"How not to": Post your worst wig styling failures

[TheFontBandit]

Post your worst wig-styling failures here, and perhaps share what you learned from the experience.

This topic was inspired by the "cutting bangs" thread, in which it was mentioned that just about everyone has to start styling somewhere, and most of us probably have a few mangled wigs. So in the interest of inspiring those who might be nervous about styling, I thought this might be a fun thread to show that we've all had some learning experiences.

Mods - please let me know if this needs to be moved. I thought about posting this in the styling section, but the styling section is in the "Arda-only" area of the forum. I figured some of these experiences may pre-date Arda wigs (including my own) and include other wig brands.

I'll start off. I haven't done a lot of wig styling, to be honest... it always made me nervous. But back in 2006, I decided to cosplay Finn Fish from Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne:



As you can see, she has interesting hair... mostly short overall, poofy bangs, and long straight locks on the sides. I purchased a long wig with the intention of cutting and styling it. (One of Cosworx's old defunct styles). I could have just added wefts to a short wig, but in 2006 it was difficult to find a wig and wefts that were the same shade of green.

Wig before:


I basically just went at the thing with a pair of scissors, with no concrete plan other than "keep cutting until it looks right". I tried to keep it as even as I could, but the results were less than stellar:


The back is completely uneven, and there's kind of a chunk missing on the back of the head. It actually looked much worse in person... because I tried to take photos that were more flattering. Also, my attempt at poofing up the bangs just completely did not work. They kept flopping back down into their original shape, possibly because I was using the wrong product. I can't even remember anymore what it was. I ended up just washing it out and wearing it as-is.

From this experience, I learned to have a concrete plan when cutting wigs. I also learned to have a lighter hand with the scissors... it's easy to cut hair off, a lot harder to put it back. This was also my first experience with the whole concept that generic wig heads are really not human-head-sized.

[Gale]

This is a fantastic idea! Truth be told, my anxiety over failure is the main reason I've done so little wig styling up to now. Wigs are so relatively expensive that I feel like it would be a waste to screw something up! I styling wigs is the next step I need to take to improve my cosplay, though.

As detailed in the other thread, my first attempt at bangs wasn't great. I struggled to follow a tutorial I'd found partially because the old wig used in it was so much different than what Arda offers, but mostly because I was lazy on a few counts as well as inexperienced. The result wasn't horrible, but the bangs came out shorter than I'd like and certainly too short relative to the cap of the wig to be able to curl.

I am still anxious about wig styling, but I hope these forums (and particularly the stories to be told in this thread) will better prepare me for what to do and more importantly what not to do!

[TheFontBandit]

Yeah, seeing all the amazing wig styling out there has kept me intimidated for a long time... I've still only trimmed a couple of wigs and haven't done much in the way of spiking/shaping yet. I figured seeing that other people have tried and learned would help me get up the courage to step up my wig-styling skills as well.

[avianna]

Hey guys! I'm gonna move this to the wig styling forum. I know the wigs here aren't Arda Wigs, but I think it would be best viewed in that forum. I hope you don't mind.

[TheFontBandit]

Thanks! I wasn't really sure where to put it.

[Fantasyrhia]

Things I have done that should NEVER be done:

Buying a long black wig from Wal-Mart around Halloween. Plan to use it for L. It's advertised as being 6ft long.
Go home. Chop off majority of wig fibers with kitchen scissors. Mom models wig while I style it in a very dimly lit room. I proceed to hack off chunks with kitchen scissors. Use generic hair gel from bathroom that is the strongest the brand offers. Work wig on Mom's head. Take off Mom's head. Wear it for Halloween at school as L Lawlit with a giant lolipop.
Look at wig before Halloween, there's a giant bald spot. Oh. Oops.
Look at wig again, a few months later. Lol. It looks like a hobo's beard or a mop or something. Definitely not for the top of your head!
Look again this year (2 years later). How...how did I even compare this to a beard or a mop? How!? This....this...I'm at a loss for any words to describe this sad sight.

Sadly, I don't have any picture of it then and I'm pretty sure it's been thrown into the Halloween bin or in the garbage by now.

[repto]

Oh my gosh, this is the *most* embarrassing wig...
In my defense, I knew NOTHING about wigs, wig manufacturing, or where to buy wigs.
Like you couldn't tell, eh? ::::::snort::::::
(This was taken in 2004)

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This is the first effort at cosplay in the family. The dress was sewn by my neighbor (God, love her). The wig is a really, incredibly, unbelievably cr*ppy Halloween store wig that was supposed to be Daisy Mae. The tails were bought online on eBay to match. They were loose fibers that I hand sewed together at the top, then attached to the wig with hair rubber bands over the existing stubby pigtails. I look at this and shudder!!!!! LOL

Adding insult to injury, in order to keep the tails from getting irreparably knotted while on a 5 yr old, I tied the ends into knots around a kleenex!!!

This wig was disposed of...

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This is the next year's attempt... slightly better, but still pretty lame! I started with a much better base, and added thick curls of ponytails that I got on eBAy. The tails were sewn to the inside of the wig, if I remember aright. At least she has the little odangos this time.

Despite the god-awful wigs, Katie *loved* being Sailor Moon. She knew the whole opening "transformation" dance sequence (mind you, we didn't do it naked! :X )

The final shot is of Katie as Sailor Moon and Genevieve as ChibiUsa (at age 3). Chibi Moon's wig is a consciously super cheap wig. I got it at T.J. Maxx after Halloween and did nothing to it to make it more appropriate... I mean really, the kid is 3. (taken in 2006)

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[Crownprincess24]

Oh wow, so, this is an excellent topic!! I have just started cosplaying myself... and although I've already made 2 costumes (3 if you count a halloween one) I havent really 'styled' any wigs myself...

So this year for Supanova in Sydney, Aus, I am going as Pinkie Pie from MLP:FIM... I bought a cheap wig off ebay to just test and practice my l33t (or non existant) wig stylin' skillz.

The wig I bought was quite soft, and supposedly heat resistant (low temp of course) but. it just DIDNT WANT TO CUUUUUUURL. nothing I tried would keep them in.

Anyway, I gave up trying to curl it... and I made little hair loopies instead.. and well, the wig turned out very 'rockabilly'.. not what I wanted... also.. note to self.. do not EVER tease a wig... it really sucks when you want to try and get that wig back to normal.

Yes that is a home made wig head and wig stand >.> Duct tape... now has another use.

I dumped a whole can of hairspray on this thing too btw... and even then the curls didnt stay...

So, I suggest if you havent styled a wig before, (like me) then go and buy a cheap one, and just have a go at getting a bit of confidence up to style it... I even washed this (first time I've done that) and, it was really simple... it's good to have something to practice on..

Good Luck!!!

-Danica

[Gale]

Danica-- I've always heard steam is a good way to go for curling wigs. That and just time-setting them (like around an old fashioned non-heat roller and just...wait). I haven't done much with curling, so this is all speculation, but you could try getting something to wrap chunks of hair around that's long enough the hair won't overlap itself, and slather the hair in glue. If I'm not mistaken it would then dry into a ringlet. I saw a tutorial doing something similar (particularly for BIG ringlets, like Mami's pigtails in Madoka), but it was in Japanese so I had to guess through the pictures XD

[IvySquirrel]

In September of 2010, I heard about cosplay and anime conventions from my friend, who had been involved in anime and manga much longer than I had been. She talked about forming a Fullmetal Alchemist cosplay group for Sakura-con 2011. Great idea, right? I was SO PUMPED. Oh man, I got to dress up as my favorite character ever, Mei Chang! This was my DREAM.



I got a friend of my mom's, coincidentally one of the older moms on the sports team I'm on, to help me sew the costume itself (there were a few bumps along the way, but for a first attempt...It was dang good, if I do say so myself.)

The wig, however, was a completely different matter. I bought a 40-inch long wig from Cosplayhouse, (I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking), and it was my first time ordering from China. That's an experience in itself XD I got it and wore it around the house for a good hour, so incredibly excited - I was going to COSPLAY. BEST. THING. EVER.

And, of course, I knew nothing about wig styling. Eventually my sister and mom teamed up to tame the monster a week and a half before Sakura-con.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/albums/r494/TinyPlumPrincess/?action=view&current=MeiCosplay2011.png

Wig's a mess. It actually looks half decent in this picture because it was before the con. I had wefting showing in the back and the longer parts of my bangs kept getting in my eyes. It was a rat's nest T.T Later in the year, in October, I remedied it a bit by adding on new braids with a mix of hot glue and air-dry clay. It looked...a bit better? I don't have many pictures of it from Aki con in October. I discovered Arda in December, and immediately cut one of my cosplays (China from Hetalia. I don't even like Hetalia that much) to redo my Mei wig. Still in the process of completing it, but it's sure to be better than the wig that eats people's brains out.

Lessons Learned:

Not all wigs are made for updos.

It's okay to add in wefts.

Long wigs tangle like heck.

Air dry clay does not work to make beads for the ends of braids. (Still haven't figured out how to do the beads without them breaking...Any ideas?)

Never buy from anywhere but Arda ever again.

I've also made alterations to the costume itself. It's better now. I wore it to see FMA: Sacred Star of Milos just because I felt like I needed to go in cosplay.