Figure 1.--This watercolor was painted of Harold Bate in 1870. He was 2 1/2 years old at the time. Notice the top curl as well as the ringlets. Click on the image for a fuller discussion of Harold's hair style. |
|
We know that English boys wore curls and in some cases ringlets. We do not yet, however, have chronological details on the ringlet curl fashion in England. We are not sure, however, how the fashion compared with that in America. England in the 19th century generally was the source of many American fashions. Thus it seems likely that the fashion of ringlet curls as a boys' hair style probably priginated in England and was followed in America, at least until the Mrs. Burnett's publication of Little Lord Fauntleroy gave the fashion a life of its own. The style was seen as an English style in France and in fact called "English curls"--"Cheveux avec des anglaises". As in America, many images exist of English boys weating ringlet curls. Even so, it does no appear to have been as popular as in America. HBC has the impression that ringles were more likely to be worn by aristocratic boys and the wealthy class and not as common by middle-class boys as was the case in America. Actual information on the subject, however, is still limited at this time.
We know that English boys wore curls and in some cases ringlets. We have noted references in published journals as well as literary references. There are also many art works showing boys with long hair, imcluding ringlet curls. We have far fewer photographic images of English boys with ringlets than is the case in America. At this time we do not know whether this suggests that the style was less common in England than in America or if it simply reflects our more limited archive of English photographic images. Our initial impression is that ringlet curls do not seem to have been as popular as in America, at leasrt after 1885.
We do not yet, however, have chronological details on the ringlet curl fashion in England. We do not yet have any information on boys wearing ringlet curls in the 18th centurty, although a number of available portraits suggest that long, uncurled haor was common. We note references jouurnal and literary references to boys wearing curls in the early 19th century, although they do not always describe how the curls were done and if they involved ringlets. After mid-century we begin to seen boys with long hair, in some cases done in ringlets. This declines after the turn of the 20th century, and becomes rare after World War I (1914-18).
We have little information on the style of ringlet curls worn by English boys. We do not detect any differences with the styles worn in America, but our information is still very limited. We note English boys wearing ringlets at different length. Shoulder length was perhpas the most common. Some were done in tight ringlets and others were more loosely dine. The tight ringlets may have been some what less common than in America. There were a wide range of styles for both the front and top of the head with ringlets. Bangs were a common way of gealing with the front. The top of the head was geberally combed down to form the ringles, but some mothers did more elablorate styles with curls on the top as well. The top curl styles could be quite elaborate as in the imafe here (figure 1). This was, however, not the most common style.
As in America, the age that boys wore ringlers appears to have been most common for pre-school boys, but quite a number of boys wore them at age 5-7 years. There appear to ahve been far few older English boys wearing ringlets than was the case in America. Older boys wearing ringlets was a decidely upper-class stryle. But by the late 19th century it had become common for boys from affluent families to begin a boarding school education at about age 8. Thus unless a boy was being educated at home, even boys from affluent families had their hair cut by age 8. Boarding school was not as common in America.
We are not sure, however, how the fashion compared with that in America. England in the 19th century generally was the source of many American fashions. Thus it seems likely that the fashion of ringlet curls as a boys' hair style probably priginated in England and was followed in America, at least until the Mrs. Burnett's publication of Little Lord Fauntleroy in 1885 gave the fashion a life of its own.
Ringlet curls were seen as an English style in France and in fact called "English curls"--"Cheveux avec des anglaises". As in America, many images exist of English boys weating ringlet curls.
HBC has the impression that ringles were more likely to be worn by aristocratic boys and the wealthy class and not as common by middle-class boysd as was the case in America. Actual information on the subject, however, is still limited at this time.
We have noted some instances of individual English boys wearing long hair. including ringlet curls, although our information about them is often very limited. Our infoprmation is most detailed of course on the children of famous people, but we also note portraits and photographs of unidentified children which provide us insights into the fashion of ringlet curls in England.
Navigate Related HBC Pages:
[Return to the Main ringlet curl country page]
[Teturn to the Main ringlet curl page]
[Return to the Main curl page]
[Bangs]
[Long hair]
[Hair bows]
[Caps]
[Collar bows]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]