In 2018, whether it was the day after Halloween, a bachelorette party, or a night where the girls just decided that they wanted to be “so random LOL”, my days of Instagram scrolling presented me with the same consistent vignette: gaggles of young women bobbing about like lollipops, wearing neon and pastel Mia Wallace-style wigs askew, not a care in sight (which is concerning considering they chose to have bangs for an evening). However, one color became the most iconic of the banged-bob wig canon: cotton candy pink. I myself donned a wig of this color yet, even in the moment, could not quite place how I had come to that costume conclusion. The wig and its inspiration seemingly sprang out of nowhere and back into the culture. How did The Pink Wig™ become the look? May I present a deep dive.
Natalie Portman as Alice in Closer
The face that launched a thousand wigs. Natalie Portman’s depiction of a broken-hearted American stripper in London is undoubtedly the It Girl of the pink wig world. An acerbic cynic wrapped up in a manic pixie wetdream, Alice is so iconic she inspired a generation of sad girls to make their Facebook cover photos a screenshot of her saying “lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off, but it’s better if you do.” The phrase is both nonsensical and inspired a Panic! At the Disco song of the same name. Side note: Julia Roberts’ character also inspired a mid-2000’s emo song by Fall Out Boy. This film has legs.
Drake Bell in the Drake & Josh episode “The Bet”
Male. Wig. Representation. It’s a strong season premier setup. Drake is addicted to junk food. Josh is addicted to video games. Whoever caves first has to dye his hair pink as put in writing by Megan (why Miranda Cosgrove has never played a lawyer is a true mystery). What ensues is one of the most riveting teen TV episodes to date: you’ve got an homage to Willy Wonka, sabotage, the line “It’s spherical! Spherical!” Both boys fail, and everyone in the family except Megan ends up with hot pink hair. The true gag, however, is when Drake at the very end of the episode rips off his hot pink bowl-cut wig to reveal his naturally chestnut locks. Roxxy Andrews is quaking!
“Cooking by the Book” by Stephanie from Lazytown (and Lil Jon)
Stephanie from Lazytown, our sweet, athletic, tender soul with a bright pink helmet wig, just wanted her friends and neighbors to get active. She never could have predicted that her song “Cooking by the Book” - an anthem for moderation about following a cake recipe - would take on a second life at the hands of Lil Jon. Once known only to a demographic of children ages 4-11 and their parents, Stephanie and her pink hair became a fixture on Vine (R.I.P.) thanks to this aggressive bop. If only we could see every time a parent pulled up the song expecting our Stephanie only to have Lil Jon scream “break it down, Bitch” into a toddler’s face.
Taylor Dooley as Lavagirl in Sharkboy & Lavagirl
A cultural reset. No child in the age range of 4-11 was prepared for the power this film had. Stunning visuals. A young Taylor Lautner with shark teeth. Costumes perfect for Halloween as a child because they were practically onesies. Yet the most hypnotic and inspirational aspect of the film was Ms. Dooley’s hot pink hair that billowed in the wind. A confession: she did, in fact, dye her hair, but for these locks, I had to make an exception.
Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” Music Video
Nicki burst onto the scene to create what Barbie dreams are made of: pink everything, matching outfits, men who look like Ken dolls but these ones have genitalia. Some would say the perennial image of the video is Minaj riding a motorcycle made of ice. Or maybe the speakers made of ice. Or maybe the pink pool in the middle of a wintery tundra. I, however, disagree. Channeling many iconic hair looks over the years, it’s the pastel pink crimped wig she and her bevy of backup dancers don in this video that’s game-changing. No one can escape the song and its longevity, and for that the pink wig lives on.
Scarlett Johansson as Charlotte in Lost in Translation
After being deserted by a hurried Giovanni Ribisi and forging an intimate, playful bond with Bob (played by Bill Murray) Charlotte’s wild night out has everything: getting chased out of a bar by a BB-gun-wielding bartender, taking polaroids, and carelessly running through an arcade. In all this whimsy, Charlotte’s innocence makes her take on the pink wig that of an ingenue. At karaoke, she dons her baby pink look and sings “Brass In Pocket” by The Pretenders. “I’m special, so special,” Charlotte croons with a wry grin. Was she talking about herself, or how her wig would become a beacon for lonely white girls everywhere?
Girl’s Trip
The art that catalyzed the group wig costume. Queen Latifah wears a pink wig. This already would be enough to explain the phenomenon of the pink wig and it’s sudden prominence in pop culture. However, you also have Tiffany Hadish, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett-Smith wearing pink wigs. During a dance battle. Breaking it down to “She’s A Bitch” by Missy Elliot. Where they fight Regina Hall’s husband’s extramarital side piece. Case in point: a seismic shift.
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