Figure 1.--This cabinet card was taken at the turn of the 20th century, probably about 1900. The children look to be bout 5-10 years old. We think they are some of the Hollister-Hayes family because of the photogrphic album in which they were found. They were from Manchester, Connecticut. The studio was in Rickville. It is not dated, but the white whicker furniture, the mount style and size (7 x 4 1/4 in) help to date it. Notice how plainly the girls' hair is done. We suspect that she might have liked ringlets.

Generally speaking if a boy's hair was done in ringlets, than his sisters had different hair styles. The photographic record is immense. And we have some instances of mothers doing brothers and sisters both in ringlet curls. This was not, however, the general convention. For whatever reason, most mothers did not want to do their girls' hir in ringlets if they were doing their boys' hair in ringlets. Brothers of the same or similar ages might have ringlets, but brothers and sisters much less commonly. We might say rarely, but tht might be a bit too strong. We have seen some brothers and sisters with matching ringlets, but not very common. Generally only the boys had hair done in ringlets, unless the boys in the family were older boys no longer with ringlets, than the girls might have ringlets. There were many other ways the girls' hair could be done, including many fancy styles. we are not sure why mothers did not do both brothers and sisters with ringlets. We suspect that mothers may not wanted give their son's the idea that ringlets were for girls. Boys did not have a lot of say as to how they were dressed at the time, at least compared to modern times. But most boys as they got near school age did not like the idea of being dressed like girls. Perhaps there were other reasons, but we are not sure why they might be. Something we are not at all sure about. We suspect that some of the girls were alittle jealous about not being able to have ringlets themselves. Boys may not have been wild about ringlets, but girls tend to be a little nore mature than boys nd much more interested in fashion. We have never noticed anything in writing on this, but think it is a destinct possibility.

Only Brothers in Ringlets

Generally speaking if a boy's hair was done in ringlets, than his sisters had different hair styles. Generally only the boys had hair done in ringlets, unless the boys in the family were older boys no longer with ringlets, than the girls might have ringlets. There were many other ways the girls' hair could be done, including many fancy styles. we are not sure why mothers did not do both brothers and sisters with ringlets. This was true for other similast styles such as curls in general. A good example is a Maine brother and older sisters. We suspect that mothers may not wanted give their son's the idea that ringlets were for girls. Boys did not have a lot of say as to how they were dressed at the time, at least compared to modern times. Younger boys probably liked the attention. But most boys as they got near school age did not like the idea of being dressed like girls. Perhaps there were other reasons, but we are not sure why they might be. Something we are not at all sure about. We suspect that some of the girls were alittle jealous about not being able to have ringlets themselves. Boys may not have been wild about ringlets, but girls tend to be a little nore mature than boys nd much more interested in fashion. We have never noticed anything in writing on this, but think it is a destinct possibility.

Sisters and Brothers in Ringlets

The American photographic record is immense beginning with the firstr Dags (1840s) anbd then even more so with the CDVs (1860s). Thus e have a substantial archive which allows to follow not only cloyhing trends, but hair styling as well. We have a huge number of portraits with boys wearing ringlet curls. Most of them are idividul portraits, but there are family images as well. The trends we have notived is that often mothers who did their son's hair in ringlets looked to othr styles for their daughters. This is especially the case whn the boys were much byond the toddler years. But many mothers loved the style. And we do have some instances of mothers doing brothers and sisters both in ringlet curls. This was not, however, the general convention. For whatever reason, most mothers just did not want to do their girls' hair in ringlets if they were doing their boys' hair in ringlets. Brothers of the same or similar ages might have ringlets, but brothers and sisters much less commonly. We might say rarely, but that might be a bit too strong. We have seen some brothers and sisters with matching ringlets, but not very commonly.

Only Sisters in Ringlets

The dominant hair style for boys was short hair. Hair styles varied over time, but generallyy boys had short hir. hair and girls had longer styles. There is some variation here, but this was the general pattern. And we thus see many family portraits with sisters having ringlets and other long hair styles and their bothers, including their littlevbrothers with short hair. Girls some times had short hair too, but thoughout the 19th century the general pattern was for girls to have long hair, including ringlets, and the boys to have short hair. These patterns are very clear in the photographic record. We do not know much about the early-19th century, but with the advent of photography there is a very substantial body of images clarly showing that this was the dominant pattern. But during the Fauntleroy era in particular (1885-1905) we so see quite a number of boys wearing ringlets. Other than this period it is mostly the sisters who wore ringlets and with the advent of the 20th century it was almost eclusively the sisters who wire ringlets, espcially after World War I (1914-18). Girls from an early age generally were willing to spend more time with personal grooming than boys.

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Created: 7:30 AM 11/15/2015
Last edited: 6:00 AM 4/21/2023