Figure 1.--Here we see two unidentified brothers, we think in the 1910s. The boys look to be about 8-11 years old. We think the younger boy wearing the floppy bow is 8 years ols, in part because he wears a tunic suit. This was one of a four image gem photostrip.

Boys at age 8 commonly wore floppy bows. We are not sure about the 1870s, but this was the case during the 1880s-1900s. Not all 8 year olds wore neckwear during this period, but many who did wore floppy bows. We begin to see fewer 8 yeat olds wearing floppy bows in the 1910s as they were declining in size and popularity, but unlike older boys we still see some 8 years olds wearing bows after World War I in the 1920s. One helpful clue in identifying age during this peiod is that 8 was the oldest age for which tunic suits werw made. Thus this helps us assess ages in the photographic record. An example is Charles Dorff who looks to be about 8-years old about 1905.

Created: 3:40 AM 9/23/2010
Last updated: 3:40 AM 9/23/2010