The Rise and Fall of the Powdered Wig (2020)

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/head-tilting-history/rise-and-fall-powdered-wig

by andsoitis • 9 months ago

26 36 9 months ago

battlefields.org

litoE• 9 months ago

In 1700, 800 shillings was approximately £40.

Since there were 20 shillings to a pound, 800 shillings were exactly £40. </nitpicking>

ggm2• 9 months ago

38 Guineas .. approximately.

Theodores• 9 months ago

Batteries weren't included, but a good article, nonetheless.

Interesting how baldness used to mean syphilis, few people know that.

What I also find interesting about men's hair is that long hair was common until the war machine came along with the short back and sides. Instead of hair, men got helmets.

The only time Americans got majorly anti-war was during the Vietnam War era, and the counterculture very much meant long hair for men, not a military style buzz cut.

Also fun to know, going grey prematurely isn't just 'genetics', as in that wonderful catch-all for anything medical we don't understand. Vitamin B12 also plays a part. Don't ask me how I know!

WalterBright2• 9 months ago

The Romans had short hair. The Romans associated short hair with freedom.

My dad, being in the military, had short hair. He said that short hair was practical when living in the mud. Short hair also allowed an enemy to use it as a handle to pull your head back and cut your throat. There are zero pictures of him with any remotely long hair.

I've had short hair for a long time, now. It's super easy to take care of. Doesn't need combing at all. Haircuts are cheap. And I use the top of my head to reflect light onto whatever I'm working on.

ggm2• 9 months ago

Short hair also allowed an enemy to use it as a handle to pull your head back and cut your throat

You meant long hair surely?

ljlolel• 9 months ago

Interestingly, this doesn't mention that, like the tomato and the potato, Syphilis was from The New World. It’s a disease that caused this hair loss, unlike European diseases which killed a lot of Native Americans. Syphilis caused these issues but didn't cause death. However, it's interesting to note why this trend happened after the year 1492.

mkl2• 9 months ago

It's not nearly as clear-cut as that, as there is evidence of its presence in Europe earlier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis#History

hinkley4• 9 months ago

I'm trying to imagine under what scenarios a person or an entire ship full of people would find the New World and simply not tell anyone about it.

There are some pretty big gaps in the island chains out there in the Atlantic, so it seems less likely that someone from the western hemisphere brought it to the Azores or Cape Verde before Columbus sailed across.

FearNotDaniel• 9 months ago

Syphilis caused these issues but didn't cause death

According to Wikipedia it caused 100k deaths in 2015. So either the introduction of penicillin made the disease more fatal than before, or there is something fundamentally incorrect in the statement above.

dang3• 9 months ago

[stub for offtopicness]

more_corn• 9 months ago

You missed a letter in the headline which makes it more appropriate for hacker news but less accurate.

ahartmetz• 9 months ago

Yeah, I was hoping that it wasn't a typo!

gnabgib2• 9 months ago

(2023) Powdered wig

jachee• 9 months ago

That’s a funny typo in the HN headline. :D

all2• 9 months ago

I was wondering, does it light up? Spin on demand? A spinning wig could be a fun party trick.

dang3• 9 months ago

Ok, we've powdered the title.

I regret having to correct this one.

(Submitted title was "The rise and fall of the powered wig (2020)") (Edit: without the 2020)

octoberfranklin• 9 months ago

Go go gadget hairpiece!

nevster• 9 months ago

Ven vill you vear vigs?

dmitrygr• 9 months ago

The rise and fall of the powered wig (2020) (battlefields.org)

s/powered/powdered/g

stocksinsmocks• 9 months ago

Perhaps, but I prefer it this way. The 10 horsepower wig is an underserved market.

relwin• 9 months ago

On the "new" page this item reads "powered wig." I thought it was a Team Fortress 2 entry...

hinkley4• 9 months ago

The first title was 'powered wig' which I was absolutely sure was a typo but it fueled a five minute think on what exactly a powered wig would do.

No practical answers presented themselves.

aptly_yclept• 9 months ago

It would be practical in strong wind.

tekne• 9 months ago

EEG input method?

The Rise and Fall of the Powdered Wig (2020)

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