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Wigmaker

Wigmaker Regina Blizzard gives a gentleman a shave in the King's Arms Barber Shop in Colonial Williamsburg.

Wigmaker Regina Blizzard gives a gentleman a shave in the King's Arms Barber Shop in Colonial Williamsburg.

Hair important in 18th-century fashion

Dressing fashionably in the 18th century meant looking good from the head down. The precise dress of the head was as important as any other article of clothing.

Gentry and businessmen wore wigs

The colonial wigmaker provided wigs, or perukes, and dressed the hair of the gentry and many successful businessmen of Williamsburg. Wigs and hairpieces were available in horse, goat, yak, or human hair. The wigmaker's skill allowed him to weave hair and fashion it into the latest coiffures from London.

Formal events busy for barber and wigmaker

Formal events were a busy time for the barber and wigmaker, particularly twice a year during "Public Times," when the courts were in session and the population of Williamsburg increased greatly. Wigs and hair were often powdered to give them a more formal air.

Trades interpreters demonstrate how to make wigs from human hair according to 18th-century methods.

Trades interpreters demonstrate how to make wigs from human hair according to 18th-century methods

Wigmakers Betty Kelly and Regina Blizzard work on wigs in the barber and peruke shop.

Wigmakers Betty Kelly and Regina Blizzard work on wigs in the barber and peruke shop.

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