American Boys' Hair: Ages



Figure 1.-- This Amweican family, probably in the 1880s shows a mother, father, and their two children. Mother has given the boy some strange hair stle. We see many younger American boys in the mid- and late-19th century with their hair combed up to form a top curl or some kind of peak like the boy here. We are not sure just what this was called. His hair is gathered to the center and then slicked and held in a curl. He looks to be aboput 4 years old. The boy, who is standing next to his father is wearing striped trousers with dark sock and high shoes. His shirt has a collar and he is wearing a large white bow . This cabinet photograph was taken by Hebert of Grand Rapids, Wisconsin.

American boys at different ages have worn a great variety of hair styles. Short and long hair has been stylish for boys of all ages at different times. We have noted both fancy and simple cropped styles. Boys of all ages have worn cropped and short cut hair. Older boys as well as younger boys have worn long hair, although the fancier long styles like ringlet curls have mostly been worn by the younger boys. We note mostly short styles with longer gair worn by most boys in the 19th century. Short hair was the standard for most boys in the 20th centiry, although pre school boys couls wear their hair longer. Long hair for older boys became popular in the 1970s and 80s. Af first younger boys continued to wear their short, being more subject to parental control. It was at first controversial, but when teenagers turned into young adults, the longer styles became more acceptable. While both younger and older boys have worn short and long hair. It is the fancier styles that have primarily been worn by younger boys. As different styles had age connotations at any given point in time, we notice hair styles as well as clothing being commonly used for age gradeing, a common practive in the late-10th and early 20th centuries.

Ages

American boys at different ages have worn a great variety of hair styles. Short and long hair has been stylish for boys of all ages at different times. We have noted both fancy and simple cropped styles. Boys of all ages have worn cropped and short cut hair. Thus there is not definitive age for many air styles. There are some styles like ringlets and top curls are definitely associated with younger boys, but most styles have been worn by widely varying age over time. The age conventions were thus highly variable by chronological period. We note styles that were seen as juvenile in one period being worn by teenagers in another period.

Chronological Trends

We note mostly short styles with longer gair worn by most boys in the 19th century. Short hair was the standard for most boys in the 20th centiry, although pre school boys couls wear their hair longer. Long hair for older boys became popular in the 1970s and 80s. Af first younger boys continued to wear their short, being more subject to parental control. It was at first controversial, but when teenagers turned into young adults, the longer styles became more acceptable.

Style Age Pages

Older boys as well as younger boys have worn long hair, although the fancier long styles like ringlet curls have mostly been worn by the younger boys.While both younger and older boys have worn short and long hair. It is the fancier styles that have primarily been worn by younger boys. We have quite a number of pages on specific styles. One of the topics covered on these pages is the age conventions associates with the styles.

Age Gradeing

Clothing was not the only element in age gradeing. Hair styles were also used. Some mothers used clothing items and others hair styles. As different hair styles had age connotations at any given point in time, we notice hair styles as well as clothing being commonly used for age gradeing, a common practive in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Often mothers employed both hair and clothing styles to complement the ages of their boys. This practice often continued into a boy's mid-teens when he began to chose his own clothes and hair styles. Hair styling in age gradeing was most pronounced in the late-19th century. This was because afe gradeing was most common during this period and the clothing styles for younger boys particularly destinctive. By the same token there were some very elaborate hair styles for younger boys. Some approaches may seem a little strange. We note some younger boys in the mid-19th century dressed in rather mature suits, but with juvenile hair styles. We note boys in the late-19th century with both juvenile clothing and hair styles. Age gradeing continued into the 20th century, but with less dectincive outfits and hair styles.





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Created: 3:40 AM 9/28/2007
Last edited: 10:45 PM 6/24/2008