I also stated in my post that I knew I’d get backlash from a few folks out there, congrats on being the first.
I have heard on many occasions that women dress/look the way they do to impress WOMEN, not men. I find this interesting, although I don’t know that I agree.
And yes, I believe I look best with long hair. However, I also recognize what the other sex likes - what’s wrong with that? I mean, hell - would we wear high heels if men weren’t around?
My hair right now is as long as it’s ever been, down to the bottom of my shoulder blades. Every time it’s ever gotten this long before I’ve cut it all off, which I’ll probably do again soon. The first time was when I was about 14 and just wanted a change (I was also getting sick of it taking so long to air dry, and I don’t like to bother with a hairdryer), and I kept it short for a long time. Then I started growing it out specifically to donate it to Locks of Love.
It’s always been a relief to me to have it short again, although I’m a little unusual in that I never grew my hair long because I actually wanted it long. It was always either because I didn’t want to bother having to get it trimmed or because I was intending to donate it.
Anyway, the only warnings I’d give you are that anything shorter than a bob will require regular trimming to keep it looking nice, and that if you ever decide to grow it out again you’ll probably have to go through some awkward, shaggy intermediate stages. This includes the dreaded too-long-to-stay-out-of-eyes, but too-short-to-stay-behind-ears phase.
My hair used to be down to the middle of my back, and I lopped it off to shoulder length after a nasty breakup. As time went on, I kept cutting it shorter and shorter, until it was in a cute little pixie. My ex told me I would look like a man. I found another guy who loved it. 
Right now, it’s about shoulder-length, the longest it’s been in years. I need to chop it off again. I want to go for the chin-length bob that Audrey Tatou had in Amelie. That’s some nice hair.
Our family barber doesn’t take female clients anymore, because he says he got sick of this scene:
Woman: I want my hair cut short.
Barber: Are you sure?
Woman: Yes. Hack it off!
Barber: You have really nice hair, it’s a shame to cut it.
Woman: Cut it! CUT IT!
Barber: Okay… if you’re sure… (cuts hair as directed)
Woman: Oh my God… I look like a boy! (starts crying)
Barber: I asked you twice if you were sure.
Woman: WHY DIDN’T YOU STOP ME?!?!
He employs a female barber for the specific purpose of dealing with these poor, indecisive souls.
You feel free to do whatever the hell you want. I just find the assertion that women should all be basing their decisions on “what will the largest number of men like” to be offensive. And some of us don’t wear high heels when men are around either. Sure, lot sof them like it. But I’m not personally interested in a guy who would only be interested if I painted myself up, wore uncomfortable things, and otherwise dressed myself in ways contrary to what I would otherwise want. It probably limits my pool of potential dates, but since it cuts out an awful lot I wouldn’t want to date anyway, it works out. Why would you want the kind of guy who would only speak to you if you had long hair and wore heels?
yes I have and it sucked! we went to camp casey and my head got amazingly sunburned and whenever I took a shower it hurt so bad.:smack: :smack: :smack: don’t do it!
Cookie, personally I wouldnt do it…
A few months ago I was looking through some old photos and found one of me when I was about 14 with hair almost to my waist, its still kinda long now, just below my shoulders, and im trying to grow it back now.
I’ve always had sort of a love/hate relationship with my hair. I cut it off in 2 stages between the end of 8th grade and my sophomore year of high school. It started off shoulder blade-length, which is how I had it growing up, back when it was thick, shiny, and dead straight.
Then I hit puberty, and my hair went insane. Think Gilda Radner, only a bit lighter with a bit more red. It went out in all directions. (Luckily I’ve since learned to control it a bit better with the assistance of heavy-duty conditioner and decent haircuts.) First I cut off a big chunk, until it was pretty much chin-length, but it went out in all directions because I hadn’t figured out the conditioner thing yet. That was the worst possible length for me: long enough to stick out in all directions, but too short to hold in place with gadgets or to put up. So then I did the Annie Lennox look, or as one tactless high school boyfriend called it, the Yentl look.
It stayed that way for a couple of years, but eventually I grew it out to its current shoulder length, because I got sick of not being able to do anything with it. (Plus I can afford decent haircuts and extra-strength conditioner now that I’m a grownup.)
Make sure you really want to do it.
I grew my hair out for six years and it finally stalled about the small of my back. It was very nice soft, lush, full, thick hair. Finally I got fed up with it: the constant brushing, tangles, 20 minute showers (I can shower in 5 now… my hair took the other 15) and everything else that goes with long hair.
I wrestled with the decision for a couple months. One day I woke up and decided that it was a good day for a haircut. That evening I went to bed with very short hair.
I miss my long hair. Apart from the maintenance required I really enjoyed it. But I do not regret having cut it. I was done with it.
Sat On Cookie, be certain that no- or short-hair is truly what you want. Then do it.
No, I did not donate my hair. Yes, I should have. But that day my only consideration was to be rid of it.
I hack mine every two or three years. It usually goes from mid back to two inches long or so, although the last time I did it I ended up shaving my head instead.
Hmm. I’m about due for another hatchet job.
I did it after college- went from waist-length to boyish. It was very liberating. Felt great. It’s much easier to maintain, and I love the way it looks on me. The stylist was scared to do it- maybe she’d had people who’d changed their minds- so she’d cut three or four inches, then ask if I was sure I wanted to do more, so it took forever.
I will never go back to long hair.
I had an insipid, “oh don’t go too short” haircut and it looked half-arsed and unflattering. The next time I went in, I said, just cut it, don’t keep it “on the long side,” just cut it off. It looked fabulous, I had strangers stop me and tell me how great it looked. I kept it super-short for ten years, then decided to grow it out, just to see if I might like it, but I wore it in a knot all the time anyway, and after about a year I lopped it all off again. I love it short and I think it looks much better than if it were long.
Yup. Didn’t regret it, either. Loved the fact that it took all of 5 minutes to do my hair.
I’ve since grown it back, simply wanting a change again. I am often tempted to get it cut short again and just buy a collection of wigs though… 
WOW. Thank you all so much for your pros/cons.
I’m still deciding. I bought some hair magazines this week and picked out the one I am thinking about. Best I can describe it is it kind of looks like the Mia Farrow short cut of a long time ago. My hair in general (and bangs especially) is so fine that I think if I go for a longer bang, it will be a humidity disaster.
I have always, always, wanted long hair but I think it may be time to just give it up. For the few times it looks great, I seem to go through a week of pony tails and weirdness because I’m trying to protect my precious fragile hair from breaking off my head.
I went from hair past my shoulder blades to a buzz cut with long bangs.
Oh, and dyed clown red.
What can I say? It was the eighties.
I do the grow-hack-grow-hack thing. I’ve got pretty hair, but it takes forever to dry and in winter that’s cold and in summer it gives me diaper rash on the back of my neck!
I’m about due for a hack job. It makes my whole head feel like it’s floating.
Julie
My hack job was a gradual process, from collar-length to skinhead over the course of a few years. Being the cautious type, I preferred to wait and see how comfortable I felt sporting a crop before taking it even shorter. Now I just use balding clippers, which leave just the slightest hint of stubble, and often follow up with a razor to leave my head completely smooth.
Never again will I have hair - I much prefer not having to deal with it every morning, and being bald certainly has its benefits in summer. While some folks can’t resist telling me I look like a thug, I still think it suits me better.
I haven’t seen any replies similar to mine, so…
About 5 years ago, I had hair that went to below my shoulder blades. It was lustrous, black, and slightly wavy. Every woman I knew loved to touch it, and said I had the most beautiful hair. I had to go to Costco (Discount warehouse) to get a half-gallon of conditioner just so I could run a comb through it. I wore it tied back, usually, and on hot days it was like having a heavy, wet quilt on my head.
But I could never get a date, and one day, I realized that men didn’t take a second glance at me. I’m a gay guy, and apparently my hair was a date repellent. I was also tired of taking care of it.
After breaking up with the one guy I’d dated in a long time (who also had long hair) I went to a stylist and told them I was donating it to Locks of Love. When I called Locks of Love, they told me the requirements; at least 10", couldn’t be color/chemically treated, etc. I said “hey, I’m a guy. It’s like free-range hair.”
It was so liberating. I’d cut it very short (1"). I immediately got dates! When I ran to catch a bus, I missed the swing of it. Every woman I knew was furious at me. When I walked into work, people actually screamed when they saw me. I was so happy that all I needed to do was shampoo it and step out of the shower. With my hair so short, I only needed a pea-sized lump of styling gel. I didn’t even use a comb. I’ve had it short ever since and love it. I’m 42, but look much younger. If I’d kept my long hair, with it shot with gray now it would make me appear older instead. I’d look like an aging hippie.
I was 21, with thick dark hair all the way down to my bottom. A Hairdressing salon once offered me $300 for it.
I shaved it offand it felt incredible! I remember swimming in the ocean one day and almost orgasming from the intense sensations of the ocean on my head.
Sinead o’ Connor made it sexy, and I was young enought to pull it off.
Cutting offf very long hair is incredibly liberating! especially for a woman!
I did it.
I lopped off all my hair. Today.
It was very odd. I abandoned the idea totally and then went to get my hair colored today. Somewhere along the line, I mentioned that I had been thinking about it and my hairdresser said, go for it. So I went for it.
So far, I’m happy. The weirdest feeling is that it feels like i’m wearing a hair hat. I have to keep looking in the mirror to confirm that it’s a cool cut and not some old lady hair-do. I think it is. VERY short. Mr. Cookie says he loves it.
I am still a bit nervous about “fixing” it myself and hope I don’t look like a giant brillo pad.
YIKES!
You’ll be using far too much shampoo and conditioner for the next few days. And combing air.