by Erickka Sy Savané
The short answer is no. By definition, “to hide” means to cover up or remove from sight. So if you put on a wig, you’re covering your hair, which is the same as hiding it. The question then becomes less about whether you’re hiding, but what you’re hiding because people hide different things for different reasons.
The actress
Take your friend who is an actress and goes out on commercial auditions as two different people. One is herself- a beautiful caramel sister with a short natural and the other is “Ayanna” a beautiful caramel sister with a big curly afro. She started going out as Ayanna at the suggestion of a friend who thought her short hair was limiting and she would book more if she changed it. Before long, Ayanna was booking commercials left and right, which was great, but there was a drawback. Now your friend had to wear the wig all the time, which gave her the stifling feeling of wearing a hat. “I never really understood the obsession with wearing something on your head that is essentially dead. It’s kinda weird.” Probably as weird as hiding your identity to become someone else. Imagine the pressure. The first time you saw her as Ayanna was at an audition. Since you hadn’t seen her in 8 years, your excitement caused you to scream her name from across the room. In an instant, she turned ghost white and disappeared from her seat.
Hey, you didn’t know that she was not your friend wearing a curly wig, but actually, Ayanna. Weird.
Grandma Brickhouse
Hiding our identity isn’t the only reason we wear wigs. Sometimes what we hide is less obvious like in the case of Grandma Brickhouse. In her mid-sixties, she wears a wig every single day. “I can’t lift my left arm, so I throw that wig cap up there for convenience.” She has about 30 that she maintains by throwing them right in the washer. Who knew? She says her mom used to do hair as a side hustle growing up in Mississippi and would wash hers in Woolite. But as convenient as wigs are, she also wishes that she could cut her naturally fine hair into a short style. When asked why she doesn’t do it she reveals a story that happened when she was a kid. Once she took some scissors and cut her shoulder-length hair into a messy bob, and her mom went ballistic, beating her with an extension chord and telling her that it would never grow back.” It never did, and to this day Grandma Brickhouse believes that if she cuts her hair, it won’t grow back. How’s that for hiding fear?
The model friend
Remember your friend who went from wearing a wig every now and then to never taking it off. It was strange because she was a model back in the day and wore her hair in the cutest TWA before it was a thing. So what happened to that girl? Why was she covering up? It started when her life began to spiral out of control. She lost her job, her car and then found herself a few months behind in her rent. Wigs became the mask she put on to hide the chaos that was happening in her life. “The worse I feel, the better I try to look. So if you see me in a ball gown and tiara, with hair down my back, things are really f*cked up.”
The protective styler
Makes perfect sense. But what about women who say they wear wigs as a protective hairstyle? What are they covering up? Well, consider this idea that your hair is so fragile it needs to be protected from the outside world is just that, a cover up. Because surely with the right care- deep conditioners, regular cuts and even styles that tuck your hair away into a braid or bun, while still allowing your scalp to get some fresh air- you could lose the wig. The truth is, whether it’s a fuller version of your own hair or a complete transformation along the lines of Beyonce or her more eclectic soul sister Solange, you love the way you look in wigs. But it comes with a price.
You remember your own encounters with wigs back in the day when you were modeling. It was the Naomi Campbell era so at one point, if you were a black girl, you came to shoots with a suitcase full of wigs and hairpieces. On one hand, it was great because hair gave you a confidence that you’d never felt before. Imagine your inner drag queen coming boldly to life. Make room Sasha Fierce! But also imagine that world coming to a screeching halt as soon as you take off that wig. It always sucked going back to being you. Which explains why some people don’t go back. Why not stay in the fantasy forever? Well, because you can’t hide forever. Aside from the psychological effects of hiding, the fear of being exposed and the self-esteem issues that will still be there no matter how much you try to cover it up, there’s the fact that wearing a wig for long periods of time is just not good for your scalp. Even cockroaches see the light sometimes! Ever hear of actress Countess Vaughn’s wig story?
After 5 years of wearing lace front wigs, mama developed a severe scalp infection that caused oozing, discoloration and hair loss. But for months, she wouldn’t see a doctor because she didn’t want to stop wearing wigs. Eventually, she did seek help and stop she did, but it was a painful process that entailed her keeping her baldhead at home- no pun intended. There’s also Naomi Campbell. Who hasn’t seen the horrific photos of her missing hairline? What she probably wouldn’t give to go back to her original hair, but going back is that much harder now that there’s so little left. So she too continues to hide, but we all know what lies beneath.
That’s the funny thing about wigs. There will always be something hiding underneath no matter how hard we try to hide it.
What are you hiding beneath yours?
Erickka Sy Savané is a former model, actress and MTV VJ. She began her writing career in the late 90’s as a relationship columnist for Trace magazine and since then her work has appeared in Essence, Heart & Soul, Uptown (where she was an editor), clutchmagoline.com, mommynoire.com, xojane.com, and others.
Currently, she writes a social commentary blog called THE BREW (www.thebrewonline.com) and when she’s not doing that, she loves writing about the psychology of hair! Find her in Jersey City where she resides with her husband and two girls. Follow her on twitter and instagram
95 Responses
This entire article is a bunch of EPIC BS !! One of the stupidest things I’ve ever read ! People all over the world have been wearing wigs for whatever reason for about 4000 years going back to King Tut & probably before.White women wear them,too. I see them buying hair in the beauty supply stores all the time, but black folks always have to be the only ones making a big federal case out of it. I have 4 wigs & am about to get a cornrow braid cap so I can rock crochet braids,twists,etc without overly manipulating my fine hair. If a woman wants to wear a wig she doesn’t owe anyone an explanation because it’s none of their damn business !!
bluecornmoon, thank you! this article is silly.
So much judgement and criticism in this article. A shame since we as black women have to endure it from everyone else why impose it on each other. I wear wigs because I lost my hair before wearing wigs. I’m not hiding that fact. I’m very open about it. I’ve rocked my bald look. I just usually prefer to not be bald. Just like some women prefer to be redheads or rock hyper colors. It’s not because I need to hide my life, which I’m also extremely open about, or pretend I live in a fantasy land. I just know how I like to look. I wear many textures, styles, colors and I’m the first to out myself. In the grand scheme of life, who cares. Why this obsession? Black women have a myriad of other facets to their lives besides what they wear or don’t wear on their head. Not once have I ever met anyone whose hairstyle in any way determined their inner character.
I’m going to call BS on this one. While it’s true that some people might be–justifiably–trying to cover up a bad hair day or a medical condition it is equally true that wigs CAN serve as a sort of protective style. This can be true for any number of reasons that include but are not limited to the following:
1. One wants a curly look but doesn’t want to subject their own hair to heat or tension (from the weight of curlers)
2. One temporarily wants a certain color but does not wish to put chemicals or dyes in their own hair
3. One wants a short look but doesn’t want to cut their own hair because maybe I’ll want it long tomorrow
4. One simply wants to avoid manipulating their hair as much as possible or does not wish to manipulate their own hair as much as their stylistic whims may vary
As someone who has always had a lot of hair, who has never been ashamed of it and has actually had a buzz cut twice and then grew out full, huge afros…I regularly enjoyed wigs as well for the aforementioned reasons. In fact, I’ve been a tad bit put out sense my locks became too long and voluminous to wear one.
Yes, it’s like changing hats. It’s fun, quick, easy and no one with any sense would jump the gun and accuse you of hiding something or being insecure for wearing one just because of a few who might be. And so what if they are? Maybe we should be sensitive, tactful and considerate instead of judgemental and arrogant.
lol this author is so smart she has the ability to speak for every woman on the planet who wears wigs. and can fit them all into these all encompassing four groups to boot!
this is such a joke. why is it that black women are the only people in the world who have to explain themselves and their choices if they wear a wig or weaves. like why are you so pressed about it? i’ve always thought the people who say and post things like this were really just projecting their own feelings onto others.
I have very long and thick natural hair. I wear weaves as well. And the number one question I encounter is…. “Why you wear that weave when you got a head full of hair underneath?” Allow me to answer.
1. Because I want to.
2. Because I don’t wake up to a full on concierge and hair salon at my beck and call to personally style my tresses for me.
3. To protect my hair. I don’t care what you say.
4. To save time.
5. I like to try different high manipulation styles all the time and play in my hair. A weave / wig protects my hair from damage while doing so.
6. I’m secure enough to do so….but mostly just because I want to.
Because we are black. I hate afro centric black people. They go overboard and this is why I can not stand in rooms full of black people. Hair and skin will come up. I had a really short pixie a few and then I wore afros and now since I have the length I want, instead of straightening it, I put on a straight wig that looks like my hair. If i want to wear an afro. It comes off and my hair is happy. No boohooing about heat damage or howling about reverting like most naturals who straighten their hair who want to prove they “love themselves And don’t wear wigs like other blacks because they are the exceptional exception of a black woman”. Judge me all you want ladies. This is why I dont visit natural blogs or even converse with these women. Natutal women can be so petty.
This is stupid. I am natural with armpit length hair, I wear wigs often, usually the same length and texture of my straightened hair. Boohoo if I am a disgrace to my ancestors, boohoo I frankly just don’t care what others think. I also have an enormous afro wig, I work, I am a paralegal, its a busy job I don’t have time to sit in the mirror and stroke my Bantu knot outs daily with a tangke teaser and flash black power signs. I literally just slap it on and put on a blazer and I look swell. When my wig comes off , my real hair is stuffed in a bonnet. My white fiance doesn’t get why I wear a wig when my natural hair is so long if straightened. Well I don’t want to burn my hair to life but I love my natural hair texture. If that makes me hiding and black then excuse me while I play my tiny violin. I honestly can’t stand that black people have to make it a political statement. I honestly don’t care what other races or other black people think of my hair. The same bitchy behavior when a lady tells you that your hair is nappy and knows a braider or the same hoe that mentions you are not black enough because you flat ironed it for a day
I think also what people mean when they say can someone wear a wig and not be hiding, is that can you wear wig and just be covering up hair that looks good. because some people have nice looking hair and wear wigs.
You ever consider that someone wears a wig because they like the hairstyle and just either too lazy to style it in the same hairstyle or dont know how. OR the fact that they like the color of the wig but dont want to put color in their hair?? Why is it such a big deal. ORRRR someone could have short hair and switch to the wig, not that they dont like their length but they want to try a new length without waiting so long for theirs to grow back. Sheesh, why is it such a big deal?
“You never see women of other ethnicities obsessed with their hair looking freshly styled in a new style every day or week. “–Ummm…That statement is false. Non-black women are just as obesessed with their hair style and looks. Their hair issues and obsession may not mirror ours, nevertheless, women caring or obsessing over how their hair looks or styled daily, is found in ALL racial groups. The non-black beauty salon and hair care market is a billion dollar industry too. The reason why peole notice our hair obsessions more so in comparison to theirs, is due to the lovely stigma that black hair carries thanks to coloniasm.
And as far as “Many women over style their natural hair because they can’t let it be free and kinky. Going to work? Afro puff or roll and tuck. Updo it. Bun it. Why is it so hard?”–I think the hard part is that you’re maybe assuming all black women’s hair functions the same way. I learned that myself very quickly when I tried styling a friends hair like mine–it didn’t work. Believe me, I tried…several times because I was convinced that her hair, which looked exactly like mine, would respond the same way–It didn’t.
Different textures (no matter how much they look alike) may require diferent hair care and styling regimens, as well as the fact that we all have different taste. I prefer the wash-and go look of natural hair, others, the afro puff/kinky look. They are both equally beautiful, but prefrering an “over styled look” as you say, over a non over styled look does not make one’s natural hair any less natural–JMO.
Sorry for this long rant. Just those two particular things caught my attention in your comment.
Notice that the women of other ethnicities who over-style their hair suffer from damage just like black women who over-style their hair. Just because they have straight hair, many black people won’t perceive it as damaged. Yet, their hair has split ends and length retention issues too.
I still think afro-textured hair can be maintained with low-manipulation styles that don’t require completely covering the hair with fake hair. Let’s be honest and say that such fake hair is often times very much unlike the wearer’s natural hair.
Why are black women different than other ethnicities? It is because black women disproportionately wear fake hair compared to other ethnic groups. You have very high percentages of black women, especially in the west, wearing fake hair compared to percentages of white women wearing fake hair. When you take this into context, with the history and politics surrounding black hair, one might find this notable of internalized racism, rather than merely a fashion trend or haircare necessity.
There are many reasons to wear a wig, but to me saying you wear one to protect your hair for length retention is a stretch and not totally honest.
Sista I think you went à la gauche with this one but I digress. If you want a literal answer then yes women are hiding their hair when wearing wigs. Now the underlying reasons behind wearing the wigs I’m sure are varied. I know many sistahs who wear wigs because they’re convenient, a cheaper alternative to weaves, or they simply like how they look with wigs. On the contrary we have to keep it one hunnit and admit that some sistahs no longer have hair and thus are wearing wigs to cover their bald heads. Although I don’t wear wigs, I don’t think that there is that much thought that goes into the process of wearing them.
You said that “wig is dead hair” but isn’t the hair on your head dead too? I mean only the scalp is really alive. I never worn a wig, but I’m def not against women who do. And I don’t call it hiding if they wear the wig sometimes and sometimes go natural. Also no offense to the new ladies going natural who did big chop, but short hair is NOT feminine or cute. I also did big chop decades ago(before it became “popular”), and I look WAY better with long hair i have now. So I don’t blame them for wearing wig or weave until their NATURAL hair get’s a certain desired length(at least shoulder length) where it looks more feminine. I mean our ancestors had LONG hair because they knew how to take care of it,they were not stripped of their culture due to slavery like many black women are today. So it would be natural for us to want and desire long hair as majority of our ancestors had previously. I have long natural hair 4c/4b hair(and I don’t manipulate it, you can TELL it’s that texture, but I do stretch (to make it bigger fro)), and yes I get more attention because of the length, not the “naturalness of it”. This is how I know that many people(especially black men because some women with SHORT natural hair think it’s because their hair is natural, but it’s really that they just don’t desire short hair) desire women with long hair (natural or not). So any woman that wears weaves, wigs etc to promote hair growth is ok with me. I support that 100%. Also the longer your hair gets, the MORE time consuming(ESPECIALLY for 4b/4c texture MUCH more delicate texture)..Even though i make time for my hair, some women are MUCH more busy than me, and just don’t have the time, and might be easier for them to wear a wig on those days.
Although i agree SOME women wear wigs because they hate their natural hair, but I wouldn’t put ALL women in that category. I doubt you met them all.
short hair is not feminine or cute, to me it depends on how low it’s cut. Because I have a photo with my hair short and I really like it. So, it doesn’t really matter what you think.
This is ridiculous. There is only one reason to wear a wig… because you want to.
All of these points can be made about makeup as well. Is everyone who wears makeup being deceptive?
It’s crazy to think that everyone wearing a wig is hiding or being deceptive. I don’t wear wigs and that’s because I’m awkward and I know the day I wear a wig is the day the subway door will close on my hair and my wig will be left hanging in the door. If you want to wear a wig, wear one. end of story
Now you say, ‘Please refrain from bleaching your skin and wearing green/gray/blue contact lenses in addition to the blonde’ and though you say that you’re kinda kidding it seems like a contradiction. If you are for a black woman expressing with wigs she also has to be free to bleach her skin and wear contacts. It’s all the same thing. No?
Regarding the contacts & blonde hair, I would say yes it’s all the same because it’s temporary/reversible. Bleaching skin, however, is a permanent change as far as I know, which I would say is different.
Hey Danielle, sometimes it happens in the discussion. I set out to explore why some women wear wigs and this is what I found. I’m seeing a lot of other reasons and that’s cool. It was not my intention to come off judgmental but I was playing off of a literal interpretation of the definition.
I was seriously looking for the “lol” or the punchline to this article. Why is hair such an issue? Its like clothing or shoes or a great bag. Its an accessory to some. So why so much shade towards those of us who choose to augment our natural hair with an accessory? I’ve been natural since 1996 and I’ve worn my hair in so many styles its not even funny…from braids, to weaves, to wigs, to twist outs, to roller sets, and on and on. Never once have I thought of myself as hiding anything. I’ve tried many styles, straight, curly, afro, different colors. Its whatever flavor I’m feeling at the tme. But why does my flavor of the day or week mean I’m suffering psychological issues? I don’t see the connection and I find it hard to believe that you know the inside of each wig wearer to write such a judgmental piece.
Dear Black Women,
I support your decision to wear your hair however you please because it is YOUR hair. Whether natural, relaxed, weaved or rocking wigs you are my sisters. As long as you take care of yourselves mind, body and spirit your hair style is of no consequence. Just please refrain from bleaching your skin and wearing green/gray/blue contact lenses in addition to the blonde. Just kidding about that last part…okay, not really.
P. S. I am not concerned about grammar and punctuation right now either.
hiding is generally considered an act of deception. the implication being that black women who wear wigs are deceptive. as for clothes we wear them to protect our bodies from the elements, our society does not judge you for wearing clothes, but there is plenty of judgement for black women who wear wigs. and honestly I don’t come here to see black women get judged for how they wear there hair. I’m looking for a community that is supportive to it’s own interest and not judging others semi-related, but harmless interests. this article is bs.
BS, indeed. I’m pretty good at discerning whether an article has value or not. I found nothing here. I read it with much thought and only found the judgemental attitude of those who feel that their natural hair somehow makes them better, more authentic, than others.
What if one doesn’t like to straighten nor chemically color their hair I think wigs are useful for this reason because most naturals are natural because they would rather not chemically treat their hair which doesn’t mean that you can’t wear it straight but would you rather wash your hair praying that it reverts after wearing it straight for a week or two and all the tedious and often damaging prep work and maintenance that goes with it or be able to wear it straight, ombré ect without heat not chemicals and countless hours?? No excuses just my logic.
are you serious with this. I guess we’re all hiding our naked bodies under our clothes? Or maybe cold ears under ear muffs. gtfo! I’m a proud 4c natural who never wears wig and this article is bs. The only way you are hiding by wearing a wig is if you owe someone your hair or anything about your hair, which you don’t. I mean by this logic we should all be naked, because maybe we’re hiding moles. whatever smdh
Don’t know why you’re so pumped up. I thought it was a perfectly legitimate article. Well-written and insightful. And yes, we are hiding our bodies underneath our clothes because if we didn’t we’d get arrested.
I agree with you. People always try make a big deal and make some type of psychological asessment of why black women wear wigs or weaves.JUST stop. If YOU dont want to wear one then dont. If you do then wear one. But stop trying to psycho -analyze people. Sheeeeesh
In a LITERAL since, we are hiding it simply by covering it with something else. However, truly hiding something is if you’re ashamed of it. Which some people aren’t.
You know what Rose, you’re actually right.
Flat twist updos, mini/medium/jumbo twists and even just letting my hair be has served me just as well as any other wig for “protection” and length retention.
The wig is thrown in there for fun or to keep up to an aesthetic. It itself is not protective nor has it directly helped me retain length. Maintaining my hair like how I normally do is what does all the work.
The more I think about it, saying that wigs are a protective style is sounding more and more like an excuse for wanting to care for your hair but fearing it won’t look done. But having it cared for and free should be enough, right? I don’t know. I feel so conflicted now because I get and am always preaching what your saying.
(One thing I will say though is I over style my hair because I love to play with it. Exploring its versatility and seeing what it does and does not do is fun. But I’m not dismissing what you said about why some women over style their hair.)
Well boo, perhaps you could come over just once a week and help me with my 8hr detangling sessions, then we can talk about how I’m “hiding” underneath my kinky curly wig. Mscheeuuw!
Lady, 8 hour detangling? But why??? I finger detangle my entire head in 30-40 minutes. No combs. I can run my fingers through my hair root to tip without snag over and over. Maybe the method you’re doing is doing the utmost? I put my Wen conditioner in my hair, and the entire hair softens like a dream. Are you dry finger detangling?
I’m not knocking your decision to wear a wig, but as far as helping you with your 8hr. detangling session, no thanks. That’s exactly why I wear my hair short. I realized that length for me was way more work than I could put in and still have a life.
Yes or you can come over once a month when I decide to tackle and straighten my huge afro with a small flat iron and then ask about why I put on a straight wig for the day. Gosh sorry if me owning a wig takes away my black card.
I’m hiding the fact that I’m a drag queen. Oh, wait, I guess I can’t hide that under a wig. It’s the first place they’ll look. No, the second place.
First of all… while I find the article amusing, I dont necessarily agree with it. Some things may be true for some people but certainly NOT ALL. My man sees me with and without. I go outside, with or without. Im not ‘stuck’ with the ‘price’ of wearing wigs. Once people, usually White people, make the connection that Ive been wearing wigs, they will put in their ‘vote’ or ‘say’ on which one THEY like best (like I care or like it matters! LOL). Others will be more rude about it; “Now, is THAT your
hair now? Why dont you just wear your hair out?”. I have a comeback: “Well I will once you wear your natural hair color and texture out also…lets make a date”. Seriously. What da fuk you got to do with my HAIR?! But historically Black women’s crown is POLITICAL. We are ALL beautiful, even bald. It always will be a heated political statement though. Whether a TWA, dreads or relaxer or weave or WIG. I AM a drag queen, honey, and proud of it! I embrace it and dont hide it nor am I ashamed of it. I love the versatility of STYLES and COLOR wigs offer without me ACTUALLY having to relax, cut or color my hair. Much less commit to braids or dreds. I can have it ALL honey with a wig cap and 5 minutes to adust! Why should I compromise to make someone ELSE feel comfortable about my style choices? PUHleeze! *Talk to the hand! Im not HIDING S**T! And what if I AM? IS it your business that I got cornrows or no edges or gray hair or alopecia???? Seriously? What they should be concerned about should be alot more deeper than just someone’s scalp. Women been rockin make up AND wigs since the friggin Egyptians and BEFORE!!! This is NOT new. The judgement and negativity IS. My 2 cents.
Oh. and Ima lazy Natural. Sometimes, I just don’t wanna untwist my twist outs and wigs give me a big break
I wear wigs bc i honestly don’t feel like doing my hair everyday. I live in Chicago and it is cold!. This wig is warm as hell. I love my natural hair. But i also love wearing different styles. Nobody is “Hiding”.
True! Lazy natural as well. Wigs are cool with me on those days.
What say you to women who have lost their hair to disease, hereditary predisposition, medication, etc? Do they wear wigs to cover up, or to simply achieve some semblance of normalcy?
They are are covering up to achieve a sense of normalcy away from their illness, so yes, they are covering up, but they get a pass.
I think this is a very interesting article. Black women wearing wigs and weaves are very much a cultural thing. Its become so ingrained into us that its become normal and people are very defensive of culture and values. But as black women we need to look at it from other cultures perspectives’ and what message we send out to them. For example:
Recently I read a blog post in which a man was defending himself because he was called racist by a black girl. He was Asian to be specific and he suggested that it was an irony to call him racist when black women wear extensions and weaves. (I personally do not think he is racist but I’m not gonna go into background detail) Anyway I felt ashamed because I couldn’t defend myself. I couldn’t defend other black women. And I couldn’t rationalise the situation in my head.
This is the image we paint of ourselves when we wear hair white and asian womens heads then call them racist. Im not saying I would never wear extensions or weaves again because you never know what sort of issues you may run into as the years go by but as a community their are millions of women hiding their beautiful strong hair. It shouldn’t be that way.
Is it really a cultural thing? Before going through hair loss I had never worn
I think it’s cultural, but I think too that wigs run in families. If you com from a family of wig wearers more than likely you’ll wear one too. Or you at least wear one occasionally. But if you don’t you don’t really mess with them. No one in my family wears wigs. I mean no one on my mother and father’s side. I’m really happy they didn’t do it because I can’t take wigs. Barring the women who really need them for health reasons I wish they would die. Wigs are that thing you wear on Halloween, you don’t wear them everyday. Come on. It’s distracting as hell. Like, who are you today? My God, you work at the Post Office not on Broadway.
I like the family viewpoint vs. cultural. I come from a family where some women don’t wear wigs and some do but I never did or thought about it until health hair loss. It was never encouraged or discouraged nor were you looked down on for not wearing them. Some of my cousins would never wear it unless their hair fell out. Maybe if all my family did wear wigs I would feel differently. I remember going to find wigs at many local bss stores and wanting a nice pixie or simple bob and walking out because all they had was 18 inch long Beyonce looking stuff or blonde. I don’t care for that so I finally started ordering.
Amen! They are overly glamorous for day to day. That’s my issue with them. Very few choose a short modest wig. They go for the ones that are so outlandish. It is a very strange phenomenon that is happening with black women. The discussion never get anywhere because most just get defensive and shut down. It is the elephant in the room in the black community in the U.S. and abroad.
But some wigs are very natural looking such as the Vanessa LaJay which is one of my faves. I get nothing but compliments on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOHDVnjjj9g (note: this isn’t my video)
Definitely not a “Halloween” look to me. And if someone wants to look glamorous for day to day, why is it an issue for you?
Wigs may be something you wear for Halloween but others can wear them everyday. And they make them so much better than they used to. Many are very natural looking with kinky, afro- textured hair. And if the girl at the Post Office wants to look like she’s on Broadway, whats wrong with that?
I do believe it is a cultural thing as people from other cultures do not commonly wear fake hair that ressembles the hair of another ethnicity. Like I said in the previous reply. The few videos or photos that you may have seen of people in Japan and Korea are extremely rare. Considering that they are countries that are known to discourage individualism I don’t know why a lot of black women believe it is common?
They want to look white with the eyelid surgeries but not black with their hair lol. All non-caucasian ethnicities have a large number of people wanting to look as caucasian as possible. Which is okay. Only as long as our eyes are open to this issue.
I don’t know that I think it’s a cultural thing. Maybe it depends on the surroundings but in my family there are women who wear wigs/weave and women who never wear it. I have about 12 female first cousins on mom and dad’s side and I’ve only seen maybe 4 ever wear wig or weave and of the four, two of them on any kind of regular basis. I never wore wigs or thought about it until I went through hair loss. Plus some wigs are kinky and Ionly wore synthetic so no white or Asian hair needed. Asian people are kinkying their hair nowadays so dude is an idiot.
Bare in mind that I have worn extensions and synthetic hair before. Most black women have. No other race has people in which it is fairly common for women to regularly wear hair from other ethnicities. You don’t have to go very far on youtube to seen the ammount of women who do wear weaves and have very thick, beautiful hair. I was really sad watching the video with Zuri Hall the other day and by the looks of the comments it seems like situations like her (women being scared to show their real hair) are very common. Please tell me another ethnicity in which it is normal for women to be afraid to show their real hair. Open your eyes! Please stop making excuses. I actually might buy a weave in the future because a lot look beautiful.
But what saddens me is that a lot of black women have beautiful and strong hair but would rather wear hair from someone of another ethnicity. It stems from insecurity and a lot of women have them. I do think that as black women we tend to have more than other ethnicities which makes sense with everything we see in the media..
Also Kinky hair is not a trend in asian countries. If it is then it is by no means popular and is probably not accepted by most Asians. Just so you know. Just because a few images are online does mean all Asians are doing it.
I agree with a lot of your points but for me to see wigs as cultural I would have to think there is a backlash against not wearing a wig and I don’t see it. I saw that Zuri Hall video just last night and I thought it was baffling and a little cray cray. Not norm. I was expecting her to have bald patches or something because those are the only people I know who are afraid to show their heads besides religious reasons . Almost all my aunts are natural and rock the hell out of it. A few of them will also wear wigs at times too but I don’t see how that equals insecurity. Two of my cousins got married last year and in both cases there were weaves and fros in the bridal parties. I am not saying Zuri type doesn’t happen but I can’t in my mind say I think it’s cultural. Maybe subculture thing and I don’t move in those circles. I have never heard comments made to a person you need to wear a wig or weave to look appropriate and since a lot of women in my family have never worn wigs I have always seen it as something optional not mandatory. If anything wearing wigs subjected me to more open criticism than weaing my hair natural ever has. When I did wear wigs I caught a lot of hell about it from family and friends and coworkers. There is only one black woman at my job who regularly wears fake hair. One every now and then the rest never. If the culture loves fake hair then why bash it at the same time?
All I know is the first African American woman to be on a solo cover of British Vogue and she has on a wig. What kind of message is that sending? And the funny part is, though she is a beautiful girl, she doesn’t look like the type of woman I want representing me. I want to see a black woman’s real hair. I want to see her in all her beautiful black glory and when you stick a wig on her and hide it I’m suddenly not that into to it. It’s continuously perpetuating that Euro standard and I’m so tired of it. Is it just me, or do we wanna see some 4C hair on the cover of a magazine?
I don’t like wigs. I think people think they or changing it up and look different, but it’s starting to look like a new race of people. Like those Kleions creatures (?) on Star Trek. I think if you are ill under going treatment it’s ok. But now days even people undergoing cancer treatment or finding other options hats, scarfs shaving it off, etc. My friend felt more sick and depressed with the wig on. I mean come on guys, if you go to a party of let’s say 80 people, and every black women there has a wig, weave on except 2 or you really changing it up. Is everyone protective styling, or got thin hair and sick? What did we do before the Wigs and fake hair?
I think the changing up applies to your own style not a group of people. I started wearing wigs because I was tired of rocking the same two-strand twist I was doing for years and wanted something different. And I don’t put heat on my hair. So the change was not from what others were doing but what I was currently doing.
But in a room full of black women that I know, there is a mix of naturals, relaxers, weaves, wigs, twists and dreads. We rock ’em all!
“But what about women who say they wear wigs as a protective
hairstyle? What are they covering up? Well, consider this idea that your hair
is so fragile it needs to be protected from the outside world is just that, a
cover up.”
A cover up? No, sorry, I have to speak on this. I DO have
hair that is so fragile, any styling beyond basic finger combing causes
friction, damage and breakage. I was born, with very thin, very fine hair that
I inherited from my mother, (whose hair is so baby fine, she can’t make a braid
or ponytail). I have taken protein, gotten treatments, tried various moisture
and strength regiments, vitamins, biotin, castor oil and a host other solutions
to strengthen my hair so that it could grow or look fuller and healthier and
while it is growing, the very texture and nature of my hair remains, thin, limp,
fragile. I went natural 3.5 years ago and for most of that time, my main style
was the two-strand twistout and while I did like the style by the time my hair
reached shoulder-length, and in comparing annual pics, I realized my growth had
stalled. I have the kind of hair that is so fragile, the rubbing of it on my
clothing causes breakage and its why I have had shoulder-length hair all my
life. With constant split ends. I have a very tight, type 4 hair with tiny
spirals that snap just by running my fingers through then (and I know I am not
alone). And there magic pomade that can change what my hair truly is. No matter
what, it breaks very, very easily. Because of this, I avoid heat and any manipulative
styles to protect it from damage. But my natural tight, kinky curls are not the
only way I want to wear my hair. I also want, long, full, big and curly, light
brown, auburn, red and even short hair but I DON’T WANT THE DAMAGE. And there has not been any way to achieve different looks without any damage.
Some women (Kenya Moore comes to mind) are blessed with very strong full hair. Some of us,
are not. I began wearing wigs just over the past year to give my hair a break
and try different looks and I Iove it. Its cheap (most cost only about $25 and
with care, can last months or longer) and it allows me to maintain my own hair
underneath as I take them off every night. I don’t wear mine all the time but
alternate them with my natural locks and if anyone knew of a stylist that could
give me the same glamourous Beyonce look for $25 or less (and without sitting
under a dryer for 1.5 hours), I would RUN not walk to get in their chair. Til
then, I’mma do me and look fab, natural OR in a wig. And save myself money and
time to boot!
Oh Lord not the glamour Beyonce look. That says a lot right there. Why live vicariously through your hair though? Is this the only form of self expression?
Nope, not the only form of expression by far. Its just a hairstyle to me. I don’t live vicariously through hair, I just live! I like many different styles and I choose to try them all.
I wear wigs in the winter. Because I live in Canada and it’s cold. I would just wear a hat or a scarf, but it’s not appropriate for my workplace, and once I take those off I get hat/scarf hair. Even when I was relaxed I wore weaves in the winter and my hair was mid-back length back then. I do it, not because I want to hide my hair, but because I love my hair so much I don’t want it to get damaged. any other time of the year, my hair is out and about, and I’m proudly showing it off.
For myself I’ll admit that right now I’m wearing braids as a protective style. However, I could really protective style my own natural hair, the issue is that my hair is not long enough to wear the styles I want and I’m uncomfortable wearing my short hair. I do feel self conscious, and right now my goal is to grow my hair out so I don’t have to wear braids or wigs. So I understand what the author is saying about hiding or fear of something and avoiding that feeling through an easy fix.
But can’t wearing a wig just be something you do to protect or switch up styles, rather than to ‘hide’ your hair underneath? The word hide just seems to imply shame and concealing something which is seen as bad or a flaw, and I know that’s not why I wear my wig. Two and a half years into my natural journey now and I’ve only recently started wearing one, but I’m glad that I have, because as a college freshman I no longer have the time to devote to constant styling in the middle of the week. But believe me, before then I wore my hair out with pride!
Sometimes day after a wash day my hair is in chunky twists and I have to go out for a couple of hours, rather than undo the twists and cause all that tangling (which happens very easily for me) just for running a quick errand, just so it doesn’t frizz up, I wear my wig. It usually comes off immediately after I get home, and my 4B/C hair is moisturised and cared for underneath. Some women don’t have hair long enough to bun up, so that’s not always an option for a lazy day style. It happens the only wig I could buy where I live (outside the US/Europe) is straight, but I’m working on getting a kinky textured one soon, so it’s not about shame for my own texture or hair type.
We can’t assume women who wear wigs all have the same motivation (which the article and some commenters rightfully pointed out), nor can we say the same for relaxed women or those who choose to wear extension styles and hair pieces, or even for any woman who goes natural. We all have individual reasons and intentions. For me, it’s just another styling choice and nothing deeper!
But can’t wearing a wig just be something you do to protect or switch up styles, rather than to ‘hide’ your hair underneath? The word hide just seems to imply shame and concealing something which is seen as bad or a flaw, and I know that’s not why I wear my wig. Two and a half years into my natural journey now and I’ve only recently started wearing one, but I’m glad that I have, because as a college freshman I no longer have the time to devote to constant styling in the middle of the week. But believe me, before then I wore my hair out with pride!
Sometimes day after a wash day my hair is in chunky twists and I have to go out for a couple of hours, rather than undo the twists and cause all that tangling (which happens very easily for me) just for running a quick errand, just so it doesn’t frizz up, I wear my wig. It usually comes off immediately after I get home, and my 4B/C hair is moisturised and cared for underneath. Some women don’t have hair long enough to bun up, so that’s not always an option for a lazy day style. It happens the only wig I could buy where I live (outside the US/Europe) is straight, but I’m working on getting a kinky textured one soon, so it’s not about shame for my own texture or hair type.
We can’t assume women who wear wigs all have the same motivation (which the article and some commenters rightfully pointed out), nor can we say the same for relaxed women or those who choose to wear extension styles and hair pieces, or even for any woman who goes natural. We all have individual reasons and intentions. For me, it’s just another styling choice and nothing deeper!
I find it odd that hair loss from illness wasn’t mentioned here. That’s why I wore wigs and that’s why a lot of women I know wear them. I wasn’t covering up my hair, but covering my lack of hair. I also wore scarves.
This is exactly my case too. I wish I was free from wigs, but for me they are as much of a necessity as wearing clothes.
Loved the article! However, ain’t nobody over here hiding nothing! Can I be team natural and team wig? Why must I be categorized as “hiding” because I like to switch it up? I LOVE having the ability to change my style frequently. I used to be a weave queen but I didn’t like being tied down to one style and uncomfortable. To be honest if I wasn’t a wig designer and avid wig wearer I probably would’ve slapped some relaxer on my hair a long time ago. Wearing wigs gives my real hair a break and gives me the ability to change my style every day of the week if I please without compromising my real hair with harsh chemicals to achieve the styles that I desire. Yes, it may sound crazy but I like to switch up my hairstyle frequently and play with color, length and texture. My style matches my mood. Lastly, when it comes down to Countess there’s a bit more to her story. She had an allergic reaction to the lace wig adhesive not the lace wig itself. Not all products agree with our skin therefore, we need to pay close attention to how our skin reacts to specific products and not ignore warning signs.
I don’t think the writer is shaming women with wigs. I think she’s presenting a valid point that any way you slice it, you’re hiding your hair and women have many reasons for doing it. Now, not every woman is using a wig to grow their hair out like you said. For many the wig is the destination and if so, why? Some women have presented some good cases for wigs and that’s good. But there are many who are still clinging to the idea that this unnatural hair is or looks better than their own and its nit true. I rarely to never see a wig that looks real or better than what naturally comes out of our heads. It may be a rough pill to swallow but wigs are not as hot as many think. They are old and played out. They are from the last generation. My aunties and grannies wore wigs but what place so they really have today? Protective? You wanna protect? There are a zillion ways to strengthen our hair. Read any black hair blog and find 1,000 ways. Real talk. Our hair was fine in the deserts of Africa where the sun was hot and water was scarce. But those queens made it work. They created styles that even slavery couldn’t break and now even white women are starting to embrace. Now Some women have health issues that leave them with not much I a choice but to wear a wig. And some women do like to play sometimes and that’s cool, but really, it is something that needs to be evaluated. Sorry for the typos but this iPhone is limiting when typing here and trying to make corrections.
I don’t understand wigs as a protective style because you still have to maintain the hair underneath. The style on top is just for fashion. Maybe you really don’t like the look of your natural hair in a bun… who knows. I ultimately don’t care. Just don’t put that thing on my head.
Interestingly, that’s exactly why I consider wigs as a protective style. For me (and others), most of my damage occurs from styling and over-manipulation. But I also can’t just neglect my hair completely. Wigs allow me to give my hair the constant TLC it needs while avoiding the stress styling puts on my hair.
It’s all about determining what YOU are protecting your hair from: over-manipulation, breakage, the weather etc.
I see what you’re saying about styling, and there truly are a variety of reasons why someone would wear a wig (hair loss, fashion, performance, fun, etc..). I just don’t understand the use of wigs as a protective style for length retention.
There are so many natural hair protective styles that don’t involve the use of covering the hair completely with another human’s hair (or with yarn or Marley hair for that matter). The cornrows underneath the wig are protective. Why put on 20 inches of wet and wavy on top? I do think women who wear wigs for this reason 1) are over styling their natural hair, 2) don’t like the look of natural hair. Many women over style their natural hair because they can’t let it be free and kinky. Going to work? Afro puff or roll and tuck. Updo it. Bun it. Why is it so hard? Because some of us twist, curl, and iron it until it is “styled”. If we just let our hair be most of the time, it would grow just fine. You never see women of other ethnicities obsessed with their hair looking freshly styled in a new style every day or week. Most people put it in a braid and leave it alone. Let kinky hair look kinky. Moisturize it. It will grow.
IMO wigs just look ugly. Unless it’s a part of a costume, I would not wear one. I rather perm my hair than wear a wig but if people like to wear them I am not going to judge.
What I want to know is what is the point of growing out your own hair if its hard to manage? No one finds it strange that some only wear their own hair out for special occasions like its THAT fragile? Also wigging and weaving isn’t cheap and can be just as time consuming as caring for your own hair. Got people making their own wigs now which takes hours. In those hours you could have styled your own hair and kept it moving. I think the issues with wigs and black women is that many have drunk the koolaid on believing our hair is difficult to manage. I think it has been internalized so much that covering it up seems to be the easier option versus getting a flattering hair cut that saves you time and money. I don’t think its an issue of self hate but one of laziness and wanting a certain “look” so as not to stand out . Everyone who wears wigs and weaves these days chose the same styles. They all look a like. Look at all the instagram photos of Marley twists and crochet wigs/ braids. Everyone looks the same! No one chooses a different look. Its such a manufactured look. Highly textured hair can take on so many different shapes and looks but its not desirable to most black women because they think they will look crazy or someone will say they look messy/nappy. I get that women are busy but why isn’t a hair cut the first reasonable option? The everybody doesn’t look right with short hair speech is tired because the same can be said about long hair. I think its an issue of laziness and not wanting to standout in our little social circles.
I am in agreement with you. I have a cousin who has been natural for several yrs & wore wigs until last yr bc she was too lazy to take care of her. I told her that she was hiding behind the fake hair. She cut her hair very short & it’s beautiful on her. And it’s so unoriginal to see every Black women on YT or the streets with same weave down their back with a side part or the same kinky textured wig or extensions. Wigs, weaves, braids are why so many ppl don’t have edges.
I was tired of doing long hair so I cut my hair in September & am contemplating going shorter. It’s easier to manage-bc I can do wng everyday if I choose- and ppl no longer constantly as me how they can grow their hair long.
I think a person’s intentions on wearing wigs is what matters. Personally I wear wigs as a protective style maybe 4 months out of a year because I like them and it creates less wear and tear on my hair. They allow me to change styles without damaging my natural hair and when I wear my hair out in all of its glory people are amazed at how beautiful it is and question why I wear wigs. I then say to keep my hair healthy. Those are my intentions. It’s very different if someone hates their hair and wants to hide it everyday. I don’t want to hide my hair I want to protect it and wigs allow me to do that. I can moisturize once a week under a wig vs daily wearing my hair out which is convenient and works for me and my hair.
Hi Ladies,
I appreciate the comments, those who agree and those who respectfully don’t. Really, it’s about the discussion- why we make the choices we do and also how we can move ourselves further along as individuals and as a group. Because really, this black hair community is the most powerful group we have on the planet right now. So it makes sense to keep exploring it. We won’t always agree, but even when we don’t, let’s continue to express ourselves. I’m the first person to say, ‘enlighten me.’
In 2013 I went on vacation and wore lace fronts with wig caps for a week. One week. I didn’t do the glue but tucked the lace in. It ended up pulling the front of my hair out. I had a bald spot in the center of the top of my head and for months I’ve had to work to get the spot to fill back in. Thankfully it has. I’ve had to be patient with my hair, ask God to guide me and take care of it. I discovered wigs in college but I can totally relate to hiding my hair. Because I was always fighting with it putting my hair away was no big deal to me. If I want to I can finally wear my hair up again. Castor oil, massages, wild growth oil and extra virgin olive oil were very instramental in my process. I also do not comb my hair. Since my hair is 4c and has always broken repetitively easily I decided to ditch combs. I really enjoyed the article because the situations all seem very real.
I wore a wig while I was transitioning because it allowed me to wear my hair in short cornrows and not have to do it more than once a week. Why did I not just wear the cornrows uncovered? Because they looked too immature and reminded me of a child’s style. The wig had longer hair I was trying to achieve and now my hair looks as long as the wig I was wearing which I like
Thank you for stating the obvious. Wearing wigs and weaves does hide the wearers hair. I’m over the excuses.
So what do I do if I live in a desert climate with harsh water and air ( I have all the necessary filters), don’t want to constantly do cornrows or crochet braids or weaves because of the tension and can’t always wear my hair out because it’s a little time consuming and I’d rather be on time to my job? I feel like this article accuses women of making a choice they shouldn’t when in reality sometimes you wig it because you’re tired of the twistout/braidout/fro two-step and literally want to rest your head. I feel twice as confident with my natural hair out at every length but hard water says I have to be strategic about how often I’m in my scalp. Shaming women who use wigs as a genuine protective style and combining it with a lack of self-love is part of what makes the natural hair journey so intimidating for other women. However black girls grow their long hair should be embraced, not chastised or given back-handed advice on their self-esteem
FINALLY! Clearly the people who are opposed are going to be for their reasons but I 100% agree. Furthermore I think it perpetuates the idea that afro and natural textured hair looks “uncommon” when it should be the commonality between alot of black women if not all. I think if we all shed the wigs weaves and extensions (and chemical re-texturizers) FOREVER then nobody would ever be able to say shit about not accepting natural hair EVER AGAIN. Such feelings would have to be seen as the racism that it is rather than passing off as an aesthetic preference…
And like the ONLY time I personally accept the wig thing is if you work as an actress/actor/costumed entertainer, as in when working and not the daily life outside
RE natural hair being seen as common: I completely agree. I decided years ago that if I couldn’t do a style using my own hair, that was a style I wouldn’t do. In recent years I’ve added “unless you pay me…a LOT…and only if there’s an out clause” to that statement. What can I say…a sister’s got bills… 🙂
As for the rest of your comment: I used to think like you do but I don’t anymore. Here’s why: People are HUMAN and the desire and ability to change is part of human nature. Never mind that what I used to call “the black hair Matrix” is a man-made construct built upon white supremacy and black inferiority…the fact is that construct has been around for a long time and as much as you and I may want to see it gone, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
So given that, regardless of why someone chooses to wear a weave/wig or relax, I respect her choice to do so just as I expect her to respect my choice NOT to wear a weave/wig or relax. This is exactly what I used to say when I first went (back to) natural: “If relaxing is supposed to be a choice, so is NOT relaxing.” Folks didn’t get that back then…I think they get it now, which is good.
Also, though I believe that the vast majority of black women wearing wigs now AREN’T doing it because of alopecia or chemo, I’m pretty sure some are. Who am I to tell them what to do to feel comfortable?
I like this article. It was well written. I was reluctant to read it at first, but I’m glad I did. I hope we get more from this writer.
My mom wears an curly afro wig. She’s been natural for a few years, but with a new job and longer hours, she struggled with protective styling and trying to maintain a “kempt professional look”. Her hair started to break from constant manipulation and she was tempted to relax. She researched afro wigs and sewed it into a natural style that matched her hair. The last thing she wanted was an obvious wig, so she went for something that was like her texture but easier to maintain. Her hair is growing and breaking less and She’s incredibly happy with her decision to go for a wig! Couldnt be more proud of her! lol 🙂
I liked this article, as I like most of this writer’s work. Read her article ‘Bad Hair’ right here on this site. It’s a must read for anyone who has ever struggled with the unfortunate belief that nappy hair is bad. I hope to see more of her work here! I actually follow her wherever she writes.
Me too! Flat Booty and Plastic Surgery Nightmare are classic! It’s like she’s lived 1,000 lives. I enjoy her alot.
Dope. Black Face Blue Eyes really spoke to me.
This is an interesting topic because in the process of trying to embrace all the ways black women choose to wear their hair, we’re starting to ask why. Our history of hair straightening is a sordid tale founded in self hate. It’s not entirely like that anymore. I have a cousin who is gorgeous and LOVES wigs. She’s a cameleon and loves the different looks she can attain. She is far from someone who is hiding and in fact does some modeling. I can’t tell someone they’re hiding. They have to figure out why they do it and delve into their own psyche. A lot may admit they are hiding because they don’t know how to care for their hair or feel a wig suits them better. Supporting others instead of “exposing” them is far more helpful.
I used to wear a wig when I was pursuing modeling. I decided not to anymore due to me not wanting to relax my hair or wear straight weaves and wigs anymore (among other reasons).
I don’t listen to wig naysayers. It doesn’t matter what anyone else’s opinion on my winter wigs is (I don’t even try and fake like it’s my real hair — anyone who asks what I did different to my hair is told honestly that it’s a wig for the winter). I don’t walk around in sundresses all year round just to appease people who say my arms and legs are too nice to be covered up, nor do I walk around with loose hair all year round just to appease anyone who has an affinity for my natural hair. I wear wigs in the winter time for the same reason I wear long sleeves and pants in the winter time. When it’s cold, my body has a hard time holding on to moisture, my skin, nails, and hair become very fragile and susceptible to brittleness, etc. Wearing long clothes protects my skin from harsh cold winds, wearing a hair hat protects my hair from the same climate, and it’s the only non-religious headwear that I’m allowed to wear to work without having to worry about taking it off indoors and fretting over hat hair. End of story. Infer what you want from my grooming choices, but they won’t change just because some people develop attachments to other people’s bodies.
I agree.
On point.
Interesting topic lol. I’ve been natural for about 3 and a half years. I went natural because after years of relaxers and tight braids, my hair was a right mess. I take care of my hair underneath and then I tuck it away under weaves and wigs. I know it sounds absurd. But quite simply put, I wear wigs because I have always loved wigs, even as a child.
I get the occasional criticism from my natural friends who tell me to stop “hiding” and embrace my real hair. They wonder why put so much time and effort into caring for it, only to cover it up. I explain that I love wigs, much like someone who loves shoes. The fact that a wig affects my appearance much more than a new pair of shoes does, well that’s unfortunate. But it is not a reflection of how I feel about myself. My wigs are my little guilty pleasure. 🙂
I use wigs to protective style. Hair is important to me, but I can’t say it is a reflection of my self esteem. I wish people would stop making assumptions about others based on their hair. It’s condescending and self righteous.
I can express myself in whatever form I deem appropriate because it’s my choice. I was going to explain why I wear wIgs, but then I realized I don’t owe anyone an explanation lol. The idea that people are hiding from something based on hair choices may be true for some, but it’s not the rule.
I get your point, but I think the writer is saying that to put a wig on your head in the first place is to hide your own hair. Why would you walk around hiding it all day? I think it’s important that you share why you wear a wig because it could help enlighten us to another view. Everyone’s opinion is valid, important and helpful.
Why do you need a view on how someone else wears their hair? I guess I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think how I wear my hair is always relevant to everyone. It’s like I need to give my reasons to gain approval from non wig wearers.
While I respect people’s opinions, the implication that people wear wigs to hide their hair is a little condescending. The term “Hiding your hair” is a negatively biased assumption about wig wearers. But that’s just my opinion.
Why does anyone have to explain themselves in the first place? I understand you’re playing Devil’s advocate but there’s no need for anyone to elaborate on what they choose to do with their body or part of their body. Whether it’s for aesthetics, to retain length, or wanting to do something different, so long as the person is being safe and taking care of their hair it’s no one’s business.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to start a dialogue but some people can be overly aggressive or benevolently insensitive about the topic, especially if they are already a naysayer.
“I think it’s important that you share why you wear a wig because it could help enlighten us to another view”
How about this.. BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO.. Is that not an OKAY answer???
The idea that any woman needs to explain WHY they choose to wear a wig arrogantly implies that people who wear wigs need to explain their choice to those who have made a different choice.. I too respect people’s opinions, but I don’t question a woman’s hairstyle choices, nor do I draw conclusions about their character from their choices..
Personally I find that there are far too many naturals who even do this with regards to other haircare choices.. which is why I generally don’t answer the “what is your routine” questions from most folks when asked.. Not in the mood to get that “judgmental reply” because I don’t follow the internet often for product advice, and I don’t know who “Uncle Funky” is and why he and “Hello Curly” are fighting, and because I am looking only for products I can buy “on the ground” and not JUST/ONLY/EXCLUSIVELY “on the ‘net”.. While they feel it necessary to only use “oils from seeds grown where they only receive southern exposure and pressed by Nubian virgins by the new moon..”, that ain’t my thing, and I will not be judged by that.. If MY HAIR is healthy, if I look good, and feel good, and oh yeah if I WANT to wear a wig, then leave me be..