Introduction (wigs) THE HISTORY

History of wigs 

The art of wig-making dates back to Egyptian times. Where they were made from human hair or sheep's wool. Men would have shaved there heads under their wigs and women wore their hair short. Wigs were worn by women as a fashionable accessory. Since blond hair was in fashion then, expensive wigs were made from blond hair obtained from the north.

It was not until the 16th century that wigs became prominent again in historical records. In the second half of the century, both men and women started wearing wigs more and women often dyed their hair red or gold in an effort to imitate the wigs worn by Elizabeth I. She herself is reported to have owned more than 100 wigs.

George II as king in silver periwig
November 7, 2008 by Crystal McCann.

With the Restoration in 1660 and the arrival of Charles II from the French court, the fashion for "periwigs", as they were known, began. By 1665 all fashionable men were wearing wigs in blond, brown or black and heads were shaved to accommodate wigs that were hot and uncomfortable. Long, curly and dressed with perfume and powder, the wigs grew more artificial in appearance until the end of the century, when wig styles for men started following women's hair fashions.

wigs-us.com/Jacky-HH-toupee-wig-america.html

From around 1730s the toupee became available and fashionable, it was worn with the wearer's own hair mingled in with the fake hair. Hair powder continued to be used until 1795 when a tax was imposed on it.

http://justwigitfashions.com.au/

By the 19th century men had almost ceased to wear wigs and they began to wear their hair short. Women continued to use hairpieces to accessorise their hairstyles as they still do today.
Nowadays wigs are worn to cover baldness and for fun. They are cheaper then they were in the 1980s and are more commonly used for fashionable purposes. 

Reference
"The Art and Craft of Hairdressing" ed. N.E.B. Wolters, The New Era Publishing Company, Ltd. London, 1963 Emile Long, Hairstyles and Fashion: A Hairdresser's History of Paris, 1910–1920, edited with an introduction by Steven Zdatny, Berg (Oxford International Publishers Ltd), 1999 ISBN 1-85973-222-4