Getting started
How to choose your first wig
6 min read
Buying your first wig can feel like a lot of decisions at once. It is really only four: what texture you want, how long you want it, what kind of lace suits how you like to part your hair, and how the cap feels once it is on. Get those right and everything else is styling.
1. Start with texture, not length
Texture decides how the hair behaves day to day. Straight hair reads sleek and polished and shows length clearly. Body wave is the most forgiving — it holds a soft shape with very little effort. Curly and kinky curly give you volume and presence, and they need a little more moisture and patience.
- Want low effort and softness? Body wave or loose wave.
- Want sleek and sharp? Straight or kinky straight.
- Want volume and personality? Deep wave, curly or kinky curly.
2. Choose a length you will actually wear
Longer is not always better. Most people are happiest between 20" and 26" for everyday wear — long enough to feel like a statement, short enough to stay easy to manage. Remember curls sit shorter than straight hair of the same length.
| Length | Where it falls | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 18" | Grazes the collarbone | Easy, polished, great first length |
| 20" | Just below the collarbone | Everyday elegance |
| 22" | Mid-chest | The most popular choice |
| 24" | Below the chest | Long without the upkeep |
| 26" | Towards the waist | Glamorous, still wearable |
| 28"–30" | Waist length | A real statement |
| 32"–36" | Past the waist | Maximum drama, needs care time |
3. Understand the lace
The lace is the area at the front or top where the hair is hand-tied so it looks like it is growing from your scalp. A bigger lace area means more parting freedom.
| Lace size | Type | Parting freedom |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | Closure | Middle or one fixed parting |
| 5x5 | Closure | A little more parting room |
| 6x6 | Closure | Wider partings, no full frontal work |
| 13x4 | Frontal | Free parting ear to ear — the popular choice |
| 13x6 | Frontal | Deep side parts and hair swept off the face |
4. Think about density
Density is how much hair is on the cap. It changes the whole feel of a wig more than people expect.
| Density | How it looks | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 130% | Natural, close to average hair | Subtle, undetectable everyday looks |
| 150% | Full | The safe all-rounder |
| 180% | Very full | Glam that still passes as natural |
| 200%+ | Dramatic volume | Events, photos, big styling |
Why human hair matters
Everything we sell is 100% human hair. That means you can wash it, straighten it, curl it and style it with heat protection, and it keeps moving like your own hair. Synthetic hair cannot do that, and it looks like it cannot.
Shop the guide
The Zara
Deep Wave · Glueless
£225
A good first wig: glueless, forgiving and easy to style.
