new thread
Hi, my name's Damon and I'm a hairoholic ...
The wig:
I'm new here ... and I would not have dreamt of being here only two years ago. I had short back and sides like most people.
It all started when I bought a cheap wig off eBay and wore it to the office Christmas party in 2009 just for fun. It was a sort of "emo" wig with blond streaks, longish with long bangs in front. It felt totally weird having hair hanging over my forehead and eyes ... but I liked it. Plus a few women told me it looked really good. I was actually loathe to take it off and go back to my real short-haired self after the party.
In fact, I liked the novelty of feeling longer hair so much I wanted to wear the wig for normal daytime ... but of course I couldn't. That would be creepy and it was pretty obvious it was a wig under daylight anyway. So I just had to return to work on Monday with my boring short hair.
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The problem:
Hmmm ... okay, I can't go round wearing a wig but how about having the real thing? I had quite longish hair as a kid but then had it short all through the 90s and 00s. A few years ago long hair had become fashionable again here in the UK but my hairline was receding and I figured it was too late to go back. I'd just have to have short hair for the rest of my life. Long hair was something I'd never have again.
I wanted long hair but one thing stopped me. I have quite a high forehead (which I hate) and I was scared of ending up looking like Max Wall if I let my hair grow long now. It was at that stage that I had always just given up and got a haircut again.
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The task:
But this time was different. I was going to be determined. I figured maybe if I was patient and grew my hair long enough (I have plenty on top) that the Max Wall problem would eventually be solved. Maybe ...
I have very fine hair (inherited from my mother) so that's a pain (I use volumising stuff to give it body). But on the plus side, it's basically straight with a slight wave (the way I like it) and it's still natural dark brown (no grey).
So I let it grow - no more haircuts. I got to the awkward stage. It looked kinda stupid sticking out over my ears. And the top was not growing nearly as fast as the sides - so it accentuated my forehead - the very thing I had been dreading. But this time I ignored it. People at home and work told me it looked awful and begged me to get a haircut. I ignored them too. Yeah, I knew it looked awful but I just wore a beanie over it and kept going. And going and going.
The wig had only been really long in the front; the sides and back were fairly shortish - over the ears. And my original plan had been to copy that style. But I loved the feeling of hair over my ears so much I just couldn't bear to cut even that bit off. So I thought to hell with it and let it ALL grow. I'm glad I did. It's now a lot longer than the wig.
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The result:
FINALLY ... after 20 months of no haircuts the patience paid off! I think it's looking good! The hair on top has finally grown enough to keep pace with that on the sides. My theory worked! No Max Wall look!
And guess what? NOW I'm getting compliments! A few people are still begging me to get a haircut - hey, there will always be conventional sheep around - but most have now stopped and some say how good my hair looks. What a change from a few months ago!
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My plan:
I know some people want REALLY long hair and I hope I don't offend anyone here (each to their own) but I don't think I want my hair much longer. I don't want it trailing down my back. And I hate ponytails - that would only bring me right back to square one and accentuate my forehead again.
It's a couple of inches below my shoulders right now and that's long enough for me.
And I LOVE it! Some friends have asked me if it bothers me having long hair. NO! I LOVE tossing my head to flick it out of my eyes - and feeling it blow over my face in the breeze like an anime character. It's a fabulous sensation - especially for someone who had given up on ever feeling it again. I wasted all those years with short hair not realising what I was missing - or at least too scared to go through with growing it long.
And boy, does real hair feel a lot nicer than a wig! There's no comparison. My real hair feels like silky rabbit fur and I can't stop running my fingers through it. And neither can my girlfriend!
Bonus: I'm into indie rock, industrial, EBM, aggrotech, etc. (Combichrist rule!). Long hair totally fits in with the crowd I hang out with outside work and with the way I dress. In fact, it's almost like a secret code when you meet people in the street. Awesome!
A surprise: A few months into my growing I was amazed to find that some of my hair was a bright ginger colour intermingled in the dark brown. Whoa! I'd forgotten that. I dimly remembered I had ginger streaks as a kid but I thought they'd gone forever when I became adult. It was always just a uniform boring brown when it was short. Goes to show: long hair is a lot more interesting too!
Damon
Hey Damon,
Wow, that was some post but I have to admit very thorough.lol.After reading you summary and looking at your picture I have to admit it was all worth it for you:)You endured the process,the negative comments,the dreaded awkward stage, but in the end you have a fantastic head of hair that you are content with.Sure it doesn't have to be down your back if that's not your goal.That's what great about having longhair being you can wear it at whatever length you desire.Thanks for you post and please do visit often my friend.Cheers
Mark
Thanks for the warm welcome, Mark. Yeah, I think I got carried away on the length of my post. I've been lurking for ages and had so much to say! Sorry!
Strangely, although I said I was happy at just past shoulder length, I like my hair so much I'm kinda loathe to cut it now. I might just let it carry on for a while. Unless they start nagging me at work. They've been fine so far but I don't want to stretch their patience! :)
I'm a great admirer of your own hair. I saw the pic of you on the bike ride in another post. Awesome!
Damon
Hi Damon, and welcome from another Brit! Wow, that's an epic tale of hair! Glad that it's come round to you achieving your goal and hope you continue you post and keep us informed - you may even decide that another couple of inches would be good, and that pony tails aren't too bad! Your hair looks great by the way and really suits you. Ian
Hi Damon,
I have to say, that is a truly incredible story, and gives us all no excuse to ever give in to negative remarks lol. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your story as you journeyed once again into the long hair kingdom :P
Here's to the great looking hair from another fellow Brit! (Ian, you beat me to it lol)
Kind Regards, James
That's a fine look - there is no need to grow a tail if you do not want one - the flowing look of what you have will be good.
Just one thing if you do not plan to grow it down you back, then thought will turn to trimming at some time. Be careful who you select to do it. Ensure that they do not suggest layering and that they understand what an 'inch' is if that is what you ask them to take off. There are many tails of people trust others with scissors and finding their trust misplaced.
Yeah, it'll have to be trimmed eventually ... but the thought of someone getting carried away scares me - which is one reason I keep putting it off. I'll be precise and I'll be watching them like a hawk. One false move and there'll be blood on the salon floor! :)
Damon
Damon,
Thanks for sharing your venture into the world of the longhair! It’s interesting to see one of our own who enjoys a median point, rather than growing it till you reach terminal length. It’s bloody excellent that your crowd outside of work (and your girlfriend) are fond of it, and that it strengthens your experience of community and individuality. : )
May your road take you where you’re meant to go,
Venya
Thanks Damon, for your long post. I'm a hairoholic too and have been for a long time. If it's not long hair on me, it's admiration of long hair on others.
You look good with your hair the way it is and it's fine if you don't grow it down your back or your ankles.
I have very fine hair too, likewise inherited from my mother with curls from my dad, and it has not grown past my shoulder blades after 19 years but that's OK.
I'm glad to hear that long hair is returning to the UK after a sort of haitus.
When I was a student in the UK throughout the 1970s, there were plenty of long hairs around to drool at and they wore their hair down. Pony tails had not come in yet.
Keep it up, bro!
Thanks for your encouragement, Charles.
> it has not grown past my shoulder blades after 19 years but that's OK.
Is that from choice (you cut it when it gets past that length) or because it stops growing any longer? My own hair is now a tad past my collar bone but I don't think I'll want it any longer than my shoulder blades when it gets that far anyway.
> I'm glad to hear that long hair is returning to the UK after a sort of haitus.
It's becoming huge - particularly among the under-30 crowd. But it's become fairly common among the older guys too. I see quite a few guys in their 50s or 60s with longer hair.
> When I was a student in the UK throughout the 1970s, there were plenty of long hairs around to drool at and they wore their hair down. Pony tails had not come in yet.
Ah yes! I hadn't thought of that. I was looking at some old photos of people in the 70s and loads of long hair but they all wore it loose - no ponytails.
Ponytails seem to defeat the ob ject to me. Where I work, the guys with shoulder-length hair wear it loose but the guys with longer hair have to put it in a ponytail. Yeah, they can leave it loose outside work but I'd rather have it only shoulder-length and leave it loose all the time.
Damon
Thanks for your encouragement, Charles.
> it has not grown past my shoulder blades after 19 years but that's OK.
Is that from choice (you cut it when it gets past that length) or because it stops growing any longer? My own hair is now a tad past my collar bone but I don't think I'll want it any longer than my shoulder blades when it gets that far anyway.
> I'm glad to hear that long hair is returning to the UK after a sort of haitus.
It's becoming huge - particularly among the under-30 crowd. But it's become fairly common among the older guys too. I see quite a few guys in their 50s or 60s with longer hair.
> When I was a student in the UK throughout the 1970s, there were plenty of long hairs around to drool at and they wore their hair down. Pony tails had not come in yet.
Ah yes! I hadn't thought of that. I was looking at some old photos of people in the 70s and loads of long hair but they all wore it loose - no ponytails.
Ponytails seem to defeat the ob ject to me. Where I work, the guys with shoulder-length hair wear it loose but the guys with longer hair have to put it in a ponytail. Yeah, they can leave it loose outside work but I'd rather have it only shoulder-length and leave it loose all the time.
Damon