When you wear a cheap wig, there is no fooling anyone that the hair on your head is fake. And when people see that you are wearing a wig, they might examine you more closely and find other clues that give away your natal gender.
I have owned a few cheap wigs in my time and I have photos wearing those cheap wigs that convinced me to go upscale in the wig department. “Upscale” meant spending $99 rather than $49 for a wig.
It was an improvement, but not good enough. A $99 wig was still relatively inexpensive for a wig (it was just a more expensive "cheap" wig).
Also, I did not know what wig was best for me. I tried different styles, different lengths, and different colors, but always avoided blond shades and short lengths.
I avoided blonds because I thought that blond was oh so drag. All the boys who wanted to be girls wanted to be blond girls.
Also, I avoided short lengths because I thought my head was too big to be properly covered with a short wig.
A trip to a pro convinced me otherwise.
A local wig shop often hosts a meeting of my support group. A few years ago, I was the hostess, which meant that I showed up early to bring the refreshments. I had no intention of buying a wig; it was just another opportunity to be out en femme, so I was happy to be the hostess and not necessarily a wig customer.
We had an excellent turn-out and new wigs were flying out the door throughout the evening. As things were winding down, the wig shop owner, Kathy, said it was my turn. She sat me down at a mirror and went to the back room to fetch a wig she thought would be perfect for me.
A few minutes later, she returned with a short blond wig.
I thought to myself, "Oh no, she's is making a mistake."
She pulled the wig over my head, finger-combed it a bit and then let me look in the mirror.
In a very soft voice, I said, "Oh, my god!"
The wig looked absolutely fabulous on me and I did not think twice about purchasing it.
That wig ("Ryan" by Noriko on my head in the photo above) was not cheap by any means, but it was worth every penny. It pushed my femulation skills up a few notches.
I lost count how many times people complimented me about my hair and how many times those same people were shocked to find out I was wearing a wig. (I never received such reactions wearing my $99 wigs.)
So the bottom line is (1) seek out a professional wig seller for advice concerning the best wig color, style and length for you and (2) be willing to spend much more than $99 for a wig.
Thought for the Day
Femulating is hard work, but I love my job!
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| Wearing Saylor (source: Rent the Runway). |
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| Will Forte femulating on television's 30 Rock. |
Stana -
ReplyDeleteI've learned that cheap wigs look cheap - even if I don't always notice this is so. Because of this, I have found a couple of wig stores that helped me develop a style. And from there, I have one or two go-to wig types that I wear, and will replace with similar wigs.
In the long term, I may have to refine my style even further. But until then, I just make sure that the wigs are well maintained, so that I don't look like crap when I go out.
M
Correct! The same goes for shoes, dresses, skirts, make-up, jewellery... and everything else! It nearly always needs someone else to prove the point and let you see who you really are - after years of trying to find out yourself. The problem is seeking out that person and knowing they are the right one.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Catherine.
I always go to Kathy's and the wigs I get run around $300 but then I wear them everyday for about 6 months. When they start getting ratty looking I get a new wig and use the old wig around the house or with friends and save the new wig for work. The old, old wig I use for the beach and swimming or working around the yard.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. A good wig is the single most important piece of a good femulation. Find a good wig shop. They can immediately assess your coloring, shape of your face, etc and come up with several selections (some you never would have picked). You may spend $300+ but you'll be better off than buying 3 or 4 cheap wigs which don't really work. Besides you'll hold your head high and smile more because you know how good you look now!!
ReplyDeleteI wear wigs 23/7 (yes, I wear an older one to sleep in, but no wig in the shower:-) My current style is one I buy online when it's on sale - usually for $59.00. It's a "rooted" blonde (with darker roots). I laugh when I think that I chose the color because I thought it looked more "realistic", yet I am 66, so a real natural root color would be white - which is not a good look. Although I'm disappointed that the manufacturer decided to stop hand-tying the crown of this style, I can still make it look good with a loose part. A completely hand-tied wig is the best, as it allows you to brush the hair in any direction without exposing the netting or wefting at the base, and the benefits are obvious for a windy day. I've never spent over $100.00, but buying online means getting some good discounts. In a wig shop, I would guess that my current style would sell for at least twice what I pay. I can manage the styling and a bit of trimming myself, if need be.
ReplyDeleteSome day, if and when I have the money, I would like to have a wig custom made for me. I saw a segment on a local TV show about a person who does this for cancer patients. She actually makes a mold of your bald head (which I have without the effects of chemo), and then makes a total mono-filament wig that looks and behaves just like a real head of hair. The cost is about $2,000.00. In the meantime, I'm doing quite well with my $59.00 style.
I saw an ad in Yellow pages for a hairdresser/wig supplier and at the bottom of the ad it said those all-important words: TG/TV Friendly.
ReplyDeleteI made an appointment and a few days later I was there..
The lady who met me was completely non-judgemental and was, in fact, quite the opposite. We found a wig we both liked - we both said 'YES!' at the same time when she put it on me.. and then she styled it with scissors and a brush until it was perfect..
She turned into a friend and she took me shopping several times after that. Worth every penny.
G
I have always gone for blonde wigs because my original hair was very fair
ReplyDeleteand they suit my light skin
I did try a dark wig, unfortunately it showed up every imperfection in my facial skin
I am in the fortunate position that I have now been able to abandon wigs altogether, but back in the day, I came to the conclusion that it was not always the price that dictated the quality of the wig, I also learnt that it would take a lot more than a wig to make me look like Raquel Welch, I would just have to try and look like me!
ReplyDelete