So, earlier I posted a thread about hair boys and said I'm pretty sure I'm the hair boy at my school. I've been growing my hair for just over five years now.
U have beautiful hair! !
In 1985-86, while enrolled at a local government high school I was one of only 3 "hair boys" out of around 300 guys who had hair to the shoulders or longer. All of the others had hair no longer then collar length and most were worn even shorter. The 1980's really sucked big time. Bad taste in fashion, music and hair was common and narcissism and greed was in. I call it the decade of camp. Being a very tiny minority we longhaired guys not surprisingly, had more then out fair share of female attention! I'm seeing more and more teenage age guys with longer hair now then 10-15 years ago. It is good to have at least a few practitioners of long hair farming defiantly carrying the a-light torch for long hair to remind others that long hair on men has never died out completely since the Beatles and David Bowie started the trend for longer hair in the faraway dreamtime of the early 1960's.
cheers,
Duncan
Good response Duncan. There were a couple courageous men even in the 1940s with longer hair. But the 1980s was a bummer when most men (even friends of mine) followed the crowd and went for the scissors. I remember in the winter, while my friends ears were freezing, mine were warm. The blind always follow the blind!
Protect your head
Hi Duncan,
I find that interesting what you mentioned about the 1980s as here in the US I recall the emergence of "Hair Bands" aka Heavy Metal out into the mainstream for many years.Of course I was already out of the public school system so I don't know what was going on with the "in" crowd then.However I went to many rock clubs and saw an abundance of longhaired guys there:)We actually were the majority in the room!It was a beautiful sight seeing so many guys with great manes that were very well taken carer of.Sadly when the 1990s came it seemed longhair was falling out of favor with the masses when the music scene started to move towards Grunge and that Seattle sound.Needless to say I less frequent clubs now but if I do go to an occasional concert today the crowd is so boring in their appearance.But I will never forget the 80s which boosted my desire to grow my hair long at the time:)
Mark
Well Mark, it is good that you had a good time in the 1980's and I do remember the hair bands too. The social trend towards rigid conservatism in my opinion started around 1984, when I noticed more and more people dressing conservatively and wearing their hair short. 1983 in Australia was in my opinion the last year of the 1970's. This I think also had something to do with the alarm and hysteria of a new disease called AIDS or what was then dubbed "the gay plague". Many people got scared and started to embrace so-called conservative values which included conformity.
There was this trend in my high school and community towards wearing neo-1950's cloths and hairstyles amongst many people of my age group. ( I was born 1970) Also where I lived was in general conservative but what Americans would call liberal conservatives. (ie intelligent conservatives, not rednecks/bogans)
The only thing I miss about the 1980's is it's widespread optimism, boom times, and the partying that went on. And some great TV show comedies. A lot of hair metal bands seemed to want to look like women by wearing makeup, hairdos and adopting an androgynous appearance which didn't exactly endear them to me as a role model. And yes some of the music was good but a lot was utter nihilistic soulless rubbish.
From the mid 1990's through to around 2008 there was very few guys wearing long hair and it was a mediocre decade culturally.
cheers,
Duncan
Hi Duncan,
Very interesting your perspective of the 1980s but for one I was already out out school so I'm not sure what trends were being followed then.I just was enjoying my freedom from public school and just embraced the heavy metal scene during that time.Yes I do know of those Glam Metal bands you speak of but the look was cool in my eyes.Poison, Ratt,and even an obscure one,Vinny Vincent to name some that come to mind.Even Kiss was like that during the 80s when they shed their costumes that made them famous for a few years.I remember my stint as a roadie for a local metal act as I was the drum technician.LOL.I never got into the politics of the day as that wasn't my thing then.Anyway I'll always have very fond memories of that decade:)Cheers
Mark
ps: I'm including a pic of the band I worked for as I was one of their biggest fans before they asked me to work for them.They gave me the autographed pic when I was offered the job:)
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Hey Mark, cool photo! I just saw Poison (and New York Dolls and Motley Crue) a few months ago. I saw Ratt (and Scorpions) last year. I remember the name Vinny Vincent, but no tunes come to mind (was he mainly on the East coast?). Also saw Saxon a couple yrs ago -- I saw somewhere else that you went to their show too.
I remember the 80's for being metal and hair bands, androgyny and bright colored super tight clothes, hot rods and parties that went all night. :) I remember a lot of guys growing their hair long during that period. :) :) :)
Hi Laura,
Glad you like the old vintage photo of the band I worked for.That certainly was a cool time to be into the club scene as the hair bands were rampant!LOL.You may have remembered Vinny Vincent as the Vinny Vincent Invasion as that is what I recall his band being named.You are correct about Saxon as I just saw them back in October at BB Kings Blues Club in NYC.
Oh yes, how I remember how longhairs were the majority whenever you went to a rock club:)Most dressed like the guys in the bands too!LOL.Would be nice if that era could return unless it's alive and well in another country.
Mark
Mark, what about Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, AIC, and Mudhoney?
IIRC they all had long hair at the time
the bands you may be mistaking for grunge were those mid-1990s nerdy pop-punk bands which emerged in the wake of Kurt Cobain's death.
bands such as Weezer with their super short cropped haircuts dressed in what I would describe as nerdy fashion(check out the video to 'the sweater song' for reference) and the music
was often nerdy as well.
the buzzed/shaved look seemed to coincide at the time
seeing guys with buzzcuts, flattops and short business cuts on those bands were of no interest to me. the music wasn't either!
you are correct though that there seemed to be a lot more long haired guys during the 1980s.
I think Rock musicians should look the part and not get haircuts at all!
Duncan,
I know exactly what you are referring to and it was not only the guys, but the girls too. many girls sporting hairstyles even much shorter than the one Molly Ringwald wore in 16 candles!
the 1950s clothing styles and one good example was the traditional button-down oxford shirt and chinos among other which made teens look like strict conformists emulating older yuppie types which was something I definitely WAS not!
the girls of that era as grown women went back to embracing longer hairstyles, but unfortunately many of the guys did not and some are probably sporting buzzcuts now.
Great hair Dylan, go from the hair boy to the hair man and keep it growing!! Ian
Without any shadow of a doubt, that is absolutely gorgeous long hair at its best. Thanks for sharing this photo of 100% inspiration for all.
Justin~
Hair boy, perhaps. More like a hair god, if you ask me. I suspect a lot of other guys at your school are totally envious of you, whether they admit it or not.
Dylan, your hair is hands down fabulous so don't ever accept anything different said about it because if there ever was it's out of pure jealousy!Awesome:)
Mark
Well, "Dylan" (I assume that it is not your real name)...you stated earlier this year that you were 18...I thought you were about 21 and in college...which is it?
Um, I'm 18...and in college. That does happen, you know.
NICE! Your hair looks thick, smooth, and well cared for. Beautiful! And, technically, you are the hair *man* since 18 is legally an adult! :) Thanks for sharing!
You have great hair, Dylan! Thanks for the post.
You are a troll, unless the link below is you, I'd stop posting pics of this guy without permission.
This
Nope...it's me.
Dude....your har looks awesome......
your coach is wrong!!!!!
Joe
I am wondering about your time in New York? What was the name of that hotel?
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I am guessing waist length. 4 to 5 years is about how long it took me to reach that length. Kudos to you for growing such a magnificent mane, and in your teens. (I did not succeed in growing mine really long until my mid 40s.)
Scott
It's actually only halfway down my back. I'll have to post other pictures. Thanks ha ha. I started growing it at 13.
Hi Dylan,
I should apologize for my late reply to your post, just been busy the past few days. You have a truly outstanding head of hair, and from what I can see, it looks to be really thick and in good condition. By all means, keep it growing!
Keep it growing,
David
You look familiar. How's it going? Nice to see you somewhere else besides Flickr.