Figure 1.--We note some European boys in the mid-20th century with bobby pins, even younger school-ge boys. We have never noticed that in America. Here we see a German boy in 1955.

We do not have a great deal of information on hair styling implements ad decoations yet yet. The basic item is modern hair styling is scissors. We are not sure what was used before scissors. Other cutting implements could be used, although not quite as efficently. We know tht cutting decices were used because images fro the ancien word show people with both short hair as well as very elavorte hair styles. Scissors were invented in the 14th century. We are not entirely sure how common they were, but you might think that most families no matter how poor would have scissors. Otherwise a boy would have to go to the barber which would have been more expensive. Many mothers cut their children's hair. By the 20th century many mothers had clippers. Some other equipment was needed, especially for fancy styles like ringlet curls. Here hair rollers and heating irons might be used. These items were more for girl's hair except for the lare 19th and early 20th century when quite a number of boys had fancy hair styles. Bobby pins or flat spring-like metal pins appeared in the 20h century. The two priongs of the pens were held together by tension and used to keep hair in place. The term appeared in the early 1930s, although I am not precisely sure this is when the pins themselves appeared. The term derived from their use with bobbed (short cut) hair styles. A reader writes, "I've noticed school photos from both France and Germany in which boys' hair parts are held in place by bobby pins." Here we see a German boy from the 1950s (figure 1). I've never noticed this in America. Of course at the time many American boys had crew or other short hair cuts.

Styling Implements

We do not have a great deal of information on hair styling implements ad decoations yet yet. The most important item in hair syling has to be the comb. The origins fthe comb appear to nearly as old as himanity itself. At least combs or combing devices appear at some very early point in the tone age. A key item in modern hair styling is scissors. We are not sure what was used before scissors. Other cutting implements had to be used, although not quite as efficently. We know tht cutting decices were used because images from the ancien workd show people with both short hair as well as very elaborte hair styles. Scissors were invented in the 14th century. We are not entirely sure how common they were, but you might think that most families no matter how poor would have scissors. Otherwise a boy would have to go to the barber which would have been more expensive. Many mothers cut their children's hair. By the 20th century many mothers had clippers. Some other equipment was needed, especially for fancy styles like ringlet curls. Here hair rollers and heating irons might be used. These items were more for girl's hair except for the lare 19th and early 20th century when quite a number of boys had fancy hair styles. Bobby pins or flat spring-like metal pins appeared in the 20h century. The two priongs of the pens were held together by tension and used to keep hair in place. The term appeared in the early 1930s, although I am not precisely sure this is when the pins themselves appeared. The term derived from their use with bobbed (short cut) hair styles. A reader writes, "I've noticed school photos from both France and Germany in which boys' hair parts are held in place by bobby pins." Bobby pind are called Kirby pins in Britain. Here we see a German boy from the 1950s (figure 1). I've never noticed this in America. Of course at the time many American boys had crew or other short hair cuts.

Styling Decorations

A variety of items have been used to decorate hair. The most obvious decorative decices, at least in the modern age. is the bow . Hair bows are jmost assocoate with girls, but have been used for boys, mostly younger boys, as well. Hair bows were especially notable in the ealy-20th century. Manu other decorative devices have been used. Omne popular items is beads. We see beads being used in African and African America gair stylkes like corn rows ad dreadocks.

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Created: 2:19 AM 5/17/2006
Last edited: 1:59 PM 2/9/2014