#periwigs

Fashion Friday: Periwigs--Who Wore Them Best?

This week we were treated to a post by @muspeccoll featuring a 19th-century reproduction of William Hogarth’s 1761 satirical etching, “The Five Orders of Periwigs.” The use of the wig did achieve some absurd heights, figuratively and literally, in the 17th and 18th centuries, but here at UW-Milwaukee Special Collections we’re working to bring the style back! All of our staff are required to wear periwigs during working hours, and it seems to be paying off. We have more foot traffic into Special Collections than ever before, but we do wonder about all the snickering and giggling as patrons walk out the door.

Anyway, we were inspired by our grad intern Kalani’s discovery of James Caulfield’s four-volume set, Portraits, Memoirs, and Characters of Remarkable Persons from the Revolution in 1688 to the End of the Reign of George II, published in 1819 by H.R. Young and T.H. Whiteley in London, which we posted about last week. So, which one of these fashionable fellows do you think wore their periwigs best? Rank them and let us know.

@periwigs

“I said, I am not as think as drunk I am.” Oh, how his words were slurred. Feliciano was obviously VERY DRUNK ( or hung-over ) and one could SMELL the liquor stinking up the place. “ .. I am able to stand by myself.” He quickly lost his balance and leaned against the door-frame.