American 19th Century Boys' Hair Styles Chronology: The 1890s



Figure 1.--The 1890s was the height of popularity for ringlet curls as part of the Fauntleroy craze. Short hair styles were much more common, but ringlet curls for boys were more popular in America than Europe. Here we aee three unidentified Chicago children. The dealer adverized the cabibnet card as a portrait of three girls. We suspect that they may be boys.

We note a range of different hair styles fo boys in the 1890s. Mother still had a lot to say about hair styling, especially for younger boys. Most American boys in the 1890s had short hair cuts. Thus was a steady trend which we see beginning in the 1860s. We see a range of hair styles, but short cuts were by far the most common. Short cuts had become fairly standard for boys. We do not see many boys with cropped hair as was common on the Continent. Even immigrant boys arriving with cropped hair soon let their hair grow out, adopting American styles. While cropped hair was not common, relatively short styles were. We see some boys with cropped hair, but not very many. Most boys had short hair, but hair long enough to part at the side. Parts were mostly dione at the side. Throughout the 19th century, center parts were primarily fir girls. Bowl cuts were common in rural areas. We also see bangs. Most American boys wore their hair long enough for side parts. The two brothers on the previous page are a good example. Despite the popularity of short hair for boys, the 1890s were the height of popularity for ringlet curls as part of the Fauntleroy craze. In fact they declined somewhat in popularity for girls boys because so many boys, albeit younger boys were wearing them. For much of the 19th century, ringlet curls were primarily a girls' style, except for very young boys. We see older boys with ringlets in the 1890s than was the case before. They were still mostly pre-school boys, although older boys educated at home might have ringlets. Social class was a factor age. Often mothers in the 1890s if they did their boys' hair in ringkets dis not do their girls' hair in ringlets, presumably so the boys woukd not see ringlets as a girls' style. Ringlets while still a minority style were much more common in America than in Europe. A variety of factors like age, sivoal class, and gender affected hair styling.

Mothers

We note a range of different hair styles fo boys in the 1890s. Mother still had a lot to say about hair styling, especially for younger boys. This mean there could be substantial differences from family to family.

Long-term Trends

Most American boys in the 1890s had short hair cuts. Thus was a steady trend which we see beginning in the 1860s.

Styles

We see a range of hair styles, but short cuts were by far the most common. Short cuts had become fairly standard for boys. We do not see many boys with cropped hair as was common on the Continent. Largev numbers of Europeans emigrated to America in the 1890s. They often had cropped hair. Even immigrant boys arriving with cropped hair soon let their hair grow out, adopting American styles. While cropped hair was not common, relatively short styles were. We see some boys with cropped hair, but not very many. Most boys had short hair, but hair long enough to part at the side. Parts were mostly dione at the side. Throughout the 19th century, center parts were primarily fir girls. Bowl cuts were common in rural areas. We also see bangs. Most American boys wore their hair long enough for side parts. The two brothers on the previous page are a good example. Despite the popularity of short hair for boys, the 1890s were the height of popularity for ringlet curls as part of the Fauntleroy craze. In fact they declined somewhat in popularity for girls boys because so many boys, albeit younger boys were wearing them. For much of the 19th century, ringlet curls were primarily a girls' style, except for very young boys. We see older boys with ringlets in the 1890s than was the case before. They were still mostly pre-school boys, although older boys educated at home might have ringlets. Social class was a factor age. Often mothers in the 1890s if they did their boys' hair in ringkets dis not do their girls' hair in ringlets, presumably so the boys woukd not see ringlets as a girls' style. Ringlets while still a minority style were much more common in America than in Europe.

Age


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Created: 4:49 AM 5/26/2013
Last edited: 6:07 AM 7/22/2013