Merkins!

Merkins are those funny things I always heard about, but thought it might be a myth or funny story gone awry…but no, they are real. What are they? Pubic hair wigs. Yep. Wigs for your bush. Why? Why do these exist? Who used/uses them? How do they attach? So many questions, ones that can be answered with a trip to the Textile Center, where they are having a merkin show through October 24th!

Artists from all over the country have designed merkins from feathers, coral, yarn, you name it.
Why did people wear merkins? Well, now people use them when they’re making a movie and someone’s supposed to be nude, but don’t want to show their bits and pieces. Apparently, in The Reader, Kate Winslet didn’t have ENOUGH pubic hair, so they outfitted her with a merkin. Merkins date back to 1450, and have covered up a bare area when pubic hair was shaved off to get rid of or avoid pubic lice, and sometimes prostitutes would wear them to cover up signs of disease, which isn’t so cool.

While I don’t anticipate the day I’ll ever need to wear a merkin, I hope that if I do it is sparkly and stylish–maybe one of the fine specimens that are at the Textile Center right now.