Length Guide
Wig length is measured from the crown, not from your shoulder, and a wave pattern shortens the drop. Here is how to work out which number lands where you want it.
Length is the first decision and the one most often got wrong, because the number on the listing is not measured from anywhere on your body. It is measured from the crown of the cap to the ends of the hair, laid straight. Two things then move the result: your own height, and the fact that a loose wave does not hang at its straight length.
The wave discount
Every wig in this range is loose wave. Pulled straight, a 26 inch wig measures 26 inches. Worn as it comes, the wave pattern takes two to three inches out of the visible drop, so it reads closer to 23 or 24. That is not shrinkage or a defect, it is what a wave is, and it is why a wig can arrive looking shorter than the number on the box while being exactly the length stated.
Where each length lands
Measured on an average frame of five foot five, from a crown-mounted cap:
| Length | Roughly reaches | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| 16 in | Collarbone | A bob. The shortest in the range and the easiest to manage |
| 18 to 20 in | Top of the chest | Shoulder length once the wave is accounted for |
| 22 to 24 in | Mid chest to under the bust | The most-bought band, and the one that suits most heights |
| 26 to 28 in | Waist | Long, with real weight to it |
| 30 to 32 in | High hip | Dramatic. Needs a satin pillowcase and a plan for sleeping |
| 34 to 36 in | Hip and past it | The full statement. Heavy, and worth the higher density to carry it |
Do the arithmetic for yourself
The rule of thumb that holds well enough: from the crown, your chest is about 28% of your height away, your waist about 38%, your hip about 47%. On a five foot five frame that is roughly 18, 25 and 31 inches. The length finder on the home page does this from your own numbers and points at the nearest stocked length.
Two things that change the answer
- Torso length, not just height. Two people of the same height can have three inches of difference between crown and waist. If you know you are long in the body, take the next length up.
- Density. A 250% wig at 26 inches carries more visible weight than a 200% at the same length, and reads longer as a result because the ends stay full rather than tapering.
Once the length is settled, the lace and density guide covers the cap, and every length in the range has its own shelf: 16" · 18" · 20" · 22" · 24" · 26" · 28" · 30" · 32" · 34" · 36".