A Man and His Wig

You’d be hard-pressed to find a picture or portrait of a man in the colonial era without a wig. Back then, it was actually fashionable for men to do so and powder their faces. While we can’t disprove the prevalent fashion of those times, what we can do is clarify the myth that it was a widespread phenomenon.

In reality, members of the upper class and those in professional occupations could afford to splurge on such luxuries. However, the style and color of their false locks served as an indicator of their position. On the other hand, commoners could hardly afford such vanity on their low wages.