I am an impatient person. I am also an impulsive person. These two characteristics combined have had a substantial amount of impact on my hairstyle ever since I started driving myself around town at the tender age of seventeen. (That’s the age people get their licenses in New Jersey.) It’s funny, but whenever some big change occurs in my life, I feel the need to change my hair as well. Breakups, the school year ending, new apartment: all of these have been play buttons for the musical “snip-snip” of barber’s shears. I rush out to the salon without a moment’s hesitation or a second thought.

Inevitably, the thought creeps into my mind, “I should grow my hair long again and curl it. That looks pretty.” This desire becomes ingrained in the core of my being and I obsess over it as I look in the mirror each morning. Actually, one of the tell-tale signs that I’m dreaming is that I’ll look in a mirror and my hair is suddenly six inches longer than I remember it. I get that “Wait a minute…” feeling and usually wake up to my close-cropped ‘do. So, I let it grow and bide my time until the day comes where it reaches that awkward in-between phase. Or maybe some random life-event occurs. Whatever the cause, the itch stirs within me to cut my hairs again! I wrestle with the idea and then start this cycle over.

At first, I flirted with the idea of hair extensions. Actresses like Kate Hudson and Heather Graham inspired this idea, and it seemed a pretty nifty way to achieve the fast length I was hoping for. Then I hit the ol’ Interweb to do a little research, and the results dashed my hopes faster than you could say Nick Arrojo. Hair extensions cost a LOT of money. No wonder movie stars and models are the only people I could find with them in.

Now couple all of these details with my career choice: when educating the young and restless, generally it is thought unprofessional to dye your hair outrageous colors. (I’m a science teacher.) However, I have always maintained my desire to be a rock star on the side, having dedicated many years to singing, songwriting, and learning various instruments. The answer dawned on me: a wig! Removable hair that could be any length and color I want!

But I did not act immediately. After all, society tells us that wigs are only for old ladies and actors in movies about the 1800s. Surely it would be too scandalous: I would be laughed off the street into the quiet recesses of my apartment. So I talked over the idea with a coworker, who found the idea so ingenious that she also pondered the purchase. She, however, was already planning to dye her hair blue and thought the wig would be a great way to cover it up and toy with a shorter length without having to commit. This fortified my determination. I was going to buy a wig.

Off to the local Beauty Shop! I was nervous, having never bought a wig before, and the beauty plaza near my house has a mostly African-American clientele (I’m a small white girl). I felt a little out-of-place, but the store owner took really great care of me and helped me try on several wigs. I finally found one that looked pretty natural (probably because it was the same style I wore my hair when it once was long) and had some snazzy fuscia ends.

To get used to the wig, I spent an evening wearing it alone in my apartment. I did my makeup and put on clothes and accessories just like I was going out for the evening. Then I spent some time playing with the wig: brushing it, placing it at various angles on my head, etc. I got it positioned the way I wanted, but in the small bathroom mirror I looked like one of the Supremes. The wig just didn’t look natural anymore. So I went to the bedroom to check myself out in front of the full-length. 

What a difference! Suddenly the rockstar inside was standing right there in front of me! I danced around giddily for a moment, then figured I should take some photos so that the next morning, after some space from “the new me,” I could get a more objectionable perspective on the look.

 

 

I even sent some copies to my boyfriend, who was out of town, to see what he thought. He really liked the look, and I did, too. I decided to wear the wig when I went out for drinks with friends that weekend. Two of my male friends were fooled completely – thought it was my natural hair. My female friend (different from aforementioned coworker) really liked it, and said she wanted to try on some brunette wigs, being a natural blonde. I’ve worn this wig to several more events, and the top two comments I’ve gotten are how natural it looks and how great it looks.

This time I decided to try for a shorter style and a color different from my own. I got a blonde wig in a medium-length style. The result was a little more shocking than the first wig, mostly since my eyebrows are so dark. But I liked it okay and wore it to a rock show in Washington, D.C.  I didn’t know anyone there, but I also did not get any strange looks, and one dude who I hung out with a little bit didn’t seem to notice it wasn’t my real hair. I wore it to work one day, and after the over-all shock wore off, the response was mostly positive.

I haven’t worn it publicly since, but I did a photo shoot today similar to my last one. I’m hoping that once I’ve seen myself in the blonde wig over and over again, I’ll come to like that one as much as the first one. I should also point out that my long wig is human hair, while the blonde one is synthetic, so that could account for some of the difference, too. The blonde wig doesn’t move as much, so it kind of looks like I have a lot of hairspray in my hair. Overall though, the wigs are a fun way to experiment with new looks without having to make a long-term commitment.

My actual hairstyle nowadays, as opposed to:

I also found that a headband not only diffuses some of the severity, but also keeps errant strands in line:

 

Each of my wigs cost less than $20 (my beauty store has a Sale section), but the average wig costs between $40-50. I definitely would recommend trying wigs on at a store before buying them, especially if you’re a first-time wig buyer. You never know how a wig will look: even though it might look great on a model or wig form, it could look very different with your face shape, complexion, eyebrow color, etc. I’m definitely planning on buying more wigs, though I’m thinking about branching out to a shop a little farther away that I’ve been told has a wider selection. 

Now if you’re going to try wearing wigs, I must warn you: you will be met with some surprise, shock, and possibly confrontation (i.e. close friends or family members asking what/why the hell is that thing on your head). Remember the reasons why you’re trying the wig out. You’re being adventurous and trying something new. You’re testing a new color/style without committing to it long-term. You’re breaking out of your usual routine. Then, tell your incredulous entourage those reasons. Or, the response “Why not?” always works well, too!

Joe reminds us why it’s important to get a wig that looks natural!