We see boys of all ages wearing flopping bows. This began wih tidlers at abiut 2-3 years of age. They were commonly through the primary school ages. But prevalence for school-age boys gradually decline sfter sbout g 210 years as fvid thecxsize vof ythe boes. They dfisapear for boys, however, only after the early teens. HBC has archived hundreds of photographs of pre-scool and school age boys wearing them, mostly in the late 19th century. We note 4-year old Gordon Bently wearing a simple flat bow in 1879. We note Bert Dodge wearing a floppy bow at about age 3 in the 1880s. We note Harold Howes at age 5 years wearing a moderate-sized bow with an Eton collar and tunic suit in 1905. Another example is Charles Dorff who looks to be about 8-years old about 1905. And we see Percy Jackman wearing a floppy bow at age 10 in 1899. We also note younger teenagers wearing them. We see some 13-year olds and a few 14-year olds wearing them. Youngr teenagers wearing floppy bows became less common after the turn of the 20th century. We still see them in the early 1900s, buy after about 1905 they begin to declie in popukarity. And the age of boys wearing them as well as the overall popularity of this fashion gradually declined.

3 Year Olds

We note many 3-year olds wearing floppy bows. Many 3 year olds were not yet breeched. This was not very common for boys wearing dresses, but we do see floppy bows with boys wearing blouses and kilt/skirt outfits. A good example is Bert Dodge. He is wearing a floppy bow at about age 3 in the 1880s. We see boys at 3 years wearing knee pants suits. Other boys wore fancy blouses with knee pants. Many of the boys wore floppy bows with blouses dutring the 1880s-1900s.

4 Year Olds

We note 4-year old Gordon Bently wearing a single flat bow in 1879.

5 Year Olds

We note Harold Howes at age 5 years wearing a moderate-sized bow with an Eton collar and tunic suit in 1905.

6 Year Olds

Age 6 is when many children began school. This is thus an inflection point for many clothing and hair styles. This was not the case for floppy bows. Many primary school boys wore floppy bows, not only 6 year olds, but we see most primary school age groups wearing floppy bows. This varied chronologically.

8 Year Olds

Boys at age 8 commonly wore floppy bows. We are not sure about the 1870s, but this was the case during the 1880s-1900s. Not all 8 year olds wore neckwear during this period, but many who did wore floppy bows. We begin to see fewer 8 yeat olds wearing floppy bows in the 1910s as they were declining in size and popularity, but unlike older boys we still see some 8 years olds wearing bows after World War I in the 1920s. One helpful clue in identifying age during this peiod is that 8 was the oldest age for which tunic suits werw made. Thus this helps us assess ages in the photographic record. An example is Charles Dorff who looks to be about 8-years old about 1905.

9 Years Old

Boys at age 9 commonly wdore floppy bows. We are not sure about the 1870s, but this was the case during the 1880s-1900s. Not all 9 year olds wore neckwear during this period, but many who did wore floppy bows. We begin to see fewer 8 year olds wearing floppy bows in the 1910s as they were declining in size and popularity. A good example is an Allentown boy.

Figure 1.--Here we see three unidentified New York brothers. The portrait is undated, but looks to have been taken about 1905. The tree brothers look to be about 6-11 years of age. The younger boys wear sme kind of blouse suit and floppy bow. Notice the older boy wears a necktie and adult suit. We see many boys at age 12 wearing floppy bows in the late-19th century, but by 1905, floppy bows were begonning to decline in popularity. Such conventions varied from family to family.

10 Year Olds

Floppy bows were very common for primary-school age boys. And this included 10-year bolds. It was still very common at age 10 years to boys wear floppy during the Fauntleroy era. Perhaps not the largest size bows, but we still see 10 year olds wearing large floppy bows. This varied from family to family, but the larger bows were most prevalent for voys up to aboyt 10 years. This is an age in which boys begin to become increasingly aware of the world around them. Children his age are 5th graders, the next to last year in 6-year elementary (primary) schools. After about age 10 years we begin to see fewer boys wearing these bows, but they were still quite common at 10 years when dressing up. We have found countless examples if this in the photographic record which by the 1890s is extensive. We see Percy Jackman wearing a floppy bow at age 10 in 1899.

13 Year Olds

We also note younger teenagers wearing them. We see some 13-year olds and a few 14-year olds wearing them. Youngr teenagers wearing floppy bows became less common after the turn of the 20th century. We still see them in the early 1900s, buy after about 1905 they begin to declie in popuarity. The age of boys wearing them as well as the overall popularity of this fashion gradually declined.

Created: 6:44 AM 2/18/2022
Last updated: 6:44 AM 2/18/2022