Costume Craftwork on a Budget

Chapter 3 Wigs

ADDING A NATURAL HAIRLINE TO AN EXISTING WIG

When I designed costumes for the Grapes of Wrath, two full wigs were required: a gray-blonde wig with a low bun for Ma and a thin-haired half-bald brown wig for Jimmy Casey. Both actors were relatively younger than the characters in the play and had modern short hair styles without any gray hair. I used wigs to make both actors appear closer to the characters’ ages. Purchasing a natural hairline wig was not practical because of the limited budget. The solution was to add a natural hairline to an existing wig for Ma and a half-bald wig for Jimmy Casey made from a bald cap.

PROCEDURE FOR ADDING A NATURAL HAIRLINE

Materials Required:

•  Ventilating lace

•  Ventilating needle

•  Wig block ...