18th Century Women’s Wigs, Braids, and Tates

Hairdressers and wigmakers in the 18th century sold false hair for women to achieve fashionable hairstyles. This took the form of partial hairpieces, such as plaits or braids, as well as complete full-head wigs, often called “tates” or “tetes.”

Not all 18th century women wore wigs; wig-wearing was more commonplace among men than women in England and Anglo-America. In his 1748 Account of His Visit to England, Pehr Kalm wrote:

Each country has its particular customs in one thing and another, and so it is in England. I believe there is scarcely a country where one gets to see so many Peruques as here. I will not mention that nearly all the principal ladies, and also a part of the commoner folk, wear Peruques, but I only speak of the men, who in short, all wore them.

Additional Resources

18th Century Hair & Wig Styling: History & Step-by-Step Techniques (additional video tutorials on Kendra’s Instagram)

Garsault’s Art du Perruquier (1767)

Plocacosmos: or, The Whole Art of Hair Dressing (1782)

Preposterous Headdresses and Feathered Ladies: Hair, Wigs, Barbers, and Hairdressers

The power and pomp of the wig

Packwood, Perfumer and Hair-Dresser — “At No. 16, Gracechurch-Street, Where Ladies Tetes are form’d compleat” — “elegantly dressed” ladies’ hair “for 1s. each, Powder and Pomatum included, having engaged ſome of the moſt capital HAIR DRESSERS in ENGLAND.”

But what if you’re more of a do-it-yourself woman of the 18th century? His business also “MAKES TRANSPARENT TETES, for LADIES who dreſs themſelves and expect the Ornament to anſwer the Ability of an Hair-Dreſſer,” as well as “Long Braids of Hair,” “plain Toupe,” “fine Ringlets,” “Drop Curls,” and “Silk Cuſhions.”

Trade cards of other 18th century hairdressers who offered hairpieces of various sorts included A.H. Bouſing, Samuel Conway, Hill, Knox, T. Tibenham, and Ward.

Descriptions of 18th century women’s wigs & false hair

“Originally Wiggs were confined to the Male Part of the Species, but of late, that uſurping Sex the Ladies, are grown aſhamed of the Natural Production of their own Heads, and lay Snares for our Hearts in artificial Buckles and Têtes de Mouton: The Black, the Brown, the Fair and Carroty, appear now all in one Livery; and you can no more judge of your Miſtreſs’s natural Complexion by the Colour of her Hair, than by that of her Ribbons.” (The London Tradesman, 1747)

“A Lady, whom I dreſs’d, was overperſuaded to uſe [a toxic hair dye], in ſpite of my railing againſt the Conſequence, thinking that it was Ill-nature in me; gave Half-a-Guinea for a Bottle of the Tincture, but after ſhe had uſed it twice or three Times, ſhe ſent for me, and as I expected, her Temples were bliſter’d as well as her Fingers; her Hair was turned from a Grey to a ruſty Brown, and in two Months after, I obſerved it to look Yellow; as if burnt, the Lady being very ill for two Months after; I was convinced of the Corroſiveness, by the Hair crumbling between my fingers – The End was, the Lady was obliged to have a Tete, and her Hair cut off.” (The Art of Hair-dressing, and Making it Grow Fast, 1750)

“The Barbers and Perriwig-makers alſo make a kind of Perriwigs for the Ladies; among which they have imported a ſort, impudently called by the French, as if they intended to affront all the fair who wore them, Tête Moutons, or Sheep’s-heads: But the Engliſh ladies, from their complaiſance for that nation, wear the wig, give it the French name, and pocket the affront.” (The parent's and guardian's directory, 1761)

Perruquier, coeffure de femme et mesures pour les nouvelles perruques d'hommes, 1762

“MATHEWS, HAIR-DRESSER from LONDON, BEGS leave to inform the ladies and gentlemen of this city, that he intends to carry on his buſineſs in all its various branches, ſuch as dreſſing ladies in the neweſt and moſt approved taſte, and making ladies new invented toupees, in the neateſt manner, curls, and ladies braids and cuſhions” (Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, January 3, 1774)

“The hair-dreſſer having brought home her tête, as ſhe had been obliged to have her head ſhaved after a violent fever, it was placed upon the dreſſing-table. Whilſt ſhe was chatting below with a friend who came to make her a morning viſit, and while her ſervants were in another part of the houſe, Jack ſlipped up ſtairs: as ſoon as he ſaw the head of hair, he ran to it, peeped at it before and behind, walked round it, bowed to it, and made fifty grimaces at it. Mr. G– accidentally ſtepping into the room obſerved his whimſical behavior, and was much diverted with it. At laſt Jack took it up, turned it about, patted a little of the powder out, and then ſet it upon his own head, and went to the glaſs; there, as if he thought it was not quite right, he gave it a pull on one ſide, and then on the other: ſtill, however, not being able to fit it to his mind, he fixed both his paws in the curls, and worked ſo hard at them, that he tore the whole tête to pieces, and covered the room with hair, pomatum, and powder. Mr. G– now laughed ſo loud that Mrs. G– and the ſervants came in; but they came too late to ſave the coiffure; it was totally demoliſhed.” (Court Letters: The Honourable Miss C– to Miss W–, The Westminster Magazine, 1775)

“JOHN PAGE, Ladies Hair-Dreſſer, oppoſite the Red Lion Inn, takes the Liberty to return his moſt ſincere Thanks to thoſe Ladies who have heretofore honoured him with their Commands, and begs Leave to inform them that they may be ſupplied with Cuſhions, in the neweſt and genteeleſt Taſte, and Artificial Hair (of all Kinds) on the ſhorteſt Notice.” (Jackson’s Oxford Journal, May 2, 1778)

“French and other Hair Fillets, at 1s. 3d. a Piece.
Gentlemen's Dreſs Bags and Roſſets in the neweſt Taſte.
A great Variety of Cuſhions, Curls, Tupees, and Chignions, of all Sizes.”
(The Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, May 13, 1780)

“a hair tete, value 10 s. ... LYDIA BARNET sworn ... They said, they were not thieves. With that he snatched my hat, and tete and cap from my head. I cried out, Stop thief! I am robbed! Mrs. Alexander cried out, Watchman! but never a one came to our assistance. Dowdell took my hat, and threw it the other two, the cap and tete fell in the mud, Mrs. Alexander picked them up.” (Trial of John Dowdell and George Vinney, 15th February 1792)

An anecdote in the Annals of Philadelphia: “In 1737, the perukes of the day as then sold, were thus described, to wit: 'Tyes, bobs, majors, spencers, foxtails and twists, together with culres or tates (tétes) for the ladies.' In the year 1765, another perukemaker advertises prepared hair for judges' full bottomed wigs, tyes for gentlemen of the bar to wear over hteir hair, brigadiers' dress bobs, bags, cues, scratches, cut wigs, &c.; and to accommodate ladies he has tates (tétes), towers, &c.)”