What should I do about my hair?

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

I’m a seventeen year-old-male, and I’ve had longish hair since I was nine. Lately, I’ve been seriously considering changing to a short-hair style, as I am graduating from highschool, and I kinda feel like a change.

As for what I want to change to, well, I really have no idea. I know that I don’t want to spike my hair, and I don’t want to shave my head. I also don’t want anything that will take a lot of work to maintain. Other than that, I have no clue.

I’m scared it will look stupid on me, or it won’t fit my style, or something like that. As for what my style is, I’m not really sure. I’m fair skinned, I wear T-Shirts and jeans, I have a kinda big nose, etc. I’m generally not concerned with having a refined appearance, although I do try to take care of my appearance, if that makes any sense.

I suppose I’d want it to make me look good, but I don’t expect it to make me handsome. I guess I just don’t want it to make me look any worse than I already do.

I also have pretty unique hair, as I inherited it from my Native American ancestors, so the story goes. It is very dark brown and incredibly straight in that I can’t do a thing with it. It is very voluminous; someone once said it looked like Jennifer Aniston’s hair in the early years of Friends.

I’m posting this on the spur of the moment, and I don’t really have time to take pictures that showcase my hair, but I do have some recent pictures in my collection that give an idea of what my hair looks like presently:

http://www.ritualistic.com/modshack/hair/

If there is any interest in this, I could take the time to take some more pictures, but as of now I have no plans to.

It’s a pretty big deal to me, I guess, and I won’t do it without any good advice. If anyone has experience with this kinda stuff and can give me some ideas, that would be awesome. If not, I’d like to go to a stylist or something that would know what to do. Can I just go into any Super Cuts and ask for their help, or should I go to a full on salon for good advice? What kinda price should I be expecting if I go that route?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.

#2

For one thing you don’t have a big nose. Trouble is that if you have it cut and then want to go back…well it’s going to take awhile. So I suggest you try something a little shorter, but not extreme and keep going shorter until you decide for sure. Then there is the “go for broke” method. Pretend you just enlisted and have it cut extremely short. Then let it grow and stop when you get what you like. This last method is evidently what Agassi did. I never understood what he was thinking about until I realized he was going bald and the old look abandoned him. You don’t appear to have this problem.

#3

Lordie, I wish I had hair like that. It’s gorgeous.

However, since you’re looking for a change of pace, all I can truly offer in the way of advice is to get someone with a clue to cut it. If you go to a SuperCuts, you’re likely to walk out with a bowl cut or something equally horrifying. Salons aren’t cheap, but you can get a very nice cut for probably $30 or so.

#4

Ditto what LOW said.

Although, even if you do go to a SuperCuts kinda place, they do have books you can look through for ideas and above all else:

Talk to the stylist before s/he weilds the scissors!

I made a stylist very afraid yesterday when I went and had my mop chopped. Lost about 8" of curl. She kept saying “I hope you like it because I don’t know what I’m doing here”.
I can honestly say it is one of the best cuts I have ever had!

#5

MULLET!

#6

Pony up the bucks and go to a good place, if just for the first cut.

Get their opinions.

Look through books.

Don’t rule anything out.

Be prepared to feel naked-headed afterwards and be prepared to accept it…it’ll pass.

#7

Dude, don’t cut the hair. Look at what some women in this thread have already said: it looks good. If you are going to college, you are going to get laid at least three times because of your hair alone. Hair like yours is rare for a guy, and if you still have it 10-15 years from now, it will be really rare. If it’s gone by then, you’ll wish you’d kept it.
Take it from somebody who has made this same decision before, and took the wrong path. KEEP THE HAIR!

#8

Another vote for KEEP THE HAIR!

I mean, if you really want it short, that’s your business. But you have GREAT hair. I like long hair on guys.

My brother has really great hair, too, though different than yours. He’s been growing his for the past couple of years, and it looks really good when he pulls it back. He’s a second-semester freshman at the moment. I’m so jealous. I should have gotten his hair!

#9

Depending on what you are going to do after highschool - as long as you aren’t trying to get a “traditional” job, KEEP IT. It’s pretty hot. :slight_smile:

#10

Damn, dude, if I was two years younger… :wink:

I like it, seriously, it’s hot. Of course, I’ve always had a thing for guys with long hair. If you really want to cut it, though, I’d say not too short. I’m envisioning kind of a shaggy layered chin-length or a little longer thing. Would be cute. Honestly, though, it’s lovely and if you were across the country and a year older… hooboy.

must… stop… hitting on… guys two years younger than me…

#11

HC, are you reading the three posts after mine?! I’m tellin’ ya man, chicks dig long hair! Play your cards right, and you will be a pussy-gettin’ MACHINE for the next ten years!

[sub]Antares is already warmed up. Sorry, I’m just jealous. She’s my type. Hey Antares ;)[/sub]

#12

You do have beautiful hair, HoldenCaulfield. But I understand change all too well :slight_smile:

I am constantly changing my hair cut style.

Even before looking at the pictures, I was considering suggesting some kind of shag cut. It’s quite popular right now, kind of an Ashton Kutcher kind of thing. Still long-ish, so not too drastic.

Definitely make sure you have an idea of what you want before you go, no matter where you go. And take pictures, multiple ones if possible. I’ve actually gotten some good cuts going to a “SuperCuts-type” of place, as long as I take pictures with me. But then again, I’d always go to the same hairdresser, so she knew what I liked anyway.

Good luck with it. Let us know what you decide!

#13

Go for shaggy. I like the Ashton Kutcher shot, and offer up Damian Kulash of OK Go. (frontman, plaid shirt)

#14

Used to have long hair usen I first went to Uni. It was a pain in the butt. The last straw was my grandmother who laughed at me for having ‘Girly hair’.

Given it up for a generic shortish office haricut.

#15

Oh keep it long, keep it long, keep it long…shaggy and 1970’s rock star style. I think most guys with short hair (granted, there are some exceptions) look like pretty boys and cardboard-cut-out-esk with short hair. Nothing like a guy with longer hair. Not tremendously long, but enough to cover their ears and brush the back of their collars. It’s fun to mess with and it just looks right, dammit.

looks up to fizgig’s post Yeah…Ashton Krutcher…absolutely. nods emphatically

#16

HoldenCaulfield is not supposed to have long hair! At least thats what I got when I read Catcher in the rye. :wink:

#17

I just want to say that those pictures made me think of the storyline in Bloom County when Opus has his beak job, and for the next few strips there was always a lamp, or a cereal box suspended from a string, or some other ridiculous gag keeping you from seeing his new proboscis.

Oh, and another vote for Keep The Hair. Lordy, how I miss Mr. S’s lovely wavy Jesus hair. Girls love nice hair on a guy.

#18

You must keep the hair if you plan to attend university. Not permanently, mind you, but for at least a semester.

Chicks dig the hair. Trust me, I’m a chick. I also know of the power of the long hair secondhand:

One of my cousins once had rather long, wavy hair (we nicknamed him ‘Dirty Jesus’ :slight_smile: ) ; at that time, chicks were hanging all over him, wanting to play with it & such - it’s really quite the lure.

That having been said… If you’re really into the idea of cutting it, I say go with the Ashton Kutcher/Damian Kulash looking 'do.

#19

Hmm…
Short haired Troy = 0 girlfriends
Long haired Troy= 2 girlfriends

I woulda never noticed.

#20

Another vote for keep the hair…it’s very nice.