# Who in society decided that short "clean" haircuts are the ONLY ones that look good on men? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706 "2015-08-01T04:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![justjake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a587f6/32.png) [@justjake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justjake)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/1 "2015-08-01T04:37:41Z")
I have long hair as a man, and to be 100% honest, it looks great. How it feels,how it looks, how it tastes.(kidding on that one) I just don’t get the whole stereotype. Whenever I or anyone i know grows their hair out there are always unnecessary comments like" You need to get that trimmed up a bit at least!" “Just trim the ends” No. I won’t trim the ends. I won’t conform to society. I won’t look like every other basic joe. Also, I don’t need to honestly. My hair looks great. It always has, always will, and most people like it. No, i don’t need to cut it. It’s actually not messy. It’s just slight wavy. It actually doesn’t need a trim. It’s a style. The style is called “long hair”. I actually don’t look like a girl. It doesn’t make me look gay, there’s a thing called hair and it grows out. It doesn’t determine anyone’s sexuality. It’s professionally styled as well , so it doesn’t need to be cut. It’s already cut AND styled thank you very much. Get some style points gramps. It’s just annoying how so many people say this to men with long hair. No one needs a trim. Never tell anyone this. I’m fucking glad i have a full set of hair. So many fat americans in this country have almost completely receded hairlines and i’m not one of them. I’m gunna get someone pregnant soon too. It’s gunna be a boy. With a wonderful hairline and hair. He’ll grow up to be just like daddy. With wonderful non-receded hair. He’ll be in a crowd full of receded hairline americans. Last of his kind. Too many women will want his seed. In hopes of their kids having this beautiful, luscious, hair. Seriously though, this has been bothering me FOREVER. Fuck you grandpa and your old-age beliefs that a man can’t have long hair and it can look good. Maybe if the guy is a complete moron and doesn’t know how to take care of it and style it. Welcome to the new age grandpa. It’s actually OK for me to have long hair. And it’s actually possible for it to look attractive. And it’s possible for me to be straight too AND have long hair. Shocker. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/2 "2015-08-01T05:00:40Z")
I dunno, man. My 13 year old son has long hair. I’m pretty sure he’s straight, but he’s been watching the Walking Dead lately, and he seems to have developed some kind of man-crush on Norman Reedus. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/3 "2015-08-01T05:04:24Z")
I quite agree. Anyway, I think men with short hair look like coconuts. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/4 "2015-08-01T05:07:20Z")
I did the long hair thing when it was full and thick; and I mean as low as the shoulder blades long. But once half fell out ------- it just wasn’t the same. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/5 "2015-08-01T05:13:05Z")
No matter what you look like, or how you dress, or how you present yourself, someone is going to find it objectionable. Do what you like and ignore the critics. (Unless “what you like” involves having ear gauges, because ewwwwww!) ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/6 "2015-08-01T05:31:47Z")
The bad news is that the hereditary factor behind baldness comes through both sides with ISTR the female side being more important. The good news is it won’t matter. The ground work for notional son #1 to express his rebellion by shaving his head is already being laid.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/7 "2015-08-01T05:40:32Z")
The 80’s called, it wants its… Oh never mind. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/8 "2015-08-01T10:18:57Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > The 80’s called, it wants its… Oh never mind. I was going to say "The 70s just called…"but, then I read \*your \*post. Thanks for nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/9 "2015-08-01T11:09:51Z")
Just so you maintain the pubes. Dreads that get caught up in your zipper are gauche. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/10 "2015-08-01T11:41:18Z")
Mickey D’s put their foot down, eh bro? I’m sure you’ll land on your feet. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/11 "2015-08-01T11:41:59Z")
Short hair is actually not the norm, historically. In the history of the US, men have worn long hair all the time except for the period 1900-1960. THAT was the actual fad. ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/12 "2015-08-01T11:43:41Z")
You really do ramp up to full on rant, don’t you? About hair. HAIR. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/13 "2015-08-01T11:49:36Z")
Sorry, but I don’t want to get in the middle of these fights between you and your mom. You two are just going to have to work this out on your own. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/14 "2015-08-01T12:06:41Z")
Does it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees? Give a home to fleas, a hive for buzzing bees? A nest for birds? There ain’t no words for the beauty, splendor, wonder of your hair. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/15 "2015-08-01T12:30:12Z")
Julius Caesar? ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/16 "2015-08-01T13:06:57Z")
If long hair is trimmed and styled and the guy has the face/body for it, long hair is really frackin’ sexy on a man. I mean, crazy sexy. Now, “hair” is not normally something women put in their must-have list, but if it’s there on the guy, it’s a really nice bonus. But don’t use my salon hair care products without asking. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/17 "2015-08-01T13:22:13Z")
I like long hair on a man. As long as it’s clean and controlled, like in a ponytail or a braid. Down and loose is okay as long as it’s combed. I hate that wild, mountain man look. > [@justjake](#): > > No. I won’t trim the ends. I won’t conform to society. I won’t look like every other basic joe. Trimming the ends isn’t about conforming to anything. It removes the split ends and makes your hair healthier, so it doesn’t break off. So it actually will make it longer. As for the other hairy places. Please landscape those. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/18 "2015-08-01T13:30:15Z")
Who decided? People who don’t like the look of long, greasy, unkempt hair. Otherwise, I wasn’t aware it was a societal given. Long hair that looks good and is well cared for looks great on men (and women). Short hair is easy and doesn’t require much to maintain that neat, tidy look. I saw a guy in a store the other day - strawberry blond hair in curls halfway down his back. Except he really, really needed the ratty, thin ends trimmed and then it would have looked awesome. As it was, he was just another scruffy guy who won the genetic hair colour lottery. ---
**Author:** ![oz0ne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc348/32.png) [@oz0ne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oz0ne)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/19 "2015-08-01T18:32:12Z")
Maybe you could sell some of those oh-so-lovely locks to help with your hospital bill. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706/20 "2015-08-01T18:52:35Z")
For a moment there I feared the OP would launch into a rendition of _“Gimme a head of hair; Long, beautiful hair…”_ I cringed, man, cringed I tell ya! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-society-decided-that-short-clean-haircuts-are-the-only-ones-that-look-good-on-men/726706.md?page=2)