ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈaɪv, wˌɛn ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ɡˈʌvɚnmənt lˈɛvid ɐ tˈæks ˌɔn hˈɛɹ pˈaʊdɚ, æz ɐ fˈɔːɹm ʌv pɹˈoʊtɛst bˈɛdfɚd ɐbˈændənd ðə pˈaʊdɚd ænd tˈaɪd hˈɛɹstaɪl kˈɑːmənli wˈoːɹn baɪ mˈɛn ʌv ðæt ˈiəɹə ɪn fˈeɪvɚɹ əvə kɹˈɑːpt, ʌnpˈaʊdɚd stˈaɪl, mˌeɪkɪŋ ɐ bˈɛt wɪð fɹˈɛndz tə dˈuː lˈaɪkwaɪz.
In 1795, when the British government levied a tax on hair powder, as a form of protest Bedford abandoned the powdered and tied hairstyle commonly worn by men of that era in favor of a cropped, unpowdered style, making a bet with friends to do likewise.