Queen Elizabeth Wig - opinions please!

[Orphena]

Good Morrow, good friends!

I have recently found out that I will be playing the role of Queen Elizabeth (the first) at a small Renaissance Festival for a weekend this summer. That means that I am in the market for a wig. Since I am on a budget, I am staying away from the high end wigs, and focusing on what I deem a little more affordable. I thought others might benefit from my research, and so here are several options I have found so far.

This group says they will style any wig you want - but I don't dare ask for a quote: http://www.thehistoricalhairdresser.com/stores.php

Here are the ones I am currently looking at:

1.      http://www.costumecraze.com/WIG685.html
2.      http://www.costumecraze.com/WIG126.html
3.      http://www.costumecraze.com/WIG209.html
4.      http://www.costumecraze.com/WIG891.html
5.      http://www.costumecraze.com/WIG1234.html 
6.      http://www.costumecraze.com/WIG853.html
7.      http://www.costumecraze.com/JSHR10.html
8.      http://www.buycostumes.com/p/60137/the-wizard-of-oz-deluxe-glinda-wig-adult     
9.      http://www.buycostumes.com/p/31902/trailer-park-trophy-wife-auburn-wig               

I am currently leaning more towards the last 2 - with #9 being my top pick - but which do you like? Oh - and if you have a better resource for a wig under $50, I'd love to take a look!

[Meagan]

The only thing about the cheap is wigs are that you are going to look like you are wearing a wig. Usually wigs that cheap are designed to lay a certain way and will show copious amounts of the mesh base when styled another way. Also, the material will be cheap and tangle easily. It may only be $15 but it will be a tangled mass in a few hours.

Have you tried looking for cosplay wigs? They are intended to last all day at cons and events and will hold up better than a Halloween wig. A quick search reveled these to me.

http://www.miccostumes.com/Red_Queen_Wig_Alice_In_Wonderland_20308p.html
http://www.milanoo.com/Rose-Maid-Suiseiseki-Cosplay-Wig-p13520.html
http://www.milanoo.com/Tales-of-Abyss-Asch-Cosplay-Wig-p12272.html
http://www.milanoo.com/Naruto-Karui-70cm-Naruto-Cosplay-Wig-p28997.html

Please note I have not bought a wig from these before so i cannot vouch for the quality of the product or the company, I am simply showing you other options you may not have explored.

[LadyFae]

I love #9!  And for a runaway queen trying to be disguised I think it would work wonderfully well!  LOL!  I have cheap wigs- They wear just fine as long as you don't overstlye them from their intended look.  (So, SOME styling will work, just not a lot!)  If you can't find a better option in enough time, I'd go with #9.

[isabelladangelo]

I'm thinking either #1 or #2; with a slight edge to #1.  You want to be able to style the wig yourself so the wavy option is better - because you can always set the curls yourself. 

[Rowan MacD]

  I like #9.  and possibly #8. 
The red queen's wig in Meagan's post is pretty good too, the bonus there is that it's probably already styled pretty close to what you want.
  As for the top few in your post I can say from experience that anything with tight curls is a nightmare to style, if you can do it at all,  especially if you want to make any part of it to lie 'smooth'.  I had a long blond and a brunette set I bought from a costume shop.   I couldn't do anything with them and they were quickly re-homed to someone who could wear them 'as is'.

  Surprisingly, the best 'wig' I ever had, was made from a Santa beard.   I cut the mustache off and used the 'chin' part as the forehead in a Marie Antoinette costume for my daughter.
   The beards are made with shiney, silky waves.  Unfortunately, you wont find any that are not white.

[gem]

I actually liked this one:



...Mainly because it looks like you could do the most with it. Like the others said, the wild curls on the other options might not be terribly cooperative. This one already has the high, swooped-back front of the era's hairstyles, which you could probably pin (or pin/sew) into place fairly easily (and thereafter decorate with pearls), and you can also work with the long curly tendrils, a la this portrait. I think the ones that are already curly on top/front are going to be too hard to wrestle with.

***
Another option is to go to your local costume or wig shop (or Amazon.ca) and buy any long red wig for parts, then see if you could build your own Elizabeth hairstyle. I'm sure you've seen Laura Mellin's Elizabethan hair tutorials, and this etsy merchant has good photos of fantasy hairpieces, although none are exactly what you're looking for.

Good luck!

I also really like Meagan's cosplay wig suggestions. Looks like you have a decent selection on Amazon.ca.

[Lady Kaalyn]

If you know how to work with a wig you can do manythings, Oswyn made his from two santa wigs. (If i am remembering it correctly.)
Here is a picture from this last weekend at Scarby.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flat6s/8650980374/#in/photostream

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

It is difficult to find wigs that do not look too COSTUMEY!

Of course, Lacey wigs out of New York has the better wigs. They supply many of the other company web sites for wigs. The quality of Lacey is the BEST I have seen. Most of their wigs are made in China, but the fibers used hold up for years. I have several Lacey wigs. 

The costume shop I worked at fro many years, that was the only brand of wigs we used.

Good Luck.

[Orphena]

Thanks for the tip, Lady Kathleen!  I was surprised that so many of the wigs are listed at a very reasonable price! They certainly have a wonderful selection!

Here are a few I am considering. I would like to do the high swept up at the front look with rats - Gem, yes that link on hairstyles is what I am going off of - I had seen it before, and it seems a great resource. Now, I am not adept at manipulating hair, but I am hoping that working on a wig will be easier on my arms than working above and behind my head!

http://www.voguewigs.com/mermaid-lacey-costume-wig.html

http://www.voguewigs.com/meg-340-lacey-costume-wig.html (cut the ringlets off)

I like the concept of curls, but I too have had problems with them catching and being unmanageable.

One other concern I have is length - the more there is, the harder it's going to be to manage it all. I just want a simple bun in the back, and the upswept front, from there billiments and hairpins will fill in the look.

I'd love your opinions on these! Thanks all!

[isabelladangelo]

I think you are over thinking it now. 

Rather than the ones you posted, here are a few I think will do with little, if any, changes:

http://www.voguewigs.com/elizabeth-i-deluxe-lacey-costume-wig.html
http://www.voguewigs.com/lucy-discount-lacey-costume-wig.html
http://www.voguewigs.com/elizabeth-i-lacey-costume-wig.html
http://www.voguewigs.com/red-velvet-lady-forever-young-synthetic-wig.html

Although rats can help, particularly for people using their own hair, they aren't necessary for the hair style. 

With most of the wigs above, all you need is the small cap and billiments. 

[GryffinSong]

I agree with isabelladangelo. I especially like the first one she posted. So very little work to use that one. Be easy on yourself!!!

[Orphena]

Isabella - yes, I know - I tend to overthink, overplan when I am excited (or frightened!) by new opportunities! I have the unfortunate characteristics of being a detail oriented perfectionist control freak that sometimes gets in the way of quick decisions! I'm just thankful for friends who put up with my crazy!

I have finally made a decision, and went with a "showgirl" wig by lacey, in auburn. Although the other lacey wig was "easy", I didn't care for the wildness at the top. An acquaintance of mine offered to let me borrow hers, and posted pictures of it, and I didn't find it to look especially queenly - just a wild curly mass with no real...style. The control freak in me needs to have this look styled and in control, as if someone had styled it.  Besides...the curls would have hidden the crown I made on the weekend!

I am very grateful to everyone's help - all the links were fabulous as it helped to see the many options I didn't know about.

Another bonus - the wig I ordered was from a local-ish costume shop, which means less shipping, and no hassle at the border! On top of that, I paid $40 + $10 for shipping, total with tax was $56 and change, which was the asking price (without $24 shipping) for the new york supplier. I will try to post pictures once it has arrived and I have fought it into submission!

Thanks! Much love and appreciation to all!

[GryffinSong]

I look forward to seeing it!!!

[Orphena]

So...Time for an update! I finally got around to some preliminary styling. I may do a few touch ups, and I will definately be adding pearls, etc, but here is where is stands as of right now!

The original Wig:


I braided the back, and put it into a bun:



The front got rolled up, and when pins wouldn't hold it, I resorted to some thread and a needle, stitching the rolls into place.

[LadyFae]

YAY!!!!  That looks like it is working out really well!