Figure 1.-- We see quite a number of younger American boys with top curls in the 19th century and very early 20th century. This is a style we had not noted until we began to address hair stling for HBC. This American boys wears a top curl with a sailor-styled tunic suit. It is undated, but was probably taken about 1905.

We see quite a number of younger American boys with top curls in the 19th century and very early 20th century. We notice it in early photographic portraits during the mod-1850s. We continue to see the style in the early 20th century, mostly before World War I (1914-18). This is a style we had not noted until we began to address hair stling for HBC. Since then we have noticed numerous examples in the photographic record. It is much more prevalent than we first thought. We are not sure just when this style first appeared. We are not sure if it was worn in the early 19th century. We note it from the earlies Daguerreotype portraits in the 1840s and 50s and throughout the rest of the 19th century. We have no idea wjat it was called in the 19th century. We also note a few examples from the early 20th century. We note these top curls or rolls both with other styles, such as ringlet curls, as well as by itself. We note in neing used for younger boys who do not yet have enough hair for ringlets. We also note it being used with older boys as part of ringlet haor styles. We see it worn with many different garments A good example is an Ohio boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit in the 1890s. Generally boys with a top curl do not have long ringlets becuse so much hair was used for the top curl. This was primarily a style for pre-school boys.

Chronology

We are not yet entirely sure about the chronology associated with top curls. In particular, we are not sure when the style first appeared. We do not know if boys had these curls in the early 19th century. We note these curls only in early photographic portraits during the mod-1850s. The earliest example we note is innthe 1840s. We do not know about the earlier decades because photography had not yet been developed. And photography is our major source of information. thus we are not sure just when these top curls first appeared. We note it from the earlies Daguerreotype portraits in the 1840s and 50s and throughout the rest of the 19th century. There are numerous examples from both the mid- and late-19th century. The great popularity if ringlet curls in theclate-19th century seems to have increased the popularity of these top curls and the age of the boys wearing them. We continue to see the style in the early 20th century, mostly before World War I (1914-18). We also note a few examples from the early=20th century.

Terminology

We have no idea what these top curls were called in the 19th century. e would be very interted in any refeebces that readers have found. Our approach at HBC is to describe the physical appearance of hair styles and garments and use that term until we can find out what cintemprary term was used.

Prevlence

The top curls are a style we had not noted until we began to address hair styling for HBC. Since then we have noticed numerous examples in the photographic record. It is much more prevalent than we first thought. We do not see it in painting during the early-19th century. We do see examples as photograph was invented and reached America (1840s). We see examples in both Dags Ambros. And when the albumen process (CDVs and cabinet cards) became popular we see many more examples. We see quite a number of younger American boys with top curls in the 19th century and even very early 20th century. While we have found many examples, they were a relatively small number both boys and girls invoved. Even a mall propotion of the children with ringlets. The number of boys with ringlets increased substanially during the Fauntleroy Craze (1885-1905). Some boys and girls had both ringlets and top curls, but often with the top curls there was not enough hair for noth, at least long ringlets. We cvoninue to see these top curls in the Fauntleroy era, but unlike ringlets we do not see any greatly increased prevalence of top curls.

Styling

We note these top curls or rolls both with other styles, The top curl of course concerns just the top of the head. Here we mostly noted these curls on the crown of boys' heads. Tgere are a few examples when the curl extended to the boy's forehead. The sides could be done in different ways. Often they were done with ringlets. We note this style being used for younger boys who do not yet have enough hair for ringlets. We also note it being used with older boys as part of ringlet hair styles. A good example is Herbert Lockwood about 1867. Generally boys with a top curl do not have long ringlets becuse so much hair was used for the top curl.

Accompanying Clothing

We see these top curls being worn with many different garments A good example is an Ohio boy wearing a Fauntleroy suit in the 1890s.

Age

This was primarily a style for pre-school boys. Most o the examples we have found are boys up to about 6 years of age. We ae not yet sure about the age range for girls, but do not notice olders girls with these top curls.

Gender

The top curl seems to have been primarily a style for boys. That is just a prelimary assessment at this time, but we are beginning to think that this was the case based on our assessment of the photographic record. We see mostly boys wearing these top curls in the images we have found. The images we have found are all noys, albeit younger boys. We have noted a substantial number of boys with these top curls during the 19th century. We are not yet entirely sure about girls. We have not yet found any portraits of girls with this top curl hair do. That does not mean that there were none, but we have not yet found examples. We do note some family portraits that suggest this was primarily a boys' hair style, especially the pronounced top curl. We are only hoing on the photographic record here. We have not yet found any refwrences in the ladies magazines and home guides of the time.

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Created: 12:22 AM 2/20/2008
Last edited: 7:25 AM 8/28/2020