A toupée is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness. While toupées and hairpieces are typically associated with male wearers, some women also use hairpieces to lengthen existing hair, or cover partially exposed scalp. An example of fake dreadlocks Fake hair is used to give many different people different kinds of hairstyles without the commitment that having real hair in that style would require. ... A wig is a head of hair—human, horse-hair or synthetic—worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. ... ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Toupées and wigs

While most toupées are small and designed to cover bald spots at the top and back of the head, large toupées are not unknown, particularly among television personalities.

Toupées are often referred to as "hairpieces", "units", or "hair systems" by those seeking to avoid the negative connotations that the word "toupée" conjures up. Many women now wear hairpieces rather than full wigs if their hair loss is confined to the top and crown of their heads.

It has been stated that many men often know they are fooling no one with the use of the toupée, but that the bias in Western culture against baldness is so strong that they feel the need to have hair on their heads. Unfortunately, in their desire for their baldness to be unnoticed, toupée wearers often become noticed for their toupées.

Origin of the word

In Northern India, Hindi word "Toupée" means a wearable item on the head, such as a caps or a hat. etc. It is possible that this is the origin of the Western word toupée. Other sources note that both the words "toupée" and "wig" are of French origin. Toupée was derived from "toupet," a diminutive of the old French word "toupe" which means "tuft of hair." "Wig," on the other hand, was taken from the French word "periwig," which was what the ornamental headpieces of gentlemen in the 17th and 18th century were called.^[1]

While this may a coincidence, it is possible that both origins are accurate, as both Hindi and French have common roots in Vedic Sanskrit, one of the earliest members of the Indo-European language family. Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, which are the earliest sacred texts of India,. The Vedas were first passed down orally and therefore have no known date. ... The Indo-European languages comprise a family of several hundred related languages and dialects [1], including most of the major languages of Europe, as well as many spoken in the Indian subcontinent (South Asia), the Iranian plateau (Southwest Asia), and Central Asia. ...

History of toupées

An engraving of Julius Caesar showing both pattern baldness and signature wreath, which he used to cover his scalp.^[2]

While wigs have a very long and somewhat traceable history, the origin of the "toupée" is more difficult to define, but one can reasonably infer that the first toupée was a piece of hair, worn on the head, with the intention of decieving the viewer into believing the hair was natural, rather than a wig worn for decorative or ceremonial purposes. Gaius Julius Caesar This work is copyrighted. ... Gaius Julius Caesar This work is copyrighted. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC – March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men of World history. ...

Toupée use and attitudes in ancient history

The desire for men to wear hairpieces is a response to a long-standing cultural bias against balding men that crosses cultures. Between 1 BC and 1 AD, the Roman poet Ovid wrote Ars Amatoria ("The Art of Love") in which he expressed “Ugly are hornless bulls, a field without grass is an eyesore, So is a tree without leaves, so is a head without hair.”^[3] Another example of this bias, in a later and different culture, can be found in The Arabian Nights, circa AD 800-900, in which the female character Scheherazade asks "Is there anything more ugly in the world than a man beardless and bald as an artichoke?" ^[4] Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC 1 2 3 4 // Events Births December 25 - Jesus (died about... (Redirected from 1 AD) For other uses, see One (disambiguation), for the number, see Number 1. ... Engraved frontispiece of George Sandyss 1632 London edition of Publius Ovidius Naso (Sulmona, March 20, 43 BC – Tomis, now ConstanÅ£a AD 17), a Roman poet known to the English-speaking world as Ovid, wrote on topics of love, abandoned women and mythological transformations. ... The Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love) is a series of three books by the Roman poet Ovid. ... The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (كتاب ألف ليلة و ليلة in Arabic or هزار و یک شب in Persian), also known as The book of a Thousand Nights and a Night... Queen Scheherazade tells her stories to King Shahryar. ...

The earliest known example of a toupée was found in a tomb^[5] near the ancient Predynastic capital of Egypt, Hierakonpolis. The tomb and its contents date to (ca. 3200 – 3100 BC.) The Predynastic Period of Egypt (prior to 3100 BC) is traditionally the period between the Early Neolithic and the beginning of the Pharaonic monarchy beginning with king Narmer. ... Nekhen (Greek: Hierakonpolis, Arabic: Kom El-Ahmar) was the religious capital of Upper Egypt at the end of the pre-dynastic era ( 3200- 3100 BC.) and probably also during the Early Dynastic Era ( 3100 - 2686 BC). ... (33rd century BC - 32nd century BC - 31st century BC - other centuries) (5th millennium BC - 4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC) Events Ancient Egypt: Earliest known Egyptian hieroglyphs Crete: Rise of Minoan civilization Neolithic settlement built at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands, Scotland New Stone Age people in Ireland build... (32nd century BC – 31st century BC – 30th century BC – other centuries) (5th millennium BC – 4th millennium BC – 3rd millennium BC) Events 3000 BC – Menes unifies Upper and Lower Egypt, and a new capital is erected at Memphis. ...

At least two ancient Greek statues of men wearing toupées survive today, one identified as a Capitoline type, presently located in Thorvaldsens Museum in Copenhagen. ^[6] The Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus Mons), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the famous seven hills of Rome, the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad: the gods Jupiter, his wife Juno and their daughter Minerva. ... Copenhagen (IPA: or ; Danish: IPA: ) is the capital of Denmark and the countrys largest city. ...

Julius Caesar is known to have worn a toupée. In dismay at his pattern baldness, he tried both wearing a toupée, and shaving his head. ^[7] Some state that he wore his trademark ceremonial wreath to disguise his shrinking hairline. ^[8] Roman men of the era were also known to paint their bald heads to appear to have locks of hair. ^[9] Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC – March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men of World history. ...

Toupées in the 19th century

In the United States, toupée use (as opposed to wigs) grew in the 1800s. One researcher has noted that this is in part due to a shift in perceptions over the perceived value of aging that occurred at that time. Men chose to attempt to appear younger, and toupée's were one method used.

...since 1800, the U.S. Census generally shows far more 39-year-olds than 40-year-olds. Furthermore, the costume of men switched from a design clearly intended to make the young look older to one that was clearly intended to make the old look younger. For example, this era saw the decline of the wig and the rise of the toupée. ^[10]

Toupées in the 20th century

By the 1950s, it was estimated that over 350,000 U.S. men wore hair pieces, out of a potential 15 million wearers. Toupée manufacturers helped to build credibility for their product starting in 1954, when several makers advertised hair pieces in major magazines and newspapers, with successful results. Key to the promotion and acceptance of Toupées was improved toupée craftsmanship, pioneered by Max Factor. Factor's toupées were carefully made and almost invisible, with each strand of hair sewed to a piece of fine flesh-colored lace, and in a variety of long and short hairstyles. Factor, also a Hollywood Makeup innovator, was the supplier of choice for most Hollywood actors. ^[11] The cosmetic firm Max Factor was named after Max Factor, Sr (b. ...

By 1959, total U.S. sales were estimated by Time Magazine to be $15 million a year. Sears-Roebuck, which had sold Toupées as early as 1900 via its mail order catalog, tried to tap into the market by sending out 30,000 special catalogs by direct mail to a targeted list, advertising "career winning" hair products manufactured by Joseph Fleischer & Co., a respected wig manufacturer.^[12] Toupées continued to be advertised in print, likely with heavier media buys (Advertising_media_selection) taking place in magazines with the appropriate male demographic. A typical "advertorial" can be found in Modern Mechanix. (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... Sears, Roebuck and Company (NYSE: S) was founded in Chicago, Illinois as a catalog merchandiser in 1886 by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck. ... Direct marketing is a form of marketing that attempts to send its messages directly to consumers, often without the use of intervening media. ... Advertising media selection is the process of choosing the most cost-effective media to achieve the necessary coverage, and number of exposures, among the target audience. ... An advertorial is an advertisement written in the form of an objective opinion editorial, and presented in a printed publication —usually designed to look like a legitimate and independent news story. ...

By 1970, Time Magazine estimated that in the U.S., toupées were worn by more than 2.5 million men out of 17 - 20 million balding men. The increase was chalked up once again to further improvements in hairpiece technology, a desire to seem more youthful, and the long hairstyles that were increasingly in fashion. ^[13]

Toupées in the 21st century

Toupée and wig manufacture is no longer centered in the U.S., but in Asia.^[14] Aderans, a Japanese firm, is one of the world’s largest wigmakers, with 35% share of the Japanese domestic market.

From 2002-2004, new orders from Aderans’s male customers (both domestic and international) slipped by 30%. Researchers at both the Daiwa Institute and Nomura Research - two key Japanese economic research institutes - conclude that there is “no sign of a recovery” for the toupée industry. ^[15] Sales for male wearers have continued to fall at Aderans in every year since ^[16].

These numbers confirm the media consensus ^[17] hypothesis that toupée use is an overall decline. No reliable sources have stated numbers for the estimated population of toupée users in the U.S. or internationally, so comparisons to past eras are difficult to make with any accuracy. Regardless, hairpiece manufacturers and retailers, and to market their goods in print, on television, and on the internet.

Toupée manufacture

Toupées are often custom made to the needs of the wearer, and can be manufactured using either synthetic or human hair. Toupées are usually held to one's head using an adhesive, but the cheaper versions often merely use an elastic band.

Toupée manufacture is often done at the local level by a craftsman, but large wig manufacturers also produce toupées. Both individuals and large firms have constantly innovated to produce better quality toupées and toupée material, with over 60 patents for toupées.^[18] and over 260 for hairpieces ^[19] filed at the U.S. Patent Office since 1790. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides patent and trademark protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and corporate and product identification. ...

Interestingly the first patent for a toupée was filed in 1921, while the first patent for a "hairpiece", was filed in 1956^[20]. One may reasonably speculate, based upon the date of the first hairpiece patent and the fact that over 400% as many patents have been filed using the term "hairpiece", that the word "toupée" carries a relatively poor brand image, that the word "hairpiece" lacks, or does not share fully. A brand is a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. ...

Hair weaves

Hair weaves are a technique in which the toupée's base is then woven into whatever natural hair the wearer retains. While this (it is often promised) results in a less detectable toupée, the wearer can experience discomfort, and sometimes hair loss from frequently retightening of the weave as one's own hair grows. After about six months a person can begin to lose hair permanently along the weave area, resulting in traction alopecia. Hair weaves were very popular in the 1980s & 1990s, but are not usually recommended because of the potential for permanent hair damage and hair loss. Hair weaves are a form of hair extensions. ... A form of Alopecia (gradual hair loss) caused primarily by pulling force being applied to the hair. ...

Toupee use and maintenance

While toupée dealers attempt is made to match the toupée's color to the natural hair color of the wearer, sometimes the colors are not identical. This color mismatch is often exacerbated when a toupée is poorly cared for and fades, or the wearer's hair color turns gray while the toupée retains its original color.

While toupée dealers and manufacturers usually advertise their products showing men swimming, water-skiing and enjoying watersports, these activities can often cause irreversible wear to the toupée. Saltwater and chlorine can cause a toupée to "wear out" quickly. Many shampoos and soaps will damage toupée fibers, which unlike natural hair, cannot grow back or replace themselves.

While dealers of toupées can in fact help many customers to care for their toupées and make their presence virtually undetectable, the hairpieces must be of very high quality to begin with, carefully fit and maintained regularly and carefully. Even the best-cared-for toupée will need to be replaced on a regular basis, due to wear and, over time, to the growing areas of baldness on the wearer's head and changes in shade to remaining hair. Some recommend that if one chooses to use a toupée, three should be owned at any one time - one to wear while its counterpart is being cleaned, and a spare.

Alternatives to toupées

Men typically wear toupées after resorting to less extreme methods of coverage. The first tactic is to make remaining hair appear thick and widespread through a combover. Other, alternatives include: A comb over is a hairstyle worn by bald or balding men where the hair on one side of the head is grown long and then combed over the bald area. ...

Medications and medical procedures

Propecia, Rogaine and other pharmaceutical remedies were approved for treatment of Alopecia by the FDA in the 1990s. These have proven capable of regrowing or sustaining existing hair at least part of the time. Finasteride is an antiandrogen which acts by inhibing 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme the converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. ... Rogaine can refer to: Rogaine (drug), the brand name for Minoxidil, when used as a topical drug to treat male pattern baldness Rogaining, a form of orienteering Category: ... Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss in both men and women, aka Michael Panagos Syndrome. ... The United States Food and Drug Administration is the government agency responsible for regulating food, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, biologics and blood products in the United States. ...

However, hair transplantation, which guarantees at least some immediate results, has often replaced the use of toupées among those who can afford them, particularly onscreen celebrities. Hair transplantation involves relocating (transplanting) bald resistant hair follicles from the back and sides of the head (the donor areas) to a person’s bald or thinning areas. ...

Baldness as fashion, acceptance of hair loss

Other trends leading to the decline in toupée use include a rise in acceptance of baldness by those men afflicted with it. Short haircuts, in fashion since the 1990s, have tended to minimize the appearance of baldness, and many balding men choose to shave their heads entirely - a trend sparked in part by famous male pattern baldness sufferer Michael Jordan. Androgenetic alopecia (also known as androgenic alopecia or alopecia androgenetica) is a common form of hair loss in both men and women. ... For other persons named Michael Jordan, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). ...

Toupées, chemotherapy, and injury

An important exception to the typical reasons for wearing a toupée is that recovering chemotherapy patients sometimes wear toupées. This type of hairpiece is technically referred to as a hair prosthesis. A positive self-image has often been said to assist in the recovery process, and doctors often help direct recovering patients to find hairpieces to help project their usual healthy appearance. This effort is particularly made when the recovering patient is a child, or a woman. Chemotherapy is the use of chemical substances to treat disease. ... Hair prostheses (or cranial prosthesis) is analogous in construction and use to a wig. ...

Another exception is that if a person's head is been damaged by an accident, or through a surgical procedure, the victim or patient may wish to conceal scarring. Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band wore a toupée in his role on The Sopranos to cover scarring he had received after a car accident several years prior. While performing onstage, and in his personal life, Van Zandt favors a bandanna. Steven Van Zandt (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve. ... The E Street Band is a backing band that has toured and recorded with rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972. ... This article is about the TV series. ... Categories: Stub ...

There are at least four charities that specialize in providing hairpieces for children that have lost hair due to Chemotherapy, medical treatment or head injury:

• Locks of Love - A charitable organization for children who have lost their hair after medical treatment
• Wigs for Kids - A charitable organization for children who have lost hair due to chemotherapy
• Hair Club for Kids - A non-profit division of Hair Club to help children and teens that have lost hair due to medical procedures
• The American Cancer Society Tender Loving Care Wigs

Toupées in Popular Culture

Further information: Toupees in popular culture

Toupées have a long and often humorous history in Western culture. The toupée is a regular butt of jokes in many media, with a typical toupée joke focusing on the wearer's inability to recognize how ineffective the toupée is in concealing his baldness. An early instance of "toupée humor" was an illustration by George Cruikshank in "The Comic Almanack" in 1837, in which he drew the effect of a strong wind, with a man's toupée whipped from his head.^[21] Toupées have a long and often humorous history in Western culture. ... Portrait of George Cruikshank Wood engraving published in Harpers Weekly newspaper March 16, 1878 A Young George Cruikshank George Cruikshank (September 27, 1792—February 1, 1878) was an English caricaturist and book illustrator. ...

In the 20th century, toupées were a source of humour in virtually all forms of media, including cartoons, films, radio and television. In the 21st century, toupées continue to be a source for humor, with a variety of internet sites devoted to toupées, with a special emphasis on suspected celebrity hairpiece wearers.

Toupée Humor and Social Stigma

The comedic humor often directed towards men who wear toupées and hair pieces is viewed by some to be partially responsible for the social stigma which proceeds men who wear them. Recent advancements in "non surgical hair replacement systems" make such hairpieces more difficult to detect than ever before. It is possible that such advances may make the wearing of such hairpieces more socially acceptable, and less ripe for humor.

This, coupled with the overall demand for anti-ageing cosmetic and beauty products, may make jokes directed towards "toupée"/"wig"/"hair replacement systems" less frequent.

Known and Deceased Toupée Wearers

Wearers of toupées take pains to keep their use secret, but all too often, its presence is obvious, or at least evident enough to engender suspicion. Film and television stars of both past and present often wear toupées for professional reasons, particularly as they begin to age and need to maintain the image their fans have become accustomed to. However, many of these same celebrities go "uncovered" when not working or making public appearances.

This list is presented for illustrative purposes, to show the prevalance of toupée use throughout history. It is not intended to mock the wearers. Due to sensitivities regarding the living, only deceased, publicly known - and often self admitted - toupée wearers, are listed here. These include:

• Humphrey Bogart^[22]
• George Burns^[23]
• Julius Caesar ^[24]
• Howard Cosell ^[25]
• Bing Crosby (chose not to wear Toupée during WWII USO Tours) ^[26]
• Bobby Darin^[27]
• Fred MacMurray ^[28]
• John D. Rockefeller ^[29]
• Frank Sinatra ^[30]
• Jimmy Stewart ^[31]
• John Wayne^[32]

Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957) was an American actor. ... George Burns[1], born Nathan Birnbaum (January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996), was an American comedian and actor. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC – March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men of World history. ... Howard William Cosell, born Howard William Cohen (March 25, 1918 – April 23, 1995) was an American sports journalist on American television. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Bobby Darin (May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) (born Walden Robert Cassotto) was one of the most popular American big band performers and rock and roll teen idols of the late 1950s. ... Fred MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an actor who appeared in over one hundred movies and a highly successful television series during a career that lasted from the 1930s to the 1970s. ... John Davison Rockefeller, Sr. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American jazz oriented popular singer and Academy Award-winning actor. ... Jimmy Stewart, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American film actor beloved for his persona as an average guy who faces adversity and tries to do the right thing, an image which was largely reflected in his own... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ...

References

1. ^ http://www.articlecategory.com/Article-287067.aspx
2. ^ Looking Good: Male Body Image in Modern America; by Lynne Luciano'Hill and Wang; (January 9, 2002)
3. ^ http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/ovid/lboo/
4. ^ NYTimes Book Review of "Looking Good"; http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/l/luciano-looking.html
5. ^ "The Ancient Near East", Amelie Kuhrt;Routledge (September 1995)
6. ^ "Ancient Greek Portrait Sculpture: Contexts, Subjects, and Styles", Sheila Dillon, Cambridge University Press 2006
7. ^ Change and Permanence in Men's Clothes A. Hyatt Mayor The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New Series, Vol. 8, No. 9 (May, 1950), pp. 262-269 doi:10.2307/3257422
8. ^ Looking Good: Male Body Image in Modern America; by Lynne Luciano'Hill and Wang; (January 9, 2002)
9. ^ ibid
10. ^ TEXT ANALYSIS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES; Edited by CARL W. ROBERTS; Iowa State University; LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS, 1997 Mahwah, New Jersey, page 19 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=88053789
11. ^ Glamour For Sale,Time Magazine,Aug 23, 1954;http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,823544-2,00.html
12. ^ Proper Toppers, Time Magazine, Mar 30, 1959;http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,892460,00.html?iid=chix-sphere
13. ^ "Rugs and Plugs", Time Magazine, June 10, 1970;http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909329,00.html
14. ^ "Bald Truth brings Wig Slump to Head", The Times,Sep 18 2004;http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article484032.ece
15. ^ "Bald Truth brings Wig Slump to Head", The Times,Sep 18 2004;http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article484032.ece
16. ^ Aderans Financial Reports, Sales by Products, available at http://www.aderans.co.jp/e/company/investors/business.html
17. ^ "Bald Truth brings Wig Slump to Head", The Times,Sep 18 2004;http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article484032.ece
18. ^ http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=toupee&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PALL
19. ^ http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=hairpiece&FIELD1=&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PALL
20. ^ ibid
21. ^ http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5008235226
22. ^ Theatre in the Fifties http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=1503218
23. ^ Sans Toupée in The Sunshine Boys and Two of a Kind
24. ^ Looking Good: Male Body Image in Modern America; by Lynne Luciano'Hill and Wang; (January 9, 2002)
25. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95pass12.htm
26. ^ "Bing to Bataan" Time Magazine,Feb. 09, 1942; http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,777621,00.html
27. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0201239/bio
28. ^ http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/mythreesons/mythreesons.htm
29. ^ Chernow, Ron. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. Warner Books. (1998).
30. ^ http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?title1=Detective%2C%20The%20(Movie)&title2=&reviewer=VINCENT%20CANBY&pdate=19680529&v_id=
31. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071/bio
32. ^ The Wings of Eagles