new thread
Hi longhairs!
It seems to be the case that probably all the men I see who have long
hair have their hair parted in the middle as opposed to on the side.
Is there any practicle reason for this or is is just a preference?
I have always had my hair parted on my left side. If you read my
last post, I said I am now letting my hair in front grow long to
match my hair in the back (all one length). Ought I to chand my part
to be in the middle?
How do you long-haired guys have your hair parted?
- Paul
It doesn't fall so easily on your face. I had it parted on the left side before and I have chaged to the middle for this reason.
Nick
I have thought about this question recently. First, the location of the part is related to the whorl in the back of your head. Most people have a whorl that goes clockwise. That is why most people have a part on the left side (that is where the hair is pointing to the front of the head, roughly). Those people whose whorls point in the opposite direction usually part their hair on the opposit side. Most people are unaware that this is the reason they part their hair where they do. They just find a comfortable spot and use it.
Having said that, it is possible to give a look of more volume to your hair by combing/brushing against the grain. Thus, if I clockwise-whorled person were to part the hair on the right, the hair would stand up more. With short hair, the hair would simply rebel and flip back over. With long hair, though, this becomes possible, because the weight of the hair prevents it from flipping over. This is sometimes encouraged for people with "flat" looking hair.
As for why the part shifts to the middle on longhairs, I cannout vouch for others, but in my personal case, I make no effort at all in placing a part. I just let my hair fall where it will. I think with really long hair, the weight becomes much more important than the angle at which the hair leaves the scalp, so the part tends to shift to the middle. Also, a lot of longhairs frequently wear ponytails. With a ponytail, you brush your hair straight back. When the hair tie is release, the hair falls naturally, parting roughly in the middle.
Can anyone else confirm or deny any of this?
I had read the explanation from the book "Imponderables." In there,
they said that the reason is that, for right-handed men, it's easier
to comb with a part on the left and vice-versa for left-handed men.
- Paul
Well, it is easy enough to test. There are plenty of people around, and their hair is not hidden. I think if you use your powers of observation, you will find that it has nothing to do with handedness. I have not actively studied this, but I guess I will now.
I'm full of opinions today. Long hair, if parted, should be parted in the middle--it looks much better AND it will remain more symmetrical when it thins. Men's hair (women's too for that matter) always thins along the part line or wherever it is pulled (like the front when it all is combed back). It's better to have symmetry, I think.
By the way, I hope guys know that long hair IS more likely to recede than shorter hair. I think it's probably worth it, but don't be surprised when the front hairline starts receding--it's biological.
Where does this information come from? I have never heard it before and am very skeptical, unless, of course, you pull your hair way to hard.
Hi everyone!
I don't know about how anyone else feels about practicality or reasons that the part is in one place or another, but in my own case I part on the left side because of a slight cowlick problem at the hairline on the left side. The natural wave there makes a natural place for a part. Practically speaking, for me, parting in the middle produces an annoyingly assymetrical look. It turns out that wearing no part works for me, too.
Paul