Figure 1.--This cabinet card portrait of an unidentified American boy shows how center parts were becoming popular for boys in the 1890s. The porrait is undated, but the mount and the whicker furniture suggest it was taken during the late-1890s about the turn of the 20th century. The boy wears a nttu double-breasted kneepants suit with long stockings. Notice the detachable collar. He looks to be about 8, possibly 9 years old.

Older boys with center hair parts were not very common in the 19th century, at least until the 1890s. Many younger boys with ringlets had center parts, but center parts for older boys with short hauir were not very common in the 1880s. This seems to have changed at the end of the century. We note boys with near-center parts in the early-1890s. A good example is an unidentified Philadelphia boy. And we begin to see actual center parts by the end of the decade, boys with short hair parted in the middle. We note younger boys with fashionable center parts at the end of the century in the 1890s. And we have found some older boys with these center parts, but not very many. The exception here was Fauntleroy ringlet curls. Virtually all of the 19th century examples we have found date to the 1890s. We are still working out the age trends in the 1890s when we see most of the center-part boy portraits. We have not yet, however, found many actualy dated examples. So far the examples we have found are portraits for which we have had to roughly estimate estimate the date. Nor are we sure about year trends within the decade. Most of the portraits we have fond with center parts are pre-teen boys. The boy here in the later part of the decade looks to be about 8 years old (figure 1). We think teenagers by the end of the decade may have begun wearing center parts, but we have not yet been able to confirm this. The center parts by the turn-of the century had become seen as very stylish. And while at first just seen with little boys we see even older teens with these center parts by the turn-of-the century. A good example of a younger boy is an unidentified boy in 1893. For the most part these center parts were plain, but mothers being mothers somtimes added some stylish flairs.

Gender Trends

Older boys with center hair parts were not very common in the 19th century, at least until the 1890s. Thus the part was perhaps the most accurate gender indictor uring the 19th century. Not perfect to be sure, but a very reliable indicator. Suddenly for some reason, center parts for boys become stylish. We are not sure why. Perhaps it was all the boys with ringlet curls who had center parts and perhaps continued to maintain the part after the curls wwere cut. Or perhaps the reason behind the sudden populsrity is like many new fashions simply unknown. Center parts were standard for girls throughout the century. In fact they were so prevalent that they are a good indicator of gender in early portrits. The only major exceptions we have found or younger boys with ringlet curls intil the 1890s when we see older boys in the 90s with fashionable center parts. By this time the convention of youngr bots wering dresses had begun to decline anf clothing become an increasingly important indicator of gender, even for youbger boys.

Age Trends

Younger boys might have center parts throughout the century. This was particulary common with younger boys that have Fauntleroy ringlets in the 1880s and 90s. We only see older boys with center parts behinning in the 1890s. see both school age boys nd teen agers with these center parts in the 1890s. Many younger boys with ringlets had center parts, but center parts for older boys with short hauir were not very common in the 1880s. The exception here was Fauntleroy ringlet curls. Virtually all of the 19th century examples we have found date to the 1890s. We are still working out the age trends in the 1890s when we see most of the center-part boy portraits. Most of the portraits we have fond with center parts are pre-teen boys. The boy here in the later part of the decade looks to be about 8 years old (figure 1). We think teenagers by the end of the decade may have begun wearing center parts, but we have not yet been able to confirm this. we are still wirking in prevalence. The center parts by the turn-of the century had become seen as very stylish. And while at first just seen with little boys we see even older teens with these center parts by the turn-of-the century. A good example of a younger boy is an unidentified boy in 1893. For the most part these center parts were plain, but mothers being mothers somtimes added some stylish flairs. we notice an unidentified 11-year old Pennsylvania boy in 1899.

Sudden Popularity

This seems to have changed at the end of the century. We note boys with near-center parts in the early-1890s. A good example is an unidentified Philadelphia boy. And we begin to see actual center parts by the end of the decade, boys with short hair parted in the middle. We note younger boys with fashionable center parts at the end of the century in the 1890s. And we have found some older boys with these center parts, but not very many. We have not yet, however, found many actualy dated examples. So far the examples we have found are portraits for which we have had to roughly estimate the date. Nor are we sure about year trends within the decade.

Styling

Most of the center parts we have found are very plain, basically just hair combed down from a center part over the crown. Except for Faintleroy styles, we only see these center parts dome with short hair during the 90s. Often these are virtually razor parts. Many are so perfevtly combed that it seems unlikely that younger school age boys could have accomplished those parts without mothers help. Side parts are one thing, but perfect razor centervparts are quite another. Teenagers could certainly do it, but younger school age boys, like the boy here, would have had trouble. We also suspect tht many boys this ge would have not been all that interested in spending time on fashionanle hir tylinglike this. Teenagers, yes but pre-teens less likely. We note some parts that are aittle off center in addition to the perfect center parts. While most of the pars are very plain, mothers being mothers in the 19thbcentury, we somtimes see some boys with added stylish flairs. These fancy touches except with Fauntleroy styles were not very common, but we do see afew examples.

Created: 3:46 AM 6/29/2014
Last updated: 10:31 AM 3/25/2016