Most crossdressers require a wig. Only the very fortunate of us can afford to keep our hair long . . . and even then there is the threat of a job interview or new significant other, etc that would necessitate chopping off those gorgeous locks. So before that day comes, you might as well be prepared with a wig. And who knows, you might find that the wig suits you better than your own hair!
.
Once upon a time I had long hair myself. And I will tell you, the one thing a wig can never replace is the confident secure feel of your own hair. But a wig can let you change your hair length or color whenever your heart desires. I think those are the primary tradeoffs.
.
Ok, so if you’re looking into a wig at this point there are two things to consider: natural or synthetic, and full wig or extensions. If you have moderately long hair, you might want to look into extensions. You can find clip in extensions made of natural hair that will look incredibly realistic for cheap. They take a bit more skill to apply, and they can be a bit awkward to style in some cases (especially if you want pigtails or something of the sort). Generally speaking they work best for straight hair, and if you have a lot of volume in your natural hair they will look a bit stringy and thin. So let’s assume for the moment that you’ve decided to go with a full wig. More on extensions some other time.
.
Natural hair wigs provide the ultimate in realistic look and feel and can be styled to your heart’s content. They last longer than synthetic wigs, and will not get split and frazzled at the ends nearly as much. That said, natural hair also requires a lot more care and is ~10x as expensive. If you’re going to buy a natural hair wig, expect to invest some time keeping it nice (just like you would your own hair), expect to go to a salon to have it styled the first time (they usually do not come pre-cut and styled), and expect to own only one. Natural hair wigs typically cost several hundred dollars or more.
.
A comparable synthetic wig can be picked up for $30-$100 (just don’t buy cheap costume wigs as they never look realistic and the fibers break quickly) and will last you several years if you treat it well. If you use and abuse it (like I do for my website), or wear it frequently (daily), plan on replacing it every year. Even with yearly replacement though, synthetic wigs will work out to be cheaper than a natural hair wig. Don’t get a synthetic expecting it to last forever though – synthetic hair pieces wear out, especially with aggressive brushing or styling. Synthetic wigs also come pre-styled . . . which can be both a blessing and a curse. You don’t have to worry about cutting them or going to a salon (you can wear a synthetic hair piece “out of the box”), but if you try to style it too much you will likely be frustrated – synthetic fibers are stiffer than natural hair and start to look like plastic (that’s what they’re made of afterall) if you pull them too far out of their preferred alignment.
.
All said, I would start with a synthetic wig. Try it out, wear it a few times. Remember that you can afford to buy a few of them for the price of a natural hair wig. And if at the end of the day you decide that you really need that extra realism, then go for the natural hair . . . just make sure you know what style you want before you shell out that kind of cash!