new thread
Hey guys, it's been a long time since I've posted here. I see a few familiar names, so some of you may remember me. I may be moving out west this summer and wondering how I'll fit in, but before I get into that, just a quick recap on my long hair journey:
I started growing my hair out in 2003, so it's been ALMOST 10 years - a decade - I can't believe it! Pretty much all of my 30's have been spent with long hair. It took about a year and half for it to actually look long enough for me to consider myself a longhair though, and tie it back in a ponytail. I've only had about 3 or 4 trims in all that time but my hair's terminal length seems to be mid-back and it's kind of thin and limp. Oh well.
I've had a goatee since I was 19, and for a while in my early 30s I had a neatly trimmed full beard. About 16 months ago, I decided to stop shaving, so now I have a fairly long beard. It's got a few gray hairs in it (I'm 39, so I guess it's time to expect that). The hair on my scalp does not have any gray though. With the long hair and beard, I look like a hippie, a lumberjack, or a homeless man (depending how messy my hair and beard are).
In preparation for moving out west to British Columbia, I'm once again working on losing weight, this time I'm keeping it off for good. When I get to my goal weight, or near to it, I thought it would be good to go for a really radical transformation. Not wanting to cut my hair short, or have a shaved head, and also not wanting to totally shave my beard, I thought a good compromise would be to trim my beard to a shorter (6-8 week length) and maybe shape the edges neatly. And then maybe trim my hair to shoulder length, so I can still tie it back in a ponytail.
Just wondering how that look would go over in either Vancouver BC or Victoria BC? Should I leave my hair and beard as they are now, or trim the beard and go for a new look and go for shoulder length hair?
I lived in Vancouver, BC back in the early to mid 1990s, but I wasn't into long hair at that time, so I did't notice how many guys had long hair. Plus, that was 20 years ago (OMG I feel old)! and things could have changed. I'm thinking Vancouver is a bit more conservative than Victoria out on the island (but not Toronto or NYC or even LA conservative with short hair and clean shaven faces). But I don't think it's as hippie oriented as Nelson BC. Or as long-hair friendly as the United States Pacific North-West, or even Colorado. Overall, I think the west coast (except So. Cal) is pretty long-hair and beard friendly.
But, anyone got any recent experience in either Vancouver BC or Victoria BC? I'm kind of leaning towards moving to Victoria and am REALLY hoping I can work from home so I don't have to conform to an office dress code and hair length. In any case, I'm sure either city will be more long hair and beard friendly than where I live now in the Toronto area (and previously in the Montreal area which was a bit more long hair friendly). This place just doesn't have the right vibe and I feel like I'm meant to be out west, so that's where I'm going. Thanks! :)
Looking superb Peter! Great to hear from you again.
- Oren
Thanks! I took that pic just before posting - my hair was desperately due for a detangling and washing. After I took that pic I put coconut oil in my hair and beard. Still in, 11 hours later. I've detangled and am about to go wash it now.
And I'm working on losing weight too, so I should look even better this summer! Just not sure if I should trim my hair and beard a bit, or leave them as they are. Part of it will depend how the long hair and long beard "scene" is in Victoria and Vancouver.
I would vote to leave the beard and hair the way they are.
Thanks, I'd like to leave them too, the long hair for sure. I might trim the beard to a more manageable length though, and it should draw less attention to the gray hairs that are starting to appear.
Hopefully in Vancouver or more likely, Victoria, I won't be the only guy with long hair and a long beard (or even a short beard). Around here, north of Toronto, I tend to stand out.
I'd suggest keeping the beard for those very cold days that you
have in Canada. Down here we get a taste of that frigid cold
air delivered by those strong north winds.
Where I live now, it gets cold. In Victoria and Vancouver, it doesn't get as cold. I'll probably still have a beard in some form - might trim it a bit. I've had facial hair (usually a goatee) since I was 19, so that's 20 years now. Half my life. And sidburns since I was 17.
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Your hair and beard look great together, Peter. You ought to just let them grow. If you want a less conservative place to live, consider the San Francisco bay area. Lots of longhairs live here. We are very longhair friendly here.
Scott
Thanks Scott! I'd love to live in the Bay area, but I don't have US citizenship. However, as a Canadian I can spend up to 6 months a year in the US without a visa. If I live on the west coast of Canada, around Vancouver or Victoria, it would less than a day's drive to San Francisco. A friend of mine goes to Berkley occasionally on business and told me I'd love it there. If I can work from home, and not have to report to a conventional job, it would be easy to go between the US and Canada.
I'd love to keep the long hair and long beard. On one hand, I thought it would be nice to change things up a bit when I lose some more weight. But, if I move, nobody will know me anyways, so no need to go for a new look. But if I did, I might go for shoulder length hair, so I can still tie it back in a ponytail, and trim the beard to a more manageable 2 month length. My beard is starting to show gray hairs, but I always promised myself I would go with it when the gray started coming out. And I can't bear the thought of going clean shaven.
In any case, whether I be in Vancouver or Victoria BC, or anywhere along the US west coast from central California or anywhere north of it, I get the feeling long hair and long beards are more accepted. Southern California seems to go against this trend from what I know. But any of those places have to be a lot less conservative than the Toronto area where I live now.
Around here, I rarely, if ever see guys with long beards, and only occasionally see guys with long or longish hair. Short hair and clean shaven, or a 1 week stubble is the norm. Besides myself, I don't think I've ever seen a guy with long hair AND a long beard around here, so I definitely stand out. I just want to be myself, but don't want to draw attention to myself, so living in an area where guys with long hair and long beards, or just beards in general are accepted and seen often is where I want to be. And of course, for the nicer weather! I'm so sick of long, cold snowy winters and lake effect snow.
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I hope all works out for you, moving out west. A lot of rain falls in Vancouver with some snow. I would like to meet you someday. There is a big longhair party in SF near the end of September. This may interest you. 30 to 40 longhair guys show up for this. Just drop me an e-mail regarding this for further details.
Scott
I hope all works out for you, moving out west. A lot of rain falls in Vancouver with some snow. I would like to meet you someday. There is a big longhair party in SF near the end of September. This may interest you. 30 to 40 longhair guys show up for this. Just drop me an e-mail regarding this for further details.
Hey Scott, yeah I know Vancouver gets a lot of rain. Better the rain than snow though! I lived in Vancouver for 4 years in the early and mid 1990s, so I know what it's like. But not Victoria, which is more where I'm leaning to go. They get a bit less rain too.
The longhair party in SF sounds great! This might be a bit of a stretch for this year, as that's when I'll be moving. but I'll see. If not, then next year!
Well I think your hair and beard look great like that your hair is long and loose in the pic a great look for you, really nice hair and your beard wow nice.
Tom(Hairboy) Cincinnati
Thanks Tom! I like it too, but the really long beard gets in the way sometimes so I may go for a shorter beard. And I like to keep my hair down and loose whenever possible.
Should I leave my hair and beard as they are now, or trim the beard and go for a new look and go for shoulder length hair?
Hi Pete - in 'IMHO' ... do not touch ur hair = I love it !!!
+ only trim your beard if u need to for career & livelihood reasons: ( no point having a beard & being destitute ) = other wise just move to a place where u can be free to be yourself - happily ... cheers CEM :O)
I may trim the beard a bit for both career reasons (unless I can work 100% at home), and it would also make it easier to eat and drink. I love the look, but sometimes the long beard and moustache just get in the way. I shorter, 1-2 month length for the beard would be more manageable. And maybe trim the hair a couple of inches for maintenance. Haven't had a trim in years, some of the ends are looking a bit ratty.
That is one cool look dude!!
cheers