Wig/Hairstyle advice

[Weirdlet]

Hello, all- I'm hoping to pick some brains here, in relation to a costume I've got in the planning stages.  I'm working on an orc costume- a girl-orc, in sort of scavenged-looking semi-bellydancer gear. 

My big design question is, what should I do with my hair?  My own is thin, red, and long, on a biggish head- I've used store-bought wigs in the past for other costumes with sloppy-looking results, and a tendency to slide back on the head no matter how firmly pinned (possibly me being a fidget and unused to having things lay across my forehead had something to do with it).  Possibly this was because they were small.

One solution that was presented to me was to make a yarn wig, and perhaps cover the hairline with some sort of leather bandana, and this is where I'm pausing to ask questions.  What I'm looking for in that direction is both artistic and practical advice- is it possible to get quantities of cheap yarn and make a wig suitable for staying on the head?  Do I unwind/comb out the yarn?  Is there anyplace I can/should look for inspiration for styling it?

[temper]

If you are looking for some good DIY ideas for wool pieces I often go to tribe.net and look in costume or tribal dance forums. A friend of mine will do custom pieces
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=60882
But I get the impression you're trying to save money

[Weirdlet]

Oh, always^^  But given that this is still in planning stages, I can dream, plot, and/or save up for something extra-special. 

[gem]

Can you show us a photo or sketch of what you're thinking of?  I just did a quick Google search for orcs, and their hair is not really one of their notable features.  Mostly the images (both from the films and in drawings) show either bald heads or high foreheads with quite thin hair:




...In which case, I think you'd be able to make your natural hair work.  Maybe a little temporary dye, a lot of product to make it look scrungy, some teasing with your fingers... Hallowe'en stuff is making its appearance in stores right now, and you should be able to find products in the costume makeup supplies that would give you the right color and texture (and red probably isn't a problem; just get it dirty-looking and a little darker, and you should be fine).

Alternately, if you're really set on augmenting your own hair, have you looked into yarn hair falls?

(Totally random aside--I think it's wild how the pictures bump into each other, looking like Orc #1's hair is flowing into the photograph below him...)

[Weirdlet]

The best description I can come up with for what I'm thinking is Tia Dalma- or Bellatrix Lestrange-like, but a little smaller.  I don't have a very clear image beyond just 'wild', and that was part of what I was looking for advice on, what would be fitting to try. 

As for temporary hair color, that might work nicely, especially if I could combine it with product- which I'm assuming (as someone who is an alien to most beauty products and just washes/dries) is gel-like stuff that'll make my hair stick/more likely to hold crazy-shape?  The only thing is (and I know this is silly at my age, but needs must) I have to answer to my parents about haircolor changes, and the only thing I've used before is spray-in color (a pain and very clumpy/hard) or a silvery gel for a Rogue-stripe (clumpy and sticky, although I suppose if I used the same thing in black, it would give the effect I'm looking for). 

[dragongirl]

If you are going to go for the yarn hair falls the best way to do them is get popcorn or puffed yarn, make decide how long you want the fall to be and how much yarn you want per fall.  you then devide them in half and wrap around an elestic band.  then put 2 to 3 sections of falls on a barret and put the barret in your natural hair.  then cover your front hair with a scarf and you have your wild/Orc/Klingon style hair.

[gem]

spray-in color (a pain and very clumpy/hard) or a silvery gel for a Rogue-stripe (clumpy and sticky, although I suppose if I used the same thing in black, it would give the effect I'm looking for).

That's exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of--something that would add color and texture *on top of* your natural hair.  And wash out in the next shower. 

[Weirdlet]

Awesome^^  I just came back from the grocery store with a tube of FrightNight Spike&Color gel in black- I'll experiment with it a little later.

[Elennare]

Google for pictures of World of Warcraft female orcs.  They've got some cool hairstyles, and it's a bit different take on orcs than the LotR-esqe pics Gem posted .

Have you tried gluing wigs on at all?  Get some spirit gum, or specialty wig adhesive, and I'd be surprised if the wig fell off.  The bandana sounds like it might work as well, if you designed it right.

[Mythrin]

You can also make dreadlocks out of raw wool that have been felted.  These can be sewn into a headband and then cover this with some cloth.  This could be mixed in with you own hair that has been temp dyed or just left alone.  The fun thing about dread locks is that they can have jewelry and other cool stuff incorporated into them.

[Weirdlet]

*nod*  I'm considering doing both- having the colored spiking-gel gunking up my regular hair, then clip in some wool falls with the various shiny bits I've collected worked in to fill it out.

[Kate XXXXXX]

You can clip your wooly dreads in separately with tiny clips, or those spiral pins.  Look for some Goth themed/coloured stuff...  Like this:





Maybe these are a bit pretty, but you can get the screw things from some of the jewelery making sites, and stick your own 'jewels' to them...  Bits of twig, pebbles, bits of bone, teeth, whatever...

[gypsylakat]

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6219465

[LordPaulet]

As a professional female impersonator I can answer a lot of the wig questions.
1st off...dont buy halloween wigs...especially if you want to wear it more than once.. those wigs are meant to purchase...wear once (halloween) and throw away...
creep ebay for "drag wigs" these will lead you to higher quality (usually styled) wigs.  You do not want costume wigs.  Finding one that is not styled will also help on the cost factor.  When you get your wig DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH curling irons, blowdryers, or flat irons...as most likely it will be synthetic and it will melt your wig.  Hot rollers can be used if you need to put more curl in your wig.  Use normal styling products lots of hairspray and gel.  When you go to put this wig one do two things.  Firstly, take the two elastic bands at the nape of the wig and hook them together (forget about those stupid tabs).  Secondly tie a panty hose leg around your hair line TIGHT!!!  Now grasp your wig where the elastic bands come out (usually around the sideburn tabs) and stick your forhead in.  now pull the elastic down past your nape hair and let go.  This will effectively pull your nape hair up into the wig.  now pull the nape of the wig down and adjust the top hair line and start pinning around the wigline to the nylon band your put around your head earlier.  If you have followed these steps you should be able to swing your head around like a stripper or hard rock mosher and have no problem.   Good luck!!!