Everything you wanted to ask about wigs.
A plain-English reference from Sword & Crown. Read it in order, or search for the one question keeping you up tonight.
New to wigs? Start here.
Five short guides, in the order most people need them. About twenty-seven minutes, start to finish.
- What a wig actually isCaps, hair types and the words you’ll hear4 min
- Cap styles, explainedLace front, glueless, 360, mono and full lace7 min
- Choosing your first pieceLength, density and colour without the overwhelm6 min
- Your first week wearing itPutting it on, keeping it secure, feeling like you5 min
- Washing & care basicsMake a good piece last5 min
Cap styles, explained.
The one guide to read before you try anything on.
Read the guide →Start from where you are.
Start with the question that matches where you are.
I’m navigating hair loss
I’m buying my first wig
I want something better
The chapters.
See it, don’t just read it.
Tap through cap styles and shades before you ever try one on.
What’s actually different?
The cap decides how a wig looks at the hairline, how it parts and how it feels by evening. Tap a style to see where the detail lives.
A general guide — construction varies by maker. The right cap for you is confirmed at a fitting.
See the root.
A rooted shade — slightly darker at the scalp — is often what makes colour read as natural. Toggle it and watch the difference.
Sample shades for illustration. Real shades are matched in person, in daylight.
Every term, A to Z.
The same definitions appear in place when you tap a term inside any guide. Use the search above to filter.
#
- 360 laceCap construction
- Lace around the whole perimeter of the cap, so hair can be pulled back into a ponytail or high bun without the cap showing.
B
- Baby hairsHairline
- Short, fine hairs along the front hairline that soften the edge so it looks like natural growth.
- Bleached knotsHairline
- The tiny knots where hair is tied into lace, lightened so they are less visible against the scalp.
C
- Cap sizeFit
- Your head circumference, measured around the hairline and nape. Most caps come in petite, average and large.
- ClosureCap construction
- A small lace panel at the top of the head — often 4×4 or 5×5 inches — that gives a natural-looking part in one area.
D
- DensityFit & fullness
- How much hair is on the cap, shown as a percentage. Lower densities look more natural; higher densities look fuller.
F
- FrontalCap construction
- A lace panel running ear to ear across the front, such as 13×4, allowing a natural hairline and more parting options than a closure.
- Full laceCap construction
- A cap made entirely of lace with hand-tied hair — part it anywhere and wear it up. The most versatile, and the most delicate.
G
- GluelessCap construction
- A wig designed to stay secure with combs, straps or an adjustable band instead of adhesive.
H
- Hand-tiedCap construction
- Hairs knotted into the cap one at a time by hand, so they move freely and can be parted and brushed any way.
- HD laceLace
- A very thin, fine lace designed to blend with the skin. It looks the most invisible and is also the most delicate.
- Human hairHair type
- Real hair that can be heat-styled and coloured like your own. It needs more upkeep than synthetic fibre and is restyled after washing.
L
- Lace frontCap construction
- A sheer lace panel along the front hairline, knotted by hand, so the hair appears to grow straight from the scalp.
M
- MonofilamentCap construction
- A fine mesh top where each hair is tied individually. The part looks like scalp and can be brushed any direction.
P
- Pre-plucked hairlineHairline
- A hairline thinned out before sale so it looks less dense and more natural straight out of the box.
R
- RemyHair type
- Human hair collected with the cuticles kept intact and facing one direction, which helps reduce tangling.
S
- SyntheticHair type
- Man-made fibre that holds its style after washing. Most can’t take heat unless labelled heat-friendly.
T
- TopperHair pieces
- A partial piece that clips into your own hair to add coverage on top, rather than replacing all of it.
W
- WeftsCap construction
- Strips of hair sewn onto the cap in rows. Quick to make and airy to wear, but they can’t be parted in any direction.
- Wig gripWearing
- A soft band worn under a wig for comfort and to help it stay in place.
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