# Guys with long hair **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449 "2005-03-01T17:07:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/21 "2005-03-01T21:38:56Z")
Personally, I really don’t like long hair on men. I particularly hate it in a pony-tail; however, having had long hair myself, I know that pulled back is usually more comfortable. **Lord Ashtar** - if you were my man (and you’re not, obviously) I would whine, and hound, and promise bizarre sexual favours until you cut it, but that’s just me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MsPrufrock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@MsPrufrock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsPrufrock)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/22 "2005-03-01T22:05:23Z")
I generally am not a fan of long hair on guys but it’s not something I’m going to run away from every chance I get. I’ve seen quite a few guys who were quite cute with longer hair and I’ve known a few who I didn’t think were so cute or I didn’t like their hairstyle initially but who I fell for because of who they were - not how well they styled their hair. Do what feels right for you. Comfort in style (be it clothes or hair) breeds confidence. Oh, and **Lord Ashtar** - your hair looks fine - it looks healthy and well cared for. You have curly hair and IMHO, if you cut it short and let it do its curly thing - mmmm! 😉 Very nice! But that’s just my opinion - I like curly hair! hehe ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/23 "2005-03-01T22:22:03Z")
I L-O-V-E long hair on guys. There simply aren’t enough dudes with long hair these days. My Mom likes long hair too (Dad has a ponytail). When I was younger we used to go to Native pow-wows and just be like, “OH BABY!” (privately of course - you _can_ say OH, BABY! with subtle expressions and hand signals) to some of the great-looking long haired dudes we would encounter. **Don’t get it cut!! What a waste!!!** Oh, and do you like older women? ::bats eyelashes:: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/24 "2005-03-01T22:28:49Z")
Clean, well-styled long hair on men is a big turn-on for me (I even like mullets). But if you’re not gonna maintain it scrupulously, it’s best not to grow it. There are few things as yucky as dirty or unkempt long hair. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/25 "2005-03-02T00:18:21Z")
Another vote for long hair. I like it as long as it’s not stringy and messy, and not too long. And not dry–so many guys don’t use conditioner, and dry, frizzled hair just isn’t sexy. Not much fun to run your fingers through. ME ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/26 "2005-03-02T01:36:57Z")
while you have hair you may as well have all the hair you can. grow it for the years than you will only have the memory of it. well cared for is important. i can understand why kyan’s tips on qe are so important. “should i have know there is a thing called conditioner?” women will discuss hair products while men seem to do so rarely. now onto the important thing i learned on this thread. naveen andrews is on tv!!! now!!! when? where? what channel??? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/27 "2005-03-02T02:05:47Z")
I’ve had [longish](http://www.sunspace.org/miksu_1992.jpg)\* to long hair, and liked it. Sadly, it is incompatible with advancing baldness. ☹ [sub]\*Warning: that link is the only picture ever taken of me with a beard (late fall 1992). And the sweater is better off forgotten too. Beware. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/28 "2005-03-02T02:11:41Z")
> [@rocking chair](#): > > naveen andrews is on tv!!! now!!! when? where? what channel??? He is on ABC’s new show LOST, which airs on Wednesday nights. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/29 "2005-03-02T02:14:38Z")
Mine is a little past my shoulders, increasingly salt and pepper (salt is winning), always clean and worn outside in a ponytail. Yes, I condition and rotate my choice of shampoos to avoid buildup. A product to try **Lord Ashtar** if you can find it is ‘Straight’ by Bumble & Bumble. From the label: _“smooth, sleek, shiny, silky and sexy”_ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/30 "2005-03-02T02:25:41Z")
I always feel compelled to participate in these threads. In the most recent one (started by **Lord Ashtar** , I believe) I even shared a picture of my hunky husband with his long locks. He’s West Indian, so it works for him. I like long hair on some guys. Not every guy can pull it off, though, and sometimes, they just end up looking like a refugee from an 80s hair metal band try out. For my own tastes, longer than the bottom of the shoulder blades is too long, and like **Susan** said, it seems to look better on non-Caucasian guys. ---
**Author:** ![Typically\_Sunday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Typically\_Sunday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typically_Sunday)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/31 "2005-03-02T02:48:19Z")
Conditioner is your friend. Guys with short hair can get away with not conditioning, but with long hair it’s painfully obvious and a big turn off. If you keep your hair in good shape, i dont see why you shouldn’t wear it long. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/32 "2005-03-02T03:01:48Z")
It depends on the guy and the hair. Guy A might look great with longer hair, but Guy B might have some nasty hair, and then it looks terrible. That said, I don’t care all that much about hair; length isn’t really a factor in my decision to date a man. ---
**Author:** ![Flipstrip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f6c823/32.png) [@Flipstrip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipstrip)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/33 "2005-03-02T07:12:07Z")
Count me as another vote for loving long hair. But my hubby has beautiful long blonde wavy locks with Mad Max streaks, so I’m spoiled rotten. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/34 "2005-03-02T08:03:48Z")
I chime in with saying that long hair on men looks good if it suits the particular man and is taken care of properly. An ex of mine had long hair down to his waist when I met him. It was gorgeous and suited him well. I almost cried when he cut it. But it was his hair to cut or not as he chose, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Imbrium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/13edae/32.png) [@Imbrium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imbrium)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/35 "2005-03-02T08:05:18Z")
I love long hair on guys to. I had the biggest crush on a guy in high school who had long hair. I’m talking [Robert Plant](http://www.ledzeppelin.ru/pa/im/RP_JP_1975-04.jpg) from Led Zeppelin, rock star hair. It just wasn’t the same after he got it cut. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/36 "2005-03-02T08:28:25Z")
I hated long hair on guys for the longest time, until I got together with the [current bf](http://www.jinwicked.com/en/bio/pics2/index.html). It works for him, for whatever reason; my dad’s the type that will bit about the ‘long-haired hippies’ but even they don’t hassle or pick on him about it. He usually wears it tied back loosely though, which looks better on most, IMO. It gets kind of wavy at the ends. Of the guys I’ve liked that did have long hair, most of them wear it tied at the back of their neck. He has to use conditioner pretty regularly because it gets frizzy in the winter, and his hair is really thick – some of the underside is buzzed really short, and I trim that and the ends pretty regularly. (I like cutting hair.) So his does get taken care of. On the other hand, we have a friend with long hair that’s so frizzy and kinky/curly, when he ties it back it pretty much just goes POOF right below the hairband, and if he wears it loose it resembles something close to sticking one’s finger in the light socket. He’s a really sweet guy, bless his heart, but the long hair just totally doesn’t work for him. My former room-mate and friend had the super-straight, super-flat, long blonde hair that he’d tie back while it was still wet and it looked like it was glued to his head. He had gorgeous hair but it just didn’t work for his face AT ALL. He fought and fought me over it, but finally consented to get it cut to help get a job, then grudgingly admitted I was right after everyone else we knew started fawning over how good the new cut looked. Sooo… it really depends on the guy. The same is true for women. I look decent with super-short (like Annie Lennox) hair or really long hair, but my head looks like a bowling ball with anything in-between. You gotta find what you like, and what works for you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/37 "2005-03-02T13:13:34Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > If you’re a 45 year old male, trying to reclaim his youth by not cutting your hair for a year (or two or three), then visit a stylist and get your hair _styled_ (not shaved!) Well, I’m 45, and I have long hair. Longer than shoulder-length, but shorter than waist-length. It’s always been long, and sometimes I think it’s just inertia that’s keeping me from getting a more conventional haircut. I haven’t been inside a barber shop since high school. I just get it trimmed (usually by an obliging, and sometime enthusiastic, girlfriend. Trimming my hair has at times in the past had an aphrodesiac effect on some of them) maybe twice a year. It’s neat, clean, washed daily, always tied back in a ponytail. No products. I probably should act my age and get it cut. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/38 "2005-03-02T17:26:54Z")
> [@the Lady](#): > > That’s a good point. The husband had long hair when we met (it was halfway down his back when we were married) and he was often taken for a woman. > Every time we went out for dinner, for example. Heh. That happens to me a bit. I think it’s pretty funny, especially if they’ve already heard me speak. Never happened when I had the beard, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/39 "2005-03-03T01:06:54Z")
> [@Queen Tonya](#): > > I’ll go out on a limb here and be a bit more brutal. > > Long hair on guys can be great, as long as you’re kinda butch. Otherwise it often strikes me as feminine and while that’s just one chick’s opinion and doesn’t matter in the slightest, I’m thinking you wouldn’t be asking unless you wanted opinions. > . It’s probably a generational thing. Having grown up in the era of long hair, I can tell you that we never would have though someone was effeminate _because_ he had long hair. We’d only have come to that conclusion based on other things about the person, the way one might do about some short-haired guys today. Even now, decades later, I can’t imagine that anyone in my age cohort, conditioned through a decade or two of seeing long hair on guys, would see long hair today and think, Effeminate! But I agree with what you said about over-styling or over-working the hair. You can have long hair like a man, or long hair like a woman, and the latter looks bad on a man. Still, it’s how the hair itself is worn, rather than whether the guy is butch that makes the difference. FTR I’m a guy, but I think most people know that. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449/40 "2005-03-03T03:56:27Z")
I think that guys need to have short hair in general. The only exceptions I’ll make are Asians, who IME look silly with buzz cuts, and… well, that’s it. Native Americans are something that I don’t see every day, and the ones I do see usually have long hair, so it’s normal to me. If I were to design the Perfect Guy ™, he would have a fade like mine, except a little shorter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-with-long-hair/292449.md?page=3)