Figure 1.--This Italian boy was photographed in Firenze, probably in the 1880s. He has elaborate ringlet curls which he wears with a sailor suit. He looks to be about 5 years old. Image courtesy of the MD collection.

We know of no destinctive Italian haor styles. We styles we see seem mostlt determined by age, chronology, and social class. We have no historical information on hair styles for Italian boys. We have some information based on the photographic record. Available images suggest that long hair was popular for boys in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, at least among familes in confortable citcumstances. Our Italian archive, however, is fairly limited. As a result, it is difficult at this time to make assessment avout prevalence. We do not know if it was popular to curl the boys' hair into ringlets as was the case in America or to leave in uncurled as was the case in France. We see both styles. We note an image of a boy with ringlet curls, probably from the 1880s, wearing a sailor suit (figure 1). Our Italian images are too limited at this time to draw any valid conclusions yet. Some mothers apparently liked to add hair bows to their sons long hair as was popular in France. We are am not sure when a boys long hair was generally cut in Italy. It appears it was usually done after and not before a boy was breeched. We also notice boys with bangs, somw with Duch boy cuts and hair at the sides to the ears or even over the ears. We notice a lot of school-age boys with very short cropped hair in the late-19th and early-20th century. This was fairly common in continental Europe. It geberally began going out of style after Workd War I (1914-18).

Styles

We know of no destinctive Italian harr styles. Rather we see the same basic styles popular in continental Euirope. We notice a range of popular styles for younger boys. Styles like long hair and curls were common for yonger oys from affluet families, many of the same styles we see in Americaa and other European countries. We have no historical information on hair styles for Italian boys. We also notice boys with bangs, somw with Dutch boy cuts and hair at the sides to the ears or even over the ears. We see one boy with bangs were think in the 1890s. Of course this was not possible to do nanhs with boys who have cropped hair. We do not have many 19th century images yet and have nuch more infomation on the 20th century. We notice a lot of school-age boys with very short cropped hair in the late-19th and early-20th century. This was fairly common in continental Europe. It geberally began going out of style after Workd War I (1914-18). We see more boys with bangs after the war and fewer boys had cropped hair. We notice many comable styles by the 1930s.

Ages

We styles we see are influenced by age. We have some information based on the photographic record. Available images suggest that long hair was popular for boys in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, at least among familes in confortable citcumstances. Our Italian archive, however, is fairly limited. As a result, it is difficult at this time to make assessment avout prevalence. We do not know if it was popular to curl the boys' hair into ringlets as was the case in America or to leave in uncurled as was the case in France. We see both styles. We note an image of a boy with ringlet curls, probably from the 1880s, wearing a sailor suit (figure 1). Our Italian images are too limited at this time to draw any valid conclusions yet. Some mothers apparently liked to add hair bows to their sons long hair as was popular in France. We are am not sure when a boys long hair was generally cut in Italy. It appears it was usually done after and not before a boy was breeched.

Chronology

Social Class

Social class was another factor in haoe styles, especially for younger boys. .

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Created: March 18, 2003
Last updated: 4:28 AM 8/12/2017