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Why do modern Europeans like to wear wigs?

The prevalence of wigs is closely related to the social life conditions at that time. Because in the 17th century, Europe, it was very inconvenient for people to bathe and wash their hair. Louis XIV, the famous Sun King, took only seven baths in his life. Not taking a long bath and shampoo, it is easy to breed parasites, especially hair, hair thick, often sweat, it is easy to grow lice. The best way to solve this problem is to cut the hair short or shaved, but the hair is cut short or shaved, and can not reflect the identity of aristocrats, it is better to wear a wig, have the best of both worlds.

In addition to the aristocracy as a fashion, the real problem for a wig to become a status symbol, is that the wig is expensive and the average person cannot wear it. In the 17th century, the wig was very elaborate. At that time, there was no machine production, so it depended on labor. A skilled craftsman needed a few days to make a wig. A judge's wig costs £1,800, and a regular wig costs £300. This money is a huge expense today, not to mention Western Europe before the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, wearing wigs is not something that ordinary people can afford. And at that time, the wig was quite bulky, also uncomfortable to wear, often working people naturally will not wear.

In addition to being expensive and inconvenient to wear, the embellishment and maintenance of wigs are also quite cumbersome. The 18th-century wig often had some pollen and some paint added. Pink wigs are easy to drop powder, and they are difficult to take care of. So, it is naturally not favored by ordinary people. By the late 18th century, young men simply added powder to their hair. The wigs worn by women were large and striking, but they were heavy and contained wax, powder and other ornaments, becoming a sign of luxury.

However, with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the middle of the 18th century. Natural hair without wigs is slowly being accepted by more people. In Goethe's masterpiece, "The Trouble of the Young Witt," Witt's natural hair triggered a natural fashion trend at the time. After the outbreak of the French Revolution, the revolutionaries tried to establish an equal society, eliminate class differences, and the wigs representing their status were naturally among the objects of changing customs.

In addition, in 1795, the British government began to tax the hair fans, which hit the wig and hair fan fashion, and began to decline in the 19th century. By the 19th century, the wigs became smaller and grave. In France, wigs are no longer a status symbol. But wigs remained as a status symbol for some time. After the French Revolution, French wigs, which no longer became a symbol of status, were associated with professional prestige. Some industries and fields use wigs as part of their professional clothing, such as judges and lawyers. This habit continues to this day. Judges and lawyers in the Commonwealth wear wigs in court or at major ceremonies, a tradition in previous British colonies, but it makes them a mark of colonial rule.

The popularity of a generation of fashion, it must have its historical background, once