EPISODE 20 - The Evolution of Wigs from Louis XIII to Modern Fashion

Lily Vogue

Hello, and welcome to episode twenty of "What the FACT?!"—the quirky corner where history’s oddities take center stage!

Lily Vogue

And... can you believe it? This is the final episode of season one! Twenty episodes of odd, wild, and downright fabulous facts. What a ride it's been.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, we’ve gone from flaming trousers to cheese sculptures... and, uh, don’t think I forgot about the one where pigeons were postmen. A real classy lineup.

Lily Vogue

Oh, absolutely. Who could forget your pigeon impersonation? Truly one for the archives.

Buster McGillicuddy

Hey, I bring the full experience, feathers and all. But seriously, twenty episodes? That’s like... a degree in trivia nonsense.

Lily Vogue

Maybe even a Master’s. And before we dive into today’s bizarre adventures, a big thanks to our sponsor, AI Salon. They’ve been with us this season, proving that artificial intelligence really can have a fabulous blowout day. Check them out at TheSalon.ai.

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh yeah, my hair’s been thanking them ever since. You’d love it: zero maintenance. Just style and snooze.

Lily Vogue

I’ll take your word for it, Buster. Now, folks, let’s kick things off in style—as today, we’re unraveling the fabulous, powdery journey of wigs. It’s going to be a hair-raising ride!

Lily Vogue

Alright, let’s rewind back to the 1600s. Picture this: the court of Louis XIII. Everyone’s strutting their stuff, and here comes Louis with his periwig—a glorious waterfall of curls halfway down his back. Was he ahead of the fashion curve? Not quite, but—

Buster McGillicuddy

Wait, wait. You’re telling me the guy started a trend just to cover up his bald spot?

Lily Vogue

Exactly. One royal patch of thinning hair, and voilà! The birth of an empire in wigs. From that moment, it wasn’t just hair—it was power. A status symbol so grand it practically demanded its own throne.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, until someone sat behind you, sneezed, and got a mouthful of powdered goat hair. Real classy.

Lily Vogue

Hair powder comes later, Buster. Don’t skip ahead. Back then, the wigs weren’t just fashionable—they were, surprisingly, a hygiene hack. Back in the plague years, when lice made scalps the... uh... ultimate all-you-can-eat buffet, wigs were a lifesaver.

Buster McGillicuddy

Hold up. So this wasn’t just vanity? They were like medieval bug zappers for your head?

Lily Vogue

More or less. Nobles shaved their natural hair to avoid lice infestations and just swapped in wigs. Of course, it wasn’t cheap—a good wig back then could cost as much as a year’s salary for some folks.

Buster McGillicuddy

A year’s salary... for fake hair?

Lily Vogue

Yes! Imagine the pressure to keep up with the Joneses—or I suppose, the Versailles crowd. There’s this one account of a man going bankrupt purely because the wig game was just that intense. Talk about a hairy situation.

Buster McGillicuddy

You’re jokin’. Like, some guy lost his house just so he could keep his curls fluffier than his neighbor's?

Lily Vogue

Pretty much. When fashion turns into fiscal sabotage, you just know it’s gone too far.

Lily Vogue

And if you thought bankrupting yourself for a wig in the 1600s was wild, wait till we get to the 1700s. Wigs turned into these towering marvels of excess—sometimes several feet high, decked out with ribbons, flowers, and, yes, actual miniature ships! Can you imagine, Buster? Ships!

Buster McGillicuddy

Wait, you’re telling me people walked around with boats on their heads? Like... “Oh, there’s Sarah, and... her Titanic?”

Lily Vogue

Exactly! These were architectural masterpieces, designed to literally turn heads. There are stories of women getting their wigs stuck in carriage doors or knocking over candelabras at fancy banquets.

Buster McGillicuddy

Oh man, can you imagine the office these days? Like, Karen’s wig won’t fit in the elevator. “Uh, Karen, could you dock your schooner outside, please?”

Lily Vogue

It wasn’t far off, honestly. The upkeep was also a nightmare. You couldn’t just pop them on and off like a hat. Some styles needed several attendants to assemble. And because they were so intricate, people sometimes wore them for days without taking them off.

Buster McGillicuddy

Days? Wait, so you’re telling me these folks were sleeping with powdered lace and a birdcage in their hair?

Lily Vogue

Yes! There’s one account where a lady had her wig so laden with decorations, she couldn’t lie down properly. She had to sleep upright in a special chair.

Buster McGillicuddy

Talk about sacrifice. “Hey, Francine, how’d you sleep last night?” “Oh, you know, sitting at a ninety-degree angle with a nest of pigeons balancing on my head.”

Lily Vogue

And yet, this insanity was considered the height of sophistication. But by the late 1700s, wigs started to fall out of fashion. The cost, maintenance, and, let’s be honest, the sheer absurdity of it all caught up with people.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, I think the whole “Can’t fit through doorways” thing might’ve been a dealbreaker.

Lily Vogue

Practicality certainly played a role. Plus, societal attitudes shifted during revolutions like in France—the extravagant wigs became symbols of excess. Suddenly, good old natural hair was the new trend.

Buster McGillicuddy

Well, hats off—uh, I guess wigs off—to them for finally figuring that out. But wow, this whole era really took “head and shoulders above the rest” a bit too seriously.

Lily Vogue

Wigs off to the modern age, where wigs have come full circle—no more miniature ships, but they’re still making waves. Today’s wigs combine fashion, practicality, and deep cultural significance in a totally new way.

Buster McGillicuddy

Right. You’ve got lawyers wearing those fancy powdered ones in court. And then you’ve got cosplay folks absolutely crushing Comic-Con by showing up as, uh, I don’t know, a giant Pikachu. Wigs are covering all the bases.

Lily Vogue

Absolutely, Buster. But let’s talk logistics. Did you know the global wig industry is now worth billions? Hair is sourced from places like India, where women even shave their heads for religious donations. That hair often ends up in China to be processed into wigs.

Buster McGillicuddy

Wait, wait, back up. So someone goes to a sacred temple, shaves their head for a religious offering, and then three months later, Karen in Nebraska is wearing it to her Zumba class?

Lily Vogue

In a way... yes. It’s a deeply interconnected industry. And the range of customers is astounding—from cancer patients and people with alopecia, to performers, to regular folks just wanting a quick style change without frying their natural hair.

Buster McGillicuddy

Okay, but can we talk about how wild the entertainment world is with wigs? Like, I’ve seen Broadway shows where the hair practically deserves its own billing. “Starring: Jennifer Lawrence... and Cheryl, her wig.”

Lily Vogue

It’s true! And wigs are indispensable in film and theater. They help actors switch characters or set the scene. And let’s not forget cosplay—those intricate designs add a whole new level of creativity. It’s like bringing the unimaginable to life.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, but it’s hard to imagine “life” when you’ve got twelve pounds of Aqua-Net and hair extensions balanced on your noggin. I’d last maybe five minutes before I just ran straight into a wall.

Lily Vogue

Oh, but Buster, we need to see you in a historically accurate 18th-century boat wig. Complete with a sail. Maybe for Halloween?

Buster McGillicuddy

Deal. As long as you get one of those birdcage ones. We’ll be the hit of the neighborhood—just watch out for doorframes.

Lily Vogue

But joking aside, the evolution of wigs shows us how something as simple as a headpiece can have such deep cultural and personal meaning. From status symbols to lifesavers to art forms... wigs are so much more than just hair.

Buster McGillicuddy

Right! And whether you’re rocking one for fun, fashion, or function—kinda wild to think about how far we’ve come since powdered goat hair, huh?

Lily Vogue

Absolutely. And on that note, this wraps up not only today’s topic, but our first season of "What the FACT?!" Twenty episodes, countless oddities, and honestly, more laughs than we could’ve hoped for.

Buster McGillicuddy

Yeah, thanks for sticking with us, folks! It’s been—and I mean this—an absolute blast. We’ll see you next time with more wacky, wonderful dives into the rabbit hole of history.

Lily Vogue

And until then, remember: the truth is stranger than fiction, but it’s also a whole lot funnier. Keep asking "What the FACT?!", and we’ll catch you soon!