The great majority of photographic images we have noted in which parts are destinct, show boys with side especially left parts, although center parts were popular during certain periods. We note mostly side parts in the 19th century. A good example is two unidentified New York City children in the mid-19th century. We note center parts were fashionable in the early 20th century. I'm not sure how common this was in other countries, but we see many boys at the time with center parts. It is side parts, however, that are the dominant trend. Right parts are much less common. An American reader tells us, "I imagine my experience is rather common. My mother combed my hair was a younger boy and on special occassions would supervise or even pitch in even when I was well into primary school. It was always combed on the left which I never gave much thought to. The only variance was in the 1950s when I had a crew cut. Here there was so little hair at the sides and the rest of the hair so short that there wasn't much of a part to contend with."

Side Parts

The great majority of photographic images we have noted in which parts are destinct, show boys with side partsespecially left parts, although center parts were popular during certain relastively short perioThere are of coursre two basic options, lerft and right, but there are greater variatiion in that the part can be done at the side are higher up the head closer to the crown. We note variations over time. We note mostly side parts during the 19th century. A good example is two unidentified New York City children in the mid-19th century. The preponderance of left parts probably reflects the fact that most people or right handed. An American reader tells us, "I imagine my experience is rather common. My mother combed my hair was a younger boy and on special occassions would supervise or even pitch in even when I was well into primary school. It was always combed on the left which I never gave much thought to. The only variance was in the 1950s when I had a crew cut. Here there was so little hair at the sides and the rest of the hair so short that there wasn't much of a part to contend with." We notice American boys in the mid-19th century with double side pants. A good example is an unidentified boy in the 1860s. There was some variarion as to how far dowmn the side of the head the part was made. We note parts rather high up on the head during the era that center parts were popular. One example is an unidentified violinist. While left parts were the most common, we also notice some right parts. A good example of a right part is Thomas Smith in the 1840s.

Figure 1.--The great majority of photographic images we have noted in which parts are destinct, show boys with side especially left parts, although center parts were popular during certain periods. We note mostly side parts in the 19th century. We note center parts were fashionable in the early 20th century. A good example is Clarence Rogers here.

Center Parts

We note center parts were fashionable for boys in the early-20th century and we notice them to a lesser extent in the late-20th century. I'm not sure how common this was in other countries, but we see many American boys at the time with center parts. It is side parts, however, that are the dominant trend. Right parts are much less common. Generally speaking the center part was primaril a girl's style. This was probably because it was away of separaing hair for a variety of long hair styles. There were times though that we note boys with center parts. The early 20th century was one of these periods. Here we note this as a teenage more than a younger boy style. We also note some boys with center parts in the 1990s. While we have found boys with center parts, we note center parts have been much more common for girls. This of course was often with long hair, but girls also wore short hair with center parts. Hair styles including the parts can be useful in assessing gender, but there is enough variety in the photographic record that there was no way to be absolutely sure

Figure 2.--Many long hair styles used bangs for the front. The part was not discernable in some of these styles. The boy here is Chrles P. Wellman who was 3 years old in 1880.

No Parts

Some hair styles did not have parts, at least not noticeable parts from the front views commonly used for portraits abnd iotyher photographs. This included bangs styles where the hair at the front was combed forward. There were quite a range of boys hair styles with bangs, included both long and short hair styles. Some bangs cuts had parts, but they are not readily discerrnable in photographs that mostly just show the fronts. Also very short hair styles like cropped hair and crew cuts or relared stles like buch cuts and flat tops do not have noteable parts.

Created: December 19, 2002
Last updated: 2:02 AM 4/30/2011