When I look at paintings of historic figures, I can't help but notice that a great deal of them sport powdered wigs. Since my days as a youth in history class, I've wondered why this is so, and recently I stumbled upon an article that demystified the practice for me. As it turns out, it was a syphilis outbreak in Europe in the late 1500s that triggered a huge demand for wigs. People used powdered wigs called perukes -- made of goat, horse, or human hair and coated with scented powder -- to hide the baldness, bloody sores, and unseemly aromas caused by the STD. Interestingly, at the time, long hair was a trendy status symbol, and a bald head was considered hideous enough to besmirch one's reputation. Thus, it's no surprise people went to such lengths to acquire perukes and avoid that kind of shame. Although common, wigs weren't considered stylish until 1655, when Louis XIV, the King of France, began wearing them to hide his balding. Five years later, Charle...