So why did they start wearing the wig?
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
December 2, 2019 3:02pm CST
Most of us have seen those highly fashioned, very curly / permed wigs that were in fashion several centuries ago. Many of us might have laughed over them and thought they were very strange. Who would want to wear such a wig?
Well, a pretty nasty disease is what started it all. Syphilis had several horrible symptoms not least of which was baldness. Being bald may be more the "in" trend now, but in those days long hair was much more the style. Besides embarrassment, a bald head might also cause one to lose face in society. Your friends and colleagues wouldn't want to associate with you because in their eyes, your reputation was in the mud!
So in came the wigs. These wigs didn't just cover the baldness on the top of the head, but also the nasty scars that might adorn the face from the STD as well.
Two kings began to wear a wig, likely because of syphillis and a new trend was started. Louis XIV and Charles the II.
Peruke, Periwig
6 people like this
6 responses
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
2 Dec 19
From what I remember learning of him in the past? Yeah, probably. The past was a lot more freaky than people want to admit / imagine.@thislittlepennyearns (68246)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
7 Dec 19
@ScribbledAdNauseum Yeah probably. I think it's funny when people find out stuff about these leaders personal lives and are shocked. There just people. They lived lives, sometimes a little freakier than others but still
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
7 Dec 19
@thislittlepennyearns Honestly, they weren't doing anything then that our leaders aren't doing now...
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
3 Dec 19
I feel like I'd watched a documentary about this before. I always thought it was for more regal purposes, but I suppose not.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
3 Dec 19
@amitkokiladitya Our wigs now are so different. They are colorful and vibrant, and different lengths. There are white wigs too, but they aren't the only things anymore.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
3 Dec 19
@ScribbledAdNauseum you took out a very valid point
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@snowy22315 (208823)
• United States
3 Dec 19
Interesting, I always thought it was because they didn't wash their hair very often.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
3 Dec 19
I think that we have a little bit of a misconception on their hair cleanliness. It's true they didn't wash their hair, but they brushed it daily and I believe they used products to make their hair smell better. I've watched videos on hair styles of that era, and people have done research to find that they put powdered subtances in their hair as well as liquids to make it style the way they want. I bet they had a dry shampoo type effect without them realizing it.
@rebelann (117218)
• El Paso, Texas
2 Dec 19
And yet Henry the VIII did not yet he is said to have had syphilis
But how does a wig hide facial scars?
@rebelann (117218)
• El Paso, Texas
2 Dec 19
Well, I suppose if the wore them over their faces that might hide those STD sores @ScribbledAdNauseum
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
2 Dec 19
I think these were the longer style of wigs. The ones that were also white and powdered. They may have come down as far as the cheeks, if not the chin.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
2 Dec 19
@rebelann Yes. I feel sorry for people from those days. However, the men would not have gotten Syphillis if they were faithful. I do not like how they were able to be unfaithful without repercussion.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
2 Dec 19
I have watched a lot of documentaries, and I feel like I had heard about Louis presumably having Syphillis if nothing else.
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