A wig is a head of hair—human, horse-hair or
synthetic—worn on the head for fashion or various other
aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and
religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig
and first appeared in the English language around 1675.
Some people wear wigs to disguise the fact
that they are bald. Actors, on the other hand often wear
costume wigs in order to portray better the character they
are playing. Wigs are also commonly used for
cross-dressing, gender-bending and for drag performances.
In addition, some people have worn pubic wigs or merkins
