Design 18th Century Wigs While You're Trapped Inside
Beauty

Design 18th Century Wigs While You're Trapped Inside

by Marissa Matozzo

Similar to the 18th Century, the world today is experiencing a pandemic, keeping many of us quarantined and in need of new activities to try. Thanks to London's Victoria & Albert Museum, you can now add "wig design" of that time period to your list of skills. Yes, we're talking about those sky-high, voluminous and iconic wigs worn by those in Hamilton and beyond.

The museum, (that closed to the public this week in light of coronavirus) has launched a virtual wig-designing activity that also educates players about hair fashions from that era. It allows you to "create and share your own hair-raising design," and its first step is to "comb out from the head to sculpt the hair."

Fun facts about wigs (and kind of gross facts) are given as creators make their wigs. The site informs that "hair was built up with padding and hair pieces" that could be made of everything from "human to horse hair," and that "gooey pastes made of pig fats kept everything in place."

The player then drags out their wig to a shape of their choice and can add feather decorations, bows and powder to create hot air balloon-inspired looks, or those suitable enough to greet the queen herself.

Create your own Rococo wig, here, and share it with friends. Check out the museum's other digital offerings here.

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