Figure 1.--This American boy had his curls cut at age 5 or 6 years old. This photograph was taken about 1905-10. For details on the cutting of his curls, click on the image.
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Figure 1.--This American boy had his curls cut at age 5 or 6 years old. This photograph was taken about 1905-10. For details on the cutting of his curls, click on the image. |
It was always a major rite of passage for a boy to finally have his curls cut and allowed to wear more closely cropped hair. While long hair for boys in the 1960s became very fashionable, it was certainly never curled. In previous years, however, long hair, even uncurrled long hair, was generally perceived as girlish. As a result many a boy looked for ward with great relish to have his locks trimmed. For many a doting mother, however, it was often a trying experience bringing forth gushing tears and the site
of herdarling sons flowing curls falling to the floor. Many mothers would save the clipped curls as keepsakes. Franklin Roosevelt's mother, for example, kept her son's curls in a trunk with his baby dresses and other keepsakes as long as she lived. Some mothers saved only a lock or two some mothers saved them all. In some cases the cutting of a boys' curls was importalized by a photographic portrait.
It was always a major rite of passage for a boy to finally have his curls cut and allowed to wear more closely cropped hair. While long hair for boys in the 1960s became very fashionable, it was certainly never curled. In previous years, however, long hair, even uncurrled long hair, was generally perceived as girlish. We have few examples of a boy actually have his curls cut. The actual process was not commonly commemorated with a photograph. This is in part because when ringlets were most common in the late 19th century, amateur snapshots were not yer common. Thus a photograph would have required a trip to the photographic studio. Often the results of cutting theccurls, sometimes a before and after photograph recorded the event, but rarely the event itself. Perhaps because photographing any kind of movement was difficult, especially the process of trimming the locks of a small boy. We also do not have any actual accounts. Younger boys do not recall and older boys report sometimes a difficult confrontation with their mothers. One would think that some kind of family ceremony may have been involved, but pergaps some nlother were too upset to have organized such an event.
As a result many a boy looked for ward with great relish to have his locks trimmed. A boys' attituded on the cuttiong of his curls varied substantially. Some boy had their curls cut very young. Some may have never had gurls or long hair. A boy having his hair cut at 2 or 3 years probly did not much tale much note of the event. By the time a boy was 5 years old, however, most were increasingly anxious to look more like dad. There are boys who at this age still aprreciated the attention they received from mother and her relatives. This probably depended on socal factors. A boy closely ooked over at home whould probably would have not felt the same need to have his curls cur as a boy who played with his neigborhood friends every day.
For many a doting mother, however, it was often a trying experience bringing forth gushing tears and the site of her darling sons flowing curls falling to the floor. Most mothers realised that their relkationships with their sons would never be quite the same. While still in cvurls and or dresses, a boy was very nmuch under his mother's care. Once his curls were cut it was a sgn that a boy was moving out into the worls--increasingly a man's world outside the control of his mother.
Many mothers would save the clipped curls as keepsakes. They would keep the locks of both boys and girls, although cutting a boy's curls was such an important event that I believe boys' curls were a particularly endearing keepsake. We know that mothers would take them out and handel them as their children grew up. There is the tragic incident when Longfellow's wife was burned to death when the curls she was handling caught fire.
Franklin Roosevelt's mother,
for example, kept her son's curls in a trunk with his baby dresses and other keepsakes as long as she lived. Elenor recalls how he cried when after his mother died tghat he found the curls and hair bows she had so lovingly preserved.
Some mothers saved only a lock or two some mothers saved them all. In some cases the cutting of a boys' curls was importalized by a photographic portrait.
HBC has collected some details on the experiences of individual boys.
Hygh was an American boy who had his curls cut at about age 5 or 6. His mother decided to have his curls photographed ib great detail and we have several before and after photographs. Interesting, all eight ringlets were then tied on a ribbon for safe keeping. The photographs look to be taken about 1905-10.
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