National Wig Out Day – May 24, 2025

History of National Wig Out Day

National Wig Out Day was created in 2009 by Kate and Alice Clark. The Clark sisters convinced the residents of a town called Bellingham in Washington to go to work wearing crazy wigs. At the end of the day, the celebrants all gathered downtown for a neighborhood party.

A wig is a hair accessory made from either human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. Short for the word ‘periwig,’ wigs are traceable to the earliest recorded times. Ancient Egyptians often wore wigs to protect their heads from the scorching heat of the sun. Romans also wore wigs on top of their close-cropped or shaved heads. When the Western Roman Empire fell, wigs went out of fashion until their revival in the 16th century, worn either to disguise baldness or as a fashion accessory. Due to the hygiene conditions of that period, they were also used to curb and prevent the spread of lice as wearers kept their heads shaved underneath the wigs.

Notable historical figures were famous for wearing wigs. Queen Elizabeth, I wore a red wig styled in a tightly-curled Roman style. Similarly, King Louis XIII of France popularized wig-wearing when he began to use them in 1624. His son, Louis XIV continued the trend, contributing to its spread in popularity on the European continent. Wigs for men were introduced to England during the 17th century and soon became a staple within the English court and among the high-ranking aristocracy. Today, wigs are mostly worn by women as fashion accessories. In Britain and other Commonwealth nations, wigs are still worn by court judges and barristers.