When walking around New Orleans and taking in the sites and people, one might begin to notice that hair wigs seem to be a popular option for a great many people in the Big Easy. Each time I visited the city, I was awestruck by the number of folks — from bachelorette parties to Mardi Gras goers to drag queens — who donned wild-looking wigs.
There was something mysterious and fun, it seemed, about wearing the headpieces. It allowed people to re-invent themselves, and of course, act in way that was wild while allowing for some anonymity.
It was only on my fourth visit to New Orleans that I decided I wanted to join in on the fun. I was a little nervous to wear a wig, but considering how many people do don one in the city, what I thought was unusual wound up being…well….usual. I purchased my wig at Fifi Mahony’s at the suggestion of a drag queen and fell in love immediately upon entering the building.
Later, I was fortunate enough to catch up with the owner, Marcy, to do an interview. Check it out!
WWT: Can you tell me a little bit about the history of the shop?
FFM: My husband Ryan and I started Fifi Mahony’s in 1997. Our first location was on Chartres Street, and it was a much smaller shop. We opened in October and soon realized that we had a hit on our hands. Halloween was very busy for us, and we had to re-order wigs immediately.
We moved into our current Royal Street location in 2001. It feels like a big manor with all kinds of crazy goodies inside. We’re very lucky to have such beautiful buildings to make our homes and businesses here in New Orleans. The building Fifi’s is in has beautiful marble fireplaces, chandeliers with incredible plaster work. It’s a storied building in the French Quarter.
WWT: What types of people typically shop at your store?
FFM: We have a wide range of clientele. Families, drag queens, tourists, locals, young, old — there’s something fun for everyone. We’re very inclusive. Of course, in New Orleans, we are pretty well known as a bachelorette destination, so that’s usually the [kind of] group that books our after-hours parties. But also, we do special occasions, birthdays and weddings as well.
WWT: What can someone expect when coming to Fifi Mahony’s to purchase or browse for a wig?
FFM: When someone comes into the store and they’ve never tried on a wig before, we try and make them as comfortable as possible. It can be a little overwhelming. The first thing we do is just familiarize them with our with inventory. There are party wigs in every color that you can imagine, and we also have our custom wigs, which we are very well known for. They are the most over-the-top wigs you can wear! Very large and often themed in some way. Like mermaids, dragons, horned Valkyries, Marie Antoinette. Pretty much whatever floats our boat.
But we also carry a wide range of natural wigs.
A large part of our job is helping people with hair loss find something to wear in their every day life. Most clients can make up their mind pretty quickly [about] whether they want natural hair or technicolor hair. We then set them down in the wig chair, put their hair in a wig cap and try on wigs. When we’re trying wigs on, we’re also educating people on how best to wear their hair in the wig and what types of wigs look best on them. We also offer wig care and let people know how to care for their own wig.
WWT: Why do you think wearing wigs is particularly popular in New Orleans? Is it a tourist thing or a local thing too?
FFM: Once people start to try on wigs and see how much they can change your appearance, it becomes quite fun for them and they usually want to buy something and take it home.
Costuming is a very big part of the tradition of New Orleans. We have so many occasions in the city to dress up in costume and be someone completely different. When Ryan and I started Fifi’s, wigs were worn by a few, especially on Mardi Gras floats. But I do believe that Fifi Mahony’s offered that option to everyone, including the spectators. We definitely upped the ante! It became a pretty big part of a costuming in New Orleans. After all, who wants to wear your regular own hair when you’re dressed like a celestial unicorn?
Our locals wear wigs with as much frequency as tourists. I think the tourists just want to get in on the fun. Especially during Mardi Gras, people want to feel included. And dressing in costume is definitely part of that.
WWT: What are some reasons that one should purchase and wear a wig while hanging out in New Orleans?
FFM: Natural wigs are always fun just for a change of hair color when you don’t want to go to the salon and make a real commitment. (And all of the above!)
WWT: What is your favorite part of your career?
FFM: It’s been 24 years of Fifi Mahony’s, and I still love going to work. We all have so much fun together. There’s always something new that we’re interested in and want to introduce to our customers. Staying creative and thinking of new ways to express ourselves is probably the best part of the job.
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