Wig selection

[bee]

My thoughts

1. A color the same or near your real hair color may look more natural

2. Real Human hair is lighter in weight, cooler in summer and looks, well, real. (Not over shiny as acrylic can look). You can style it as you wish (Style is not predetermined as with some acrylic ones). Color can be changed.

3. Both type can be found at this web site for reasonable prices http://wigs.md

4. Cons: Human hair is more expensive, and has to be styled

[Julia]

Hi Suzy,

I think the best thing to do with wigs is to try them on first. Make an appointment with a wig seller ( there are several listed elsewhere in these forums, and they are all used to tg customers) , ask for their help in choosing a style that suits your face shape and a colour that suits your complexion.

Other points to consider include when and how long you would be wearing the wig ( all the time, or just occasionally), and the climate of your region; long wigs in hot, humid conditions aren’t much fun after a while.

Regarding human hair wigs, if they are good quality, they will last as long as any other wig. They do require more care, however. They can also be re-styled and coloured. A good quality acrylic wig can be very realistic, too.

[Anonymous]

hello
i bought a wig from US (America)
but it was smaller than i expected.
returned it and got another, which also was not the right size,
i kept it .but its to small for me,so dont wear it.
http://www.playwithhair.com , is a Perth based online wig shop.
the girl who owns the company is a tranny.

another way which i prefer is to go to a wig shop, cost more.
Starkles, at Myer Center Brisbane and at Pacific Fair, Gold Coast.
there is also one at Carindale Shopping center, but is not part of
the two other stores.
trying a wig on in a shop is great as you can see wat i looks like before you buy, and they know wat should look good on you.

i was fitted with a short wig, which i found looked good on me,
would not have bought , as i had mainly shoulder length wigs previously.

[Anonymous]

I would recommend going into a wig shop for some professional guidance. My first wig took at least 15 min of trying on wigs to find one that worked for my face.

When buying wigs online you can easily buy one that does not work. Once you have experience at what to look for it is ok but the first should be with guidance and trying on many wigs.

Assuming your face is masculine to some degree the hair needs to curve to camouflage the male shape of the face. Straight wigs give a reference point and show up the male shape to the face very badly, even for genetic women long hair only looks good when they are young and look very feminine.

I prefer the synthetic wigs as they take a lot more abuse and cheaper. just hold the the synthetic wig upside down and give it a shake and put it on, it then just needs a very slight brush or comb.

With colour it still be a surprise. Number 2 wig I tried on a red wig and would you believe it it looked good. My natural hair colour, when I had hair was a dark brown but with fair skin colour.

It is important to match wig style to face shape: oval, round, square, diamond etc

try googling “wig face shape square”

That should give you some ideas.

I hope this helps and not to confusing
Vicki

[Melissa_Mills]

are the wigs that cost hundreds of dollars, noticeably better quality than the ones under $100?.
The couple that I’ve been able to find that are large enough for me (which cost $50), dont seem to be any better quality than ones I’ve seen in stores.
I’ve been looking at a website in germany that apparantly their wigs will fit me but they start at around 200 euros and rise rapidly from there.

Melissa

[Melissa_Mills]

the one I’m leaning towards on that german website features a description of

The new future technology has been used for this wig. The soft and very natural looking filament can be treated like real hair as it is resistant against heat – which means you can handle your wig as natural hair: use the hair dryer, curl it and create any style you want.

and this one costs 270 euros so about $320 or so plus postage which apparantly ranges from 23-48 euros depending on the weight of the package.
I’m planning to head over to the USA next year and visit at least one store that caters to people with our interest and their wigs are a lot cheaper but I’ve been in contact with these people and they tell me they dont have anything large enough for me but I’ll go there anyway to be sure

[Adrian]

Ok – this is just my personal opinion…..

The cheap wigs look as if you are going to a Halloween party

The medium price range wigs nearly always look like wigs to me – partcularly on a more mature face.

I’m not sure why this is.. is it the acrylic fibre, the conservative US hair styles they use, or perhaps the way they ‘grow’ out of the head. I do know that the wigs which have coloured roots / tips look a bit more convincing in a way that a solid dark colour never does.

As Bambi said earlier in this thread – the Rolls-Royce of the wig industry is human hair – which can be styled and coloured in a way that makes them much less “wig-like”. But that comes with a price tag for purchase and maintenance that I doubt anyone would consider unless they proposed to wear it full time.

So it comes down to a bit of lottery – both in price paid and the style.
I’m not sure if trying wigs on in a shop (from a very limited range in stock) is better than ordering on-line and returning all the wigs that “don’t work”. But the challenge is working out when you have found something that is right (hint: get someone else’s opinion!). I don’t think in 15 or so years i ever cracked that one.

[Anya]

Agree strongly with Bambi’s remark that a colour close to your original hair colouring is best – that way you’ll be selecting a colour that likely matches your skin tone.

Vicki also makes an important point about selecting the right style. My own experience is that it’s well worth going to a mainstream wig store that serve the needs of women with cancer.

The good stylists in these places are very experienced and are often fluent with the task of selecting from the large range of hair styles available the particular ones that are likely to suit particular face/ head shapes.

[Kristen_james]

I can’t add too much more to what others have said. Try to get professional help if you can, try for a similar colour to your own hair. I like synthetics as they don’t need as much care as real ones. It won’t matter how much you spend though if the wig you get is not right for you!

If price is an issue, & for most of us it is, you could go to a store, find a wig that suits then see if you can get it cheaper online. Be warned though, in my experience, even the same model of wig can be a little different to the one you first saw. Best if you find the wig that looks to be right for you & buy it then & there.

K.

[Melissa_Mills]

I have come across a website in the US that says they can make custom full lace wigs for any sized head starting at $250 which would be about the same as the german site for price but this will be full lace and the other one is not lace at all so I wouldnt be able to put the hair up in a ponytail etc.
Has anyone had any experience with full lace/lace front wigs?
Do you need glue or medical tape to make sure that your wigs are secure?

Melissa

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Has anyone had any experience with full lace/lace front wigs?

Hi Melissa, I wear a wig all day every day & have a number of different ones. I have a favourite which can be seen in my avatar & most of my other pics. That wig is by Jon Renau & is a lace top, lace front, monofilament & synthetic. Because this wig looks so realistic & not a single person yet has identified it as a wig (I have asked) I have purchased more the same style & colour & have them cut to varying styles. That way it looks like I’ve styled my own hair differently rather than changed wigs.
I have one other ‘quality’ wig by Rene of Paris, also monofilament but not lace front. It too is a good wig & is worn extensively, though at very close range some people can tell it is a wig (not that I really care, at close range they can also tell I started out as a guy). Having said that, it is extremely rare (these days) that I wear my ‘cheap’ wigs & certainly never in public. That should indicate my thoughts on ‘cheapo’ wigs.
Unless a wig has a fringe (bangs) I personally will only buy lace front. Additionally, if you want to wear your hair in a pony tail, you may also need to consider having a hair dresser cut/taper the neck line so that there are some whispy hairs that sit against your neck to hide the the wig cap at the nape of the neck. Be aware that not all hairdressers are experienced cutting synthetic hair – some product knowledge is required, mainly to do with scissor marks.

Quote:

Do you need glue or medical tape to make sure that your wigs are secure?

I personally don’t but I suspect that will vary from person to person. As I always wear a wig, I trim my hair to a number one cut, it works like velcro, especially on a lace top!
I participate in vigorous outdoor activity & have never had my shorter wigs come off, ‘though my long ones do tend to slip back sometimes.

Quote:

If price is an issue, & for most of us it is, you could go to a store, find a wig that suits then see if you can get it cheaper online.

I recognise that this statement was made for the benefit of the readers but I would respectfully request that everyone consider the ethics in doing such a thing. As a business owner who has people do that type of thing to us frequently, I can tell you it annoys us, constantly having our time wasted (with intention). The result is often that businesses stop helping.

Quote:

I’m not sure if trying wigs on in a shop (from a very limited range in stock) is better than ordering on-line and returning all the wigs that “don’t work”.

Certainly most shops will have a limited range but always check the returns policy before buying wigs online. It is not uncommon to only be able to exchange rather than return.

Quote:

My own experience is that it’s well worth going to a mainstream wig store that serve the needs of women with cancer.

The good stylists in these places are very experienced and are often fluent with the task of selecting from the large range of hair styles available the particular ones that are likely to suit particular face/ head shapes.

This has been my experience too.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the first response to your post. I have several wigs all different styles and colours. I’ve found the best wigs are always the real hair wigs. Yes, they are a little more expensive but your able to syle them to acheive more than just one look. I think you need to consider your complexion before you choose a colour if trying to acheive a natural look and feel confident in how you present yourself. There are many places you can purchase wigs, either in Australia or Internationally. The difference is the wait time. Although, with DHL and express delivery, most occassions are only a few days if you pay priority toll. Perhaps you might consult a professional makeup artist and have them provide you with an opinion as to match a colour and style to you face-line and complexion. You will find there are many professional make-up artists that will assist you. I would also suggest you visit some of the support sites such as the seahorse society. They list a lot of great resouces on their web page.

[Anonymous]

I can see the wisdom in comments made, and have certainly come across them elsewhere.
However my experience, after gathering all my courage to go into a wig shop and ask to try one on, was disheartening.
The shop worker – I was under the impression it was the owner/manager – simply asked which one i wanted to try, and did not offer any advice as to suitability or suggest alternatives.
Apart from actually trying it on there was no more understanding gained than buying on line. Perhaps I was too wound up, but I did expect and hope for more.

Yes, I did buy one – but came away feeling let down rather than uplifted.
This was a shop in Sydney – recommended by another member of this community .

ON reflection, as I reread this post, the reason for wanting a wig seems to have a great deal to do with the choice. In all my photos I wear wigs purchased on line – through ebay largely. There is one exception – the wig I purchased in Sydney.
As I live only on line and am seen only in photos (sad but true) I accept that there is more flexibility in choice for me.

That being said, I would love to go into a wig shop one day and be guided in choice by someone with knowledge, skill and empathy.

Jan

[Anonymous]

I have 2 wigs, both purchased over the last 2 weeks at 2 different shops in Melbourne. In both cases, the service was amazing. Anxious at first but they made me feel welcome. Guess what? I will go back. What I found is that I needed their advice and could well have got it wrong. I will be going back to one of the shops to get the longer wig styled.

I will work up to human hair as I get used to what I like. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the hair experience. Been a couple of decades since I had much of my own.

[Anonymous]

Choosing a wig should be a pleasurable sensual experience.

Without any hesitation I recommend Wig Affair in Sydney. I have purchased wigs from Jan and she is considerate, engaging, professional and caring. Beautiful experience. I spoke by phone with another shop prior to settling on Wig Affair but didn’t feel a connection.

I now have identical 2 wigs. Both expensive synthetic. The oldest is 2 years old, worn 4 days a week and, after some TLC from Jan looking terrific.

Identical because I liked the style and colour of the wig plus I want to give those that see me regularly a perception of consistency, i.e. Michelle as a person.