Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified boy with ringlet curls and we have both a front and back view, obviously the work of a very proud mother. We don't see much of the ringlets on the frontal view, only one at each side. They are rather slender ringlets that just touch his shoulders. They are done with a center part with out front bangs. He looks to be about 3 years old. He wears a velvet Fauntleroy outfit with sailor styling trimmed in lace. The studio was Esmoer at 3452 Halsted, perhaps Chicago. The mount suggests the portrait was taken in the 1900s, probably around 1905. For a back view put your cursor on the image. You can see how the center part ends at the back of the head. Four ringlets were carefully layed our on the back lace-trim flap by mother.

We know less about the styling at the back of a boy's head with ringlet curl styling. We are constantly expanding our archive and as we acquire more back views we learn more about ringlet curl styling. Obviously mothers were primarily interested in frontal shots which is how portraits are normally taken. So the vast majority of the available portraits show the frontal views. Here we may see the curls at the side on the frontal view, but not the back (figure 1). Mothers were, however, so proud of their handiwork that on a few occassions they insisted on also photographing their son from the back so there was a complete record of his curls. Interestingly, about the only time such back shots were ordered was for boys with ringlet curls. We don't see comparable back views for other styles. Not only were boys with other hair styles not photgraphed from the back, but also girls with or without ringles were also not photographed from the back, at least we have not found examples of back views. The back views complete the picture of ringlet styling. They show more about the length and thickness of the curls. They also show how the parts were dealt with in the back.

Unique Views

We know less about the styling at the back of a boy's head with ringlet curl styling. We are constantly expanding our archive and as we acquire more back views we learn more about ringlet curl styling. Obviously mothers were primarily interested in frontal shots which is how portraits are normally taken. So the vast majority of the available portraits show the frontal views. Here we may see the curls at the side on the frontal view, but not the back (figure 1). Mothers were, however, so proud of their handiwork that on a few occassions they insisted on also photographing their son from the back so there was a complete record of his curls. These ringlet hair styles required a lot of wirk and moms wanted a record. Interestingly, about the only time such back shots were ordered was for boys with ringlet curls. We don't see comparable back views for other styles. Not only were boys with other hair styles not photgraphed from the back, but also girls with or without ringles were also not photographed from the back, at least we have not found examples of back views for girls.

Stylistic Elements

The back views of ringlet curl styling helps to complete the picture of ringlet styling. Portraits vary considerably, but generally speaking we only see a few of the ringlets in frontal view portraits. When we have back view we mormally see many more ringlets as well as a better understanding of how the ringlets were worked in with the overall hair style. The back view portraits show more about the length and thickness of the curls. They also show how the parts were dealt with in the back.

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Created: 4:31 AM 11/5/2011
Last edited: 10:56 PM 3/17/2012