new thread
Hi,
I'm a newbie and recent convert from severe crew cuts. I found this forum and appreciate this space of freedom from the dictates of a certain "retro" fashion. I hated haircuts as a kid!
My name is Anthony Chadwick, English and living in France. I last cut my hair about three months ago, and I have made the decision to go for long hair. I am very encouraged that there are communities for guys to support each other and exchange information. I have the whole way to go from 3-inch hairs on all parts of my head. I ought to do OK as I’m not balding and have straight thick hair, very grey but it’s all there.
Here's the tiny amount of progress so far:
http://civitas-dei.eu/20140120crown.jpg
and
http://civitas-dei.eu/20140120profile.jpg
There are quite a few longhairs here in France. It's a fairly free country in this way. Only today, I saw a man in his 70’s with a little bun doing his shopping in the supermarket, and I thought he was very courageous.
I am married, and the decision came from my wife’s question about when I was going to get a haircut. I said “No, I’m going to grow it”. She took it well, but I didn’t say how long I would go. My present idea is to go to about between the shoulder blades, good ponytail and bun length.
There it is. I work as a translator, mainly in technical fields and industry. I have interests like sailing, cycling, DIY, gardening and reading. I won't be writing here very much, but I'll keep looking in now and again.
And I'll send some more pictures when my hair gets a little more respectable...
My website
Welcome Anthony. As I'm sure you know, you'll find a wealth of advice and support here.
Your all-grey hair looks quite good, in my opinion. I;m looking forward to seeing how it looks as it gets longer.
Chris
Hi Anthony,
Welcome to the board! You have come to the right place for much inspiration in growing your hair! It is very nice to hear France has many long haired guys! I do believe your nice gray hair would look awesome at shoulder blade length!
I must say you remind me of your fellow countryman David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Here is a pic of him with short hair. Rock that gray hair my friend!
Ted
Here he is with long hair as a young lad.
Welcome, Anthony! You've just increased the ranks of known ordained clergy in this group by 50%. We have a member who is an active Catholic priest in New Mexico, and I am a liberal rabbi working in a congregation here in Australia.
No doubt there is, as you observe, an element of retro fashion to a man wearing long hair in the year 2014 of the Common Era. But for a few of our members it goes much deeper; wearing long hair is something much deeper, an expression of their true selves, of the essence of who they are. I'm sure some of them will reply to your post. Me? The more time I go without cutting my hair, the more I agree and see myself as a Longhair who took fifty-some years to 'come out.' In any case, your thoughtful voice will be most welcome.
Enjoy your hair as it grows! Feel free to post updates, and to ask for advice here. All the best for a successful year ahead,
Don
Dear Don,
Thank you for your kind words. I am an Anglican chaplain in France with an independent Anglican church communion. I will be careful not to go "off topic", since I have experience with a sailing e-mail group in which some people showed considerable hostility to discussions about religion. I will avoid it here, but those who would like to discuss this subject are welcome to contact me privately.
I have written an article on my blog:
Various events has taken me back to my most profound instincts and feelings of when I was 12. To an extent, I was a child of my time (1971) but also I was obsessed with the notion of independence and freedom. One thing I needed to do was to sail the seas, which I now do only in a very limited way (my boat is very small) - and grow my hair like men in the 18th century (those who had natural hair, not a wig). I went through a time in my life when I was prepared to sacrifice my intimate feelings for a greater good. The longest I ever had my hair was when I was 16, touching the shoulders as you can see in a photo of me playing a church organ. Now, I'm going to go further than I have ever been, and too bad for any criticism I get.
I'll post a photo every 2 to 3 months, depending on how vigorous it all is. I look forward to being through the awkward stage, during which I'll have to wear a band on my head in the boat to stop it flying everywhere and getting caught in the pulleys.
For those interested in my blog, enjoy it.
Good wishes to you all,
Anthony
Ah, these guys are pretty tolerant of a little off-topic drift! You won't be flamed TOO loudly!
Enjoyed reading your blog and looking forward to you long hair journey!
As for religion, to the extent that religions take a position on hair or beard length or styles on men, of course, that is on topic.
Bill
I have read some lovely reflections by Eastern Orthodox priests. Look up "orthodox priest long hair" on Google. Look at pictures of their liturgies and you often see a well-groomed deacon or priest with a nicely done bun. For celebrating Mass or Liturgy, with the vestments, the hair does need to be tied up above the collar. However, some of their clergy wear their hair loose.
There are signs that the apparent condemnation of men's long hair by Saint Paul actually didn't refer to hair but behaving like a woman (!). It is altogether possible that Paul himself had long hair.
Many western priests also had long hair before the end of the 18th century.
Anthony
Now, I'm going to go further than I have ever been, and too bad for any criticism I get.
Absolutely Anthony! I wholeheartedly concur with this statement!
Ted
Good for you. I'm 59 years old now and my hair is now all
grey. I fully intend to keep my hair long and grey until the day I die.
Hi Anthony and welcome to MLHH!
I wish you well on your long hair journey, I think you will do fine!
I know how you feel...I too always hated haircuts!
Take care and please keep us updated..
The Spaf Man
Hi Anthony - Welcome to this board of diversity = a grey, longhaired, seafaring, Christian living abroad = YAY !!! ... great website: ( btw ) ... you seem to have a grand life: ( life is what we make of it ) ... I have no doubt you will achieve your goal, & then some ... cheers CEM. :O)
Hi Anthony,
It looks like you've got what it takes to grow a great mane: Dense, thick hair! Just stay away from scissors, and you'll get there!
Welcome to MLHH,
Bill
Thank you for the kind words. I'm very lucky at 55. I'm curious to see what it will be like in 3-4 months, the length I had it when I was 20. It might not be quite as thick as it was then, but it's not bad. You have the right idea - no cutting for any reason!
I'm following the good advice. Gentle washing and conditioner, and getting into the good habits I didn't have with a crew cut!
Anthony
Welcome Anthony!
I can relate to your wife woes as it regards to her dislike of long hair. It seems like a topic that is had every few days in my house!
It looks like you've gotten a good start to your journey. Welcome to the board and I hope you can find encourage and assistance here!
-Tommy
Many thanks for the kind words. You are a sweet looking lad, and - judging by the photo - you have about what I had when I was 20 or so. It used to fall in front of my face. It just needed to be grown, but my mother wanted it to be cut each time.
I took our dog out into the garden this morning and the wind was blowing quite hard. For the first time in more than 30 years, I saw hair moving at the edge of my peripheral vision. First signs... I'll probably be wearing a head band to go sailing or cycling this summer, and perhaps by next winter I might be ready for a hair band for a little tail!
Last night, my wife seemed to enjoy feeling the hair on the back of my head, and I thought that was a good sign. She talked about trimming to equalise the lengths - but I want no scissors anywhere near my hair for more than a year. Then I'll see to any split ends and the shape of what goes between my shoulder blades. I'm not sure she has really understood that I'm going to mid back length and not some "page boy" affair. Fortunately, hair grows slowly, and she'll get used to it. My side of the bargain will be twice-weekly washing and conditioning and constant combing - which I'll be doing anyway. I have plenty of "political capital" to keep her scissors away from my head!
I have read quite a few stories on this forum, and I know what I want - and I'm sticking to it. I look forward to knowing how she will take my hair being longer than hers (hers is just above the shoulders and very frizzy).
Best wishes,
Anthony
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Web site
Hey, Anthony
Let me say you aren't graying you are whitening and white long hair are great.
If I remember correctly it was a ideal of beauty "a fiew years ago" and they used white wigs to achieve that look.
- Christian
I have seen some very good site for women with grey and white hair. For us men too. I wouldn't dye my hair any more than cut it now. My wife dyes hers but likes my grey / white hair.
Anthony
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