6. Myth: Most Men in the American Colonies Wore Wigs to Subdue Lice
Fact: Only the most influential and wealthy Americans wore wigs – but mostly in the course of their duties and special occasions.
Paintings and portrayals of the colonists in early America, especially in the cities and towns show that most men wore wigs. While wigs were considered fashionable at the time, they were also extremely expensive and were worn mainly by officials in the course of their duties, especially judges and lawyers, officers of the government, tax collectors, and constables. The myth that they were worn to subdue lice and other pests is just that, a myth. The same is true of the fashion of powdering hair, it was done as a matter of style, especially for formal gatherings such as levees and dinners. Both men and women wore wigs if they could afford them.
Powdering hair was a messy task, performed by a valet or a hairdresser, and required the person having their hair powdered to breathe through a mask as the powder was applied. Flour was often used, in colonial days flour was not the pure bleached white that it is today. It was blended with refined starches, and often it was colored with dyes. Hair powder was expensive, often contained chalk, or finely ground dried white clay. Although the practice of wearing powdered hair on a daily basis was largely gone by the time of Washington’s first administration, it remained a practice when conducting diplomatic affairs for another generation.