# Is there anything so terrible about straight hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177 "2001-01-28T22:34:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/1 "2001-01-28T22:34:36Z")
Inspired by the “One of THOSE compliments” thread over in MPSIMS. I have, as the pictures of the first LA Dopefest confirm, straight, longish (not as long as I’d like) straight, auburn straight hair. Over the years, I’ve had an unaccountable number of people tell me that I “should” get a perm. Well, in the early '80s, it was “You should get your hair feathered.” Ugh! If someone reading this is unfamiliar with the style of feathered hair, you’re lucky. I don’t regret not giving in to that. But I’ve also had people warn me off straight hair on the grounds that “it drags your face down”. I’m not sure about that, and what I am sure about is that perms, which I have had in the past, make me look insipid. I think naturally straight hair has a good look, sort of waifish, or schoolgirl-like. I admit that hair that’s been ironed or chemically straightened tends to lack bounce, but that doesn’t apply here. (I’ve had numerous people show me photos from circa 1969 and say, “Don’t they look awful?” First of all, no; if they look awful it’s because they’re not smiling, and secondly, just because someone else arguably looked bad with straight hair doesn’t mean I do.) I think the mindset here is that a female has to “do something” with her hair to show that she “cares how she looks”. When I do “do something” with my hair, I pull it back at the crown with a barette, or put it in a bun. Both look good, in my and other peoples’ opinions (the ones who don’t think that a female is incomplete without a perm). So is a female with long straight hair unfashionable? I’ve just heard it **so** many times. But there are many female Dopers who look outstanding with same. And I do care how I look; if I didn’t, I wouldn’t color my hair. ---
**Author:** ![lucie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed8c4c/32.png) [@lucie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucie)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/2 "2001-01-28T22:42:41Z")
As long as I can remember (too many decades to contemplate), I have always wanted long, straight hair. I got stuck with medium wavy, fine hair that defies all style. Cut it or leave it alone, it doesn’t matter because it always looks like I just came in out of a high wind. I love the way straight hair looks on people of all sexes, and on those occasions when a friend has styled or permed it, I always thought it was a great loss and rarely, if ever, an improvement. Some did it to look more serious and business-like, but hey, with straight hair you can always put it up or twist it in some interesting way when you need to. And it has come back in to fashion every couple years since the mid-sixties. It’s a pretty much a perennial. Keep it, and people with crappy hair like me will envy you (and only the jealous ones will try to get you to change it). ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/3 "2001-01-28T22:47:11Z")
I would kill for straight hair. My naturally curly hair bothers me so much. It’s impossible to brush and it hardly ever does what I want it to. If you have nice hair it will look good straight. Sometimes when people straighten it unnaturally, it looks bad, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think any type of hair can look good, depending on the type of face that it goes with. ---
**Author:** ![Meephead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@Meephead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meephead)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/4 "2001-01-28T23:18:17Z")
Long straight hair ROCKS! and I am not just sayng that because I have long straight hair. Long straight hair is my hands-down , no contest favorite. Why would you want to ruin such natural beauty by putting nasty chemicals and artificial curls in it? [sub]No offense intended for those who have naturally curly hair, which is beautiful in its own right.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/5 "2001-01-28T23:22:01Z")
I have fairly short wavy hair. Kind of straight but with a definite wave to it. Straight hair isn’t bad, no way. Look at Cher! And…Well i’ll be back to list some more fine looking femmes with long straight hair. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/6 "2001-01-28T23:23:49Z")
Only when you want to _do_ something with your hair! I’ve gone through periods of really liking my long straight hair-which is currently down to my butt-and periods where I just loathed it-like now. It’s too thick to hold a perm, so when I get one, I have curls for maybe a month no matter what my hair length is at the time. I’ve noticed that people with straight hair wish theirs was curly and those lucky souls with natural curls really wish theirs was straight. Like **Rilchiam** , I’ve been told on numerous occassions that it would look better cut and curled-usually by my well meaning mother. :roll eyes: ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/7 "2001-01-28T23:26:45Z")
That’s funny, Rilchiam, I have _very_ straight hair and, apart from an annoying number of Peppermint Patty references I’ve usually been complimented on it. I’ve gotten lots of “I wish my hair was as straight as yours” and I don’t think anyone’s ever told me I should perm or (God forbid) feather it. But then I’ve never lived in LA 😃 As for dragging your face down I think that’s more to do with having straight _thin_ hair, which I also have, which is why I rarely let it grow it past my chin. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/8 "2001-01-28T23:37:45Z")
Meephead, whoa! I think you’d look with no hair! But your hair is definitely the top note. ---
**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/9 "2001-01-29T00:02:51Z")
Hmm, I (dimly) remember growing up in the sixties when young girls would **iron** their hair to make it straighter. Long, straight hair was what everybody desired. OF course, I think there were fewer continents back then, too… ---
**Author:** ![pr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/eada6e/32.png) [@pr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pr)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/10 "2001-01-29T00:23:30Z")
Is there anything so terrible about straight hair? No. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/11 "2001-01-29T00:47:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WillGolfForFood \* > **Hmm, I (dimly) remember growing up in the sixties when young girls would iron their hair to make it straighter. Long, straight hair was what everybody desired.** I think that’s why so many people have a mental block about long hair. Ironed hair didn’t necessarily look good, so when people think “Should I grow my hair?” they picture whatsername from **Love Story** , and think, “Ugh, no!” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/12 "2001-01-29T00:49:52Z")
Of course there’s nothing wrong with straight hair. I, however, have super fine poker straight limp hair that looks like crap if I don’t do anything with it. I had to use a curling iron everyday. So I got a perm last wednesday. A loose one, but a perm nonetheless. I like it, but if you don’t want a perm-hey, whatever floats your boat! And you look very pretty! MY hair looks very limp-like long thin grass when worn plain. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/13 "2001-01-29T01:05:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*And you look very pretty! MY hair looks very limp-like long thin grass when worn plain. > \*\* Why, thank you, if that was meant for me. And as for your hair, as long as _you think you look good_. That’s really what I was on about: so many people who make it their business to tell other people how they should look. Insecurity, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/14 "2001-01-29T01:46:05Z")
I think your hair looks great on you, Rilch. Some hair looks flat, some looks frightful, some looks great. Luckily, straight hair is fashionable these past few years, so in a lot of people’s eyes it’s not an unpleasant sight. Undoubtedly in a few years time it’ll be major trendy to wear ringlets or dye it in stripes, so you might look out of place again by then. Not that I’m any kind of expert on hair. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/15 "2001-01-29T06:12:20Z")
I have somewhat wavy hair. I feel lucky because, at 35, I’m not thinning out yet, but still, unlike straight hair, my hair doesn’t grow down, but rather out. If I wanted long hair, it’s one of three things – a perm, afro or mullet. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/16 "2001-01-29T06:54:10Z")
I think I know why there is a sort of “backlash” against long, straight hair. It requires very little beauty salon maintainance. Salons don’t like it when you only have to visit maybe once or twice a year and spend a minimal amount of money on a trim. Other styles (especially permanents) require expensive, frequent salon maintainance. Men with very curly hair have told me that they would kill to have stick-straight hair like mine. Somehow, we’ve gotten it into our heads that straight hair is for boys and curly hair is for girls. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/17 "2001-01-29T11:08:30Z")
I think your straight hair looks just fine on you, rilch. Personally, I think most women who do have straight hair look better if they keep it straight and dont mess with it. I’m a guy with straight hair. I love it. It’s easier to do most hairstyles with straight hair than say curly (ask Democritus about his hair envy for my hair :). I’m able to make it look spiky without too much effort, and I can have those short styles that look good styled. The only problem is, it wants to stick straight out as short as I have it, so i do need pomade or gel to control it. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/18 "2001-01-29T11:29:40Z")
I see nothing wrong with straight hair. Like several others here, I have straight, fine hair, so I don’t grow it too long & have it layered. I would kill (well not quite…) for thick curly hair. But I bet if I actually **had** thick curly hair, I would want stright hair! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stella\_Fantasia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@Stella\_Fantasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stella_Fantasia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/19 "2001-01-29T12:01:14Z")
I bet nobody tells Gwyneth Paltrow or Jennifer Love Hewitt that they should “do something” with their hair… Long straight hair looks great if you’ve got the face for it. I hated my straight hair (weirdly enough, ever since I had my daughter, my hair has developed a vague wave pattern) for most of my life, but that’s because my cheeks are too full to leave it straight, so I’d have to fight with the blow dryer & hot rollers every morning. Ewww, perms. Don’t do that!!! I’ve never gotten one, & I’ve never seen anybody else with one that looked good. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177/20 "2001-01-29T16:48:28Z")
I loooooove long straight hair. Just a guy’s opinion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-so-terrible-about-straight-hair/52177.md?page=2)