new thread
1. Are you happy or relatively happy with your hair RIGHT NOW?
2. Do you believe you will be happy with your hair WHEN you REACH YOUR GOAL?
3. Upon reaching your goal, if you were NOT happy with your hair
would you admit it? AND...
4. If you did not like your hair long, would you be willing to cut it? OR...
5. Would you keep your hair LONG because it took so long to reach your goal?
Thanks
-Happier than I've ever been.
-Absolutely
-I would admit it. There's no reason not to.
-BLASPHEMY, I SAY! ;)
-I'd likely cut it to a shorter length (seeing as my goal is waist), but still maintain the long look.
-James
No. My hair is naturally thin and fine and does not fit any 'look' I'd like to have. I don't think about it much so I don't think I qualify as actually disliking it, but I rarely do like it. It's just something on top of my head now.
It's been about 2 years since I realised my hair probably wasn't going to turn out how I wanted, but I did believe it best to wait and see how it looked once it grew some more, so the past tense of this question is true.
I just did :P
No, for 2 reasons. Firstly, I'd look worse with short hair, so a vanity based cut is out of the question. Secondly, I don't care for short hair and would rather keep long hair I neither like nor dislike than have short hair that suited me more.
I haven't had any sort of cut in 51 months, even though for at least the past 18 months I really ought to have had a trim to neaten it up and keep it healthy. But I have a thing with 'streaks', and hate to break them. I don't think I'd be able to break the hair streak until the 5 year mark, regardless of how well I know I should go for a trim.
I don't know what the future holds. The longest part of my hair currently stretches a couple of inches past my hips, but due to the thin ends it's not a length I'm likely to keep it at once my 5 year goal is reached. If/when I cut I reckon I'll go to mid-back and go from there.
Some interesting questions there :)
YES!
I HAVE reached what makes me happiest of all.
Sure, I would admit it.
If I didn't like long hair I would not have let it grow long for almost my entire life.
No way. I keep my long hair because I myself like it. :-)
Yes
I believe I will be happy.
Absolutely. I don't think there is anything wrong with not liking how your hair turned out. I would most definitely admit it.
I wouldn't be willing to cut it, I'll be willing to shave it all off!
Not really. That seems absurd to me. I don't really care how much time I invested in it. If I didn't like it I'll get rid of it.
Good survey Ladsworth!
Yes, I think so.
Yes, I think I would admit it
If I did not like it, and thought cutting would help, I would cut back in small increments, rather than do a wholesale buzzcut slaughter. I did that once before and regretted it for years until I grew it back
I don't think I would keep my hair long just to spite myself.
Jim
Relatively, yes. Thicker and longer would be nice.
Yes, if I can ever figure out just what my goal is.
Sure, why not.
Yep.
Not if I wasn't happy with it.
(FYI, This is my first post on the hyperboard although I've been lurking here all fall. I have had long hair in the past so I'd like to answer too. I've been working on an introductory post but that will have to wait a day or two until I can take a picture of my hair as it is now.)
Not really, I'm beginning to get into the awkward stage.
Yes
I don't worry so much about that but more than I probably will tire of it after a period of time, which could be years. But yes, certainly.
Yes. I have done it before.
Because it takes so long, I would keep it long until I was absolutely sure I wanted it cut. At least the "two-week rule" if not longer before making that decision.
Great questions.
Chris
Relatively, Both LONGER and THICKER would be nice, and possibly a bit straighter
I would be delighted to reach my goal of waist length (or LONGER!)
It would be hard to admit it, but I probably would
I would keep it, due to the fact that I went through this before and regrettted cutting!
David
REALLY, really good questions, Luckskind. They go to the heart of what I consider to be the real "lessons" that growing your hair long can teach you. (Not that growing your hair has to teach you anything, but it certainly has been a deep learning experience for me).
And, it's a great place for me to share with the board what I did this past summer.
I grew my hair long for the first time in my life in 2000. This past summer, 2007, I found myself continually wondering what it would feel like to have short hair again. So, using the same approach as when I grew it out (it's my hair--I can do what I want with it), I got it cut fairly short (about 3 inches all over). The picture I sent last week was about the length it was when I got it cut.
Now, to answer Luckskinds question.
I am very pleased with my hair at its current length (by the way, I'm growing it back out. It hasn't been cut since August). And, I enjoyed it short in August and September. I learned some things.
1) It's far more work to take care of my hair short than long.
2) I really like having long hair.
3) NO regrets for cutting it. I really did enjoy that short period of short hair, and it helped me see some things.
4) The IDEA of keeping my hair long can become an oppressive idea--just as oppressive as the idea that men must have short hair. I am interested in remaining free of all oppression!
I have learned that I like my hair as it is, right now. Right now, it's long enough to be in the "awkward" stage, but interestingly, it doesn't look bad at all. Honestly, I think that's a matter of attitude, AND that I know what long hair is supposed to feel like and how it acts, and so this in between period of growing my hair back out really isn't bad--at all.
I was happy with my hair long. I was happy with it short. I am happy with it now. I will be happy with it long again. I like my hair. Good thing. It's the only hair I am going to get!
I think that by next summer, if my estimates are correct, I will have length enough to do a ponytail and half ponytail.
Hoping you are all happy with your own hair,
Bob
Hey Bob,
The cool thing about reading your story here is that I am 100% convinced that you know how to have FUN in life, --- including having fun with trying out different lengths and styles w/ your own hair!!!
There are a few things I miss about short hair (although not much - lol)....
Here's some things that come most quickly to mind when my own hair was last short (or at least, shortER):
1) I sometimes miss the quick "wash & go" of showering with shorter hair;
2) whenever it's hot weather, it's truly tests anyone's dedication as a longhair!
3) Although i NEVER want a buzzcut again (had too many of those forced on me as a kid - lol), I do actually miss the "awkward stage" sometimes, --- it was easier to head-bang (lol)!!
I guess that's about it, though... In any case, it was an enjoyable read to hear about your experience last summer!
Take care, Bob.
- Ken
1. Are you happy or relatively happy with your hair RIGHT NOW?
Yes, I am. My only regret is that I didn't start growing my hair until the ripe old age of 25 (;-) I should have started sooner.
2. Do you believe you will be happy with your hair WHEN you REACH YOUR GOAL?
3. Upon reaching your goal, if you were NOT happy with your hair
would you admit it? AND...
Oddly enough, I don't have a specific hair goal. I let my hair do what it naturally does.
4. If you did not like your hair long, would you be willing to cut it? OR...
5. Would you keep your hair LONG because it took so long to reach your goal?
I'm a card carrying member of the longhair for life club.
Ed
It's great to read all these honest responses. We need to be honest with the way we
feel about our hair as well as everything else if we want to be truly happy.
Well, yes, I am especially happy with my hair now that I am
wearing it in a new style. I call it a doubletail but it probably has other names.
It's easy to do: First make a half-tail and then grab all the
rest of your hair and make a regular tail. It's a great way to
control those loose hairs. Also, hair looks better going in
two directions (some toward the half tail and some toward the
regular tail) instead of one. More variations in texture and
color can be revealed. Try it and post a pic!
Yes, I reached my goal (waist length) and then I got a trim (which I didn't
need as I have no split ends after 6 years).
Yes, and I did something about it: tried a new style. Payoff: I am getting more nice compliments on my hair than ever before!
Yes.
I would have LOTS of second thoughts about cutting it because once cut it would take a long time to grow back.
1. Are you happy or relatively happy with your hair RIGHT NOW?
...~I am disgustingly pleased with myself !
2. Do you believe you will be happy with your hair WHEN you REACH YOUR GOAL?
...~Yup...If !!
3. Upon reaching your goal, if you were NOT happy with your hair
would you admit it? AND...
...~Yup...
4. If you did not like your hair long, would you be willing to cut it?
...~a lot of years have gone into this journey, so that would be a hard decision to make...
5. Would you keep your hair LONG because it took so long to reach your goal?
...~likely
Thank You Luckskind
WWT
Sure.
I never had a 'goal length'.
Yep.
I'd cut it without much thought or regret.
Hair is not that important to me. I had short hair before and someday I will have short hair again.
No.
I don't even know when my last hair cut was, I think about 4 years ago but I'm not sure. I just stopped getting haircuts. I had no plans to "grow it out".
For me, hair was never part of my identity.
Gary
Until the day my hair drags along on the ground, picking up discarded candy wrappers, old chewing gum, and fallen leaves and other sidewalk and garden debris, I will NOT, I repeat: I will NOT be happy!!
No. Because by then, I'll want my hair to be even LONGER!!!
No. I never admit to anything that I am in complete denial about! I am Cleopatra's great great great great great great great grandson, twice removed; but, put back in place by her unfound will, anyway. So, since I'll eventually inherit property along de Nile, since she was Queen in that part of the world, I will most likely soon start my own 12-step program, called: "Hair-length-aholics Anonymous" (AKA: "HA!"). I'm still in denial about that, though...
Would the Pope ever leave the Catholic church? Would George Bush ever become a Democrat? Will Tom Cruise ever openly announce his marriage to another man?
OF COURSE!!!!!
You're welcome, Luckskind!!
1. Not really but its the hair I was born with so I guess I
will have to live with it.
2. Same as above.
3,4 &5. Irrelavent.
Damn straight I am . . . that, to the first four queries in your questionnaire. To the final and fifth one? Since I'm slowly, ever-so-patiently albeit anxiously inching towards my former longhair'd magnificence of three years ago, I know that I'll be pleased w/ my goal of belt-length hair.
Heck, I cannot even IMAGINE wott it'd be like iffen I found it distasteful to my personal aesthetic. Yeesh. And Oi've got a feverish imagination, much like, say, H.P. Lovecraft had, but w/o the penchant for a nutritionally-exempt, modernday junk food diet!
Ace questionnaire, Mister L-Squared! Hope ya had a wonder-fill'd Christmas and may all your most-wish'd-for goals be achieved in aught eight and beyound!
Keepin' it long in longhair'd camaraderie,
Quenyan (Rick)
I am reasonbly happy with it. It would be nice to have
coarse strong hair instead of fine fragile hair.
I am at my goal. My hair reaches the tops of my knees.
Calf length would be nice but is unrealistic.
possibly
Possibly unless a loved one wanted me to keep it long.
Yes, since it takes 6 years to grow 3 feet of hair.
I really have no plan to ever cut my hair and intend to
keep it long for the remainder of my life.
Scott
I know this was aimed at the guys, but I'll play, too.
Vanity, vanity...
No, neither am I unhappy with it. For the present I merely tie it back every day and completely forget about it. Unsure whether I will care about it in the future either. I compromised on my cut length since I don't know which way I will prefer if I do care about hair again. Will I be disheartened that I cut so much off, or will I rush out and finish the job I started earlier?
I reached my goal (ponytail length) and surpassed it merely by mindlessly following the example of others here without really considering what looked best on me. I may not be sure of what I do want but the length that I had was too long for me.
Been there done that. After much consideration I did realize I was embarrassed by my hair when it was so long(!!)
This painful realization continues in question 4...
I did cut back to a length that didn't seem so extreme on me. I am usually moderate in all things and the hair certainly didn't fit that aspect of me at all.
I did that for a long time , riding on inertia and fear of the types of stories of people being depressed after cutting it off. After awhile it didn't matter I had to cut it shorter because I didn't like what I saw any longer
Yes to the first three but I don't know to the last two as
I can't really imagine those as I've been so content for so
many years. Even as my hair grays I still like it.
Although I can't imagine it being so bad i would want
to cut it I would possibly consider it I think. I remember
when once I shaved my goutee and stach looked in the mirror and
thought "How Ugly" Grew it back immediately. So if I were
to get my hair cut I think it would be a similar experience
but the hair doesn't grow back as fast as the beard.
At the end of it I have long hair because I like it on me
not to please anyone else or get me dates or in bed with someone.
Kevin
Very much.
Yes, although I don't have a definite goal in mind.
Yes, but I can't imagine not being happy with my hair.
Sure, if I didn't like it long. But the question doesn't apply to me.
Only if I continued to like it.