Figure 1.-- This cabinet card shows two Amrican boys, presumably brothers with front bangs partial bowl cuts. Notice how the bangs are rounded ratherthan cut straight. They look to be about 3-5 ears old. Both wear white tunic suits with white long stockings. The younger boy has a necklace. The portrait is undated, but the outfits and card mount suggest the 1900s. The studio was Strunk in Reading, Pennsylvania.

We note two basic styles of bowl cuts. There was the full bowl cut and the partial front bangs bowl cut. The full or classic bowl cut involved putting an appropriately sized bow on a boy's head and trimming all the way around the head any hair that peaked out from the upturned bowl. Mother cut the front and then at the neck and below the upper or mid-ear. The hair tended to cut short. At the time boys did not wear theur hir as short as became popular in the 20th century. The basic full bowl cut was very standardize and there was very little variation except with the shape of the boy's head. We see a lot of more varied cuts which are at heart a bowl cut in the 20th century. As the bowl cut acquired a fashionable image more varitions developed. And in the later-20th century we see the mod cut, a kind of longish bowl cut.

Full Bowl Cut

The full or classic bowl cut involved putting an appropriately sized bow on a boy's head and trimming all the way around the head any hair that peaked out from the upturned bowl. Mother cut the front and then at the neck and below the upper or mid-ear. The hair tended to cut short. At the time boys did not wear theur hir as short as became popular in the 20th century. Bowl cuts this stood out. We see some examples in the studio photograophy of the late 19th century, but not nearly as many as we had expected given that most Americans lived in rural areas. The result was the hair cut short on the sides and back of the head while leaving it long in the front. The basic full bowl cut was very standardize and there was very little variation except with the shape of the boy's head. There was no fashion sence about it and thus little variation.

Front Bangs Bowl Cut

We believe that bowl cuts were also used for front bangs but not all around the head. Note that some bangs were cut straight across while others have more of a rounded look tha-t may have resulted from using the bowl aprroach. We see a lot of examples in the early-20th century.

Mod Cut

There was a kind of revival beginning in the mid-1960s. Some believe that it resulted from the Beattle's moptop hair styles. The Monkees TV program may have also been an influence. As long hair became fashionanle we see longer bowl cuts. A somewhat longer version, called the mod haircut, was popular with teenagers during the late-1960s and early-70s.

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Created: 5:33 PM 1/16/2013
Last edited: 5:33 PM 1/16/2013