An archaic or historical type of wig with a thick, bushy appearance that was fashionable in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Compound from 'buzz' (possibly referring to the close-cropped or bushy appearance, from Old English 'bysgan') plus 'wig' (shortened from 'periwig,' from Dutch 'pruik'). The term describes a specific style of wig worn during a particular historical period.
Buzz wigs were the power hairdo of the 18th century—thick, impressive, and expensive—yet men would sit for hours while barbers curled and pomaded them. The fact that wealthy men wore elaborate fake hair for centuries should remind us that fashion's rules are totally arbitrary and change completely.
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