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[Lorryl]

I'm going to a convention mid-May and I was wondering how far in advance I should style my wig? It's not intensive styling, really - using the hot water method and some rollers, followed by blowing it out on low heat once it's dry to add a wave to a bone-straight wig (Thank you again Cat-chan).

The main problem is that this will be be my first time attempting such, so I am of the mind to try it out soon so that if something goes terribly wrong I have plenty of time to panic, then salvage it.

I'm just unsure of how long a wig would keep styled in storage before losing its chape, especially if you've put hairspray or other product (ie. oil motion sheen for maintainence purposes) onto it already.

Thanks in advance for any tips and advice.

[SailorAnime]

What I do is I style it when I get the wig. Then, a night or two before the con, I take my wigs and reshape them if they need it. That way it's more like a checkup, and that's way less stress on my part!

[Starlightslk]

It really depends, my first time I started styling my wig over a month in advance even though it was simple (i.e. a trim and adding bangs with a slight curl) because I was nervous about messing up and that way if I did I would be able to get a replacement wig in time.

Now I usually style them about a week before a con that way I have enough time to tweak them before the con itself, then depending on how the wig survived the trip I might give it a touch up before wearing it.

[SpiffyNerd]

I always style mine waaaay in advance--usually, the wig is done before I've started the costume! ^_^

Like now, for instance. My Hitachiin wig's been started but I haven't even cut out my blazer pattern xD

[Ghost613]

Once I get my hands on a wig, I just can't help but styling it later that day or something. So yeah, most of my wigs are done ridiculously far in advance. XD

[Cora]

I think it kind of depends on the style...for example, if the style is fairly simple, and all you need to do is maybe straighten or cut it, then brush and go, styling it a couple months or a few weeks beforehand is fine.

However, I tend to do a lot of spiking work, and I've found that when spiked wigs have a long period of time to sit around, they tend to settle and not be quite as poofy or perky as when I first styled them, so most of my wig styling is actually one of the last things I do on a costume (RE styling my third Axel wig in the three days before leaving for Ohayocon...and finishing it the night before...then the two Erika wigs I finished AT the convention XD;;; )

So really it kinda depends. Also, I think it's kind of silly to style something MONTHS AND MONTHS in advance...mostly because if it does sit on a shelf or go back in a bag...you have to do something with it again before you wear it, so it's just easier to do it closer to the convention...but that's me.

[klytaemnestra]

I think it really depends on the style. If you need to cut and style a wig do so at least several weeks in advance if at all possible. I'm saying this in case you have any mishaps and need to replace the wig you'll have enough time. Now, I'm probably not the best person to ask because I habitually find myself perched on the hotel bathroom counter clipping wigs over the waste basket an hour before I need it, but if you're new to it definitely give yourself some time to play around with styling. I usually will style a wig a month or so in advance and then practice with some alternatives and then wash it out a few days prior to the con and then restyle it at the convention. The problem with styling a wig months in advance is that the style can fall out, and humidity and climate changes can make the fiber frizz even if the wig is sitting on a wig head untouched. I also think it makes some people over style their wigs to the point that they end up with so much hair spray or product on them by the time the convention rolls around that they look really unnatural. I'd rather spend an hour or so at the convention styling the wig like I would style real hair instead of dealing with trying to make fallen spikes perky again with too much product.

Generally most of my wigs just require teasing to make the hairline more natural and some basic brushing and clipping, so I do that at the convention when I put the wig on. But definitely do any cutting in advance.