9. Powdered wigs were not weapons against lice and fleas
It is often reported that the fashion of men wearing wigs came about as a means of preventing the spread of fleas, lice, and other pestilences. The first to wear a powdered wig, and create the fashion icon which it became, was Louis XIII of France. Louis adopted it to cover his bald head. It quickly became fashionable for both men and women as a symbol of status. Among the Founding Fathers, wigs were less popular than commonly believed. Washington refused to wear them, and only powdered his own hair (which was red) when the dictates of ceremonial fashion required it (white hair was viewed as a symbol of wisdom and dignity). Jefferson, another redhead, wore wigs reluctantly, preferring to simply powder his own hair. In France, he changed his view and frequently sported flamboyant wigs.
Wigs did sometimes pick up undesirable guests within their tresses, requiring them to be sent to a wigmaker or hairdresser for removal. The image of the Founding Fathers sitting around wearing wigs replete with pestilence is a false one. By the end of Washington’s first term as President, short hair for men gained the approval of those who dictated fashion, and wigs became symbolic only. Within a few more years they were worn chiefly by doormen and other domestic servants, particularly in the wealthier homes of the American South. James Monroe was the last American President to wear a powdered wig at his inauguration. By the way, the adoption of ostentatious wigs by the elite led to the term “bigwig” entering the English language.