HOW IT WAS MADE: Pearl Wig (2016)

 


I did more measuring to make this pearl wig than I've done in any other cosplay! Seriously, usually I just kind of slap stuff together and hope it works, but this was being made for a friend to go with my Rose Quartz Debut and I wanted it to be perfect. I only wish that I'd documented making the cosplay itself as well, because it was my first time truly working with stretchy material and I hated every second of overly stretched fabric because I had the tension too high. I also made a Peridot wig and bodysuit for the same convention that I similarly did not document because I'm a messy lump~

But on to what I DID document! I started out with 2" thick foam that I cut two 4"/7.5" rectangles out of. I traced the approximate curve I wanted for the back of Pearl's hair.


I then cut off the extra foam and used the remaining piece to trace out the same curve on the other block, cutting out the same shape then gluing the two pieces together.


From there I traced another set of curves, this time from the flat outer edges of the foam to the center where they connected. I trimmed off the extra foam and then further trimmed the hard edges where the two curves met to create a softer and more rounded shape. This is the base that I used to shape the back of Pearl's wig.


For the wig itself, I wasn't super picky so long as it was the right color. I ended up finding a cheap eBay with that I wouldn't feel to bad about taking apart. It ended up being quite a thick wig that worked perfectly for what I had in mind.


I started out the actual styling but cutting out a chunk of the wefts from the back of the wig. I used these wefts to start covering the foam base that I was using. Would it have been easier to paint it a similar color first? Sure, but I was a broke and impatient college kid with nothing to lose. Plus it worked out in the end, so I definitely didn't learn my lesson there~

From there is was a matter of sewing the *mostly* covered foam onto the bald spot I'd created on the wig then using the rest of the hair to cover up any green from the foam that was visible. Everything was held together A La tacky glue, and I ended up attaching the pearl directly to the wig with clear twine.

It wasn't the most complex wig styling I've ever done, but it was a satisfying finish that held together quite well and, to my knowledge, stayed on very nicely without having to adjust too much. I'd probably still add front clips to it if I made it again though, just to be safe~

-Alexei

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