Save Money on Wigs

Wigs are fantastic for bringing a character to life, but they can be very pricey. Here are a few tips to make the most of your wig budget.

Buy during con. Shopping in the convention dealer’s room saves on shipping and also allows you to look at wigs up close before you buy.
Follow/subscribe. Some wig companies offer sales at random times that they announce through newsletters and social media.
Enter contests. Some wig companies offer giveaways or contest prizes that include gift certificates or even a whole wig. That being said, please show some self-awareness and don’t be THAT person who is always bugging people to vote for them.
Share with friends. If money is tight, borrowing or trading wigs with friends can be a great alternative to buying. Please remember that it is good cosplay etiquette to return a wig in its original condition. Detangling before returning makes both you and the wig look good.
Re-use. Want to make a new costume but want to use your old wig? Why not make another outfit for the same character. Many characters wear multiple outfits throughout a series. Splash pages, artbooks, and manga covers often feature alternate costumes for the main characters.
Re-style. Many wigs with a little bit of styling can be used for completely new characters.
Buy used. Lots of cosplayers re-sell used wigs at prices considerably lower than the initial cost. Sometimes they will have already done the hard work of styling the wig into a desired character for you!
Black Friday. Some online wig sellers will have special Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales with a large discount.
Plan ahead. Knowing what characters you want to cosplay in advance gives you enough time to price compare and wait for sales instead of buying an expensive wig lash minute with rush shipping.
Make the costume first. It is easy to get swept into the excitement of a new series and order a wig for a character right away, only to lose interest in a few weeks. Make the costume and ensure you still have the desire to cosplay the character before dropping a lot of money on an unused wig.

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