Thanks to the likes of Kylie Jenner, Lady Gaga, and the queen herself, Beyoncé, we may be seeing a new trend appear for 2018. Wigs. In a world of ever-changing styles and trends, where fashion never stands still for more than a week, it is easy to see why wigs are becoming popular. They are a way of keeping up with the hairstyles that are in vogue without committing to any real change – you don’t have to worry about regretting that short fringe, or dyeing your hair blue and then realising the colour doesn’t suit you. They open up a world of experimentation, and allow you to explore as many new looks as you can come up with.
Wigs have had a steady rise in popularity, and aren’t anything new. If you’ve seen 2006’s ‘Marie Antoinette’, you will know that large hairpieces have always been prominent in fashionable society when our natural hair could not achieve the desired look of whichever time period we happen to be in. Wigs are also extremely popular on runways, for creating supernatural looks that simply can’t be obtained through the manipulation of natural hair – whether it be huge sculptures for the scalp, or hair-hues that the models can’t commit to, wigs are a great way of allowing designers the freedom of innovation, without any ramifications for the models. They have also been key in drag performance for many years, allowing the male participants to match their hair to their looks in showcases and competitions.
There doesn’t appear to be any one prevalent trend when it comes to these wigs, so don’t be afraid of going for whatever you feel like exploring. There were striking 60s style bouffants at Jeremy Scott’s NYFW show, incredible cyber-inspired hairpieces at the Manish Arora PFW show and the candy-pink, choppy bob that rose to fame through Chanel’s 2013 pre-Spring/Summer collection. It appears that the name of the game, as it is everywhere throughout recent fashion, is empowerment. Being bold, bright and brave, and combining it with soft femininity is one of the key trends of 2018, showing that light pastels don’t equal weak, and creating beautifully monstrous creations on your head is an act of perfect rebellion that is also a great form of innovation.
Emily Durston
Image: Footwear news