Hairstyles in 1800s: Fashion, Class, and Identity in the 19th Century

The 1800s were a time of great social upheaval, and men’s hairstyles during the 1800s tell us a great deal about how appearance and social status, tradition, and innovation interact. Men’s hairstyles during the 1800s in England responded to the rationalism of the Regency era and on through to the extreme fashions of Victorian England and the social class struggles. This study considers the history of men’s hairstyles in the 1800s, how certain hairstyles inform social roles, and how hairstyles inform the future of hair fashion.

1800s Hairstyles for Men

Men’s haircuts in the 19th century began with an era of simplicity and restraint. The Regency years, 1811-1820, developed a look of civility with less ornamentation and “more on the restraint,” especially regarding men’s hair, which was trimmed, tidy, clean, and short. In the spirit of reason and restraint, the men’s haircuts of the 1800s were pretty ordinary, brushed back or with a part.” This style was well-groomed and neat, but ornament-wise, it was not ornamental or utilitarian.

Women’s hair, as well as men’s hair in the 1800s, did not need excessive use of styling, nor the hair products, such as pomade, that would appear later in later decades. Rather than styling, the notion was simplicity and neatness in order to present a finished appearance that was appropriate for the formal function of that time, while being understated. Men’s hair from that time would be natural and short with some gentle waves; this natural hairstyle suggested refinement without the ostentation later to come.

A New Era of Male Grooming: Hairstyles 19th Century

With the Victorian era came the more elaborate hairstyles of the 1800s for men, many of which evolved from the importance of social status. During this era, men’s hairstyles from the 1800s generally acted as more complex, and would display social status. These styles were not merely trends, but indicated one’s social status, wealth, and level of intellect.

In terms of classic men’s hairstyles, the side part, usually accompanied by short, tidy hair, was one of the traditional Victorian styles. Men dedicated much time to having their hair truly brushed; thus, having a side part became synonymous with formality and understated elegance. While it could not be attributed to the creations of Charles II (1630 – 1685), pomading the hair to create a sleek and controlled look became standard. The hairstyles employed, or at least promoted, by a pomade were not exclusive to the gentleman; slicked-back hair became popular among businessmen and intellectuals as well. Styled hair connoted an aura of control and authority but also helped to keep the hair in place throughout the Victorian gentleman’s daily activities.

Hairstyles in 1800s: A Tale of Two Worlds

The class distinction in hairstyles of the 1800s was very clear-cut when it came to upper-class and working-class hair. The rich Victorian men had access to all of the tools and products needed to keep their hair maintained because they could afford to do so. They had hair that was maintained in the best way possible, considering their social standing. The needs of the working man were much more basic. Their hairstyle, cut or design needed to be shorter and less styled or appointed. Working men’s hair was functional, purposeful, and practical for their hard-working lives, where their hair could not have additional effort, time, or money put into it; they simply couldn’t afford it. The designs of the functional working man’s hair were acceptable at the practical length, clean, and could be controlled with proper and limited grooming efforts.

The wealthy upper-class males had a lifestyle where they had the time and means to create and maintain lifestyles that permitted them the luxuries of a manicured beard and hair, while the working-class males were restricted from showing off the best of their grooming, instead developing a rugged, unmanicured look. The men’s hair of the working class was 1800’s 1800s-style hair. The hairstyles of the working man were not fancy, but hair hungry and practical. Facial hair, such as shorter beards, represented virility or, in essence, looked selfish or practical in the case of a man who could not or would not groom himself to resist physical demands or grooming deprivation.

Heritage of 1800s Men’s Hairstyles

Even while men’s styles of the 1800s evolved over the decades, the influence of this century’s hairstyles continues to exist to the modern era. The slick side part and pompadour hairstyles emerged to become iconic trends that return in modern style. Just as trends in men’s hairstyles can diminish or garner accessories (the full beard and mutton chops occasionally claiming the attention of men’s grooming), all facial hair has had at least a handful of revivals.

Overall, men’s hair in the 1800s often represented much more than merely style, but rather a profound reflexivity of self-concept, class, and legitimized social status. Looking back over the entire breadth of representations—from the natural, minimally-maintained representations of the early 1800s to the decorative and finely-coiffed Victorian representations—we can also visualize a larger shift in society. Whether short and efficient, or long and elaborate, every haircut had a contingency-strain history, and men’s hair withstood a certain faction of self-actualization, and was a true reflection of the values and cultural shifts of the time.