Your First Wig Fitting: A Checklist

A wig fitting is a one-hour appointment that can save you months of expensive trial and error, but only if you arrive prepared and know what to check while you are in the chair. Print or save this list. If you have not picked a shop yet, start with how to choose a wig shop and the directory.

Bring with you

• Your measurements. Circumference, front hairline to nape, and ear to ear over the crown. Take them at home with a soft tape following our measuring guide, or use the cap size calculator and bring the result.
• Photos. Your usual style from the front and side, plus any inspiration photos. If you are matching your pre-loss hair, bring a photo in natural light and, if you have one, a saved lock of hair.
• A budget range, anchored by the cost guide, and your fiber preference if you have taken the quiz.
• The clothing and glasses you wear most. A wig that works with your glasses and collar is a different decision than one tried bareheaded in a gown.
• A support person if you want one. A second opinion helps, and good shops welcome it.

In the chair: what to actually test

1. Fit before beauty. With a wig cap on, the wig should feel snug at the nape without pressure at the temples. Shake your head no, look down at your phone, look up at the ceiling. Nothing should shift.
2. Check the hairline in daylight. Ask to stand near a window or doorway with a hand mirror. Store lighting flatters lace and color; daylight tells the truth.
3. Part and density. Move the part if the cap allows it. Look straight down into a mirror from above; that is the view coworkers get. Our guide to wig density numbers covers the vocabulary, and the staff can walk you through it in the chair.
4. Weight and heat. Wear the top candidate for ten full minutes while you talk. Weight you barely notice at minute one can be a headache by hour six.
5. Color in three lights. Window light, overhead light, and phone flash. Ask which colors the brand makes in this style; a different colorway in the same cap is often the right answer.

Before you pay

• Get the exact brand, style name, color code, and cap size on the receipt. This is your reorder lifeline.
• Confirm the return and exchange terms in writing, including whether a cut wig is returnable (usually not).
• Ask what a professional cut-in costs; a new wig cut to frame your face is the single highest-value upgrade.
• If your hair loss is medical, ask about cranial prosthesis billing before the sale is rung up; the paperwork wording matters, as covered in the insurance guide.

On the way out

Leave with a care routine matched to your fiber (the short version is in wig care basics), a recommended wash product, and a follow-up plan: good shops expect you back within two weeks for a free strap and fit adjustment. Application methods, from combs to grips to tape, deserve a decision of their own; compare them in this application guide.