new thread
I was thinking about this last night and thought it might be fun to share why we all have or are wanting to have long hair. (Some of the older posters' stories may already be known, but feel free to share anyway for the newer posters. I know I don't know very many stories.) Anyway, this is my mine...
I've always wanted long hair not to "rebel against society" or "take a stand against conformity," but because, plain and simple, long hair just looks cool. For years, ever since I was little, that's the only reason I ever had for wanting long hair. It looked cool. I grew up with the '80s hair metal and glam bands (groups like Bon Jovi, Poison, Ratt, Whitesnake, etc.) and wanted to look just as cool as them. For years, that was my only reason: long hair looked cool, so I wanted it.
But I've recently found another (perhaps a "deeper") reason for wanting to grow my hair out. 2007 marks ten years since I graduated from high school. (Which is still hard for me to believe.) Throughout last year building up to the anniversary and now with the arrival of this year, I've done a lot of thinking about my life and realizing just how much time I've wasted and how little I've actually accomplished since high school, much less than I had thought I would. I've basically been reevaluating my life and have plans to make a lot of changes to avoid a repeat of the last ten years. So I feel growing my hair out like I'm doing now will help separate the "new me" (hopefully also the success me) from the "old me" (the mostly unsuccessful me).
So what are your stories?
You'll be sooorrry - this is pretty long.
When I was very young in the '60s all the "men" in my family had brushcuts. My older brother, father and I would make the big trip into town and all take turns under the clippers. We'd laugh at any "hippies" we'd see.
Then in the 70's and early 80's like so many people growing up at the time, I had what I considered long hair (collar length). I'm not sure now why I did that other than the fact that any hair cut that I got, I didn't like.
In the mid '80s starting a professional career demanded a "professional" haircut which I then kept for the next 20 years. Every now and then I'd rebel and grow my hair for about 6 weeks, get frustrated and then back to the barber.
In the mean-time, one of my most favourite people in the world, my Grandmother's brother decided to stop getting hair cuts. My uncle wasn't a person who changed the world, or did anything noteworthy other than being a truly nice man who I admired. He passed away about 4 years ago.
For myself, I continued to think about growing my hair out and last August found myself in a bit of a financial crunch so I stopped going to the barber. Next thing I knew, people started asking me how long it was going to go to which I didn't (and still don't) have a good answer.
Where I'll end up, I don't know, but it's an interesting journey and I greatly appreciate the support that I feel in this community.
Below is the only picture I have online of my uncle - he's got his back to the camera and had probably been growing his hair for at least 15 year at this point with no cuts that I know of.
I want long hair for a variety of reasons. I've always been a meduim haired person, my hair is very thick and grows quickly, and I look bad with short hair, so why not go for a change? I mean, Meduim hair is good and all, but long hair just looks so much better! Besides, if your hair grows as fast as mine, arent you destined to be a long hair? :P Anyways, as I previously said my hair is *very* thick, so theres not much independence for my hair when its as short as it is, its too heavy and thick to just go off on its own-- it always looks exactly the same, big, mat of hair. When my hair gets longer the thickness will seem more natural, it wont just be a clump of opressed hair, it will fly fly! :D
Man I wish there was an edit, I wouldn't normally double post but my mistake totally messed up my senteance. I meant to say "fly free" not "fly fly" Lol
I've always liked long hair, admired it on women (and was attracted to long-haired women!). But, being a guy, growing up in the 50's, I could *only* admire from (sorta) afar.
Fairly recently, I realized- I could do it myself! And so the journey started in August 2000....
As an electrical engineer, I probably wouldn't have had many jobs in the 60's and 70's if I had had long hair! But by the late 90's and after, it was no longer a real problem, especially since I had established a solid reputation.
Down side, as many of you have heard me whine repeatedly [grin], is that now my terminal length is shoulder blades. Up side, o'course, is it's still long hair!!
Grow on and prosper, all of you!
Back in the 70's I tried growing my hair long but could not get past the akward stage. The longest it ever got was to my collar. I am an actor by profession and up until 4 years ago I kept my hair medium length so it could be trimmed to fit whatever role I was going to play.
Four years ago I was hired as an actor on the HBO series "Deadwood". I signed a contract that stated I would not Shave or cut my hair for the duration of the season.
My hair went from mid length to shoulder that first season.
After the first season wrapped, I had my hair cut back to mid length for the summer movie season. I let my hair re grow thinking I would be long again when the second season of "Deadwood" started. Alas I was not rehired for the second season.
I was about to get my hair cut again when I landed a role in an Independant film. The movie was about a hair salon for homeless people. I signed a contract stating I would not shave or cut my hair til after the priemere. I thought the film would take a couple of month to shoot and at most 6 month of post production. We just started our third year of filming (spurratic shooting schedual due to financial difficulties). Needless to say, I couldn't break the contract. My hair is mid back and still growing and it looks like we may have another 6-12 months of shooting still to go with another year or two of post. Looks like my hair could be waste length by the time this film make it to the screen.
Interesting enough is the amout of work I am getting with the long hair and long beard. With the mid length hair I was pulling 1-2 shoots per month. With the total wild man look I'm pulling 1-2 shoots per week.
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That's one I haven't heard before. Long hair because of contractual obligation. Thanks for sharing your story.
David. You are most welcome. One the contract has expired I don't think I'll be going bact ot short hair.
Kailongbeard
Me? Well, I haven't really grown my hair a lot (5 months), but the reason I all of a sudden decided to grow it out was because I have had short -- not a crew cut, but short -- hair my entire life and I felt like a change. I also have a weird sense of wonder and fascination about the Middle Ages, and since my hair is of good quality (multiple people have said I have nice hair), I decided to start growing it out, trying to attain a just past shoulder because I thought I'd enjoy it. So far I have and am, and this is a point when it's been misbehaving! I guess I won't hate it!
Me? Well, I haven't really grown my hair a lot (5 months), but the reason I all of a sudden decided to grow it out was because I have had short -- not a crew cut, but short -- hair my entire life and I felt like a change. I also have a weird sense of wonder and fascination about the Middle Ages, and since my hair is of good quality (multiple people have said I have nice hair), I decided to start growing it out, trying to attain a just past shoulder because I thought I'd enjoy it. So far I have and am, and this is a point when it's been misbehaving! I guess I won't hate it!
I first began to take an interest in longhair in the town of Hinesville, Georgia or Fort STewart, when I saw my first longhaired boy.
I just started growing it from that day, however our parent's moved to my mother's hometown of Holland, Michigan. I was determined to grow my hair, but as it grew it looked worse an worse, eventually I cut it as I got tired of it. My hair stayed short till November of 2003 when I went back to Jail for a probation violation. I was sentenced to 11 months with 4 months already served, early 2003. In jail you don't really have the money for hair cuts. However towards the end of my sentence after serving about 5 months, I began to remember the website about long hair growth and I looked it up when I got out.
From there I vowed to let my hair keep growing as a sign of change. Before I this, I would think nothing of stealing 100 dollars out of your bag or wallet. I destroyed other people's property and laughed in their face about it. I got into tons of fights with other kids. I even was selling drugs in my local high school.
All that has changed I moved to new york City and have never looked back. While I don't make a lot of money I think moving and growing my hair was worth it and has established maturity and stablity in my life.
thats a very inspirational story, I wish mine were as cool, I am just a 18 yr old dude who just so happens to like music where the bands have long haired members (from fusion/jazz/thrash metal)
About five years ago, I discovered a genre in music I had not heard of before. It was metal. Metal had (and has) a defiant attitude, and because I was (and still am :D) a young lad, that spoke to me. As most of you know, there are more longhairs in the metal scene than anywhere else. I liked the long haired guys right away, but I hadn't totally fallen in love with the idea of long hair. Only 2.5 years ago, I thought "I think long hair looks great! Why not grow it myself?" and that's where I took off. I told my parents about my plans to grow my hair and found no resistance. Since then I have been growing my hair with pride.
Simple.
I didn't like how I looked and felt with short hair and, one day in the year 2000, I made the decision to grow it out.
It is a decision I've never regretted, not even for a brief instant. - Reinhart
Well, I´ve always thought thst long hair is really cool and good looking. For years I´ve dreamed about having long hair, and six months ago I finally decided to start growing. I´m also a huge fan of metal. I´ve played guitar for five years and I plan to actually make a career in music. Music and metal is a huge part of me and my life of course, I want the typical metal hair.
Because I like it. No other reason, really. I feel weird with short hair.
I like the feel, and the look that it gives me. I look a lot older, and wiser with long hair. Oh and of course to head bang...aha. some say that its sad that I'm growing my hair out to be able to headband but its not like its a life changing decision...hair comes and goes and I feel growing it and caring for it shows character and patience.
Honestly, it's inspired by the music that I listen to. I'm into a lot of heavy metal genres so it just seems like a natural fit. Headbanging with short hair just doesn't feel right. Plus, I just like the way that long hair looks.
Ive had long hair since i was 13 and recently cut it,Im 26 years old and deeply regrett it,so im growing it back out now,its about 3 inches all around. The reason i had and want long hair is because it is just me,who i am. Alot of the things that i research and study which are Occult,Mythology,Mysticism exc may have some sort of influence,aswell as my love for Metal music and Medieval weaponery exc...It's just who i am. lol
Derek