Boys' Hair Parts: Chronology


Figure 1.--Many boys had fancy hair styles in the late 19th-century. Many of these styles obscured the part, but others had prominant parts. This portrait was taken by Wm. F. Moore in Marion, Ohio. It is undated, but looks to have been taken about 1870, based on the outfit. The boy wears a button-on suit. The buttons are covered by the waistband piece. Note the small bowtie, epaulettes, and button ant the ankle hem. A reader asks, "How old would you guess the boy is? I would guess 7 or 8 years old." HBC is unsure, but might guess 7 years old.

The popularity of parts and the particular part type has varied over time. HBC has not yet, however, been able to assess the hair part chronlogically. This is an undertaking that needs to be persued. It is a topic I have not yet conidered in detail, but of course we have a huge number of images archived that the can use to drawinformation from. Our information on the early-19th century is limited. Many younger boys in the late-19th century had long hair. Some had poorly defined parts, but some of these hair styles had defined parts. here were also boys with short hair and defined parts. In the 20th century short hair with defined left parts became increasingly standard. Centr parts were popular at the the turn of the century. Gradually left parts becme stndrd, but not universal. Some of the popular shorter cuts in the mid-20th century had no parts.

The 19th Century

The popularity of parts and the particular part type has varied over time. HBC has not yet, however, been able to assess the hair part chronlogically. This is an undertaking that needs to be persued. It is a topic I have not yet conidered in detail, but of course we have a huge number of images archived that the can use to drawinformation from. Our information on the early-19th century is limited. With the development of photography we begin to have much more information on the mid-19th century. We note Thomas Smith, an American boy in the 1840s with a carefully done right part. We note two London teenagers with right parts in the 1850s. Many younger boys in the late-19th century had long hair. Some had poorly defined parts, but some of these hair styles had defined parts. here were also boys with short hair and defined parts. A good example is Charley Rosewater in 1876.

The 20th Century

In the 20th century short hair with defined left parts became increasingly standard. Centr parts were popular at the the turn of the century. Gradually left parts becme stndrd, but not universal. Some of the popular shorter cuts in the mid-20th century had no parts.







HBC






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Created: 1:25 PM 8/29/2007
Last updated: 6:43 PM 12/25/2008