Figure 1.--This Russian cabient card portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken in the 1890s. The man's boots suggest a prosperous small-scale farmer to us. The dealer indicated that the studio was Lezhnev, but we do not know where in Russia it was located. Note that both the girl and pre-school boy have cropped hair. Click on the image to see the mount. Hopefully Russian readers will be able to tell us more about thiis image.

We note many Russian boys with cropped hair heads in the late 19th and 20th century. Some of the images seem to show shaved heads, but we think for the most part that the children's hair was cropped and not shaved. Cropped hair seems paruicularly common with school-age boys. It probably as in Germany and other European countries primarily a sanitary measure at school. We notice that in the early 20th century before World War I, this style was especially prominent. Many Russian boys even quite young boys had cropped hair. In this respect the Russians were similar to the Germans. I'm not sure to what extent this was a style popular with the parents or enforced by the schools. We also do not know what the children themselves thought of it. Not all boys had cropped heads, but it was certainly very common. HBC at this time is unsure as to why shaved heads were such a popular style. We thouht at first it may have been a school rule, but we have noted images of even young pre-school children with shaved heads. One image even seems to show a girl with a shaved head, but this was not common. Sanitation was one reason that children's hair was sometimes shaved. With the Russians, however, it seems to be more a style than a sanitation measure. We notice many cabinent photos of prosperous families where the children's hair is cropped, including very young pre-school children. After World War I and the Russian Revolution, these shaved ahir styles did not disappear, but became gradually less common. We rarely after World WarII see images of Young Pioneers, for example, with shaved heads.

Chronology

We note many Russian boys with cropped hair heads in the late 19th and 20th century. We notice that in the early 20th century before World War I, this style was especially prominent. After World War I and the Russian Revolution, these shaved ahir styles did not disappear, but became gradually less common. We rarely after World WarII see images of Young Pioneers, for example, with shaved heads.

Styling

Some of the images seem to show shaved heads, but we think for the most part that the children's hair was cropped and not shaved.

Age

Cropped hair seems paruicularly common with school-age boys. Many Russian boys even quite young boys had cropped hair. A good example is four children in an undated portrait. All three boys have cropped hair.

Origins

The origins of cropped hair for boys may have been military. Here we do not yet know. Nor are we sure to what extent cropped hair was a fashion trend. Sanitation was one reason that children's hair was sometimes cropped. With the Russians, however, ot seems to be more a style than a sanitation measure. It probably as in Germany and other European countries primarily a sanitary measure at school. In this respect the Russians were similar to the Germans.

Popularity

I'm not sure to what extent this was a style popular with the parents or enforced by the schools. We also do not know what the children themselves thought of it. Not all boys had cropped heads, but it was certainly very common. HBC at this time is unsure as to why shaved heads were such a popular style. We thouht at first it may have been a school rule, but we have noted images of even young pre-school children with shaved heads.

Gender

Some images even seems to show a girl with a shaved head, but this was not common.

Social Class

We are not yet sure about social class factors. We think affluebt families were more likely to have children with long hair, especially younger children. We notice many cabinent photos, however, of prosperous families where the children's hair is cropped, including very young pre-school children.

Seasonality

Cropped and other very short hair styles in the United States were to an extent seasonal. We are not sure yet if seasinality was a factor in Russia. A reader writes, "Perhaps it was more of a ritual. That might be the word I'm looking for. Its usually a parent decision to cut hair short in Spring. The reason might be that during winter hair is allowed to grow long and once warmer weather comes cut it short to help a child keep cool."

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Last updated: 4:54 PM 2/13/2008
Created: 4:54 PM 2/13/2008