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British colonial governors more than likely wore wigs, and many portraits of early American political discussions feature rooms of men, many with white hair, commonly assumed to be wigs.
The first two videos I included give a brief history on wigs, mostly powdered wigs, and its tie to colonial society and status. Following that, there are a few examples of wig styles and how one of higher wealth would have displayed their wig(s) so that they would remain pristine.
Per Colonial Williamsburg, wigs, or "perukes," were often made from horsehair imported from China and served to communicate the wearer's style, place in society, and even occupation.
Wigs were a fashionable trend in colonial America in the 18th century. The full-bottomed peruke, as Louis XIV is seen wearing above with its long flowing curls, was at its most popular in Europe...
Early military pigtails were shaped from the wearer’s own head. Later, they were designed from wigs which were labeled campaign wigs. The most popular style was the Ramillies wig, named after a British victory over the French in 1706 in the War of Spanish Succession.
In the Colonial period, wigs were made from a range of different materials, from horsehair to goat hair. Light-colored horsehair was prized for its natural color, since light white or off-white wigs were fashionable.
Wigs were worn in colonial times to make class distinctions clear. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation explains that even the color of wigs could indicate class and position. Professionals frequently wore gray wigs; tradesmen usually donned brown wigs; white wigs were reserved for judges and military officers.
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Henry Bromfield’s wig was a “bagwig,” meaning the tail or queue was enclosed in a bag of black satin or silk called a “bourse,” bag, purse, or crapaud. The open end of the bag was enclosed around the top of the queue by a drawstring that was concealed beneath a stiff black decorative bow.
Given that wigs were a key way for such members of the colonial elite to express their status, we gain insight into one of the ways guests would have presented their conversancy with fashion and appropriate dress for the gentry when visiting Mount Vernon.