new thread
Hello guys!
I have been growing my hair for about 15 months now and my bangs are almost two inches below my chin when straightened.
My problem is this:
I can pretty much get all my hair into a ponytail, there is the occassional front hair that escapes but it generally all gets caught up in the hair.
Anyway, I am 16 and I go to school. I am the ONLY guy with long hair in my entire school (apart from about 2 with undercuts in lower years) I really want to start ponytailing my hair for practical reasons but I'm scared...This may sound silly but the thought of being brave enough to wear a tail around the school and be the subject of many cruel jokes really doesn't appeal to me...
What did you guys do when you first wore a tail?
I never had a problem, but my first time was in college, where pretty much anything goes. Before the recent style of really short hair for guys, it wasn't very unusual to see some guys with ponytails. There's nothing wrong with it for a guy, and I don't think you really have to worry about it so much. Also, people already see you with long hair.
Do you know any girls that like you with long hair? If guys see that a panytail gets you extra attention from girls, that should go a long way towards deflecting criticism.
Doug
As soon as its long enough-tail for me. If we must suffer then we'll suffer together. I still believe a tail looks exceedingly cool and cant wait. Anyway, if anyone makes fun at least your brave enough to grow it and dont feel like you have to be like everyone else.
My situation is a bit different from yours, but...
I had more jibes and "your hair's getting sort of long" comments while it was growing out. The first time I put it in a tail was basically a non-event. Same hair, wearing it differently. I encourage this attitude by wearinging it loose normally, occasionally (on a windy day, customer coming in) tying in a ponytail.
Go for it. After a couple of days, the smart mouths should start getting bored.
Hey, I'm also 16 and I'm entering the awkward stage after starting over (had an undercut) A few "trendy people" will make some jokes, but who cares what THEY think? They are some of the most ignorant people around simply saying/doing what MTV and the media says is cool. Don't worry about anyone else, just worry about yourself, If you are happy that is all that matters. There's not many of us younger longhairs (well for me, soon to be) so it's tough on some people. I never really cared though, I love standing out and I love the odd reactions from all the people at my school with their little buzzcuts and spiked hair styles.
i have had long hair for a little while now, and the harassment has mostly died down. i still enjoy being one of very few males in my school with longer hair, mostly because it drives people crazy.
stick with it. dont let others trample individualism.
if people continue to mock you in your respect of hair, then you must simply try to help them understand that they are wrong, and long hair is right.
i had to cut my hair because of a strict high school i went to, but i graduated in 2000, and i have not yet cut my hair (or shaved, or trimmed anything) this millenium. (and certainly do not plan to)
anyway, i personally do not care for pony tails as much as just letting it go free, and they are uncomfortable, but it is certainly better than cutting it. it seems to me that when guys keep their hair short, and especially when they shave, they are kind of being feministic, i mean, not totally, but i am just spilling my feelings about cutting hair.
so have a wonderful day. your name caught my attention. :)
Sorry, but I really can't agree with this. There is no wrong or right about the length of one's hair. Their attitude is what they need to consider.
true. and sorry for being unclear. i was just kind of explaining my feelings towards the huge percentage of people who really do consider long hair to be the "alternative" using really bad communication skills, and a little bit of humor. i would not ever try to actually make someone feel bad for having short hair, (although i really do believe it is best to have long hair) because i realize there are much more important things.
anyway, i was just trying to kind of convey a certain attitude of explanation, or something, i do not know, towards those who may be rude to someone because of his long hair, which i think (i may be wrong here) was the point of the original post. but i agree that attitude is important. happy hair. :)
this post makes sense. it is no more right for us to say short hair is wrong than it is for others to say long hair is bad. trying to force someone to adopt your own opinions basically does away with any credibility you may have had.
once again, sorry for the misunderstanding. i think i was just trying to say, in addition to my second post on this topic, that the only person who can determine whether what they do is "good or bad" (in areas of opinion like this one) is themselves. they get to choose what they want to do. so my point was that if he chooses he wants long hair, if someone else mocks him for it and says it is "foolish" or "stupid" or whatever they choose to use, they are wrong because the person whos hair it is is the one who determines if it is wrong or right. perhaps i should have written that "long hair is right, in THIS case".
i will try to explain with another example, should you care to read on. :) let us say someone acts silly and does really stupid things, like dress in weird costumes and skip through the halls at school, and everyone calls him "retarded" or "gay" (which i realize are probably offensive to other groups, but i have been called both, so please do not be offended by them), but the person doing those things does not believe himself to be so crazy, but simply feels like doing those things. in my humble opinion, because the things that they call him are subjective, (unlike the less subjective "atypical", which he really is) he can choose whether those things are true or not. so if he thinks he is perfectly "cool", his aggressors (is that a word?) are wrong in saying he is not.
or if, as you may have been hinting at, someone was ridiculed for having short hair. the opinionated things that he is called are not true because he is the one who decides if he is "cool" or not. it is his right, just as everyone has the right to decide if they are "cool", and only they are right about themselves.
i hope that clears up everything. and also, i am not too terribly concerned with credibility, as i am not really trying to persuade anyone of anything, but was rather trying to encourage another hairy person who is probably not too unlike myself.
later everyone. :)
i would hardly draw an analogy between a guy wearing a ponytail and someone acting or dressing outlandish-
the fact is- many people are not going to like long hair on a guy and a few of them will have no problem letting the longhair know about it. there may be one or two that will make cruel remarks about a ponytail- especially when you first wear one. that degrades them... and gets to you only if you let it.
think of it this way.. IF, as your post rightly suggests, you are the ultimate judge of what's cool on you- THEN should you also be the judge of whether or not someone else's opinion matters?
any person small minded enough to openly ridicule you because you choose to ponytail your hair has exposed a very unflattering fact about himself: he is a bigot. the best part is you don't even have to point it out as anyone with an ounce of brain power will be able to see that for themselves.
the only one he really ridicules is himself.
Hey Paddy, Since you have an endless
supply of hair at your age consider the
safe non-toxic hair gells. Get a non sticky
kind that you like the smell (queene hellene
clear) and after your shower try working
a handful in. After you get the front
glued in place you can put a goodie
tie in the back. Its a real low maintenance
situation as well and it will save you
from the constant preeming required when
it all doesnt fit into the pony tail.
If it gets messed up go into the restroom
and splash water on it. Use your fingers
to create a sort of dreadful look to
(you dont always have to use a brush dude)
You might find that you look like a real
guy to NOT mess with as well !
Good Luck