Figure 1.--Here we see brother and sister Connor and Eva Lawrence in May 1893. They were from New York. Notice how mother has done Conner's hair in ringlets, but Eva has straight hair.

Ringlet curls were generally a girl's style, except for very young boys. We note great variations, however, over time in the popularity of ringlet curls for boys. Boys at times have also worn ringlets even more commonly than girls. The time period here is rather narrow, approximately the 1880s to about the mid-1900s. After about 1905, ringlets again begin to be seen as primarily a girls style. This of course varied from family to family. Age of course was an important factor. Ringlets were most common for pre-school boys, but we do see school age boys wearing them as well. It seems that the time that ringlets were most popular for boys (late 19th and very early 20th century) that they were less common for girls. This was especially true for individual families. We note some mothers doing the hair of both their sons and daughters in curls. The more common option was, however, if boy's hair was done in ringlets that the girls' hair was styled differently. The idea apparently was so the boy's hair would stand out better and perhaps so that he would not see it as a girl's style. Here the age and gender distribution in any given family would affect hair styling and the alternatives open to mother. We note similar trends in Europe, although ringlets were never as popular there as in America. We have not found much written contemporary information on hair styling, especially ringlet curls. We have, however, found numerous photographic images to help explore these styles and conventions. Unfortunately, often the individuals are identified or the gender is very obvious from the clothing or props. Identifying the gender is very important in developing valid insights as to gender conventions.

Boys

Ringlet curls were generally a girl's style, except for very young boys. We note great variations, however, over time in the popularity of ringlet curls for boys. Boys at times have also worn ringlets even more commonly than girls. The time period here is rather narrow, approximately the 1880s to about the mid-1900s. The age range for boys wearing ringlet curls is much more narrow than for girls.

Girls

Ringlet curls are much more associateed with girls than boys. This was true during both the 19th and 20th centuries. There was a brief interval in the late-19th century and very early-20th century in which quite a number of boys wore ringlets and not just toddlers. Girls did not stop wearing ringles during this period, although we often see girls wearing other styles with heir brothers wore ringlets. The photographic record is full of large numvbers of girls wearing ringlets. And this includes older girls which of course was not the case for boys. After about 1905, ringlets again begin to be seen as primarily a girls style. This of course varied from family to family.

Chronology

Ringlet curls were a popular style spanning centuries. They were primarily for girls, but younger boys also wore them which once photography was invented, we can follow in some detail. Not only did some boys have ringlets, but this affected the girls hair styles as well. This was because when boys had their hair done in ringlets, the tendency was not to do the girls' hair in ringlets. This was because as the boys got older they did not want their hair sone like their sisters' hair. This was not always the case, but it was very common. Thus during the era that boys had their hair done in ringlets, we see fewer girls wih ringlets, at least within a given family. We do not know much aout the early-19th century, but at mid-century with the appearance of photography, we know much more. We see boys with ringlets in early photographs (1840s-50s), but they were more common for girls. And with the appernce of the CDV, we have really large numbers of photographic images and a photogrphic record to follow in detail (1860s). The really large number of images of boys with ringlets appear with the publication of Mrs. Burnett's book and the Fauntleroy Craze. After the turn of the 20th cenntury with the end of the Fauntleroy craze. We see fewer boys with ringlets, we begin to see more girls with ringlet curls. This of coue mushroomed in the 1930s with the appearance of child film star Shirly Temple and her trade-mark curls, alwayas done as ringlets. A veritable horde of litte American curls appeared with ringlet curls.

Ages

Age of course was an important factor. Ringlets were most common for pre-school boys, but we do see school age boys wearing them as well. It seems that the time that ringlets were most popular for boys (late-19th and very early-20th century) that they were less common for girls, althogh there were wide variations from family to family.

Siblings

Individual families adopted a variety of conventions concerning ringlet curls and other hair styling. This was especially the case in the late-19th century when it it was not just very young boys wearing ringlets. Here it was generally the mother deciding on hair styles for the girls and younger boys. The family dynamic varied from family to family. In some cases father might intervene when mother continued to do their son's hair in ringlets beyound the age he felt approprisae. There were several different alternatives. We note some mothers doing the hair of both their sons and daughters in curls. We have found a number of examples in the photoraphic record. The more common option was, however, if boy's hair was done in ringlets that the girls' hair was styled differently. The idea apparently was so the boy's hair would stand out better and perhaps so that he would not see it as a girl's style. Here the age and gender distribution in any given family would affect hair styling and the alternatives open to a mother.

Europe

We note similar trends in Europe, although ringlets were never as popular there as in America. Europewan fshions in the 19th century had a major influence on American fashions. This does not seem to have been the case for hair styling. Ringlet curls for boys was much more common in America than Europe.

Source Material

We have not found much written contemporary information on hair styling, especially ringlet curls. We have, however, found numerous photographic images to help explore these styles and conventions. Unfortunately, often the individuals are identified or the gender is very obvious from the clothing or props. Identifying the gender is very important in developing valid insights as to gender conventions.

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Created: 10:03 PM 3/21/2009
Last edited: 2:52 AM 4/16/2015