Figure 1.--Here we see two German girls, probanly susters with large hair bows. This porteait was taken in 1913. They look to be about 13-16 years old. Image courtesy of the BP collection.

We are not yet sure about the precise chronological trends concerning girls hair bows yet. We know that hairbows were worn by younger children in 19th century, through the end of the century. Our knowledge of the early 19th century before the invention of photography islimited, but with the invention of photograpjy (1839) we begin to learn areat deal. We still see both both boys and girls wearing hair bows in the late-19th century, although only younger boys. We are not sure just when girls even younger girls began wearing large hairbows instead of hats. Small hairbows could we worn with hats, but not large bows. We believe that this probably occurred in the 1890s, but are not yet sure. We see hir bows throughout the 19th century, but not large ones. Until the 1890s, hats seen more important than hair bows. We suddenly see more amd larger hair bows in the 1890s. It is the early-20 century, however that hair bows were most common and most prominant. We do know that girls were wearing large hair bows by the turn of the 20th century. We had thought that this style was especially popular in the 1890s with girls some times wearing very large hair bows. This seems to have been the case in America for which we have a substantial photographic archive. They were done on many colors. We see huge hair bows in America during both the 1900s and 1910s. There appear, however, appears to have been differences from country to country. A German reader tells us that she believes hat hairbows in Germany were especially popular with girls in the 1920s. Our German contributor writes, "I searched in my German photograph archive for girls' hairbows. In the 1910s I found hairbows, only few big and more on the head side or back. In the 1920s I note pretty large hairbows, often nearly on the top of the head." We are less sure about other countries. But are gradually expabding our coverage of thisopic.

The 19th Century

We are not yet sure about the precise chronological trends concerning girls hair bows yet. We know that hairbows were worn by younger children in 19th century, through the end of the century. Our knowledge of the early 19th century before the invention of photography islimited, but with the invention of photograpjy (1839) we begin to learn a great deal. we do not see manyhair bows in early Dagerreotype and Ambrotype portraits (1840s and 50s). This suggests that hair bows were not common in the early-19th century, but this needs to be confirmed. We still see both both boys and girls wearing hair bows in the late-19th century, although only younger boys. We are not sure just when girls even younger girls began wearing large hairbows instead of hats. Small hairbows could we worn with hats, but not large bows. We believe that this probably occurred in the 1890s, but are not yet sure. We see hair bows throughout the 19th century, but not large ones. Until the 1890s, hats seen more important than hair bows. We suddenly see more amd larger hair bows in the 1890s.

The 20th Century

It is the early-20 century that hair bows were most common and most prominant. We do know that girls were wearing large hair bows by the turn of the 20th century. Suddenly girls seem to have launched an uncontrolled arms race as to who could have the largest hair bow. Girls of all ages wore them, even older teens. They seemed to have stopped wearing them about the age of 20-21 years. We do not see married women weaing themm, even younger married women. We had thought that this style was especially popular in the 1890s with girls some times wearing very large hair bows. This seems to have been the case in America for which we have a substantial photographic archive. They were done on many colors. We see huge hair bows in America during both the 1900s and 1910s. We still see hairbows after World War I in he 1920s. The number of girls and their ages, however, decline as do the size of the bows. and this decline continued in each decade. There appear, however, appears to have been differences from country to country. A German reader tells us that she believes hat hairbows in Germany were especially popular with girls in the 1920s. Our German contributor writes, "I searched in my German photograph archive for girls' hairbows. In the 1910s I found hairbows, only few big and more on the head side or back. In the 1920s I note pretty large hairbows, often nearly on the top of the head." We are less sure about other countries. But are gradually expabding our coverage of this topic. A very good source of information is the material we have collected on schools which are a good indicator of popular trends.

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Created: January 3, 1998
Last updated: 2:38 AM 5/3/2016