Powdered Wigs: Why Did People Wear Them?

The powdered wig, also called "peruke," was a popular fashion headpiece worn by men in Europe during the 17th and late 18th centuries. The wigs were crafted from human hair, goat hair, or horse hair and powdered in an elaborate manner with flour, talc, or cornstarch to give them a white distinctive appearance. Powdered wigs became popular in Europe and North America, and men of all social classes, including nobles, politicians, and commoners, wore them. But what is the real secret behind wearing them? Keep reading to discover more!

European men were adamant on wearing wigs whenever they would go out. The wig at that time was commonly known as the peruke wig or the periwig. These wigs had a huge history behind them, and they were not only worn as a fashion statement.

Historically, powdered wigs date back to King Louis XIII of France's reign, whose baldness contributed to the development of the peruke. He wore a wig with long, curly hair to cover up his syphilis-caused baldness, prompting other well-known people in society to imitate him even after his death. By the mid-17th century, the trend had caught on, and wigs had become a fashionable accessory for men in France and other parts of Europe.

King Louis XIII

One of the primary reasons men began wearing powdered wigs was to flaunt their wealth and status. Wigs were expensive to manufacture, and only the rich could afford to wear them. Wearing a powdered wig was a way to demonstrate to others that the person was wealthy and powerful, and it eventually became a symbol of one's social status.

In that period, wigs were also seen as a way to improve one's appearance and enhance one's style and beauty. But in addition to that, wigs served a useful purpose. How?

In the 17th and 18th centuries, hygiene standards were not as high as they are today and many people suffered from lice and other pests, so they had to shave their heads bald. And that was when the wigs came to the rescue! Wigs were a way to protect people's hair from pests, and they were washed and powdered with citrusy orange or lavender-scented hair powder to mask unpleasant odors.

Delousing a wig was much easier than delousing a head of hair: you’d send the dirty headpiece to a wigmaker, who would boil the wig and remove the nits.

Powdered wigs were a major part of men's fashion in Europe for over a century but they fell out of favor in the late 18th century as fashion shifted toward more natural hairstyles. However, wigs continued to be worn in certain professions, such as law and politics, where they were regarded as a symbol of respect and authority.