Wigs
Picture yourself in the 17th century, looking
sharp with a bundle of horsehair on your head.
Though we might chuckle when we
discover that someone is wearing a wig, they were nothing
unusual in years past. Wigs have a long history, which
includes their having been worn by both men and women.
In ancient times, wigs were worn by
Egyptians for a practical reason: to
prevent their shaven heads ___1___
sunburned. The ladies of the Roman Empire also
loved wigs, but strictly for
reasons of style. The wig-wearing trend
continued until the Middle Ages brought a drastic
decline. Wigs later became
highly fashionable in the 17th
century, and they became ___2___
elaborate. Some even ___3___ over 90 cm in height!
During this time, because of such high demand, wig-making
came to be seen as a
prestigious craft. The best wigs were
made of cut human hair, but horse or goat hair was
used to make cheaper versions.
___4___ high prices and extreme discomfort,
anyone of social standing was expected to
wear a wig. An advantage of wearing a wig,
though, was that it was more easily rid ___5___ head
lice than one's actual hair.
The use of wigs eventually began to
decline, almost dying out
completely during the 1920s, ___6___ short hair was in.
Smaller fake-hair accessories have
consistently remained popular
as a way to increase the appearance of hair volume,
but wigs in general have ___7___
their importance. These days, the most common reasons for
wearing a wig usually involve
acting, costumes, illness, or aging. |