Figure 1.--This American boy is unidentified. The CDV portrait is undated, but the clothing and phoygrapher's set suggests the 1860s. We note fewer hair bows in 1860s portraits than the 1890s. We think this means that they were less common, but there were also many more portraits taken in the 1890s.

We have more information on hair bows during the 19th century. The wigs and pigtails disappeared in the early 19th century as both boys and men adopted shorter hair styles. Boys generally wore short hair in the first half of the 19th century. There are scattered reports as young boys wearing long hair even during this period. Most boys, however wore short hair. Thus hair bows were probably not common in this period. Short hair styles for boys continued popular in the mid-19th century. Again scattered reports indicate that younger boys might wear long hair. Thus hair bows were probably not common in this period. Quite a few of the images of boys wearing hairbows that we have acquired from the late 19th century. We can not say that they were more common in this period. The increasing numbers pf photographs being taken is a major factor. Longer hair styles began to become more common in the late 1860s and 70s. HBC believes that it is at this time that mothers began adding hair bows to their sons' long hair. A good ecample is the Powell family in 1886. Another example is an unidentified American boy in the 1890s. HBC believes that this is also about the same time that girls began wearing prominent hairbows, but this needs confirmation.

Early 19th century

The wigs and pigtails worn in the 18th disappeared in the early 19th century as both boys and men adopted shorter hair styles. This very abrupt shift in style was in large part due to the French Revolution (1789). As Revolution developed, fashions associated with aristocracy wnt out of fashion and became even dangerous. Both boys and men adopted shorter hair styles, not only in France, but other coyntries as well. Boys generally wore short hair in the first half of the 19th century. There are scattered reports as young boys wearing long hair even during this period. Most boys, however wore short hair. Thus hair bows were probably not common in this period. Our information, however, is limited largely because photography was not yet developed.

Mid-19th Century

Short hair styles for boys continued popular in the mid-19th century, but this varied by decade. Boys in the 1850s often wore their hair down to ears or even over their ears. Gradually in the 1860s, shorter cuts became more popular. Again scattered reports indicate that younger boys might wear long hair. It does not show up a lot in the photographic record. Thus hair bows as far as we can tell, hair bows do not seem very common in this period.

Late 19th Century

Quite a few of the images of boys wearing hairbows that we have acquired come from the late 19th century. We can not say definitively that they were more common in this period. A factor here may be that just that there are a lot more portraits taken in the late 19th century. Declining costs and rising affluence resulted in many more portraits. The increasing numbers pf photographs being taken is a major factor. Longer hair styles began to become more common in the late 1860s and 70s. HBC believes that it is at this time that mothers began adding hair bows to their sons' long hair. A good ecample is the Powell family in 1886. Another example is an unidentified American boy in the 1890s. HBC believes that this is also about the same time that girls began wearing prominent hairbows, but this needs confirmation.

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Created: 7:31 PM 5/26/2008
Last updated: 7:31 PM 5/26/2008