Figure 1.--This image is unidentified and undated. We think the two children are probably girls. This is primarily because of the center hair part and also the fancy dress styles. I have not see images of boys in dresses like the ones worn here. Boys also wore ringlet curls and even hair bows--but usually with side parts. The size and placement of the hair bows, however, is similar to the ways boys sometimes had their hair done. We would date the image at about 1905, primarily because of the photographic format. Because of her age, the older child is probably a girl. The younger child is more of a question and the dress is clearly more plain. Click on the image for a fuller discussion.

Some children had their hair styled identically. This of course was most common for like-gender siblings. There are numerous instances in the photographic record when like gender siblings, both brothers and sisters, had their hair styled identically, especially when they were close in age. Younger brothers, however, might also have identical hair styling with their sisters, although this was less common. Differences in age and hair type, however, meant that this was less common than coordinated styling--at least for the well to do. Here we will classify hair styles as identical if it looks like the mother tries her bes to style the children identically and that differences are primarily due to natural differences in the type or length of the hair--admitedly sometmes difficult to judge. There was identical styling for the less affluent as well. Here he lack of time and money tended to incourage mothers to adopt simple basic styles that were easy to maintain, such as bowl cuts or close cropped hair.

Siblings

Some children had their hair styled identically. This of course was most common for like-gender siblings. There are numerous instances in the photographic record when like gender siblings, both brothers and sisters, had their hair styled identically, especially when they were close in age. Younger brothers, however, might also have identical hair styling with their sisters, although this was less common. Differences in age and hair type, however, meant that this was less common than coordinated styling--at least for the well to do. Here with different ender children, almost always the combination is a little boy an older sister.

Variations

Just what an identical style is can be more difficult to judge than it may seem. Here we will classify hair styles as identical if it looks like the mother tries her best to style the children identically and that differences are primarily due to natural differences in the type or length of the hair--admitedly sometmes difficult to judge. We note children with ringlet curls, for example, of differnt length but identical styling. Here the differences may simply be that younger child does not have hair as long as the older child. Or the mother may believe that really long hair is more appropriate for girls than boys.

Social Class

Elaborate hair styles were more common for affluentfamilies because of the costs and time involved in maintaing them, especially for multiple children. Working class mothers without servants just did not have the time for such daliances. There were, however, identical styling for the less affluent as well. Here he lack of time and money tended to incourage mothers to adopt simple basic styles that were easy to maintain, such as bowl cuts or close cropped hair.

Created: November 18 2002
Last updated: 3:05 AM 12/10/2006