International Wig Day Date in the current year: March 10, 2024

A wig is an accessory imitating a coiffure that can be made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. Wigs have existed since ancient times. Egyptians, for example, used to shave their heads or have their hair closely cropped, and wore wigs to protect their heads from the sun. Expensive, elaborate wigs were a sign of social status in many ancient cultures.

Wigs fell into disuse in Europe in the Early Middle Ages and experienced a revival in the 16th century. Back then, head lice were a common problem due to unhygienic conditions, and many people shaved their hair and wore a wig to improve their appearance. By the mid-17th century, wigs became practically a must for men with social rank. Women rarely wore full wigs, but they used artificial hairpieces to supplement their natural hair.

Wigs began to fall out of style again in the early 19th century. Today, they are not quite as common as they once were, but people still wear wigs for a variety of reasons, and wig manufacturing is a multi-million dollar industry. Wigs are widely used in theater, cinema and television. Some people wear them in everyday life because they don’t want to style their hair, for religious reasons (some married Orthodox Jewish women wear wigs instead of scarves to cover their hair), or to cover up hair loss. Transgender women who have just started transitioning may wear wigs to feel more comfortable.

International Wig Day was created in 2016 by Temashop, a Danish shop specializing in costumes, accessories and decorations for various holidays and events. The holiday is meant to encourage people to have a little fun with their looks, support those who have experienced hair loss due to illness, and erase the stigma that has become associated with wigs. Hopefully, International Wig Day will remind people that there is no shame in wearing a wig, be it for medical, religious, cultural or professional reasons, or just as a fashion statement.

The best way to celebrate International Wig Day is, of course, to wear a wig, which can be as silly or as serious as you want. You can get a fun wig at a local costume shop and throw a costume party for your friends, or you can buy a stylish wig that looks just like natural hair and wear it to the office – we bet some people will think you’ve just changed your hairstyle! By the way, a wig is a great way to test out a new hairstyle or hair color without doing anything drastic to your hair. Don’t forget to snap a photo of yourself in a wig and post it on social media with the hashtags #InternationalWigDay and #WigDay.

You also can celebrate by supporting people who suffer from hair loss. The easiest ways to do this are to donate to a charity that supports cancer patients or funds hair loss research, or to donate your own hair for a wig (there are a lot of organizations out there that make real-hair wigs for children and young people affected by cancer). Keep in mind though that in order to be donated, your hair must meet certain criteria; it must be sufficiently long (typically at least 12 inches) and in excellent condition.