Figure 1.--This poertait is unidentified, but we think the child is a little boy, in part because of the hair style and stance. He has a tailored two piece skirted outfit and long curls. The portrair was taken in Taylor's Falls, Minnesota by the S.C. Sargent Studio. The clothing, hair style, and mount suggest the late 1880s to us.

Some boys still kept their long hair after breeching, but this varied from family to family. Generally speaking boys after mid-century began earing short hair cuts. This was the predominant style by the 1870s. The exception here was younger boys. This of course was the same age group that was not yet breeched and still wore dresses. Parents at the time, however, varied as to whether boys should have their curls cut first or be breeched first. Some parents did both at the same time, but most took these steps in two different stages. Thus you see boys wearng dresses with both short hair and long hair. The ringlet curl style for boys became very poular n the 880s, in part because of the Fauntleroy craze which began in 1885. Ringlet curls for younger boys were not unknown in the 1870s, but in the 80s we see many more boys and older boys wearing them.

Created: 3:03 AM 10/13/2007
Last updated: 3:03 AM 10/13/2007