Wigs wear out through wearing and washing, not by sitting on a stand, so wigs worn in turn each last longer. See how long, and build a small wardrobe that does different jobs.
Taking turns, 3 wigs worn 5 days a week between them last about 1.8 years each, against about 7 months for one wig on its own.
What rotation doesn't do is make wear free. A wig gives roughly the same number of wears either way, so you buy about as many over the years. What you get is time: each wig is dry and rested before its next wear, washes come round less often for each one, and there's always a spare.
| Wigs in turn | Each worn | Each lasts | Wigs bought a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 days a week | about 7 months | 1.6 |
| 2 | 2.5 days a week | about 15 months | 1.6 |
| 3 | 1.7 days a week | about 1.8 years | 1.6 |
| 4 | 1.3 days a week | about 2.5 years | 1.6 |
An estimate: about 160 wears from a cared-for human hair wig (the "about a year" most listings claim, at three or four wears a week), and no wig counted past three years, as hair dries out with age whether it's worn or not. Yours will vary with the hair, heat and care. For your own numbers, try cost per wear.
Shoulder length or shorter, 150–180% density, a natural shade, glueless. The one you'll wear most, so speed and comfort come first: it should be the least interesting wig you own.
Chestnut Brown Straight Short Bob 6x5 Glueless Lace Front Human Hair Wig
A colour you've wondered about: copper, burgundy, blonde, highlights. It's the cheapest way to find out whether you'd like being a redhead, and our guide says to buy it before the occasion wig.
Longer, fuller, more lace: a 13x4 or 13x6 frontal for parting freedom, or a 360 to wear it up. Worn now and then, it stays in good condition for years.
Picked from the wigs we list, nearest to each one's share of the budget, well-described listings first. Prices are starting prices, which are the shortest length: the occasion wig is for 22″ or longer, which costs more than its starting price, so check the price at your length. Nobody needs to buy them all at once.
From our guide to building a wig wardrobe: one stand per wig, as stacking them in a box undoes the benefit; wash on a schedule, not by feel, because with several wigs it's easy to lose track of which has had eight wears (the care schedule keeps count); and retire a tired everyday wig to the gym or a costume rather than binning it.
One is fine to start. Our wardrobe guide suggests building to three that do different jobs: an everyday wig, one in a colour or cut you wouldn't otherwise try, and an occasion wig.
Each one lasts longer in months, because the wear is shared out. A wig wears out through wearing and washing, not on a stand, so you get about the same number of wears overall.
Around five months by our estimate of about 160 wears from a cared-for human hair wig. Worn three or four days a week, the same wig lasts about a year.
