Author Topic: Real hair to wigs :\ (Read 18193 times)

~boogiepop~ · « **on:** March 11, 2007, 12:58:49 am »

I was wondering what people preferred:

Cutting and coloring your hair for the character you're doing or buying and styling a wig.

I've done both and I have to say that I totally prefer using my own hair rather then buying a wig ::{all the wigs I've gotten are really itchy D:}::

Just curious to what people preferred~

Vondan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2007, 01:27:14 am »

why not a wig made of your own hair

manekineko · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2007, 01:33:12 am »

I haven't used wigs yet, but after my experience with my first and only con, I think I'll start. I wore just two costumes, and I had to cut and dye my hair in the middle of the con. Long and dark brown to shoulder length auburn (Tifa to Kairi). Not fun. I had to stay up super late to do it because of the dance so I was exhausted on Sunday and you could tell in my photos. I think I'll use wigs for at least all but one costume at Kumoricon. It just seems easier for me, and saves a little bit of time.
Plus, real hair can fall flat and stuff, and wigs can be ridiculously extravagant.
Of course I've never worn a wig so who knows. :roll:

Quote from: "Vondan"

why not a wig made of your own hair

Interesting... someone should do it.

Washougal_Otaku · « **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2007, 09:08:54 am »

I haven't the faintest idea, since I've never cosplayed before. However, with what I'm planning on doing for KCon this year, (and possibly Sakuracon), I'm planning on using my own hair, simply because it's not that different of a hairstyle than my character; I'll just have to die it.

Trumby · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2007, 10:10:55 am »

I'd say it depends on how extensive the hairstyle is..and how much work it takes to get to that desired style.

Like when I do my hair for Greed (the correct way I want it..not the rushed way it's been at Kumoricon <.<) it takes me almost an hour to do it. To be honest I'd rather spend the $40-50 on a wig and style it instead since it's much easier to do and only has to be touched up between cons.

Whereas with Chloe..that was impossible to do without a wig..since 1: my hair is not that long and 2: my hair will never be fuchsia.

totemo_oishii · « **Reply #5 on:** March 11, 2007, 01:33:56 pm »

Although I prefer using my own hair, there are some styles I just can't pull off. I have short brown hair, and all my cosplays this year are blond characters ... and I'm not willing to bleach my hair. ^__^;; So I'll be using wigs.

I've worn a long pink wig before, and I agree, it does get quite itchy or hot. I ended up only wearing it one day, and ditched it the other days...

Vondan · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2007, 01:52:36 pm »

Quote from: "totemo_oishii"

Although I prefer using my own hair, there are some styles I just can't pull off. I have short brown hair, and all my cosplays this year are blond characters ... and I'm not willing to bleach my hair. ^__^;; So I'll be using wigs.

I've worn a long pink wig before, and I agree, it does get quite itchy or hot. I ended up only wearing it one day, and ditched it the other days...

Oh yeah you should have kept your hair when you cut it and made a wig. I had a neaibor who cut hers from waist to neck length and she kept it for her husband to use it some native art project.

~boogiepop~ · « **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2007, 02:08:31 pm »

Quote from: "Vondan"

Quote from: "totemo_oishii"
Although I prefer using my own hair, there are some styles I just can't pull off. I have short brown hair, and all my cosplays this year are blond characters ... and I'm not willing to bleach my hair. ^__^;; So I'll be using wigs.

I've worn a long pink wig before, and I agree, it does get quite itchy or hot. I ended up only wearing it one day, and ditched it the other days...

Oh yeah you should have kept your hair when you cut it and made a wig. I had a neaibor who cut hers from waist to neck length and she kept it for her husband to use it some native art project.

I thought you were joking around at first about making your own hair into a wig 0.o

How the heck would you get that to work? I've never head of doing that before :\

Vondan · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2007, 02:40:03 pm »

Quote from: "~boogiepop~"

Quote from: "Vondan"
Quote from: "totemo_oishii"
Although I prefer using my own hair, there are some styles I just can't pull off. I have short brown hair, and all my cosplays this year are blond characters ... and I'm not willing to bleach my hair. ^__^;; So I'll be using wigs.

I've worn a long pink wig before, and I agree, it does get quite itchy or hot. I ended up only wearing it one day, and ditched it the other days...

Oh yeah you should have kept your hair when you cut it and made a wig. I had a neaibor who cut hers from waist to neck length and she kept it for her husband to use it some native art project.

I thought you were joking around at first about making your own hair into a wig 0.o

How the heck would you get that to work? I've never head of doing that before :\

They make high end wigs from real hair and I have 3 Beauty School practice heads with real hair (Label says 100% Real hair and guarantee free of lice) there is sad third world market for girls to grow there hair and cut it off to make wigs for rich people. That was also the plot of a book like little woman and an ep of little house of the prairie. And now it's a trendy thing to do for charities to make wigs for people who loose hair due to medical treatment.

totemo_oishii · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2007, 02:46:25 pm »

Hmm, I actually hadn't thought of that when I cut it. It was about 6 or so inches of hair too ....

Mei Long · « **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2007, 05:04:22 pm »

Personally I prefer wigs. You don't have to do anything with your own hair, ya have an awesome wig after the convention, they stay cleaner and oil free longer than your hair after running around at a convention, and look better in pictures. (If the wig is good, that is. ^^; ). So in Wigs vs. Real Hair, my vote is in the Wig's corner. ^^

superjaz · « **Reply #11 on:** March 11, 2007, 08:55:14 pm »

and the wigs tend to look more cartoonish whitch is a plus

QElderHell · « **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2007, 09:12:28 pm »

well, lets see. My costumes
Hojo: Long Dark Hair
Vincent: Long Dark Hair
Me: Long Dark Hair

The question has really never come into my mind.....

leashy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2007, 09:16:08 pm »

Unless the character's hairstyle is very similar to your own natural hair, or is a color you could easily dye and style you own to, then I prefer a wig. You can see in my picture below that I used a wig for Sakaki's hair and I think it came out really nice, I even used black mascara on my eyebrows to make it look more authentic.

This year I am doing Kasumi from Ranma 1/2 and since she and I have the same hair color and length I will probably not do a wig. I think the only downfall will be that i refuse to do her bangs so it will be a bit less authentic however I feel if I were to do a wig for such a simple hairstyle it would really take away from the costume.

When you are doing someone like Utena, or Sailor moon or anyone with a really contrasting hairstyle, use a wig. However: BE TASTEFUL! My biggest pet peeve is when someone has a really ugly/cheap/bad wig that is just all the wrong color. I mean I know wigs can be pricey if you are shopping last minute or don't find the right deal but honestly an investment in a good wig can go a LONG way.

Ok that is all I have to say.

State Alchemist · « **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2007, 09:18:13 pm »

I think I'll use wigs this year. After all, both characters have hair that I don't want to have...

Allen Walker: Shoulder - White
Harihi Fujioka: Very Short - Brown
Me: Long - Brown

It's a pain.

superjaz · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2007, 11:46:11 pm »

yeah i know why couldn't i be born with bubble gum pink

JimmyDarkside · « **Reply #16 on:** March 12, 2007, 12:49:17 am »

I prefer my own hair for sho. Unless I REAAAALLY like the character, there is no way I'll wear a wig. And if I do, I'll get a reeeally nice, possibly expensive one. Though I've never used a wig so far. I do plan on using fake extension ponytail things sometime in the future for a Relyss cosplay, but other than that, I'm avoiding wigs when at all possible.

Besides, I kinda like having my hair done up like a character's in public. It's cool when fans of the series notice. It's a good way to make friends. X3

heartlessx3nobody · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2007, 03:15:38 pm »

Wigs can be really itchy and annoying so for a while I only used my real hair, but well I realized that I hate having my hair the same for to long and I always want like 12 costumes so I'm always making new ones for every con and well you can guess that costumes aren't as reusable if you use your real hair for them..

Like I was going to let my friend use one of costumes this year but I don't have a wig and neither of us want to go buy one so it kinda blows xD

I think I made this decision after I cut my hair really short and bleached it blonde which was an awful idea. I had to wait way to long to let it grow out. Stupid bedtime Naruto costume.. it was kind of awful so I guess there are only a few times I would recomend your real hair like if your hair already looks like that or if you really want your hair to look like that.

I ususally use my own hair if to I'm afraid to try and curl or majorly style a wig into something I think will end up ruining the wig I probably would have to spend 40 bucks on xD

Irate Beldam · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2007, 10:37:06 am »

If my hair is right for the costume, I'll use my real ringlet hair.

If not, I'll get a wig. They don't bug me.

I actually wear wigs every other day, or every third day when I get bored of my real hair.

Here's a photo with a wig on: (They look pretty real!)

I love cosplaysupplies.com XD

Only thing I've noticed is, well, if you're doing a wig, the hair colour needs to be VERY close to your natural one. So that if stray hairs come out, or the wig is a funky size, or your hair just doesn't plain FIT, no one will notice.

If I tried to pull of Plainum blonde, it would look...wrong.

For that, I think I'd prefer changing my natural hair. >_<

Runa · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2007, 04:01:07 pm »

To keep your hair from showing through wigs, wear a wig cap of appropriate color. They come in pink, green, blue, beige, black and white. You could make your own wig cap from an old pair of tights. The wig cap does a few good things: it prevents the wig from itching too much, hides your real hair color, keeps your real hair under the wig, and helps keep wig from sliding off your head. After you've put the wig cap on and the wig in place, put in TONS of bobby pins to force everything to stay put.

I used to like wearing wigs, however I've recently discovered that if I wear a wig for more than 2 hours my eyes get all red and itchy from some sort of allergic reaction. :oops: So I have to limit my wig time as the eye irritation blurs my vision and doesn't go away even after I put in eye drops. :cry:

pinkrandomattack · « **Reply #20 on:** March 14, 2007, 12:12:20 am »

as a rule i try to find cosplay that fits with my hair anyway.

but wigs are fun, and really not as spendy as most people think for a nice one, and yeah wig caps are utterly key. cosworx sells them in "party colors" which is often what you need.

and really very fun to make.

Irate Beldam · « **Reply #21 on:** March 14, 2007, 02:21:17 am »

@ Runa: Haha, I wish I could wear wig caps.

But they like totally squeeze off the circulation to my brain, or something.

After like half an hour of wearing one I can't really breath and I feel really light-headed and sick from the wigcap. It sucks & it makes my head too hot. ;_;

Happens in a wig after about ten hours, though. xD

My problem is actually not so much the stray hairs as much as, well, wigs don't attach to your scalp, so the place where they meet your forehead tends to look retarrted like you're a cancer patient, or something.
Soooo, wigs with bangs = GOOD. XDDD[/size]

Runa · « **Reply #22 on:** March 14, 2007, 07:53:51 am »

Sounds like the wig cap doesn't fit your head if it feels like it's cutting circulation off. Try making your own wig caps. That way you can be sure that the wig cap is big enough for your head. There are many kinds of wig caps available, I'm sure there's one that fits nicely. It should fit on like a hat.

I suppose you could line the wig itself with some material to help hide your hair.

My husband has extremely short hair (<1/8" long), so if he wears a wig, there's nothing to pin it to, and even wig caps will slide off. :lol: In that case, if we find the wig is sliding about, I use a few spots of spirit gum to glue it to his head.

Irate Beldam · « **Reply #23 on:** March 16, 2007, 01:07:40 am »

@ Runa:

Yeah, the caps were VERY difficult to put on, and they kept ripping, too. But I thought it was because they were cheap, not because they were too small.

In hindsight, I realize it was probably all of the above.

So I can just make them out of tights? Like...the...foot part? *Confused, slightly.*
I have glorious images of robbing a convenient store with that over my head...xDD

Wow, I have never heard of someone's wig falling off or being too large! Mostly, I just see people with too much hair crammed in. xP

You have to glue it on? Oh gosh, what a pain! :Shock:[/size]

Runa · « **Reply #24 on:** March 16, 2007, 07:47:38 am »

Hey, when someone's bald, there's nothing to pin to... and without hair, a person's head is somewhat smaller than a head with hair. Most (costume type) wigs are made with the expectation that the person has hair that needs to be hidden. The only wigs that are made to be worn by bald people are the special wigs made for people undergoing chemo (and those are 1-expensive and 2-only in mundane/non-anime colors and hairstyles). So yeah, on a bald head, if you don't glue it down, it'll spin around the head. :lol:

Try making your own wig cap or go to a fancy wig store and see about getting a high quality one. You may have to make it from something more robust than the nylon stockings -- perhaps silk stockings or lycra cut and fitted like a tight skullcap.

pinkrandomattack · « **Reply #25 on:** March 19, 2007, 01:04:58 pm »

even on bald heads wig caps help with the comfort of the wig. the insides of those things are so freakin itchy. i wear an everyday wig because of my alopecia (i do have some real hair but its very fine and slippery) and there really isent anything to pin to. but the wig caps make my cosplay wigs stay on better AND way more comfortable.

and i mean i have a GIANT head, so if your wigcaps are uncomfortable you might just try buying a differnt brand. everyone makes them differently.

makichan · « **Reply #26 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:31:24 pm »

I have cosplayed with both wigs and normal hair... buuut I actually prefer wigs.
1). you can style it beforehand
2). in most cases, it seems like you can get pretty sweet volume
3) you don't have to put all of that junk in your hair
4) you won't smell like a highlighter xD ...but that can kinda depend on what you're using to get volume to your hair...

also, I think it's less hassle, actually... you have the time beforehand to style it and then you are already set to go...

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Author Topic: Real hair to wigs :\ (Read 18193 times)