Figure 1.--Here we see a boy with rather long hair at an unidentified French school in the 1920s. We believe it was a private school. The school did not have a uniform, but they did have a school cap. |
|
We have just begun to assess French school hair styles. Our chronological information is limited, especially for the 19th century. We know next to nothing on the early-19th century, but with the advent of phoography we know much more about the second-half of the 19th cenury. Photgraphy was invented in France (1839). It is not until the advent of the CDV that we have been able to find any substantil number of photographic images. As far as we can tell, the hair styles French boys wore to school in the 20th century were essentially the same as the popular styles of the day. School portraits are a good reflection of popular hair styles. We do not know to what extent the schools enforced any kind of hair style rules. Some of the Catholic schools in the post-War period may have had some rules about long hair, but we are not sure about that. Hopefully some of our French readers will be able to provide us some background information on this topic. Many boys in the 19th century has short cropped hair. We ar nt sure just when this conventon bfn, but we see many schools boys with very short hair during the 1870s-90s. We are still working in the chrnology. We do note a few younger boys with long hair in the late-19th and early-20th century. Our experience in America and most other European countries is that a boy's curls were cut at least by the time he began school at about 6 years of age. This is generally the case in France, but we notice some exceptions. We note boys with curls, some times even ringletrs in the late-19th century are very early-20th century. We note a written account about a boy named Paul in the 1890s. We still note some boys with long hair in the inter-War era, but not ringlets. The boy seen here is a good example (figure 1). We also occassionally notice a few scattered boys with long hair in school portraits through the 1930s. One gets the impression that French boys were a little more accepting of these differences than boys in many other countries. Here we are talking about a period when the other boys had short hair. Of course by the 1970s long hair became very common for boys.
We have just begun to assess French school hair styles. Our chronological information is limited, especially for the 19th century. We know next to nothing on the early-19th century, but with the advent of phoography we know much more about the second-half of the 19th cenury. Photgraphy was invented in France (1839). It is not until the advent of the CDV that we have been able to find any substantial number of photographic images. We see qute a few schoo-age boys with cropped hair and wearing military styled uniforms. We are not sure when this began , but after the Franco-Prussian War, many French authirities decided that boys needed a stricter education, more enfused with patriotic values. The new Third Republic also expanded public education and this health concerns may have also been involved. Both clothing fshions and hair styles were affected by Wold war I. We no longer see cropped hair, but we do see what might be called childish styles becoming increaskngly popular. The losses of thewar seem to have caused the French to cherish their children as never before. As far as we can tell, the hair styles French boys wore to school in the 20th century were essentially the same as the popular styles of the day and not influnced by the schools, except in the post-World War II era when school administrators attempted for a time to discourage long hair. The Government also banned students from wearing head scarves whch were a public display of religion. School portraits are a good reflection of popular hair styles, allowing us to assess chronological trends.
We do not know to what extent the schools enforced any kind of hair style rules. The impetus for hort-cropped hair may have come from the schools. Some of the Catholic schools in the post-War period may have had some rules about long hair, but we are not sure about that. Hopefully some of our French readers will be able to provide us some background information on this topic.
Many French boys in the 19th century has short cropped hair. We ar nt sure just when this conventon bfn, but we see many schools boys with very short hair during the 1870s-90s. We are still working in the chrnology of cropped styles. We no longer commonly see tem after World War I (1914-18). Bangs seem a popular style after world War I. We do note a few younger boys with long hair in the late-19th and early-20th century. Our experience in America and most other European countries is that a boy's curls were cut at least by the time he began school at about 6 years of age. This is generally the case in France, but we notice some exceptions. We note boys with curls, some times even ringletrs in the late-19th century are very early-20th century. We note a written account about a boy named Paul in the 1890s. We still note some boys with long hair in the inter-War era, but not ringlets. The boy seen here is a good example (figure 1). We also occassionally notice a few scattered boys with long hair in school portraits through the 1930s. One gets the impression that French boys were a little more accepting of these differences than boys in many other countries. Here we are talking about a period when the other boys had short hair. Of course by the 1970s long hair became very common for boys.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
[The 1990s]
[The 2000s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main country page]
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer
[School sandals]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing School Uniform Pages
[Return to the Main French school page]
[Return to the Main school hair page]
[Return to the Main School Page]
[Return to the Main French hair page]
[Australia]
[England]
[France]
[Germany]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[New Zealand]
[Scotland]
[United States]
Navigate the HBC School Uniform Section
[Return to the Main French school page ]
[Activities]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Debate]
[Economics]
[Garment]
[Gender]
[Hair]
[History]
[Home trends]
[Literary characters]
[School types]
[Significance]
[Transport and travel
[Uniform regulations]
[Year level]
[Other topics]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]
