My beautiful mother had wigs in all lengths and colors and as a girl I would secretly try them on and feel fabulous. I LOVED Jean Shrimpton and Lauren Hutton and Twiggy and lusted after the long falls and wigs in the ads in the back of 70s teen magazines.
When I was in high school I saved my babysitting money and bought a Twiggy-style short blonde wig. I pinned my long hair in coils all over my head then pulled the wig on and wore it to school. I felt so cool and pretty! In the middle of History class, the boy sitting behind me pulled it off and everyone laughed. I didn’t wear another hair piece for over thirty years. One day I complimented a friend on her hair. When she told me it was a wig I was shocked - they had come a long way since the 70s!
My old love for big hair was revived and I bought a fall (they're now called "toppers"). Then fabulous Adele came along, telling us she names her wigs, and making them cool again. I don’t name mine, but I always sew wig clips in at the forehead, temples and back to keep them securely on my head. Most valuable lesson I ever learned in History class.
This is such a cool memory I can identify with. My mom was like yours. For my marriage in 72 I wore a beautiful blonde fall. During the old hippie high days in the early-mide 70s I even had a light ash brown & blonde frosted afro I would wear alot & loved. I had thin straight hair often in 2 braids. Typical hippie style, complete with big bell bottom jeans or a long Jean skirt made of a pair of bells. Fast forward to today. At almost 71 & still working full time having just bought my bucket list vehicle (a 2017 Jeep wrangler Rubicon - she is sweet!) I still love my "fake hair" now mostly wraps …
Hi Jean, as a Stage IV metastatic melanoma survivor (9 years!!) I have to wear wigs when I go out. The immunotherapy that I was given saved my life, but it almost killed me. It also caused my hair to fall out. As much as I hate wearing wigs (HOT, sweaty, and oh so uncomfortable!) I am thankful that I have them, so people won't see "the real me." I'm glad that you wear them for fun!!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, Jean! - along with the advertisements, some of which I recognize from my own old 70s teen mags :) My mum had a long single plaited hair extension (nylon, I'm sure) from the 60s & she let me wear it for fun. I was 12 & loved it but my older brother teased me mercilessly! At my graduation primary school 'social' mum paid for me to have my hair in an 'up' do, with 'petals'. I remember there were oodles of bobby pins to take out afterwards, & lots of hair spray :) Jean Shrimpton & Lauren Hutton were (are) both gorgeous! I was a bit of a teenage hippie in the early 70s & w…