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Appreciate long hair!
Many times I've been annoyed with my hair, its dryness, staticity, and just generally with what it's (not) doing. I've contemplated taking a scissor and just offing that knob. Mostly the problem is my laziness to improve my hair quality, or not understanding how.
But I say appreciate that long hair you have! Appreciate that hair you're growing out!
I've been noticing something.
Women with long hair is getting scarce, or at least down here in Southern California. Long haired females are (young) girls, twenties, thirties, but when they hit their forties and beyond they have their hair cut short because it's "stylish," among other things. It's like some sort of initiation. My mom, who's had really, really long hair since forever kept in a bun had her hair cut this year. My half-sister and my dad's girlfriend have the "stylish" look. The church I go to is an old person church where every women there has the same ugly super short, permed, pale-yellowed hair.
For every one gray, long haired woman there's at least ten short hair, urine-colored women. Appreciate long hair.
For males it's a bit different. Though the majority of long haired males is a young age, usually in the teens or twenties, we come in all ages. Nevertheless, people question us, sometimes with unintentional annoying curiously, other times to stir us up for their own enjoyment. For instance, my dad wants me to cut my hair, and thinks I keep it long because I'm trying to "make a statement." At age 24 I'm being a rebel all right. He also thinks that only college students and college professors have long hair. That's pretty sad. What's even sadder is when _females_ encourage you to cut your hair. But if they're only your mom and sisters... don't worry too much.
But I say appreciate long hair! Somewhere along the line your hard work will get noticed. I've had a few girls compliment/notice my hair, and even a few guys yelled at me out a passing vehicle. One being a "wolf whistle"; even if it was facetious, a compliment is a compliment.
So appreciate long hair.
Hi Kaleido,
it's great that you are sticking to who YOU are! I'm sure your hair looks a lot better than you'd even think - a lot of us sometimes have that from time to time. Some of us then post a picture and get some "feedback from reality", and that realistic feedback is usually encouraging.
If you want, just check out some of the links on the top of this page, including the hair care tips. If your hair is getting too dry, usually things like shampooing a lot less often, using conditioner instead (or possibly an anti-frizz serum if needed), helps a lot.
One other thing: I'd say being a college professor would mean that you are making something out of your life, so, if they say you look like a college professor, I'd see that as a compliment. Are you a former graduate student? And, there will always be girlfriends who will prohibit haircuts for their boyfriends...
Welcome on board, and happy growth forever!
Hans-Uwe
I think you'll find that phenomenon everywhere around the world... not just SoCal. Women tend to get shorter hairstyles when they get older.
Yeah, I figured as much since I read about it on one of those long hair links. What really struck me, besides the huge number of church going folks, was the comment my dad made to my half-sister, 20-something years my elder. Having her hair short was "stylish," and her hair was short (for a female?) while mine and my brother’s hairs were long (for guys). Like the roles are reversed! kind of joke.
A few months later I was noticing it at Costco and told my brother that I saw an old woman with long hair, to which he replied, "That's impossible."
We know what is the state of longhaired male acceptance, but not so sure where it's headed. And when I'm old and gray and single and possibly looking for love... well, I can see the potentials right now. She better not have short/super short hair unless she really is balding. XD
Where is SoCal?
John.B
That means Southern California, John.
dino
About the women with the short hair, well, you shouldn't just unabashedly bash them - remember that a number of them may have weak bones, arthritis, the whole gamut of makes-difficult-to-take-care-of-long-hair problems. At least in those cases, you can justify them cutting it short - hair is hair, and if it's going to cause them so much pain, why keep it?
But for the others, yeah, I hate that trend. It's not a look I'm a fan of at all. Whenever I see a woman with a silvery bun or ponytail, I smile, because it's such a refreshing sight. But each to their own.
And lol about the wolf whistle. Better than getting the finger and various waved N insignia, I say.
Hakuna matata. One day it'll all be worth it, and you'll wonder how you could ever have contemplated cutting it off.
I think this has been the case for a long time. I live in a town with a lot of old people and I must say that most of the ladies on the bus/in the street with these short hairstyles do appear to have thinning hair which may be part of why they opt for the perm. However, I agree it's lovely to see the exception now and again - they always look so much more elegant. Personally I love long grey hair and hope mine goes grey overnight, lol!
Since visiting this board I have become more conscious of other people's hair and actually I think that "proper" long hair on girls is not that widespread with most girls with perceived long hair actually only being shoulder-length or what on a boy would be termed awkward length. Perhaps the long hair spirit is a minority state of mind in the female population too. I have often thought this, when considering the 40+ cut off (literally!) that does seem to afflict the female population...after all, if you love your long hair how can you simply lop it all off because you hit a certain age. I'm close to that phase now and wouldn't even contemplate it.
