Yvonne's Place for Crossdressers

Some thoughts on buying a wig

Your wig is not only one of the most important choices you will make as a crossdresser, it is one of the most expensive. In a perfect world, you would have a chance to try a wig on before paying $70, $100 or $140 for one, but most likely you are shopping from a mail order or an on-line catalog. To make matters worse, there is a good chance you won't be able to get a cash refund if your choice doesn't work for you, or at best you can exchange your choice once or twice before you are cut off.

So how can you minimize the risk of flushing a whole lot of money down the drain? Here are some things to think about before you give them that credit card number.

Choose a hair color that is reasonably close to your own. Remember that genetic traits such as skin tone, eye color and hair color, are closely related. To suddenly deviate from this color scheme will create a contrast that will most likely draw second (and third!) looks from the general public. Many crossdressers, as part of their role-playing fantasies, will choose that waist-length blond wig. But the dark brown eyes and brows and ruddy complexion make it a hard look to perfect.

While you should stick close to color, I feel it's OK to get a curlier style even if your own hair is straight. Or vise-versa.

The people modeling those wigs are professional models, attractive female models. The wig won't make you look like that! In general, men have much larger and more pronounced jaw and chin lines. Be careful not to choose a style that exagerates those masculine features even more.

Why is it that companies that claim to serve the trangender community never use crossdressers or otherwise transgendered persons to model their products? Some do, but not many. There, I've vented, now let's go on.

When looking at the models in the cataloge, look for women who have basic face shapes similar to your own, even if you don't like the wig style she is modeling.

Avoid, too, styles that part down the middle, leaving the forehead exposed. By the same token, heavy bangs can make the high forehead more pronounced. You want some bangs to minimize the size of the forehead, but they should be light, almost wispy.

I personally like the idea of long hair, preferably to the shoulders or just past. Long hair down the sides of your face help to disguise and distort the size and shape of your face. Hair that reaches the shoulders also masks the broadness of the shoulders.

The overall quality of the wig is important. The hair should move convincingly with movement of your head or from the wind. I have experience with three sources for wigs where I have gotten to wear them for at least a day. My favorites were Paula Young and Revlon. Fredrick's of Hollywood was just OK.

If you are up for it, paying a visit to a reputable wig salon is the best way to be sure you will get a color and style that works for you. The ladies and gentlemen that perform this service are very adept at knowing what looks good on their customers. And you'd be surprised to know that the idea of a man buying a woman's wig for himself is not so troubling to these folks. I contacted a local store some time ago and the proprietress was not at all taken back by my request. So I took a day off from work, made a 2:00 appointment, showed up as Yvonne, and came away with the best looking wig I have ever owned. It's the only one I wear now. I will say that this wig was more expensive than the mail orders, but it is a far better quality as well.

Finally, contrary to popular belief, human hair is not always better.

I found this guide on choosing the right style in a Paula Young catalog and thought I'd pass it on.

Rectangle
High forehead, long narrow chin

To create an oval appearance, choose a face-framing style with bangs and full sides to add width to the cheekbones. Avoid styles that add height on top.

Heart
Wide forehead, high cheekbones, narrow chin

Try a style that minimizes the width across teh forehead with soft curls or bangs and adds fullness at the jaw line. Avoid styles shorter than your jaw line.

Oval
Wider at forehead than at chin, gracefully tapers from cheeks to chin.

Styles that add width are the most flattering. Try a shoulder-length style or a short style that is angled at the jaw bone to accentuate the cheek bones.

Pear
Narrow forehead, round chin.

Frame the face with bangs and full layers on the sides and on top, with hair falling below the chin.

Round
Wide, short forehead with full cheeks, small chin.

Try a long layered style or a short style that adds height to the face without adding extra width.

Square
Angular jaw line, same width as forhead.

Styles that lengthen the face and add fullness on top work best. Avoid styles that add width at the jaw line.

Here are some places on the Web where you can look at wigs. These sites have the best prices and excellent return policies.

Beauty Trends - They carry Revlon, Adolpho and their own label, BT.

Hot Hair - Located in the U.K., they have a great selection of quality wigs and excellent cutomer service.

Frederick's Of Hollywood

Paula Young
They have the best selection of larger cap sizes of any on-line wig source I know, and their customer support is the best.

International Wig
A very large selection of styles and prices.

	Rectangle High forehead, long narrow chin	To create an oval appearance, choose a face-framing style with bangs and full sides to add width to the cheekbones. Avoid styles that add height on top.
	Heart Wide forehead, high cheekbones, narrow chin	Try a style that minimizes the width across teh forehead with soft curls or bangs and adds fullness at the jaw line. Avoid styles shorter than your jaw line.
	Oval Wider at forehead than at chin, gracefully tapers from cheeks to chin.	Styles that add width are the most flattering. Try a shoulder-length style or a short style that is angled at the jaw bone to accentuate the cheek bones.
	Pear Narrow forehead, round chin.	Frame the face with bangs and full layers on the sides and on top, with hair falling below the chin.
	Round Wide, short forehead with full cheeks, small chin.	Try a long layered style or a short style that adds height to the face without adding extra width.
	Square Angular jaw line, same width as forhead.	Styles that lengthen the face and add fullness on top work best. Avoid styles that add width at the jaw line.