I have long hair that I wear up tie back 97.86 % of the time and held with clips 1.23% of the time. Today I wore it down all the way and no clips. I didn’t really do anything with it just washed it and shook it out. I have a bit of natural wave towards the ends which are more than halfway down my back. If I fool with it too much it gets a bit bushy and I feel as though I look like a big ole mop. Several people commented, generally pleasant or at least neutral remarks such as, “Oh look you wore your hair down today.” or “You have great hair why don’t you wear it down more often.” or “Aren’t you hot with all that hair down?”
And this one, of which I am unsure how to take, “You’ve got hair just made for a caveman.”
This person has made remarks that I took as complimentary before, but after this most recent remark, now I am not so sure.
What do the Dopers think? Insult, compliment or neither?
Blast. That should read, “I have long hair that I wear up or tie back 97.86 % of the time…”
Huh…that is an odd one.
The first thing that came to mind to me was an image of a caveman pulling a woman around by her hair, like they always do in cartoons and caricatures. Maybe this person just meant you had nice, long hair…that would be convenient if you were to be dragged around by a caveman?
I have no idea if it’s an insult or not. Since I’m a sexist *sshole, I’d lean to an insensitive remark. Which reminds me of an old joke:
Why do cavement drag their women by the hair?
– Because if the women were dragged by their feet, they’d fill up with mud. 
It meant he’d like to club you over the head and drag you back to his cave.
Be flattered or concerned, depending on how serious you think he was.
Guys get this, too. Every time I shave my beard off, somebody has to point out, “Hey! You shaved!”
I know. I was there. Thanks.
I vote for neither.
I think it was simply a lame attempt at creative humor. Instead of making a forgettable comment like “wow, I never realized how long your hair was”, the person made some mental connection of “long-hair = useful-to-cavemen”, and the result was the comment you heard.
tamaraqueenofgoths Yes that’s what I thought of too. I just didn’t know how to take it.
vunderbob I am a little embarrassed to admit that I laughed at your joke.
Ethilrist You made me laugh too, with your second post. Nice pics of both you, really pleasant smiles. I often comment when my teenage son shaves because he does so irregularly. I like it when he shaves so I remark, “Yay you shaved. You look great.” I am definately going to be more sensitive about this in the future.
Lord Ashtar That is so not going to happen. I’m not sure, but I might be nearly old enough to be your mother anyway. I am neither a model nor a hag, though I am overweight and therefore probably reviled by most the young and beautiful. I’ve not met any Dopers to vouch for me, but a very few have seen a photo or two. Maybe one of them will pop in and comment.
I totally feel your pain. It was odd to realize that I’m a guy with unfashionably long hair. Considering I’m in college, that came as a surprise. I usually sport facial hair of some sort. For a while last summer I had a full beard going.
My nickname the past couple of years has been Jesus. Apparently I bear resemblance to an itinerant Jewish prophet. It can get really annoying if I’m not comfortable with the folks who say it.
For a few months earlier this year I went clean shaven just for the heck of it. I wanted a change. By the reactions of my friends one would think I had had a nose job. It was nigh an uproar when my buddies found I had no beard. I’ve since grown back the goatee and mustache, and that’s where I like it (although i may go full beard for winter time…clean shaven in winter really sucks). I shudder to think what will happen if I cut my hair. It’s currently well past my shoulders and a lot prettier than a lot of girls’ hair that I know (including my mother and sister…mua hah).
I’ve got pretty long hair as well, once it gets past a certain point it just about has to be tied back/ponytailed/swept up on a daily basis because it’s in the way. Only on really mild weather days will I chance wearing it down to work, and always get comments like the ones you mentioned. “I didn’t realize you had so damn much hair!” seems to be the most common.
I wouldn’t take the caveman comment as an insult, I’ve made long hair/caveman jokes myself, fwiw.
No offense, but I was referring to AbbySthrnAccent.
