new thread
Picture Purged
I’m new, but please don’t hate me because my hair is short(the jpg was taken about 6 weeks ago)! Take pity on me for the time being and if possible…HELP!!!!!!!!
I’d love to join the ranks and be a Long Hair, but I’m counting on your honesty to let me know (you’re the experts) if this is realistic for me or not. My hair has run the gamut from white man’s afro, to military buzz, to Mick Hucknall look-alike (from the group Simply Red) and everything in between. Through the years, my friends (?) have dubbed me Brillohead, Simply Black, Bird’s Nest, and Pipe Cleaner Hair. My hair is coarse, thick, curly and completely unruly.
It was short until about 3 months ago when I just couldn’t resist trying to fulfill a lifelong fantasy of letting it grow. (Though it will probably never be the long, straight, blond crowning glory I’ve dreamed of since seventh grade, I’m hoping I can achieve a style that’s reasonable and decent enough to warrant keeping my hair long.) So I’m wondering:
1. Is there hope for hair that’s been terminally tormented by name calling – Einstein, Poodlehead, Bozo the Clown, etc.? How do I know my “awkward stage” isn’t really just my hair’s natural stage? (I don’t want to sport another white man’s afro.)
2. In order to make it look like something other than a huge cloud of cotton candy, I have to put gobs of gel on it. Is there a better way to manage it so it’s not so BIG and FUZZY?
3. You guys don’t believe in long hair at any cost, do you? I mean, if my hair were better off short you’d be honest and tell me, right? Well-meaning friends (who don’t know anything about long hair) tell me just to cut it!
Looking forward to your replies.
Wannabe Sampson
Hope? There's always hope. Just follow anyone's progress pictures through the awkward stage and beyond, the overwhelming majority come through the awkward stage with great looking hair, why shouldn't you?
You can probably find some good shampoos & conditioners which are formulated to make your hair easier to manage and even relax it little so it has a softer more manageble texture. (EG: http://www.redken.com/consumer/products/index.cfm?action=showbrand&bt=1&b=262)
Gel is OK provided its alcohol free gel, as the alcohol can dry out your hair and make it more wirey.
I don't believe in long hair at any cost, but I believe in having long hair if it makes YOU happy. That I think is a consensus shared by most of the board members.
If your asking me, do I think you'll look good with long hair? Then I'm afraid I can't answer until I see it.. Ask me again in 18 months time and I promise to give you an honest reply, in the meantime, try and get through the awkward stage.
Sorted
Thanks for very supportive response. I genuinely appreciate it. I'll be a regular visitor to the site now, since I've decided to let my hair go/grow. I've noticed that there are other members who have curly locks as well, so I'm encouraged. Thanks for your input.
Thanks for very supportive response. I genuinely appreciate it. I'll be a regular visitor to the site now, since I've decided to let my hair go/grow. I've noticed that there are other members who have curly locks as well, so I'm encouraged. Thanks for your input.
Welcome WS.
I have to say, I have an uncle who has probably the exact same hair type as you. He has it longish from when he was a kid and it's really awesome. I haven't seen him for ages though; I would post a pic of him but not without his permission.
I remember times when I was really young, woman would say to him….I love your long sexy curls!
In terms of Fuzzy cloud management while growing I'm not to sure with this type of hair. (Others on this board may be able to give you better advice on this).
Looking at your picture and picturing long hair on you, I personally think it would look really awesome. I think it would go really well with your look.
Grim
Thanks for the warm welcome and the support. I've decided to give it a shot. I'll keep everyone posted. For now I've changed my mantra from "Om" to "I love my curly hair. I love my curly hair. I love my..."
Hi There and Welcome! First of all, I must say, long hair on men can look great whatever it's texture, be it straight, curly, wavy, kinky, wooly, bushy... you get the picture! And there are many styles and techniques which can help you achieve whatever length YOU want. Because that's what's important... what YOU want and what YOU think. Even if the overwheming majority of replies here are negative, and YOU want long hair, ignore everyone's opinion but your own.
I, for one, think you will look fantastic with long hair. My hair is also curly and quite dense and now at armpit level in back, so I know what you can expect. It will get "fro-ish" as it grows (it will grow more out than down at first, but soon gravity takes over and it will begin to naturally tame itself somewhat). My advice is not to try to straighten it as it will probably turn into as bush. (and straightening is very damaging for the hair) I think you should work WITH the curl instead of against it.
Experiment with moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, leave-in conditioners, and deep condition once or twice a month.
It will be a a fascinating journey for you and you will learn a lot about yourself and gain strength from your rising above stupid, narrow and common comments you'll no doubt receive. And, as a result, your character will strengthen even more than it already is.
You'll get positive comments also! And those are very nice and will make you feel like a million bucks
Your hair will look great. I really think so.
Good luck... and don't be a stranger to this Board!
Wow! Thanks for the compliments and the encouragement. In fact, thanks to EVERYONE on here for the support and encouragement. As a result - I've decided to really give it a go, summon up some courage and just see what happens. My apprehension is probably due to some barely-supressed envy of men with straight here (the grass is always greener, you know...) but I've decided to embrace the state of my locks and see how it all turns out. I'll keep you posted.
I think the texture and quality of your hair is the kind that makes it better if you keep it short. Of course, this is IMHO! Otherwise, I'd say you have the type of face that looks good with either long or short (or shorter) hair.
Thanks for your HO. I'm gonna go for it anyway...that way I'll know for sure!
others don't have any say on what you choose to do with your hair.
grow it if you really want to, don't grow it if you just want to "want to" and use others as an excuse to not do it!
i say go for it, i have pretty intense hair and the awkward stage looked bad, i think. but i feel better with longer hair that looks bad than with short hair. (although i don't think it looks bad anymore, i don't get any "get it cut" comments nowadays)
good luck, whatever path you choose. But remember, it's all up to you. OF COURSE IT'S REALISTIC. Your hair grows if you don't cut it, right? Then it's realistic. The question is; are you strong enough to go through it? That only you can see! Look inside...
-vincent
I'm going for it. Today was a not-so-bad hair day, so it's given me courage. Thanks for the input!
The "awkward stage" could easily be formed into a bob dylan-esk hairstyle, or Jimi Hendrix for those of you dylan haters. It's the same hairdo anyway. Thats what I did when I was growing my hair out, and it grew out to a sort of jim morrison type of style, and now I'm contemplating what to do with it next.
