Just curious. It seems like where I live, I'm the only one who does this. I live in Singapore where the weather is extremely hot and humid all the time.

And I just love the option of just taking off my wig when I'm at home and having really short hair, and just throwing on a wig when I leave home.

All my friends who are trans grow out their hair. I tried doing it but I just felt very uncomfortable with my hair growing out and having to deal with the heat and humidity where I live.

I wear wigs and I have several, in various styles and colors (mostly blonde).

I have two full-cap wigs that I wear in the winter when it's cold. I have seven "toppers" which I wear in the summer. When it gets really hot out, or when I am mining, I just wear a hat.

My hair is long, but it is easy to tie into a ponytail and then clip it up so the full-cap wigs can pull over it. Since the toppers only cover the top, my hair is visible coming out below it. The difficulty there is keeping my hair color to match the topper... which is why I have so many.

I have photos of some of my various looks over the years in my Progression Photo Album. Warning: The first image is from when I joined the Army at 18 and then progressed up to this year.

I have considered your idea of cutting my hair short and just using the full-cap wigs. But I love having my hair long enough to touch my shoulders. I just need more on top. 

Quote from: Clarissa Heng on December 04, 2024, 12:26:15 AMJust curious. It seems like where I live, I'm the only one who does this. I live in Singapore where the weather is extremely hot and humid all the time.

I live in northern USA. My wife is cold all the time. She got a wig several years ago but never wore it. Too much fuss.

QuoteAnd I just love the option of just taking off my wig when I'm at home and having really short hair, and just throwing on a wig when I leave home.

My wife is considering convincing me to shave her head to make a wig easier to wear. She has male-pattern baldness and gorgeous long ringlet curls. She has never taken to wearing hats, but her bald spot is making her feel too conspicuous. I've known two cis women who had similar baldness, and have seen others, but I understand her concern.

Quote from: Lori Dee on December 04, 2024, 01:12:11 AMThe difficulty there is keeping my hair color to match the topper... which is why I have so many.

Yeah. My wife's hair is so gorgeous, cheap wigs and toppers won't do her justice or overcome her resistance to using them, as much as she'd like to. We can't justify the expense for a beautiful topper when she might not "warm" to it but we expect that cheap wigs won't work either unless she gets one in a totally different, fun color.

QuoteI have photos of some of my various looks over the years in my Progression Photo Album.

♥️ Great progression! Thanks for sharing 💝

I wake up in the morning and put my hair on. Then I turn on the light. I am under the radar so it's short enough I can stuff it under my bandana when I'm around the locals. I have a longer, nicer one for when I go to the city.
Hair is an issue. I always wanted long hair growing up but my folks weren't having that. They would ask why you want to look like that and I wouldn't answer. Back in the 70s you didn't.

I left my transition too late to have the option of going without a wig.  My MPB is too far gone to pass as anything but male. 

I don't wear one at home.  If I go outside to work in the yard, I wear a hat: a tuque in winter or a ball cap in summer.  But if I am going out to the store or to meet people, I wear a wig.

This morning, we are going for a walk with a community social group.  I will wear a tuque, but I will carry a wig in the car.  That way, if we stop for coffee afterwards, I can do a quick change in the car.

All the time when out, have an old one I wear to my workshop and then take off. Beanie hat then!

Nice looking female hair is so wonderful, real or by wig.

Wigs allow you to try different colors, styles, lengths, etc. so that is a plus.

Chrissy

Thanks for the sharings everyone. And I've also updated the thread with a poll.

Oh, wigs, wigs, wigs..... yes I wear wigs and have done so for many years. Prior to being full time I spent many hours researching and trying a vast number of wigs and toppers. Finally I put down a vast amount of $$, like $4,500 and got a beautiful human hair wig. The thing that sucks about it is they don't last forever either! So now I own three human hair wigs. They are all still wearable and I love them!

I don't have enough of my own hair to be able to go without a wig. However I do grow out what hair I have and I just allow it to show from under my wig. Currently I have it dyed a dark blue. So my wig hair is blond, but then I have the blue hair that just barely shows underneath. It looks pretty cool in my opinion.

It is not my ideal, that would be having my own hair. Sadly I don't even have enough left for a transplant. Oh well! I am making the best of this that I can and it is actually quite doable.

Nadine, you are beautiful. We all pay for hair in one way or another. Your hair is yours, no matter it's origin. I bet the hint of blue hair looks gorgeous.

Although I bought a few inexpensive wigs early on, I never wore them. By the time I transitioned, my hair had grown long enough to style into something slightly feminine. Over time, it grew much longer. I also had both a scalp advance and a hair restoration procedure. Although it was expensive, I'm satisfied with the results.

Love always -- Jess

I just want to appreciate everyone's responses because I've been made to feel like a fraud because I do not grow out my own hair.

People can be quite judgemental that's why I don't really socialise with the people in the LGBTQ community.

I always get a "BUT WHY?!!" whenever people ask me why i don't grow out my hair and prefer wigs. And they'll tell me it's better that I grow out my hair.

I feel fraudulent whenever that happens and I get very sick of these questions.

Rule #1: Never live your life according to the whims of others.

Women wear wigs for many reasons: chemotherapy, alopecia, or just as a fashion statement. It is easy to change color or style without damaging my own hair.

I prefer synthetic hair over human hair wigs because human hair wigs are more expensive and need to be styled after washing just like my own hair. Synthetic wigs hold their style and color through washings and are ready to go. The style can be touched up if needed with a low-heat hair dryer or curling iron.

If they ask you why you wear wigs, just say "Because it's fun!" I don't know any woman who doesn't enjoy having a new hair color or style. It is fun. If they don't enjoy it that is their problem, not yours. You do you.

Quote from: Lori Dee on December 07, 2024, 11:01:25 AMRule #1: Never live your life according to the whims of others.

Women wear wigs for many reasons: chemotherapy, alopecia, or just as a fashion statement. It is easy to change color or style without damaging my own hair.

I prefer synthetic hair over human hair wigs because human hair wigs are more expensive and need to be styled after washing just like my own hair. Synthetic wigs hold their style and color through washings and are ready to go. The style can be touched up if needed with a low-heat hair dryer or curling iron.

If they ask you why you wear wigs, just say "Because it's fun!" I don't know any woman who doesn't enjoy having a new hair color or style. It is fun. If they don't enjoy it that is their problem, not yours. You do you.

Thanks so much Lori. I really needed this. I shall respond "Because it's fun" and smile at those who keep asking me why don't I grow my hair out. 

I have owned a few cheap Amazon wigs to get a feel for them never spending more than 100 for a wig.

I have a consult in with the VA for a wig, so hopefully that one will be really nice.

I hope I can grow my own hair out, and between a hairline advancement and possibly hair transplant that my own hair could be great. But that's also a lot of money, which I doubt I'd ever have the finances to have those procedures done. One can hope.

So I will give myself a year and see how well my  hair grows now that I am on HRT, but I am also being realistic about it as well. I will prob be one of the many women that have to use wigs do to transitioning later in life after too much damage from testosterone and male padern baldness already reeking havoc on my hair line.

Does the VA actually help you choose a wig that actually suits you, or do they just let you pick what ever you want and that's the one free bee for the year.

I would hope they have someone there that actually sets people up with the best all around wig (as in length, color, type, and hair style) for each specific person. But sadly I know they are not a stylist or someone that went to any kind of beauty school to help people choose a good wig for their features.

I remember the free glasses the military provided back in the 1970's. One size, one color, one style. They were nicknamed 'birth control glasses'. Hopefully that mindset does not extend to wigs. Good luck.

Love always -- Jess

Quote from: Robbyv213 on December 10, 2024, 02:17:06 PMDoes the VA actually help you choose a wig that actually suits you, or do they just let you pick what ever you want and that's the one free bee for the year.

I would hope they have someone there that actually sets people up with the best all around wig (as in length, color, type, and hair style) for each specific person. But sadly I know they are not a stylist or someone that went to any kind of beauty school to help people choose a good wig for their features.

The consult goes through the Prosthetics Department. They don't stock a bunch of wigs, so they do a Care in the Community referral. Mine was for a local hair salon that sells wigs. She is allocated a certain amount of money for the purchase. It is a lot of money, so don't worry. My stylist hooked me up with three expensive wigs, a wig stand, and a starter "care kit" with shampoo, conditioner, and styling spray.

Several times, she has given me two wigs that were priced at over $800 each.

She is a Raquel Welch distributor, so by selling me that brand she earns a commission plus gets paid the cost of the wigs from the VA. That allows her to upgrade the wigs at no charge to me, or to throw in supplies and things because her costs are covered and she still makes a small profit. Win-win.

That's awesome. Hopefully I get a similar deal.

Quote from: Lori Dee on December 10, 2024, 05:20:33 PMThe consult goes through the Prosthetics Department. They don't stock a bunch of wigs, so they do a Care in the Community referral. Mine was for a local hair salon that sells wigs. She is allocated a certain amount of money for the purchase. It is a lot of money, so don't worry. My stylist hooked me up with three expensive wigs, a wig stand, and a starter "care kit" with shampoo, conditioner, and styling spray.

Several times, she has given me two wigs that were priced at over $800 each.

She is a Raquel Welch distributor, so by selling me that brand she earns a commission plus gets paid the cost of the wigs from the VA. That allows her to upgrade the wigs at no charge to me, or to throw in supplies and things because her costs are covered and she still makes a small profit. Win-win.

Wow.  So nice.

Better spent money than those wasteful $900 hammers or toilets...

Let's help our veterans with reasonable government expenditures.

Chrissy