Figure 1.--Here we see two unidentified American girls in all-white outfits, including massive white hairbows. They may be sisters about 8-10 years of age. This snapshot is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1930. This is a after the hairbow peak in the 1910s. We still see hairbows in the 1930s, but not really large hairbows like the girls here are wearing. Thet seem large even for the 1920s.

we have not yet acquired information on girls' hair bows in different counties, although we have notd them in the images we have archived. We know that there were very popular for American girls in the early-20th century. And they could be enormous. The girls here are a good example (figure 1). Both girls and teenagers wore them. White was very popular, but we see colors as well. Hairbows were also popular in Europe, although we do not yet have a good idea of country trends. And the time-line may have differed. As far as we can tell, no country matched the American hair bow mania, but this is just our initial assessment. The chronologies in the various contries were similar, but not identical. A French reader writes, "French children normally wore light colored hair bows in the early 20th century. Normaly the fashion color for the bow was white or pink or less commonly a bow in another pastel color. My sister in the 1940s was was always dressed very smartly by our mother. She wore a hair bow almost every day. I remember her little friends. Most all of them also wore a hair bow. They were white or pastel colors. I noted photograph of a little French girl on HBC who was photographed in 1944 wearing a patterened (plaid) hair bow. These were not very commomn." We also note many German girls wearing hair bows. See for example German sisters in the 1920s.

North America

We know that there were very popular for American girls in the early-20th century. We have a very extensive american archive and the prevalence of hair bows for girls stands out in the photographic record. We are still working on the chronology. They seemed most prevalent in the 1900s-20s, especually the 1910s. There are countless images of girls wearing hair bows, especially around the turn-of-the 20th century and the early-20th century. We have little information about the early-19th century, but with the advent of photography we have informtion bginning in the mid-19th century nd tht informtion only increases each decade with the expansion of the photographic industry. What we are not entirely sure about is if the studio portraits are a good reflection of actual prevalence. We are not sure if girls were more or less like to wear hair bows when they wento a photographic studio. Girls of all ages, including teenagers, wore them. American girls continued to be worn after World War I in the 1920s, but by mostly younger girls. The hair bows could be enormous. The girls here are a good example (figure 1). Both girls and teenagers wore them. White was very popular, but we see colors as well. We are not yet sure about Canada.

Europe

Hairbows were also popular in Europe, although we do not yet have a good idea of country trends. And the time-line may have differed than in America. This is a topic we have just begun to assess. As far as we can tell, no country matched the American hair bow mania, but this is just our initial assessment. The chronologies in the various contries were similar, but not identical. A French reader writes, "French children normally wore light colored hair bows in the early 20th century. Normaly the fashion color for the bow was white or pink or less commonly a bow in another pastel color. My sister in the 1940s was was always dressed very smartly by our mother. She wore a hair bow almost every day. I remember her little friends. Most all of them also wore a hair bow. They were white or pastel colors. I noted photograph of a little French girl on HBC who was photographed in 1944 wearing a patterened (plaid) hair bow. These were not very commomn." We also note many German girls wearing hair bows. See for example German sisters in the 1920s. Hair bows became much more modest in the 1930s and while important much less prevalent. An exception was thesiviet Union whear hair bows werevery extensively worn along with school uniforms. .

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Created: 12:14 PM 5/24/2016
Last updated: 12:14 PM 5/24/2016