Hair powder tax
Posted by Laura W on July 19, 1998 at 14:10:08:
In response to powder & wigs, written by Gayle on July 18, 1998 at 09:01:23
Then, on pp. 136-137 Ms. Watkins writes: "As with
women, the extraordinary high hairstyles began to collapse into loose curls about the face. Some gentlement
continued to wear wigs until the 1790s, though the style was now more natural, as in the tye wig, which had a
single row of curls about the ears and a smooth or frizzed crown. Wigs or hair were lightly powdered until
1775, when a heavy tax was imposed upon hair powder, and the practice passed away with the century."
(emphasis mine).
The tax on hair powder was imposed by Pitt in 1795, not 1775. I have been looking for a precise date for some time.
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