This week on Hot Flash Universe host Barbara Bishop tries out some new looks at Wilshire Wigs.
When I was a teenager, I was quite experimental with my hair. I used “Sun In” in an attempt to go blonde. It turned my hair orange. I then used something stronger: pure bleach. Yeah, my hair got lighter, but in white splotches all over my head.
My friends and I would iron each other’s hair with an iron and ironing board – clearly many years before flat irons were invented.
Since that time, I have had my hair blonde, red, brown, curly, straight, long, short, you name it.
I’ve finally settled into a medium brown color (pretty much my natural color after years of exper- imentation) and a cute short cut. I am very happy with the way it looks. And it takes literally 30 seconds to style.
But for those who still are having hair identity issues, have thinning hair, lost their hair due to medical reasons, or just want to see what they might look like in another style or color – consider wearing a wig.
When I thought of wigs, I pictured a woman I used to know. Nan always wore a wig.
It was a short blonde bob. It was not attractive at all. You could see the fake seams that made the hair part, and for some reason, the thing always laid crooked on her head.
So when I went to the “granddaddy” of wig stores to check them out, I was very skeptical. My research led me to a large warehouse in North Hollywood. There, stood Wilshire Wigs, a third-generation business, opened in 1967.
They sell and make wigs of all colors, styles, and material. What also I found out is that wigs have come a long way since my friend Nan wore one. Human hair wigs are the most realistic and are expensive – most start at $1,000. They are gorgeous.
I also checked out the synthetic-made models. Prices ran from $50 to $500. The cheaper ones still had the seam where the part was but made much better. The hair was shiny and so natural. I was excited to try them on and find my new look.
I tried on a long blonde wig. Yaaaa! Horrible. I tried on a medium length wavy brown wig. OMG, I looked like my grandmother! Next. After checking out the hundreds of wigs on display, I found a cute little bob. The color was a reddish brown.
I tried it on. Looked in the mirror. How cute replique montre breitling! It fit my head like a glove. And the style and color enhanced my skin tone. I had to have it. It was one of the cheap ones; with the seam in the part, but it was not as obvious as others. The synthetic hair was gorgeous.
Will I wear it often? Probably not. But it’s so much better than the sun in, bleach, ironing board, endless colors and cuts I used to subject myself to. It’s a wonder that I have any hair at all. Check me out! I’m wearing my new hair in the photo!
Barbara Bishop is President of Santa Monica-based BBPR, Inc. For comments or suggestions, email barbara.bishop@bbprinc.com.
