Figure 1.--Here we see a German brother and sister from Apolda, probably in the 1880s. We believe the older child is a girl, despite her short hair. We are not sure why her hair was cut so sure. It would not have been gor hygene as her brother's hair is longer. Could it have been a fashion? Or perhaps she was being punished for vanity. We are just not sure. A reader writes, "Maybe the girl's hair is much longer but it is pulled back in a bun or pony tail with the back not visible in the image." Perhaps, but it sure looks like a short hair cut to HBC.

Hair style for children tends to be a combination of fashion and practicality. The two sometines conflict. We are not entirely sure why we see girls with short hair. A reader provides some possible reasons for girls having short hair: practical, convenient, and to discourage vanity." Another reader agrees that it had to with lice. She also points out that it may have to do with tangled hair or some other event that made long hair impractical. HBC is not convinced that these were the only reasons, but we do believe that they are part of the reason. We do not yet have sufficent information to assess country trends. One significant factor may have been social class. We believe that working class girls were more likely to have short hair. This may be because their mothers had less time to devote to careing for their hair. Factors suuh as hygene and practicality may have been especially important to working class families. A reader writes, "Ernest Hemingway's sister in her autobiography described how she had cut her hair and her mother evened it by making it very short and she had to wear a baby bonnet until it grew longer, so there are many reasons for short hair."

Convenience and Practicality

Vonvenience and practicality would of course argue for short hair. A reader points out that it may have to do with tangled hair or some other event that made long hair impractical. HBC is not convinced that these were the only reasons, but we do believe that they are part of the reason. We do not yet have sufficent information to assess country trends.

Discourage Vanity

A reader writes, "I have read in a book is that short hair was thought to prevent girls frombeing arrogant, proud, vain or conceited." Here this could have been used as a style from youth ot to punish a willfull girl. Anotherv factor here would be just how short the girl's hair was cut. Another factor here would be age. Cutting the hair short would see to be be a partucularly severe punishment for an older girl.

Experimentation

A reader writes, "Ernest Hemingway's sister in her autobiography described how she had cut her hair and her mother evened it by making it very short and she had to wear a baby bonnet until it grew longer, so there are many reasons for short hair."

Fashion

A German reader tells us, "Well, I note it as fashionable for girls in the late 1880s and firsthalf 1890s, even shown in fashion catalogs." HBC is unsure just how popular short hair was and to what extent this fashion varied from country to country. As far as we know, even during this period, long hair was mpre popular for girls.

Hygene

Hygene might be a factor assiciated with short hair. Another reader agrees that it had to with lice. This would tend to be a problem associated with younger children.

Social Class

One significant factor may have been social class. We believe that working class girls were more likely to have short hair. This may be because their mothers had less time to devote to careing for their hair. Factors suuh as hygene and practicality may have been especially important to working class families. A reader writes, "Very short hair I think would have been used as easy hair care with younger children in working class or poor families."

Created: 8:42 AM 10/3/2007
Last updated: 8:31 PM 10/3/2007