Figure 1.--There were different styles of over-the-ears hair i the mid-19th century. Most boys wire their hair combed straght. Younger boys might have their hair curled. The portrait here by G. Parlow in New Bedford, Massachusetts is unidentified. We would guess it was taken in the early 1870s.

We note various periods in which boys commonly wore their hair over their ears. Here there were different styles and conventions over time. We note that over the ears styles were common in the mid-19th century. This was not, however, a specifically boys' style as adult men also wear their hair over the ears at the time. Mothers in the 1920s-30s liked to keep their boys hair long. Often mothers in affluent families were more apt to keep their children's hair long. After World War I, long shoulder length hair was no longer found, but often hair over the ears was considered stylish for younger boys--at least by proud mothers. America boys would have their hair cut short when they entered first grade at about 6 years of age. British boys might not have their hair cut until they were about 8 years old and sent off to their preparatory boarding school. We again notice overvthe ears styles in the 1970s and 80s. Many boys wore their hair even longer, but over the earsstyles were most common. And longer styles eventully were also worn by younger adults.

Styling

Chronological Trends

Mid-19th Century

We note that over the ears styles were common in the mid-19th century. This was not, however, a specifically boys' style as adult men also wear their hair over the ears at the time. This was a very common style at the time. We note in both in America and Europe. Boys wore very short hair in the early 19th century. I am not sure just when these longer lengths first appeared. I do know that these over the ears styles were popular in the 1850s and 60s. A good example is two unidentufied brothers about 1850. We note two unidentified American brothers about 1850. Another example is an unidentified American boy in 1855. We also see the Lathrop brothers in 1855. It was clearly common to cover the ears in the 50s. Another example is Tom Baird, we believe in the 1860s. Boys began wearing their hair shorter in the 1870s, although ironiclly we also begin to see more boys wearing ringlet curls at this time. There were different styles of over-the-ears hair. Most boys wioe their hair combed straght. Younger boys might have their hair curled.

Inter-War Years (1920s-30s)

Mothers in the 1920s-30s liked to keep their boys hair long. I am not entirely sure about the chronology here, this trend probanly should include the 1910s as well. Often mothers in affluent families were more apt to keep their children's hair long. After World War I, long shoulder length hair was no longer found, but often hair over the ears was considered stylish for younger boys--at least by proud mothers. America boys would have their hair cut short when they entered first grade at about 6 years of age. British boys might not have their hair cut until they were about 8 years old and sent off to their preparatory boarding school.

Figure 2.--Most boys in the 20th-Century have wanted short haircuts. Beginning in the late-1960s, longer hair styles became much more popular.

Late-20th Century(1970s-80s)

We again notice over the ears styles in the 1970s and 80s. Many boys wore their hair even longer. We see quite a number of boys with shoulder-length hair, but over the ears styles were most common for boys in orimaey school. Here parental preferences were still a major factor. In fact, younger adults began wearing over the ears hair styles. At some schools you had regulkations requiring short hair, but the younger teachers wearing their hair long. The really long hair was most popular with teen agers because the parents had less control over their hair styles.

Country Trends

This was a very common hair style in Europe during the mid-19th century. We also see many American boys with over-ears hair stles.

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Created: 5:30 AM 2/19/2008
Last edited: 8:39 AM 3/21/2010