Top and Tail
By: Mary Darly Published: 1777 Clothing in text: Wig Note in the above engraving the use of the wig, complete with an abundance garden Social Commentary
The wig became elaborate during the 18th century, resulting in large pieces on the heads of both men and women. At times, doorways were difficult because of the height of such hair. They were constantly ridiculed in caricatures in the newspapers. In Darly's pictures The lavish wig became a symbol of consumption of the populace, according to Kwass: "The social life of this odd consumer good reveals much about the chronology, social depth, and geographic range of new consumer practices in the Age of Enlightenment. Rather than validating simplistic conceptions of consumer revolution, the wig's diffusion demonstrates a dramatic expansion in an intermediate zone of consumption situated between aristocratic luxury and popular necessity" (Kwass 5). The deception of true physical form was exacerbated in the wig, and the trend nearly disappeared after the 18th century. |
Other Clothing Reference:
Silk Jacket wit trim |