I’ve been on the lookout for awhile – lace front wigs with bangs have always intrigued me. I love that the lace front helps to give the bangs a bit of volume and lift, which differs from how I currently wear the front of my hair.
I’ve blogged about the Ellen Wille line of wigs before…I LOVE this brand! The hair fiber is so realistic and so silky.
It’s some of the best synthetic fiber I’ve ever felt.
I’m not 100% sure if Ellen Wille only makes lace front wigs, but I think that may be the case. I knew I could start my search with this brand.
Turns out not only does Ellen Wille make some beautiful lace front wigs but she also makes beautiful lace front wigs with bangs. The kind of bangs I’ve always wished I could have, but couldn’t (because my hair was flat and lifeless and blah).
Enter the Code Mono wig.
I loved it the second I saw it. But–dang!–it wasn’t available in my color. So I got a hair-brained idea to try something radical.
Yep, this happened:
That’s right, this die-hard brunette decided she’d embark on her own Blond Ambition tour. I decided to get the color Sandy Blonde Rooted.
Check out the bangs on this lace front wig! They are just what I never thought I could have.
Let’s see a close up of the cap, shall we? It’s a little different than the Mega Mono I wrote about. Whereas that one was a mono top, this one is a mono part.
What’s the difference?
The entire top of a mono top is made of a mesh/lace material which allows the hair to be parted any way you want and still see “scalp”. A mono part can be adjusted slightly, but you’ll only see “scalp” in the area right around the part.
This was kind of a bummer for me, since I normally wear my hair parted on the right. But, I’ll make do.
You can definitely see my bio hair peeking out from the back of the wig. This is mainly happening because the tag is still hanging down (see the glittery string?).
(Note: I do wear my hair out when I wear wigs. I think it helps them to integrate better.)
Side Shot:
You can really see that this lace front wig with bangs has SUCH a nice low density!
The real beauty of lace front wigs is that you can wear your hair off the face (presuming, of course, you like the way the lace front looks). This lace front looks pretty good right out of the box. I’d probably trim the lace back just a tad, but you can see that it looks pretty natural, even with a bit of my bio hair stuck in it (oops).
I love the roots on Code Mono! Having a darker appearance on top allows me to wear my bio hair out underneath the wig, too.
This Ellen Wille Code Mono wig review wouldn’t be complete without a photo in natural light.
It looks a little more beigy-neutral outside and a bit warmer inside my house.
So am I going full-on blonde?
Let’s not go crazy. This was really just for fun and to let my husband enjoy the wig-wearing experience, too. He loved it.
LOVED IT.
For now, I’m enjoying wearing this wig around the house at night when I want to give my head a break from my topper’s clips.
Who knows, though, maybe someday I’ll go blonde. I really wish I was “out” with hair-wearing so that I could switch up my look every day. It would be fun to try a new look whenever I’d like to.
Check out this awesome Ellen Wille style–Code Mono is perfect if you want a realistic fiber and density.
What do you think? Let me know what you think of this lighter color!
P.S. Want to see this wig in a ponytail?
Hey Lauren, so in my spare time, I am going back and checking out all your posts. It’s like that commercial from awhile back…I am almost to the end of the internet, or in this case, Lauren’s posts! ? Anywho, I love this piece. I am like you, I feel I look better as a brunette, so this isn’t really “my” color but this is the style I actually wear my hair in. In fact, I still wear my bangs like that almost weekly. Sadly over the years, most of the volume is gone now. I am not ready for a wig yet, but maybe a topper with a lace front.
Kristyl, hilarious!! I should go back and reread some of the old ones…are they embarrassing? 🙂 Haha.
I absolutely LOVE this wig and must have it in the color you’ve posted! To save my dimes to get it now! The color is beautiful I like how the wig is shaped overall – and I like how you can naturally pull the front back. I am going to share this with a friend who is trying to convince herself it’s time but hasn’t gotten there. She does not like hair in her face thus this is perfect! Can bangs be cut in the wig with its style do you think? I would wait til I get and try but I typically like to have an actual bang. This is an awesome wig. Thx for sharing it and the review. You are such a beautiful young lady, too BTW! Thx for sharing your knowledge and experience. It’s very helpful.
Sharon, you could cut bangs, yep!! There are long bangs on this piece already, but if you’re looking for a more traditional fringe, it can be done. 🙂
I wear a wide variety of wigs from day to day. 28 in. Long black, 32 in. platinum waves, purple Bob, a black bob, very Uma Thurman Pulp Fiction,) even a millenial pink 26 in. & a brown with red strips that’s crimped, like from the 80’s, that kind of crimp….lol… It’s my only human hair wig and I absolutely adore it! It looks so, so natural and it isn’t even a lace front. I got it for $25 about 5 years ago and wore it maybe twice. I’m so glad I saved it, I actually need it now while I’m growing out my severely premature, silver/white hair that’s taking over the whole front half of my dark brown hair! Plus, it’s short & needs to grow, & I need to leave it alone for it to do that, but I am the worst at leaving my hair alone! I just like to change things up a lot! Wigs are a lifesaver (or hair saver) Now that Instagram has made wigs so popular, the store I bought my human hair wig on clearance at, their prices have skyrocketed! Thankfully, synthetics have come such a long way!
It took me so long to finally embrace the idea that what other people think of me is none of my business…LOL… It’s very freeing, but not always so simple. Although, you could just wear the non “normal” wigs to places you don’t typically go, or admit that the blond is a wig, but let em keep thinking your usual wig is your real hair.
Life is just too short! You should totally have fun and wear the wigs that make you feel awesome! Especially if they get you any extra attention or looks from your Hubby! I’m still trying to find my “secret weapon” I know something will catch his attention dang it! The only thing that seems to catch his attention is when I stop trying to catch his attention. LOL After 13 years I swear every morning the look on his face says, “You again?!” Lol…can’t even blame him, I’m a major pain! He’s a saint!
Ha, I snorted. 😉
Lauren I hope you’ll still see this post. I have this wig, in the dark chocolate color. I hate it that I can see the lace in the front even when I don’t pull the hair back. How close do you trim the lace? I’m scared to mess it up.
Hey Mel, are you talking about the lace or the knots? For the lace, I cut it pretty far…probably take about 1/2 of it off. I have to be somewhat careful, though – my forehead isn’t wide, but if I take too much off it begins to gap as it gets closer to the temples. Just go slowly and take a bit at a time.
Your hair looks great. I can’t handle the clips on my topper anymore so I am looking into getting an Ellen Willie wig. Would I be able to use some of my bio hairline on the lace front wigs? I know I wouldn’t have to but I like the added natural effect that it gives.
Hi Kris. I know plenty of women that use their bio hairline with lace wigs…for me, it’s just been difficult. But, I only play with wigs, I don’t wear them full-time. So, maybe a bit more experimentation is order. Lace fronts are lace so that you DON’T have to use your bio hair, but what do you do if you want some bio hair to help conceal the lace? That’s where I struggle. Since the lace will “hang” (for lack of a better word, obviously it’s taut) down past the hairline, it’s hard to use your hairline because 1) you’ll see your hair through the lace, and 2) the lace will push your bio hair down somewhat. Now, if you have a good amount of hair you want to integrate then you might have better luck. But if you’re only trying to integrate 10-15 strands (like I do), then it’s hard.
I don’t know if that helped at all…it’s hard to explain!
Love it. So far, I am wearing only a topper. I have been wearing it close to six months, and have some additional hair loss from the clips. I haven’t done as suggested (adding more clips to lessen the stress and switch up which clips are used), but my hair loss is such that it was going anyway. It took me a long time to make the decision to wear helper hair. Now that I have made it, I am very happy. I wear a custom human hair topper but I am thinking about the Milan. I actually made another piece from a bang and a weft – which I wear under a bandana for working out.
I don’t think it will be long until I get a wig, and once I do, it won’t be long until I switch up my hair color at work. I was so nervous to wear the topper to work the first time, and as thin as my hair is, a few people just said they liked my new hair color! LOL. They were either being nice, or no one is as aware of my hair loss as I am!
Blessings & Thanks.
I know I’m late to the party but just wanted to say you look amazing in that wig. It actually looks more natural than the brunette, maybe because it the highlights give it more depth.
Another vote for something I don’t regularly wear. Tsk tsk! 😉
I love you as a brunette, but I gotta say, you ROCK this. You look amazing as a blonde! I even love the brown ends – I think it looks trendy and ombre. Very sexy! Most people don’t have skin tone that goes with both – like me. I could never go blonde. I look green when I go blonde.
I look like Casper the Ghost in red!
Hi Lauren,
just wanted to let you know that I just received my Ellen Wille topper and I could cry because it looks so awesome. I can’t notice any difference between my own hair and the topper hair, it blends in so well. And after fiddling around with it for 10 minutes I found a style that makes it looks super realistic in the front. I only have to get rid of the shine. Although it is not as shiny as the Jon Renau topper.
Thank you so much for all your tips and advise here. Without it I wouldn’t have dared to even think about helper hair.
Have a nice Christmas.
Kat
Kat that’s sooooo good to hear! You’ll have to let me know how it goes the first time you debut it – if you’re up for it, drop me an email and let me know! As for the shine – after the first wash you’ll find it lessens. Until then, a few spritzes of dry shampoo will help. Dry shampoo is your friend! Yet another post I’ve been meaning to write…
Lauren:
I have been reading your blog and while bummed I had to find it (losing my hair due to a health issue). I really love your blog and am grateful for all the information you have shared. It has made things a bit easier, so thank you. So with that out of the way…
You look awesome in this wig! I love it! This look would make me want to “come out”. I purchased my first wigs and stayed “safe” This made me decide I am going to order the rooted blonde I have been wanting. You make a hot blonde!
Ooh, what have you been wanting?
Funny you should ask Lauren we have very similar taste in hair. I was looking at the Noriko Kenzie in a rooted color. But this Ellen Wille looks so good on you. I love the razored ends, so pretty on you!
Ahh! Did we just become best friends? I’ve been eyeing that one! If you feel so inclined and if you get it, consider emailing me a pic so I can see it (I won’t share, promise)? I love that style!
Wow, I think blonde suits you a lot better than brunette! That wig was actuat so gorgeous that I went ahead & ordered one after reading this post! Super excited it might work for me & I can skip the follea topper &save that cash. I always thought synthetic wigs looked so fake but yours look so great in the picture I had to give it one final try before the follea! Great blog by the way, look forward to your posts every week! 🙂
Let me know what you think!! Lace fronts take a bit of playing around with so you may need to fiddle with it some.
So it finally came but there are no clips to attach it with! Does it not come with any? I will have to buy some and sew them in otherwise it slides right off with the slides right off with the slightest shake of my head. I still have a lot od bio hair and I leave it out so is that why it won’t stay in place?! Help!!!
Ok, first, breathe. 🙂 What do you think of the color?
A few things:
1) This is a wig – so, no, there won’t be any clips. It’s a full piece. You can always put a few clips in if you think that will help.
2) If it’s coming off too easily that means either it’s too small or too large (oddly enough, both can cause it). There are adjusters that are velcro to help with this. Make it larger and smaller to see what works best. If you are leaving your bio hair out than I’m guessing it’s currently on a smaller “setting”.
3) Make sure it’s pulled fully over your head. Sometimes I need to grasp both sides with my hands and pull it down to get a secure fit.
4) Once you get it adjusted, there are products you can use to keep it from slipping that we can talk about, if you’re still having issues.
Let me know! Feel free to email me, too, if it’s easier.
You look FANTASTIC as a blonde! That’s such a great shade on you!
Lauren, you look so cute with the blond hair.
I love the fact that you can wear the hair out of the face and back with that wig. The hairline looks so realistic. i ordered the Ellen Wille Topper and am so looking forward to try it on.
Kat x
You look great as a blonde! That piece looks 100% real!!
You look wonderful. I love the idea of the wig or the topper, but a lot of my most embarrassing hair loss is at the forehead so combing it over a wig wouldn’t work. So tricky!
Samantha – that is the nice thing about a lace front. You don’t need ANY of your own hair. That closeup of the hairline? There’s not one strand of my own hair showing (except for one that kind of got stuck in it). You don’t need ANY front hair to wear this style.
I mean, ‘WEAR’ it around the house..
I love it! I really like the way it looks in the outdoor picture. How are you attaching it when you where it around the house.. tape or glue?
No need to attach it any way – just pull it on. It’s a bit stretchy but there are adjusters to make it tighter or looser if you need to.
1 – That wig is a gorgeous colour
2 – You look BEAUTIFUL in it.
I am actually really amazed at how natural it does look along the hairline. I’ve never seen one that looks that nice before.
Just a little somethin’ for my fair-haired friends. 😉
So if I have NO hair will this work?
You can do your hair in a pony with no hair, but it’ll require taking a bit more on the sides of the wig hair, and doing a lowish-type pony or updo in the back, and gently pulling “down” some to cover the back of it.
LOVE that color on you!
Wow girl, that looks GREAT on you!
you look AWESOME as a blonde! I’ll have to check out Ellen Wille!