, maintaining them required dedication. A full regime was essential to keep those synthetic fibers looking their best. I kept each on a Styrofoam head in a labelled ziploc bag to prevent tangles. Deep conditioning treatments of grapeseed oil nourished any dry or frizzy patches while protecting color. A soft bristle brush rid strands of lint and kept the part looking natural.

 

The key was wearing a wig cap underneath for hygiene and to wick away sweat and oil from my real hair. I had a variety of colors – nude for pale wigs, black for darker styles – to create a seamless blend. For Swim caps were a must during workouts to keep my investment high and dry. With TLC, my wigs lasted years between washes, which I did by hand with delicate shampoos and conditioners to retain their vibrancy and texture. It was a labor of love, but all the admiring glances I received made it worthwhile.

 

While the people closest to me had grown accustomed to my ever-changing hair, stepping out in a new wig for the first time in public territory could feel nerve-wracking. What if someone recognized me? What if they thought my hair was fake? To ease that initial self-consciousness, I found going wig shopping solo helped me get used to a new style before debuting it to the world. Department store mirrors let me check out all angles and ensure no flyaways or peaked caps were visible.

Gaining Confidence

Sometimes just saying “Hi, I’m trying a new wig!” to a friendly salesperson helped ease any performance jitters. Their validation gave me the confidence boost to rock my latest ‘do with pride amongst strangers. And it wasn’t long before compliments from intrigued onlookers turned those butterflies to bubbles. I came to realize the power wigs gave me to reinvent myself on my terms, to step outside my comfort zone without the pressure of permanence, to just have…fun! That freedom was intoxicating.

 

When I wasn’t changing up my mane, I loved exploring the fascinating world of wig styling. YouTube tutorials introduced me to limitless techniques like clipping short bangs for a fringe, sewing on hair flowers for boho flair, or pinning fun clips and accessories throughout for events. Beachy waves with a small round brush gave my straighter styles body, while Velcro rollers produced bombshell curls. A dab of mousse tamed flyaways while hairspray locked styles for all-day hold.

Creating My Own Wigs

One of my proudest wigs feats was transforming a short black bob into box braids using synthetic hair extensions and the “uBraids” method. Over numerous coffee breaks, I painstakingly sectioned and wove the strands, watching online tutorials on repeat for guidance. The finished product had me feeling like a boho queen, empowered by my ability to create such a detailed style myself from scratch. Plus braids were so practical – I could still wash and style my real hair underneath without disturbing the look on top.

 

Wigs also became a creative outlet, inspiring costume ideas for everything from music festivals to Halloween parties. One year I was the starry night sky incarnate in my blue JALIZA paired with a body suit covered in twinkling sequins. For another spooky season I crafted velvety bat wings to top off my crimped raven black mane as a stylish vampire vixen. Friends knew to always expect the unexpected when hanging with me – who knew what colorful character I’d transform into next!

My Evolving Relationship with Wigs

My love of playing dress-up through hair eventually led me to launch my own Etsy shop crafting unique handmade wigs. Using techniques like knotting, felting and crochet, I brought whimsical designs to life inspired by nature, mythology and creative daydreams. Popular styles included woodland wolf tails, mermaid waves bursting with seashells and starbursts framing ethereal faces. Customers appreciated my visionary takes on hair as wearable art they could sport at Renaissance fairs, comic cons or fantasy-themed parties. It was such a thrill seeing strangers rock my made-up ‘dos in Instagram selfies tagged with my shop name.

 

These days my obsession with wigs has mellowed from an all-consuming hobby to more of a flair I choose to enhance certain looks. While my collection has downsized over the years, a carefully curated selection of favorites remain that spark joy. My reliable “Bobrina” brown bob is in heavy rotation for low-key days, while “Diva” gets whipped out for special occasions needing red carpet glam. In between, whimsical wigs like “JALIZA” still emerge when I crave excitement or want to match a colorful outfit.

 

No longer dependent on wigs to disguise bad haircuts or insecurities, I’ve come to appreciate them simply as a form of self-expression. With so many options on the market, it’s endlessly gratifying to transform perceptions of beauty through customizable creativity. Plus it’s more fun imagining compliments are about the wig, not me – so I can bask in the glow without attaching my self-worth. Wigs remind me that true beauty lies in originality, playfulness and seeing life as an endless costume party where anything goes. So come on, lace up those stilettos and join me – the night is young, and it’s time to wig out!