new thread
I'm here to ask the experts and veteran long hairs to share your opinions. I'm a 42 year old guy with slightly graying dark brown, naturally curly hair. Fortunately I have not experienced any balding and my hairline has not begun receding. Until now I've worn my kind of thickish hair in a rather convention manner, shorn and shaped and combed as flat as possible (it never seems to stay that way after it drys an hour later). This summer I decided to grow out my moustache and my beard. They have both developed quite well and quickly in lighter tones of brown and I have received uniformly very favorable comments from my secretary, clients, friends and family.
With the favorable responses, I'm feeling confident enough to finally express a long desire to grow my hair out long as well. My problem is I just don't know what to do with my hair once it grows out. Once in college when I let it get a little longer I remmeber that it was kind of bushy and unruly. So now I'm not sure what might look good? Should I think about letting the curls develop more as they grow? I don't really want an afro, maybe looser, spiral curls? Should I try to get the curls straightened? How long should I let it grow and how long might it take? I've got a full face and stand 6'1" and weigh 220 or so and have a pretty solid build. My beard is a full cut style from my cheeks down my neck.
I would appreciate any advice.
If you let it grow long enough, curly hair makes for a nice bushy ponytail. I think ponytails like that look great.
Doug
Paul it sounds like a terrific problem for a guy to have! Naturally wavy and curly hair always affords so many styling options. So I definitely wouldn't attempt to relax or straighten your hair as you grow it out. I like the look when the curls are grown out all loose and tusseled into a dense mess of ringlets hanging down around the neck, just above the shoulders. My brother in law is Greek and he also has dark, naturally curly hair and that's the way he's wearing it these days. With a full beard, like you've developed, it looks even better.
Good luck and enjoy your hair. I hope you don't mind my saying that I do think it is cool, man, that you're comfortable enough to ask advice on how to realize your desire for self-expression.
Wow! Have afro's really gone out of style these days?
I thought that the ancient Greeks had curly hair. Did you see the statutes?
I like the wild hair look myself! Trouble is, people equate the wild hair with savagery! That is why the long-hairs are being vilified, while the skin-head gangs are doing the terrorizing! Some people have a poor sense on what grooming is. They seem to equate good grooming with short hair. Don't they know that LONG hair can be NEAT?
Some posting a while back this Summer was by a fellow who has similar kind of curly hair and after he grew it out he's taken to having it braided either in the pony-tail suggested here or into a bunch of smaller braids. Sounded pretty good to me.
I agree that a nice thick ponytail would lokk very attractive, as well as keeping your curls under control. Good luck!
Paul,
I'm thinking man that from your description you got just the right kind of hair to let it grow out in ringlets and curls, kind of free and easy, covering your forehead, down over your ears and hanging down the back of your neck. Its a great, macho, knock 'em dead look. There's a pretty good picture of it on the Beards, Beards, Beards website under Everyday Beards, No.5, the first dude with the blonde curls. I actually have been thinkinking of getting a perm to do the style myself. Good luck man and happy growing.
I'm here to ask the experts and veteran long hairs to share your opinions. I'm a 42 year old guy with slightly graying dark brown, naturally curly hair. Fortunately I have not experienced any balding and my hairline has not begun receding. Until now I've worn my kind of thickish hair in a rather convention manner, shorn and shaped and combed as flat as possible (it never seems to stay that way after it drys an hour later). This summer I decided to grow out my moustache and my beard. They have both developed quite well and quickly in lighter tones of brown and I have received uniformly very favorable comments from my secretary, clients, friends and family.
Have you considered growing it out longer primarily in the back. Like a curly mullet? That kind of style has gotten a lot of ribbing here but can look good on a middle aged professional. Go for it!