When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And when in New Orleans, that often translates as wearing glitter, wigs and costumes.
New Orleanians have a long tradition of costuming, and occasions to play dress up have grown far beyond Carnival season. If you ask around, don’t be surprised when many locals admit to having entire closets reserved for storing costumes and accessories. Boring Thursday night? Put on a wig and show it off!
So how do you partake in the fun when you are from out of town? Fifi Mahoney’s is the place to go.
Fifi Mahony’s, locally owned by Marcy Hessling, is a salon that specializes in creating custom wigs and designing cosmetic “looks” for customers. Located in the heart of the French Quarter at 934 Royal Street, a visit to the shop feels like walking through the looking glass into a world of sparkles, feathers and fun.
According to store manager Nikki McCoy, “We do custom wig orders, lots of them year-round, but Halloween and Mardi Gras are the busiest times — we are doing wigs for some riders in Krewe of Muses and Krewe of Nyx, in addition to the general increased demand. Customers can use our Facebook page to assist them in design. When they see something they like, they can contact us and work with a designer to create a custom wig. In the summer months when we are a little slower, one or two weeks’ notice is enough to time to create their perfect wig and then they can pick it up from the store when they arrive in town.”
And for visitors who don’t get the urge to costume until after they have arrived in Nola, Fifi Mahony’s has hundreds of ready-to-wear wigs available starting around $45.
“For a basic wig, any customer can come in anytime and purchase it. With over 100 wigs to choose from, they can pick almost any color or style without additional customization. And we sell accessories that the customer can purchase and add to the wig themselves,” McCoy shared.
Fifi Mahony’s also sells high-quality glitter and cosmetics including Ben Nye, Urban Decay, Tony & Tina and Fifi Mahony’s own private collection. They offer consultations to help you color match to wigs and costumes, and even help with application tips.
Beyond special occasions, Fifi’s also plays an important role in the daily lives of people undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from other hair loss like alopecia. McCoy said, “We try to make the experience fun to deal with any hair loss issue.”
Their website will be going through a redesign soon, so they recommend using their Facebook page for now. Be on the lookout for special events and flash sale announcements.
