Figure 1.--This undated CDV portrait was probably tken un the 1860s,m perhaps the later 60s. It shows ann unidentified child with ringlet curlos and a low-neckline dress. The center part was often used for girls. It was also the easiest way of doing ringlets. Notice the baloon sleeves. The child who we believe is a girl who looks to be about 3 years old. The studio was Pattiani in Chicago.

We note both boys and girls with ringlet curls in the 1860s. Boys hair length was tending to become shorter in the 60s. Many boys at mid-century had hair done to or over their ears, but in the 1860s we see more modern looking shorter cuts. As far as we can tell, ringlet curls were not yet very common for boys. We seem to have found more portraits of girls with ringlets than boys. This is, however, difficult to assss in detail because most of the CDVs we have found are not identified. We do not yet have any written assessments. We make this assessment based on the photographic record. Photigraphy at mid-century provides for the first time really large numbers of images to assess fashion trends, both clothing and hair styles. The photographic types (Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes) were at first expensive (1840s-50s). While the number of images were much larger than in the early-19th century. Early formats were still limited and heavily weighted as to the more affluent. This changed with the appearance of the Carte de Visite (CDV) (1860s). The CDV was only a fraction of the cost of a Dag or Ambro abnd with the negative could be reproduced in quantity. Thus CDVs are much more reliable in assessing trends. And we have found what look like more more girls with ringlets as well as older girls and young women wearing ringlets. The younger the child the more similar gender prevalence seems to be and the more difficult it is to identify gender. A problem here is that many of the children are unidentified and it is difficult to identify the gender if the younger children because many were not yet breeched. This leads us to believe ringlets were much more popular for girls than for boys throughout the 60s. We do see boys with ringlets, but we see many more children we believe are girls with their hair done in ringlets. Just using prevalence in the photographic record can not be used as absolute proof, but we believe it to be the best single measure of prevalence at the time. Here we would welcome reader insights.

Boys' Hair Styling

we notice a large variety of hair styles in the 1860s. The standard cut was relatively short, alyjough in thev 60s this commonly meant down tyo the ears. Younger boys might have longer hair even ringlets, but we do not notice any really long cuts like long ringlet curls. We even note boys not yet breeched with short hair. A good example is an American boy in 1865. And we notice a boy who has been nreached, but with elaborate hair styles, involving ringlet cirls and a top roll. A good example is Herbert Lockwood about 1867. Any od course we notice boys who havev been breeched with rekatively short hair. An example of a young boy who has been breeched is C. Stewart in 1865. Shorter cuts continued to become more popular in the 1860s, but we still see boys with longer cuts. A good example is an unidentified Boston boy during the 1860s. Boys hair length was tending to become shorter in the 60s. Many boys at mid-century had hair done to or over their ears, but in the 1860s we see more modern looking shorter cuts. Many of the boys' hair cuts we see in the 1860s would not be out of place today.

Photographic Trends

Photography at mid-century provides for the first time really large numbers of images to assess fashion trends, both clothing and hair styles. The photographic types (Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes) were at first expensive (1840s-50s). While the number of images were much larger than in the early-19th century. Early formats were still limited and heavily weighted as to the more affluent. This changed with the appearance of the Carte de Visite (CDV) (1860s). The CDV was only a fraction of the cost of a Dag or Ambro abnd with the negative could be reproduced in quantity. Thus CDVs are much more reliable in assessing trends.

Gender Prevalence

We note both boys and girls with ringlet curls in the 1860s. It is often difficult, however to identify who is who. Often we can only be sure when the subject is identified. As far as we can tell, ringlet curls were not yet very common for boys. We seem to have found more portraits of girls with ringlets than boys. This is just our preliminary assssment, but unlike earlier decades, the proliferation of CDV portraits provides a sizeable archive to make genderassessments, if we can identify gender. This is, however, difficult to assss in detail because most of the CDVs we have found are not identified. We do not yet have any written assessments. We make this assessment based on the photographic record. And we have found what look like more more girls with ringlets as well as older girls and young women wearing ringlets. The younger the child the more similar gender prevalence seems to be and the more difficult it is to identify gender.

Identifying Gender

A problem here is that many of the children are unidentified and it is difficult to identify the gender if the younger children because many boys were not yet breeched. The best indicator is a center hair part. This was a girls' style. We do not know for a fact that younger boys did not have center parts, but we have found very few examples. The centerpart is the best gender indicator we know of, except for the relatively short period around the turn-of-the 20th century when center parts were popular for boys. And we see bery few breeched boys with ringlets in the 60s. The relative rarity of breeched boys with ringlets leads us to believe ringlets were much more popular for girls than for boys throughout the 60s. We do see boys with ringlets, but we see many more children we believe are girls with their hair done in ringlets. Just using prevalence in the photographic record can not be used as absolute proof, but we believe it to be the best single measure of prevalence at the time. Here we would welcome reader insights.

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Created: 8:24 PM 6/30/2013
Last edited: 4:45 AM 1/25/2015