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Are you a barber? You seem to know a lot about hair cutting and styles.
Hey, no, I'm not, although thats very flattering, thanx. Maybe in a past life, heh. Whenever I see something "different", I assess how it was cut or done. This is happening less and less often.
You have probably noticed that when you get down to it, There's only a few basic haircut prototypes, individual cuts just vary a little from each other when they are the same basic type. Most of the variation comes from styling, color, and hair texture.
I know a lot about haircuts because Peoria, IL is an EXTREMELY cosmopolitan town, all diferent kinds of people here, nothing is strange. And there is a huge amount of people in the music scene, primarily punk and nu metal, so You see a lot of Extreme styles. There are also people that think they are ravers, but they aren't, but nevertheless have raver styles. Plenty of low income people of all races.
I, my friends, and many other people change their hair cut, color, and style constantly, with the exception of color for me. I have never seen one that I would like, on account of my natural hair color and skin tone. I have tried sooo many different styles, many "normal's," clipper cuts, scissor cuts, thinning shears, bowl (undercut), buzz, fade, spikes of all different lengths, shapes, direction, styles, size, using wax, gel, shaving cream you name it, mohawks, long bangs, side burns, no sideburns, goatees,... Braids, pseudo-dreads, unintentionally (was in the hospital awhile).
Now I combine stuff I see with stuff I think of to make hairstyles I've never seen before.
Tried growing it all long but hated it, my hair is too thick, I can only stand having the top long, unless I grow it one length all over and spike it out...Say 3 inches all over, and then I can look like Pinhead =).
From having all these different styles and seeing so many on my friends and out, I know just exactly what to say when I go to the barber, and I learned about Hair types, blending, thinning, and the lengths each clipper cuts to, etc., and what most of them actually look like, since I have had #0-6 at some point in my teen years. Since they always do what I say at Hair Cuttery, and don't try to talk you out of it if they don't like it, (they don't care, they do "weird" cuts everyday, its urban Peoria) It always comes out how I wanted it to.
I think a lot of "bad haircuts" are the customers fault. If you come in knowing what to tell them, knowing clearly what you want, and even half-assed pay attention while they cut, this shouldn't happen. That is, if they do what you say. IFthey don't, and they pick something up you don't like, stop 'em and ask.
For example, Before a new haircut, I take a ruler and measure my hair, and figure out either how much I want cut off or how much I want left on. Decide what Clipper I want, lately #2 or #3, where to start the blend, what about bangs, sideburns, etc. This takes all of about 3 minutes, mostly measuring the hair.
Last time I went I told them to use #3, up to the temples and in back, leave 2.5-3 inches on top, all one length on top from crown to bangs,(A lot of shortish cuts leave extra length in front, and/or are shorter near the crown) Squared off (vs. round) in back, don't bother with the sides, I do 'em myself.
They are always happy I make their job so easy. That removes all the thinking and decision they have to do. They are used to "Oh, just cut some off here, short in the back, and..whats that? Gosh, I don't know what Clipper #...hmmm..."
The hard part is blending it accurately, and thats what they went to school for, not to figure out what someone is trying to say they want.
Basically, I just accumulated a hell of a lot of knowledge and experience from being interested and observing. I might sound obsessive, but theres so many people whose hair looks exactly the same for years on end, same damn boring hair cut over and over. I couldn't stand it, myself, and thats why I change all the time.
Don't even think about my hair much, except before a haircut and when it grows too long for its current style. Don't care if its not perfect, can comb it with my hands when I'm wearin it down. I wear hats often. And I let it go a couple months before cutting; over this time it will "outgrow" several styles, and I just change the style as it does this, rather than getting it trimmed every 3 weeks, so I can look exactly the same, every day, like a cartoon character.
The problem with long hair is it lacks variety. The main variant is hair type/color. It doesn't have to be this way, but in reality it is. In practice, all you really see is pony tails, or a part near the center, or just brushed back but left loose. Nothin wrong with any of these, but I bet these styles make up 90% of the male longhairs. BORING. Let's get creative, people!
Apparently a lot of people don't find it to be low maintenance. Read some of the posts on here. But yes, of course, for some people it is, and if it is for you, thats great. I think low maintenance is an important factor in hairstyle. Is hair really worth 2 hours a day? I think not, but too each his own.
My point in saying longhair is boring, is that a lot of people on here want to grow their hair out to be different, stand out in the crowd, be an individual, and all that good stuff. Yes, yes, not everyone, but a lot of people.
Well, you (people that want long hair for this reason) won't.
Theres plenty of longhaired people, and not only is the CUT the same, but there are also limited ways to style or wear it. Sooo, a lot of them look the same, plain, boring. The saving grace is hair types, otherwise it would be completely boring.
I find nothing wrong with boring hair. Boring doesn't look bad, its just..boring. My hair is sometimes boring, too, like if I am going to wear a hat, or for awhile after a haircut when I just don't do anything with it, because its short or I'm lazy. Sometimes I just "wash and wear" when its longer, too.
I don't have any obsessive energy, my alias is slacker because thats what they called me in school, even though I performed above average. I found it amusing.
Yeah, thats right, I sleep through class, but somewhere I'm making up for it, because my grades are better than average. So I guess I get away with being a "slacker," whatever that means.
I don't use different hairstyles to be an individual and all that happy stuff. I just do it to avoid the "Cartoon character" syndrome, and I like to make up my own stuff because I get bored easily. Damn ADD. I won't rip off someone else's hairstyle, or any other kind of style, but if someone rips off mine, I don't care.
My hair is low maintenance. It takes between about 30 seconds and 5 minutes to "do" my hair, no matter what style. Excluding braids and twists, which take me about 20-30 min, but then you don't have to do anything at all for several days, except washing of course. So its still low maintenance if you average it out. I don't believe in staring at a mirror and primping myself for 30 minutes on a daily basis. Doesn't have to be perfect, and you (one) is pretty much the only person that really cares what you (one)looks like, and it doesn't matter, Anyway, so...its pointless.
If your hair suits your own preferences, in looks, time spent, image, etc, thats all that matters. Sounds like yours does. A+ for you.
I don't know if this counts in this discussion but besides the look or
style sometimes there's a sensual or sexual feel to long hair brushing
against your body. Does anybody else feel this way?
Yeah, I do, but only if its my g/fs hair, haha. Its about mid-back and very nice.
But seriously, a lot of people say they do feel that way.
Whatever floats your boat, man. Whether your reason is sexual, personal, social, practical, or boredom, go for it.
Thanks for understanding!
i wash mine mith just water & it's been weeks since i bothered with conditioner. i don't go nuts with a hairbrush because brushing will damage hair- wet or dry. the rare major tangle is undone by hand. i tie it back using 3 bands for work.. about 10 minutes average daily and i'm sure it qualifies as boring BUT my major reason for wearing this length ISN'T to be different- it's to be myself. that it also makes me different (from the gen. pop.) is just an extra bonus.
Basically I agree with you. If you want more long hair styles have
you seen Jarrko's? Of course just how many of those you'd want to
wear in public is another thing. But I'm pretty much hooked on long
hair. but I've been having fun with an undercut recently. Works for
me.
About the only variety in hair styles around here is either long (very
few) or buzzed or shaved...which to me is nothing..in more ways than
one. Must be fun to be able to see all the different styles you have
around you. Like you I'm always curious how different styles are cut.
It would be fun to be able to hangout out in a shop where a lot of
"wierd" styles were cut. But then wierd is just in the eyes of the
beholder. Oh, there's some different colors going on around here, but
like you I don't think it would work for me. Thought about it though!
When you had your undercut how short, or what #, of buzz did you use
on the "under"part of the cut?
Get creative? Hmmmm...maybe you are right...how creative can you get
with an undercut and 30" ponytail?
Anyway, thanks for the detailed answer to my question...very
interesting answers too.
Is that the blond swedish guy? If so, I didn't care for those styles, they looked quite ordinary. If I'm thinking of the wrong guy, nevermind.
Its weird, very short and very long hair both have the same problem, no styling options. Theres really not much styling you can do with hair under about 1.5 or 2 inches, after that you rapidly gain options. then you start losing options when its down to your mouth or so, and then they just drop off around shoulder length.
I keep mine between 2 and about 5 inches (on top), because thats where the options are. Back and sides vary.
#2 or #3. I don't really like skin to show through, and it still doesn't with a #2 because my hair is so thick. On average hair that will look a lot shorter, and skin will probably show, depending on color.
Not very. I can't think of any way you could be original, and by that I mean have your hairstyle unlike that of any you have ever seen. But there are some ways you could at least be not boring, but most are commitments, like dreads, or braiding it differently periodically, and you can do perms and stuff if you are into that sorta thing. I'm not, heh.
Your welcome, man. Good luck to ya.
Almost ended up with dreads once when I was stuck in a hospital for a
week...hehe.. It took about an hour and half in the shower afterwards
to get that mess untangled. Some nurse threatened to have it buzzed
but fortunatly (for me or her?) I only had her one shift!
Can you say SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE?
The Rev
....these two things are definitely related as...
....sooner or later, BOTH will get NOTICED! : )
Lol what the hell, Rev.