Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-04-14

About Wigs.
WORKS OF ART THAT DECEIVE EVEN THE KEEN
EYES OF LovE-wIG-MAKERs' SECRETS.
Americans have made great Improvements
in wigs as well as in many other things, said
New York wig-maker lately to a reporter.
Few people will wear the old-fashioned Eng
lish wigs nowadays. Instead of the thick, hot
and uncomfortable head coverings of former
days, we have now light graceful and conve-
nient wigs, that are very close imitation of
the natural hair. Formerly the fact that
man wore wig, was known at a glance.
Now the imitation is SO close that have
known it to battle examination. Some time
ago a young man who wears blonde wig
came to have it repaired. l found that
large lock had been cut out of it. 1 asked
him how it happened and he told me that
lady had asked him for lock of his hair,
and that he had allowed her to make her own
selection. He confessed to little trepida-
tion when she took hold of the lock to cut it
off, but she was gentle with him, and cut off
the lock close to his head, without discover
ing that he wore wig. The work of restor-
alton was artistic. 1t would not do to replace
a lock of full length at once. We began with
short pieces, initiating the natural growth of
the hair. The lady never found out the de-
ception until after they were married. when
There is an old gentleman with a gray
beard for whom have made wigs since his
hair was black. As his beard began to grow
gray, the contrast between that and the hair
on his head, was too marked. We began by
making him a wig with few gray hairs
sprinkled in. Gradually the number of gray
hairs was increased, until now he wears three
white wigs year.
Black wigs last longer than white. The
IaNF k,,r,, ,y;tb hox
found no way of cleaning the white hair with
out destroying the workmanship of the wig.
Where wig covers the entire head, it is easy
TO make it fit tight, with most heads, with
out the use of any adhesive substance. But
where the wig covers only part of the head,
or where toupees or patches are used, it is
necessary to stick on the false hair with mu-
cilage or adhesive wax.
Wigs cost all the way up from $40 to 800,
according to the fneness of the hair and the
excellence of the workmanship. The most
costly wigs are made on foundation of hair
lace. Each hair is carefully selected and
knotted to a mesh of the lace. This kind is
called the ventilated wig. You can part il
anywhere, like natural hair, and the appear
ance of the parting will be like that of the
natural scalp. The flesh shows through the
meshes of the lace with great naturalness.
This is the kind of wig the blonde young
man wore. Cheaper wigs are made by fas-
tening hair to long threads and sewing strips
of it ON foundation less costly than hair
lace. Even these cannot be detected by the
ordinary observer, although when you know
that man wears such wig you will be sure
10 notice it. Very often, however, toupees
are put ON with so much skill, by mixing the
ends with the natural hair, that the art is not
perceptible.
think the tendency now is to conceal
badness, rather than to let it be seen. True,
in the summer some of our young men do get
their heads clipped like state prison convicts,
or the boys in the poorhouse, but think the
fashion is less favored than formerly. Some
experiments have been made in the direction
of transplanting hair into the skin, but thus
far without success. You know you may stick
pin through the outer skin without pain.
Hairs have been drawn through holes thus
made, and roots of hair have been planted in
the skin. But the result has been to create
little Inflammation and suppuration at the
point of contact of the hair with the skin.
The hair lace foundation is the latest i'm
provement, and that is fifteen years old. The
cheaper foundation is called the "weft" or
woven.
The costiest hair is that which curls nat
urally. The curl may be initiated, but no re-
spectacle dealer would sell it for natural curl.
The fraud would soon be discovered. There
is a better opportunity in curled wig to con-
caal our art The locks may be oarelessly dis
posed with more success than where the hair
Is straight. OF course know the names of
many prominent men in all the professions
who wear wigs, but it is point of honor
with our profession not to reveal them. We
would as soon think of betraying the name of
lady who wears puffs, braids, switch or
curls of artificial manufacture.
Many men wear wigs quite as much for
their health as for appearances sake. 1t has
been found that bald headed men are subject
to colds, neuralgia and catarrh. bald
headed man in an audience, near window,
! is a nuisance. When others want the win
dow open to secure ventilation, he, in eonsid-
Grafton for his bare pate, wants the window
shut. If he puts on his hat nobody sees that
he does it because he is bald, and he is
thought unmannerly. Some professors and
doctors wear skull-oaps, but they look odd,
and wigs are much better. The market is al
ways well supplied with all colors and shades
of hair, the best of which is imported. Men
don't ''wreathe their wrinkled brows with
well-saved combings," as women commonly
do. 1t would not pay men to save the comb
ings. In mems wigs the cost of the hair is
not so much as the labor. In women's wigs
the hair is the costliest part.