I have some experiance buying and wearing wigs, so maybe I can help someone out with a few of these tips.
(and I plan on styling a wig - tucking hair up into a bun - this year, so I might add tips for that later!)
-Wig Source- However, I just found a wig website that sells gorgeous wigs - for any style, length and color - but they're a bit pricier.
http://wigsecret.com/I originally found them through a listing on Ebay and I paid them with a check (because Ebay isn't taking gift cards anymore, boo).
If you go onto Ebay or their website, be sure to e-mail them that you would like that wig; and when you want to pay for it, you should send them a printed picture/description of the wig so they can give you exactly what you're paying for.
-Tips- -
Buying: The easiest and cheapest way to find and buy a wig - the one that is
perfect for your cosplay - is to go through Ebay.
However, I strongly recommend that you keep a list (on your favorites, or your wishlist if you have an Ebay account) and keep track of all the wigs that look like the one you need; then, you'll need to narrow down your search: the right style/color/length and price. I say this because it's better to exercise patience to find a good wig than to quickly buy a wig that looks cheap and awful. And if you want to be extra careful, you can check each seller's record for positive reviews before buying.
You'll have to use Paypal to pay for your wig, since Ebay no longer gives gift cards to your retailers in town. However, you can ask the seller if you can send them a check if, you're like me, don't want to use Paypal.
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Storage: A lot of the wigs I buy come wrapped in a hair net and a plastic bag or a box. And, I strongly recommend that when you're not using them you should store them in those nets so they keep their shape, and store them in their respective bags/boxes so they stay crisp and clean. I know that some of you like to display your wigs on mannequin heads, and it's probably fine, but please don't leave them out in the open where they can be knocked over, trampled on or get things spilled on them.
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Wearing: Most people wear hair nets before putting their wigs on but I personally hate nets with a passion because they're so easy to rip or get bunched up. I have long hair, so I prefer to tie it into a braid and then wind it up into a bun at the top of my head (and clip my bangs to the sides of my head with bobby pins) before putting the wig on. Gotta make sure the wig is settled and not sitting on top or it'll slide!
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Styling: Most wig enthusiasts say that you shouldn't get your wigs wet because it'll ruin the style, make it sloppy/saggy; in which case you'll need to go through lengths to carefully dry it out and style it over again (I'm sure there's videos on Youtube for drying!).
I agree with this point because I have one short wig that I use for only one cosplay, and I use a comb and hairspray to get it just the way I want every time I put it on. Because of using hairspray, the tips are most likely permanently stuck as sharp points (which is fine, that's how it's supposed to look). If you don't have the know-how to style wigs, you might want to buy a wig for each of your cosplays so you don't need to worry about ruining the styles.
These are a few that I can remember at the top of my head; if I remember or learn of anything else I'll be sure to post more. ^^;
