 Figure 1.--Note the long ringlet curls on this older American boy which his mother has lovingly laid on his lace collar so they would be clearly visible. One wonders what this boy thought of his curls and to what extent he discussed them with his mother. |
Mothers who kept their sons in ringlet had to decide on the style and how to maintain it. Eventually she faced several major decisions. Themost traumatic, of course, was when to cut their son's hair. Mothers as we have seen abovedecided on a wide range of ages, from about 4 years old to in some cases 11-12 years.Another major decision was whether his curls should be cut before or after breeching. Hereagain mother's decided on many different answers. Many had their boy's hair cut before hewas breeched as is demonstrated by many period photographs with boys with short hair wearngdresses and kilt suits. Many other photographs, however, testify to the mothers who kepttheir sons in curls while still in dresses. This is somewhat more difficult to determine because the gender of many children is not readily apparent. Some basic guidelines, however, areavailable to help determine a child's gender even when wearing dresses and long ringlet curls.
 Figure 2.--Not all mothers believed in long hair for their sons. Some mothers cut their sons' hair short while the boys were still in dresses and several years before breeching. |
There were several different ways in whivh a child's hair could be curled. The mother had to decide on the thickness abd number of curls. She also had to decide on the front, possibky bangs. Then there was the qiestion of how to part the hair. There do not appear to have been specific conventions for boys, rather the styles existing for women and girls were used.
 Figure 3.--This American boy wears elaborate ringlet curls, but a rather plain bow and boyish suit. He wears his ringlets with bangs. Click on the image for a full view. His mother clearly thought that his curls should be kept well after breeching. |
The question of maintenance introduces a factor of social class. Curling a boys' hair required considerable effort and attention. Less affluent mothers who might also have kept their sons in dresses, probably did
not have the time or energu to curl their sons' hair. Thus a boy in long ringlets was likely to be a reflection of a prposperous houshold, often where the mother had at least part-time help, perhaps a permanent staff. Maintenance pribably became an increasing problem as a boy got older, cajoling him to cooperate in the nightly ritual of putting his bair in curling papers.
 Figure 4.--The boy's name here was Michael. He is younger than several of the boys pictured here, but still has already been breeched. |
Presumably special attention was given to curling a boys hair on special occasions. It is possible that on many ays a boy might have not had his hair curled at night, but in preparation for church, parties, weddings, visitors, or other special occasions that great attention was given to the curling process. Hopefully some of the female visitors to HBC will advise us on the process involved.
Any mother who styled her son's hair in ringlet curls faced the eventual decision of eventually when to cut the curls. Most boys had their hair cut at about 5 or 6 years of age. Some doting mothers, however, put off the day until the boy was much older, until 7 or 8 years. Although less common some boys wore curls until 10 or 11 years.
I am not sure just how mothers made this decision. Certainly how they were raised and when their brother hair was cut was a factor. They must have discussed the question with their mother and sisters. The styles worn by the sons of friends must have also been a factor. With older boys, their husband probably had something to say. It would be interesting to know just what a mother was thinking about as she made the decision to cut her son's curls. Probably she thought about how sweet, and innocent he looked in long ringlet curls. But perhaps the greatest consideration was the feeling that she was losing her beloved boy to the adult world. It seems likely that many of these feelings may not have been clearly articulated. They would more likely have been unarticulated feelings.
There are probably some published accounts, perhaps including published letters, of mothers writing to family and friends discussing the issue of when to cut their son's precious curls. Hopefully we can eventually add such information to hBC.
When to Cut
 Figure 5.--European mothers also curled their sons hair. Some would add little stylistic features, such as a hairbow. This Swedish boy is Dag Hammarskjold, the future United Nations Secretary General. It is likely that he had no say in how he was outfitted. |
Another major decision for the 19th and early 20th Century mother was wheter to cut their son's hair before or after breeching. It is likely that almost all mothers who decided to style their sons' hair in ringlet curls also kept him in dresses. At about 5 years of age the question of cutting the boys' curls and breeching arose. Some mothers simply put both questions off for a few years. Others decided to either brrech their sons and cut his curls at the same time, or more commonly to cut the curls or breech him first.
There does not seem to have been any accepted convention as to whether a boy should be breeched before his curls were cut or after.
Before breeching: Some mothers had their boy's hair cut before hewas breeched as is demonstrated by many period photographs with boys with short hair wearng dresses and kilt suits. Breeched boys with curls commonly ranged any where from 4 to 10 years of age. Some boys were kept in curls even at 10 or 13 years of age, but the number is far fewer than the younger boys.
After breechingMany other photographs, however, testify to the mothers who kept their sons in curls while still in dresses. This is somewhat more difficult to determine becausethe gender of many children is not readily apparent. Some basic guidelines, however, areavailable to help determine a child's gender even when wearing dresses and long ringlet curls.
Figure 6.--While older boys in Fauntleroy suits might wear ringlet curls, the older boys wearing dresses generally had shorter hair. |
I am not sure that the conventions for breeching and ringlet curls were written down. This may explain the great diversity in the ways boys were dressed. I believe the topics were addressed in the poliferation of ladies magazines that appeared in the 19th Century. The conventions as far as I can determine were for all younger boys to wear dresses. While in dresses some of the boys had their hair cut. Other boys were kept in curls before breeching. Others wore curls even after breeching. Sometimes several years after breeching. One interesting conventiopn was that while some older boys were kept in dresses, in some cases until 9-11 years of age, these older boys generally had their curls cut. Most boys still in curls at that age wore Littlr Lord Fauntleroy or sailor suits. The boys in dresses though almosy always had short hair.
Figure 7.--Note this Canadian boy's (H. Christie) long tresses were not curled. American mothers in the 1880s who decided to let theeir sons' hair grow, often curled it. This was not always the case in other countries. |
The mother in the Victoria and Edwardian family generally made most decisions associated with raising small children. They were the ones that decided how the boys were dressed and how their hair was styled. I do not believe the father generally was greatly involved in the decuisions concerning the child at the younger ages.
As the child grew older the father became more involved. This was particularly true as the question of the child's education arose. But the mother probably continued to be the primary decision maker on questions of clothes and hair.
It is likely that the boy imself had little say in such questions. Contemprary accounts suggest that many boys at the time would have not thought about questioning their mothers, especially younger boys. As they got older, certainly the boys would have expressed their opinions, usually requesting that their air be cut. Some mothers may have acced to their wishes. Others had very strong ideas about how boys should be dressed and their hair styled. Some boys may have asked their fathers to intercede. Some fathers probably declined, thinking such matters were the province of their wives. Other fathers intervened if their wives delayed cutting a child's curls beyond what the father considered appropriate--but this varied greatlty from family to family.
Some families may have approacged the decissions about cutting a boys'curls in a more cooperative manner. Mothers and fathers may have discussed the issues. Some available accounts suggest that fathers expressed their opinion on such matters, but generally acceded to their wives, especially when their sons were younger.
As children approaced 5 or 6 years of age, probably the fathr became more involved in the question how the boys were dressed and their hair styled. The question in the 19th Century was not as simple as it might have seemed. Many 19th Century adults, even in the late 19th Century, wore long hair. Luminaries like Buffalo Bill or General George Armstrong Custer, for example, were well known for their long hair. While some adults had long hair, boys' hair, however, was generally short after their was cut as small boys.
Figure 8.--Although unusual for the 1900s, noted American author Thomas Wolfe's mother insisted on long ringlet curls, even after he had started school. He hated it and pleaded to have his curls cut. Mercifully an Uncle took him at 8 years of age to the barber for a hair cut. |
Some boys who lost their fathers at an early age were probably most proned to have theur breeching delayed and be kept in curls the longest. They did not have a father they could ask to intercede on their behalf. Some if they were lucky may have had uncles that they could approach to intercede for them.
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.
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