After avoiding a hair cut for the past FOUR months (a feat for which I am simultaneously proud and ashamed), I have finally managed to make an appointment with a hair salon. In the past four months, my hair has gotten quite long. When I told one of my coworkers that I was planning to go to the salon, she told me that she really liked the length and didn’t want me to go short again. I, too, sort of like it, but I am famously indecisive when it comes to these things, so I do not know if it should stay or it should go.
My hair has always been kinda shortish-mediumish in length. In fact, my basic hairstyle has not changed since elementary school. Therefore, it is entirely seemly for me to hear some opinions from strangers.
So, Dopers, should I keep my hair lengthy or chop it back?
And, so as not to keep the topic too narrow:
In general, do you think guys look better with shorter hair or longer hair?
Keep it long, although it’s certainly cute short! FYI, I’m old enough to be your mother, an ageing hippie, and I’ve always gone for guys that had hair considerably longer than mine. Go figure.
I tend to have my hair cut short and then let it grow for four months before I cut it again. Basically, when I can’t stand it anymore. But a friend told me a couple of years ago she liked it better long. My last haircut was in mid-May. It’s at the stage where it still bothers me, but I’m getting used to it. I’m thinking I might see if I can make it a year (and then chop it all off).
Re: the OP, from a hetero guy’s perspective, you look better with the long hair.
Another vote for long. But don’t worry, if you give it enough time, you’ll probably have enough input for exactly both of each and then you still won’t have any help.
I have had long hair for over 20 years now…I grew it out when I thought I would end up bald like my Grandfather was at 24 and figured I would just shave my head when it got to that point.
some chicks dig it, some dont, some dont until I take it out of the pony tail and then they say “Wow!” and suddenly dig it.
the hardest part is growing out the bangs until you can tie them back, that phase where they are always in your face is really hard to deal with…I recommend hairspray.
I still think about shaving but its to easy long, my hair care products are shampoo, conditioner, comb, and a towel.
if you can make it a full year it should be long enough to tie back in a pony tail, you can tie just the top back sooner though.
I had spent my whole life with pretty short hair, but then a few years back i just stopped getting haircuts. It wasn’t really a conscious fashion decision or anything like that; more a simple case of neglect. I just let it go for a while, and then as it got longer i decided that it wasn’t so bad.
The hardest time, for me, was when it got long enough to get in my way, but not long enough to tie back. Once it was long enough to tie back out of the way, i got used to it. For a while, it was down to the middle of my back, but i had about 5 or 6 inches chopped off a few weeks ago, and now it stops somewhere around my shoulder blades.
One thing that i took some time adjusting to was how much more effort long hair takes. I have to wash my hair far more often than i did when it was short, and i also have to plan a bit better because washing my hair before going out now requires a good 5-10 minutes with a hair dryer if i don’t want the back of my shirts to get soaking wet.
For many years now, I have tried to grow my hair shoulder-length, as it was in my late teens till late 20’s (except for 4 years I spent in the USAF -during which time - if I went to a rock concert, I wore a long-haired wig - and so did many others in the military).
Just haven’t been able to stand it growing over my ears because now it has a natural wave in it which makes me look like a pudgy page boy.
I still have all my hair, but I wear it in a modified Beatle cut, which suits me fine and I am 58.
I had long hair for 16 years. Last summer, as my hair thinned to a certain point (I’ve still more hair than any of my male relatives at my age), I had to cut it. What leander said.
A clean,orderly ponytail looks great on manly men, especially if/ when it gets that silvery shine. Sadly, I won’t be sporting one.
I think I like the longer cut better on you, but I’m not sure I’m not biased by the fact that you’re smiling in that photo. You look totally cute in either style though, so go with whatever you’re happiest with.
I think your longer hair looks great on you. In general, I think long(er) hair is often a good look for younger guys. I do think it’s very important for guys to evaluate this as they age (like leander said, around 30 seems like an important milestone), as the older one gets the more difficult it is to make the long hair work for you.
Long looks you DO NOT WANT:
hair thinning, super skinny ponytail
ponytail to make it look like a shorter style while at the office
Wow, I didn’t expect so many people to respond. Thanks a lot everybody! Sorry to have waited so long to reply. I ended up working a lot later this evening than I thought I would. (Hate, hate, hate, hate mid-terms. It’s cliched, I know, but however much students hate mid-terms, teachers hate them 5000x more)
Most everyone seems to agree that it looks better long. I know that even my previous haircut wasn’t exactly what one would likely call short hair for a guy.
I am not sure if I am going to go the ponytail route with it anytime soon. I sort of like the in-the-face look. The administration doesn’t seem to have a problem with it, either, so I can avoid the whole ponytail-just-cuz-i-gots-to-be-professional look.
Leander, it’s comforting to know that I still have a couple years left to experiment with this.
I am going to have to experiment with a few different hair products to find something that will let me keep my hair styled properly. At this length, when left to its own devices, it likes to attempt some sort of sloppy Mary Tyler Moore-inspired flip. With some of my outfits that actually looks really good. But in my suit I like to have it lay flatter against my head. It’s definitely more work than the shorter hair was, which was pretty much maintenance-free. But it might be worth it.
I’m having trouble finding recent smiling pictures for my short hairstyle. I don’t actually smile in photos very often because I am irrationally self-conscious about my smile.
Keep the opinions coming, everyone. I really appreciate what everyone has to say.
