Boys' Ages for Ringlet Curls



Figure 1.--Boys usually began wearing ringlets at about 3 years of age, although this varied from boy to boy depending on how rapidly his hair grew.

Interestingly it was not the youngest boys who wore ringlet curls. Infants and even younger todlers often have only limited hair, in many cases not thick enough to curl ringlets. Thus for the most part boys did not have their hair curled until they were about 3 years old. Boys might wear ringlets for a few years. Most boys had them cut at about 5 or 6 years of age. With the popularity of ringlets during the Fauntleroy craze, some boys might wear ringlets longer, to 7 or 8 years. While most boys would have their curls cut by this age, it was not unknown for boys of 10 or 11 to still wear curls, in a few cases even to older ages. There were of course many variables here. The popularity of ringlet curls varied significantly among countries. We assume thaere were dfferences in ages at which righlets were wor as well. Also the popularity of ringlets varied over time. There were also variations in the age deemed suitable for ringlets over time. Of course perhaps the most significant varaible was the fashion sence of the boys' mother and family conventions cocerning matters ike cutting a boy's hair and breaching.

Younger Boys

Interestingly it was not the youngest boys who wore ringlet curls. Infants and even younger todlers often have only limited hair, in many cases not thick enough to curl ringlets. Thus for the most part boys did not have their hair curled until they were about 3 years old.

Median Ages

Boys might wear ringlets for a few years. Most boys had them cut at about 5 or 6 years of age. We have little written information on this. We do note, however, that the great majority of the photographic images of boys wearing ringlet ciurls show boys from about 3-5 years of age. We believe that the relative distribution of photograpic images is a good reflection of actual trends. This age range probably resulted because younger boys often did not have enough hair to curl and that most boys had their hair cut before beginning school at about age 6 years.

Older Boys

With the popularity of ringlets during the Fauntleroy craze, some boys might wear ringlets longer, to 7 or 8 years. While most boys would have their curls cut by this age, it was not unknown for boys of 10 or 11 to still wear curls, in a few cases even to older ages. But this was much less common than the younger boys. Here the variations in family attitudes was the major factor. There were not in the 19th century the same strong conventions concerning hair styles and clothing that exist today. In the days before modern media, mothers had much more lattitude concerning both hair styles and clothing. Even so, we believe that many of the older boys that wore ringlet curls were schooled at home. Except for nursery school children, there are virtually no images showing boys wearing ringlet curls to school.

Variables

There were of course many variables which affected the ages at which boys wore ringlet curls.

Country Trends

The popularity of ringlet curls varied significantly among countries. Ringlets were especiallypopular in America. We assume there were dfferences in ages at which righlets were worn as well.

Chronological trends

Also the popularity of ringlets varied over time. There were also variatioins in the age deemed suitable for ringlets over time. Ringlets were especially common for boys from the 1870s-1900s. The publication of Little Lord Fauntleroy in 1885 had a major impact on the popularity of einglet curls for boys.

Family differences

Of course perhaps the most significant varaible was the fashion sence of the boys' mother and family conventions cocerning matters ike cutting a boy's hair and breaching.






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Created: October 30, 1999
Last edited: January 13, 2002