Hygiene practices from another era, far from being clean

Back in the 1500s, syphilis was wrecking lives in England, causing all sorts of nasty symptoms: sores, dementia, blindness, and, crucially, hair loss. Balding was seen as proper shameful, leading loads of people to rock wigs to cover it up in style. Even King Louis XIV jumped on the bandwagon, employing dozens of wigmakers to keep his collection of elaborate dos looking sharp.

Over time, wigs went from being a medical fix to a status symbol, showing off wealth and social standing. Often made from human hair, they could also feature horse or goat hair. What started as a way to hide a bad hair day became a posh fashion statement, worn with pride.