How I learned to stop worrying and love WIGS || Historical Wig Styling 

That's a lot of work and it looks great! I have similar length hair to yours and have collected a lot of photos of women with short hair in the past and sort of... just decided to embrace the fact there have always been women with shorter hair, even if it was not celebrated. I have, however, worn a lot of wigs in my life as a cosplayer so here are some tips: 1. detangling synthetic hair is frankly easiest done with silicone spray. 2. A bath in fabric softener can take off the unnatural sheen from cheaper wigs. 3. If the original curl of the wig does not fit what you need, pouring very hot water over it repeatedly works for wearing off the curl pattern. You need to prop it up so the weight of the wet hair keeps pulling the hair straight. 4. You can buy refills for alcohol markers and use the refill ink to fully dye a synthetic wig (test patch recommended) and it's easier than colouring it in with the marker itself. You probably will end up dyeing the inside cap of the wig so it that matters, refill ink for the lengths and markers for the roots. 5. Pin your wig on all sides, more than you think you need, to avoid uneven tension. Especially pin around a bun/another heavy backpiece to spread the weight of it to avoid tension headaches. 6. Especially cheaper wigs are quite easy to "edit" if you own two of the same colour. The hair strips are super easy to take off and attach to a different base. 7. This works best for parts that won't touch your clothes but the holy grail hairspray for wigs that actually keeps the style is Schwarzkopf's "Got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Hairspray For Screaming Hold". That stuff will never touch my real hair, but it has the best hold for wigs. 8. Companies like coscraft (UK based) sell ponytail clip-ons, wig weft, lace sections etc as well for a multitude of wig colours to make editing your wigs easier. I especially recommend the ponytail clip-on because they can be much easier to use as a base for a big bun than the wigs own hair alone. I really did not know what to say exactly but those are the first wig things that came to my mind. I think your wigs turned out wonderful Dixie, and i hope you will enjoy your wigs for a long time!

so to blend the wig with the hair you leave out, get a chisel brush, like an artist's brush, and put a little concealer JUST on the parting of the wig and onto YOUR part, and then use a finger to blend it by just dabbing it onto the part so that it blends in. it'll be a bit of a better meeting that way.

Those wigs look pretty good. I am sure the wigs will save you lots of time.

These all looked great on camera

I like them all. Maybe with the last one add a ribbon over the transition. You did a great job.

These wigs are fantastic. Well done. I saw a thing on Adam Savage where he talked to two women about how they style their award winning wigs. Their big trick was to use a clothing steamer to 'set' the plastic hair. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi

Amazed how you can "see" how a wig will work for the different styles when choosing them. They all look incredibly period. Favourite is the Empire/Regency

Wow! Historical hair styling really intimidates me….thanks for the inspiration and tutorials!

That was amazing to watch. I'm so intimidated by anything beyond that mid-Victorian style (which I learned how to do when I was about 13 because I've always been a nerd), so I'm just super-impressed by your efforts and your results.

I've seen people put concealer on the parting of the wig to make it look more natural

I have hair a similar length to you, but I LOVE historical hairstyling. My main era is the 1930s, so I wet set with sponge rollers and setting lotion, then sleep with them in, as heat styling won't hold on me. It does take practice but I've been doing it for years so I've got it down now. Otherwise it's wigs or mainly several hairpieces/rats. I can do my own hair in pincurls for a hedgehog with a pin in 'tail', and a fake bun, clip in curls, and a plait on a headband for Regency (I have a vintage one that looks far better than anything modern and synthetic). My main problem is that my undyed hair is a very un-modern colour, just a type of lightish brown. I have had better luck matching it with those vintage hairpieces than anything easily available, unfortunately! I like to use dry shampoo for an easy dusting as it's much easier to brush it out afterwards.

My favorite is the hedgehog one! It looks amazing!

They all look nice. Number is my favorite as well.

Thank you! I am getting into Regency re-enacting but I have a stacked hair style. I will be ordering the wig you suggested and try to style it in different Regency hairdos.

These are all amazing. You should be super proud. I have hair envy!

Brava! My daughter has very thick, but stick-straight hair, which is impossible to curl. I grew up with brothers, so I never got any hair styling experience and really struggle to do any historic things with my hair now.

Great job! I just styled my first wig for Halloween this year and it was great fun!😊

I put a piece of scrap fabric around the wig stand to make the hole fit 😉

This was super helpful, thank you! I plan to make a 18th century wig this coming spring!

Tweed the part. Then use foundations and use on new pard. Use clear polish to make foundation stay. Worth a try.

My issue is never being able to find hair pieces or wigs that match my somewhat ginger hair colour, and especially not for a decent price.

You give me hope because I know I'll need to do some wig styling at some point and, honestly, it scares the bejeesus out of me. I can barely style my own hair. LOL

it took me a while to figure out wigs and now i absolutely refuse to do any kind of costuming without them. i have extremely fine hair but a lot of it and it will not do what i want it to do, so i just slap on a glueless lace front wig, braid it here and there, pin it up and im good to go. it saves a LOT of time getting ready for events too

Could it be, just because lots of hair piled up on the head has so often been a fashion accessory, that wigs were actually quite common for the fashionable lady throughout history? I know that in my german hometown there was a medieval braid makers guilt that basically made long heavy hair parts for the ladies' outfit.... You look amazing in that regency stile hair bun thing!

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I know this is five months later, but on going throught your comments not one person mentions this for your 1860's wig. Hair Nets! All ladies in the past at this time wore a hair net to keep the style neat and tidy. If you are wearing a fine net that matches your hair color, not one will see it, it blends your hair color and the hairpiece colors together and you will not have to use as many pins to hold the style. It holds down any flyaways or frizzies. I like the Goody Styling Solutions fine hair nets. I pin them with a hairpin in line with my ears across the top of the head so that it covers the back and around the bun. then you put your combs, hairpieces etc on top of the net.

You did a wonderful job with all of them!! I feel so hopeless when it comes to hair. I have made one 18th century hairpiece from the American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty, and I keep meaning to make buckles (curls) but they fall to the bottom of the to-do pile every time. You're inspiring me to try more styling!!

Thank you so much for this. I have short hair that is fine and brittle (I have spent so much money on every hair supplement known to mankind, with no luck) and nothing I do works. I also have faded strawberry blond hair that is impossible to match for hairpieces. (Currently my hair is too short to even attach hairpieces to!) I’ve been wanting to try wigs but didn’t know how, and pre-styled wigs are insanely expensive. I will give these a try!!

Perfect timing! I am going to Dickens on the Strand in December and my current pixie hair cut will not look terribly appropriate with my late 1880s dress. This gives me hope that I can manage to wrangle a wig into a manageable style.

Thany you for this. I actually have waist length hair, but it's thin hair. Styling it is always a challenge and my first foray into hair pieces didn't really work out. Perhaps it's time to try again.

Dixie Dear, the only way I've ever been able to get a nice, fairly long lasting curl is perm rollers and a firm hold setting gel. Roll your hair very thinly before bedtime. Think +/- 30 for your length of hair. Cover with silk scarf tied snugly to your head. Then go to bed and wake up to riotous curls.

They all looked great. I always feel like I am overheated when I wear wigs

This is so helpful! I’m thinking of chopping my long hair in favor of more vintage-friendly styling, but I’ve been hesitant because I know I won’t be able to do a lot of these historical styles with my own hair anymore. This video reassured me that it’s totally possible to make hairpieces and wigs look like the real thing! One question: how secure are these styles? Once all the pieces and wigs are in, are you able to move around a lot (like for dancing or even doing work around the house)? Do they get wobbly or slippy after an hour or so?

I never believe 1780's hair is as giant as it is.

I have VERY short hair and have to wear wigs with all my costumes, 1770s-1918. I would love to know where you bought your Regency and 1860s wigs from on Amazon. I have a few but try to keep them in the style I made them for, and its getting too expensive. I love all the styles you made. ~~Val

the hedgehog style looks a bit stiff, especiallt the ponytail part. I think its sticks out at a strange angle which betrays its 'fakeness'. the 1860s style on the other hand is very gracious and convincing, despite the visible join. You could try hiding it with some sort of delicate headband or a ribbon

How warm are those wigs?