Women and long hair

In My Humble Opinion
61

I think of long hair as “bra strap” length or longer.

I’m 20 and cut off my long hair when I was 18. Boy did I regret that. I cut it to my shoulders and it was down to my belly button! I looked like a 14 year old with short hair. So I had my 1 year of short hair and now it’s to the “bra strap” length and I’m loving it once again. I do plan on having long layers - since that seems to be the best look for me.

Long hair looks good on most women as long as they take good care of it. I will add that I don’t think it looks as good if it’s cut straight across. I think that looks very plain and aged. As others have mentioned, ratty & splt ends always look bad. Trim it up and keep it pretty!

For older women I’d suggest shorter long hair with some shape. A woman I used to work with had about arm-pit length hair brunette hair, with layers and long whispy bangs. She looked younger than her age (early 50’s) and it also made her face look a bit thinner (she wasn’t fat but she did have a few extra pounds).

And of course… If in doubt of your decision, cut off less than you planned!

Don’t go for the old lady mop!!!

62

I think of long hair as below bra strap or longer. I’m engaged in seeing just how long my hair can get; currently it’s about 1" above my tailbone. I used to have straggly ends and splits, but I found www.longhaircommunity.com and my hair’s in great shape now. I trim it myself because too many hairstylists seem to have a hate on for long hair, and think “trim an inch off” means “shave me bald”.

Another vote for long hair being almost maintenance free. I use shampoo bars which makes it even easier; no conditioner needed! Lather, rinse, comb, go. Once it dries there’s a million different ways I can put it up to keep it out of the way. My favorite is hairsticks; if I want to get dramatic I can just pull my sticks out and shake my head and all my hair comes cascading down.

Oh, I’m 32, female, and hopefully I’ll someday have snow white hair like my grandmother.

63

Male 36.

Another vote for long hair here. I was attracted to my gf by eyes, lips, hair, figure. Her hair was past bra strap. A year after we got together she had it cut short. Everyone commented on how nice it looked except me. I hated it. 10 years later she is finally regrowing it. And… funny how people are now saying how much they like it.

Ideally, I’d say bra strap length for straight hair.

I think women of a certain age look great with long grey hair, perhaps pulled back. Which leads me to another point. You have a lot of options with long hair, pulled back, buns, pony tails, piled up…

64

I love long hair on women – it looks extremely feminine and pretty. When I was a kid, my mum used to have hair down to her hips, and it looked gorgeous. Then she got ill, and it all fell out. :frowning:

That said, I have fairly long hair now – its about halfway down my back, just reaching the bottom of my bra strap. Its very dark brown, gets highlighted in the sun, and curly. I get it trimmed regularly, but to be honest, most days, I’ll wear it up in a French pleat, as when I wear it down, it gets everywhere.

I’m 25, but I can’t envision myself getting my hair cut when I get older, for starters, my mother’d kill me if I did*! But, I’ve tried the short hair look, and I looked hideous. My gran had hair down to her hips, which was silver all the way down, and looked amazing – I want to look like that when I grow old – I’m getting the wisps of silver already, but hey, there’s not much.

*According to my mother, a woman’s hair is a part of her beauty, and to cut it short is to somehow cut away a part of your feminine beauty. I’m not arguing – I like my hair long, it falls in just the right way to frame my face perfectly :D.

65

Um, is she married?

Hey! I just want to use all that German I took in school. Ok, how about, I love smart women, I’m taller, and the same age, and I’m in great shape after 5 kids (yeah, I didn’t get pregnant, but, go with me here), and. ah crap. I forgot. I’m married.

66

Agree 100%. **Faeriebeth ** has beautiful long auburn hair, the sort that strangers will comment on when she’s out and about. Long hair, to me, speaks of someone that is carefree and sensual- qualities I cherish in my wife. Short hair too often is about convenience, or Og forbid, ‘empowerment.’ Old Lady mops, puffballs, or Real Estate Agent hair freak me out. Of course, women can wear their hair however they please (at least, until the Revolution),but if you wear your hair (or clothes, etc.) in a manner that’s meant to convey that you don’t care if men are looking at you, then don’t be surprised when they don’t. And I reserve the right to shake my head in despair at every woman that butchers her head and denies me the right to admire her.

And, lest anyone think of me as a hypocrite, I have grown out my hair to satisfy my lady wife’s preference.

67

Hey, if it works for you. I just happen to think that red or blonde hair doesn’t look as attractive in the super-long lengths as does black or brown hair. To each his own.

68

Just popped in to say that I think that WOOKINPANUB had a point back there - long hair goes wrong when it’s used as a crutch, or as something to hide behind. Sometimes I think that a woman will grow her hair long because “guys love long hair” rather than finding a hairstyle that **she **likes. And I think that that’s a sad thing.

I’m growing my hair out, now (it’s just barely below my shoulders), but I’m thinking of getting it cut. Not as short as I’ve had it before, but shorter and more layered. I’m afraid that my current style is trending towards the “heavy and drag down the face” spectrum.

It’s funny when I hear all these “and you can do so much with it!” arguments. Sure, I suppose you can, but really, how many do? I have a coupla friends with long hair (as in, middle of the back or lower), and each one only has one style - Laura always wears her straight waist length hair down (at least, that’s the only way I’ve ever seen her), and Linae almost always wears hers in a bun. I’ve seen her with her hair down, and it’s very pretty, but it’s not something she does often. So yeah, long hair can be braided, ponytailed, twisted, and all that, but really, how often is it? I’m thinking that regardless of the length, most people probably wear a single style most often.

In my opinion, it’s not really about length. It’s about whether the lady in question likes her own style.

69

Female, 43, here.

I always said that when I turned 40, I would get one of those “grown up”, professional haircuts. I have very thick, curly, redgold hair. (I have the same high forehead and cowlicks as someone mentioned upthread–bangs do not work on me!)

I got to 40 and said a variation of fuck that. I was not ready for helmet head–and I doubt I ever will be. I have discovered the mighty Flat-Iron and now I love my hair. It can be curly or straight–I am in control! It’s wonderful.

IMO, long hair is usually more sexy, but then again, Audrey Hepburn did quite well with her gamin cut. In order to pull off short hair, IMO, a woman needs beautiful bone structure.

Long to me is shoulder length and below. Things I don’t like to see with long hair:

messy, untidy, split ends. Get a trim.

hairbows after about age 12.

messy Gibsons, matted areas, unkempt anything–unless you are on a fashion shoot.

Bad dye jobs that are obvious ie, highlights growing out without touch-ups etc.

overprocessed and tightly permed hair

frizz

IOW, no matter the length, hair should be groomed, clean and not out of control (those tumbled curls in the ads are controlled–it’s a fine line, but an important one).

And that is utter nonsense re long hair isn’t professional. Now, as a nurse, I can say that I never wear my hair down at work–not for concern re professionalism but because it gets too hot! and it hangs in my face too much–I try very hard at work to never touch my face-I work in a petri dish and dont’ need the germs, thank you.

My husband prefers short haired brunettes–any woman he has ever pointed out to me as “hot” or flirted with is a short haired brunette, but then again, I like lean, tall scholarly men (he is not)…

70

Really must preview…

Snickers --I wear my hair in a French braid, a regular braid, a poytail, down, in a clip, in a headband (brown leather), side part, center part and rarely, pigtails(when doing yardwork).
I can’t manage a bun–it’s so thick I can never get it to stay in and I hate bobby pins.

I want to try hair sticks, but again, the ones I’ve tried just fall out.

I agree that some women hide behind their hair (just like they do their weight) but don’t that’s the majority.

71

They don’t hate long hair by itself, it’s just too great a temptation.

Put yourself in a hairstylist’s shoes. Most every session is spent squinting at split ends and cutting 1/2" at a time, since most people have short hair and don’t let it grow out often. Now, comes someone walking in with super long hair. Admit it… you’d get a thrill out of letting loose & hacking off 24" of hair! It’s like having a nice, fresh sheet of bubble wrap sitting right in front of you, and you can’t pop any of the bubbles.

Last year, I got my butt-length hair trimmed about 10" to just above waist-length. I had to stand up for it. :eek:

Some years ago, I expressed concerns to my mother that my long hair would be unprofessional. Now, my mother is the most professional woman I’ve ever met; she’s no-nonsense, she’s a very strict woman with very strict ideas on business etiquette and attire.

To my surprise, Mom gave me very wise advice that’s stuck with me all this time: employers will for the most part know if you’re not being yourself, and even if they don’t, you’d be very unhappy in a job where you can never be yourself. My long, curly hair and disdain for designer labels is as much a part of me as any other aspect of my personality. I dye my hair, I put mousse on it, I make sure it stays in a blunt cut with NO SPLIT ENDS, and I style it in a work-appropriate way every day I go to work–there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

72

IME there is actually a demographic (not saying this is all men) who do prefer the manicured/made-up look. In Manhattan, those guys are more likely to be the ones who spend a lot of time/money on their own appearance (your classic metrosexual). North of the city, it’s more likely to be the working-class guys who are looking for a different sort of made-up look, one that is IMHO a lot less subtle (but obviously works for some).

Women are likely to make fun of other women that wear heavy make-up too, but that’s not really what I meant before. Guys more generally might say they like a woman who doesn’t look made up, but you might be surprised how much effort it can take to achieve a “natural” look. :wink:

But that could be the subject of another thread…

73

puts hair up into French pleat and runs away screaming from all hair stylists :wink:

Seriously though, if any stylist tried to hack off huge amounts of my hair without permission, there would be hell to pay. My hair is what makes me, in my opinion, pretty and feminine, and no one is going to hack at that.

74

Even Audrey never looked better than when she did have long hair. But what do I know? I thought she looked better as the Flower Seller than as the “Lady” in My Fair Lady.
Is Roman Holiday the Only Movie she had Long hair for?
Sunfish: Oh metrosexuals, I was talking about regular guys I guess. I see your point though. I know about the make-up cliché, my wife is one of the few girls/women I know you doesn’t wear any make-up but I grew up and live in NJ and in the 80’s the amount of girls my age that wore too much was makeup was hard to believe.

Jim

75

My hairdresser **refused ** to cut more than two inches at a time. She said that if I wanted to go any shorter than my shoulders, I’d have to find someone else to do it.

I’ve never wanted to go any shorter than my shoulders, because my hair is very curly, and it needs the weight. (Any shorter than that and I’d look like a dandelion gone to seed!) But I was always amused that her reasoning was simply “Your hair is gorgeous. Thick, curly, healthy, great color and texture. People spend thousands of dollars over their lifetimes trying to achieve what you’ve got naturally. Cutting it off would be like attacking the gardens at Versailles with a weedwacker.”

76

I never said long hair is bad , any more than I made the ridiculous claim that breast size, height, age or gender are in some way bad. Unlike one’s hairstyle, however, the others are not a choice. It all comes down to how one carries one’s self; makes the most of what he or she has to work with.

My comment about long hair and a woman’s credibility didn’t come across quite as I’d meant it; I apologize to any that I’ve offended. Perhaps my emphasis should have been on the word “professional”. While I’m sure that opinion is still not going to be popular, I stand by it. Not saying it’s an absolute; nothing ever is. Sure, there a very few women who can pull it off, but in general, you don’t see, say, female attorneys in a courtroom with their hair cascading down their backs. Would it make them less competent? Hell no. I know one has nothing to do with the other, but the way a person physically presents themself will always influence others’ perceptions of them; accurately or not. Not saying it’s fair, just saying that 's how it is. Hell, I’ve got some pretty large tattoos, and have had my nose pierced since 1986. Is anyone going to honestly say that wouldn’t color your perception of me? That’s why the ink gets covered and the nose stud gets taken out when I’m in a “professional” setting.

77

My hair grows like a weed, so it’s currently very, very long. It’s the first thing people notice about me. My friends like to joke that if I cut it all off I would lose 10 pounds. I prefer having short (for me that’s shoulder length) hair, but it makes me look half my age and I have no desire to look 12/13 at age 24. Because it’s so thick and gets really curly when it’s that short, I have to spend a lot of time and money on preventing a white-girl afro. Futhermore, my hair grows really fast when it’s that short, so that would involve constant trips to hair stylists. I don’t put much effort into my hair at all - I use cheap shampoos and I can take 15 minute showers with full conditioning and shampooing. I do get it thinned out so that it’s a bit more manageable. I plan on donating it to Locks of Love as much as possible.

Pics of my hair.

78

I had very long (past my waist) hair in school, but it was not healthy - lots of broken, split ends. I hate that look, and I have gone all the way in the other direction in the past - short as a man’s (I was inspired by Janine Turner on Northern Exposure, and Annie Lennox). I got compliments on my cut - but for the most part, people seem to prefer long hair and think of short hair on a woman as looking “masculine” (I think it has the opposite effect; a woman looks “masculine” if she has “masculine”-looking features, not because her hair is short).

Now, if you are a woman who wants to wear your hair short (above the jawline, to me) or even medium length (between the jawline and the shoulders, to me), it’s hard to find a good hairstyle lately - most of the “popular” hairstyles in magazines (as in, take a magazine picture to your stylist so she knows what you want it to look like) are long, long, and long. I’m in the process of growing my hair out to a medium length, and I finally found an example of a flattering-looking style for my head shape, lifestyle, and ability to style my hair (which is: simple as possible). It’ll take me a few months or more to grow out to the length in the pic.

I think healthy, well-groomed long hair looks great - though usually only when it’s smooth & straight. My SIL has long, frizzy hair (actually, she has a she-mullett) and it looks nasty to me. But I love a sassy short cut on the right head shape. I don’t have the right head shape for long hair. I specifically have to keep the hair from being too long, too symetrical, and too flat on top, or it’s terribly unflattering.

Long hair, to me, is anything below the shoulders. I had a dance teacher in high school who had long silver hair, and it was very attractive. But - the most important thing isn’t age, or hair length, or hair color - it’s healthy hair, a good cut, and a proper style for the person’s head/face shape/lifestyle/ability to style the cut (unless she can afford to have someone style it for her every day).

I’m 42 and female. And a redhead. With short hair (on its way to medium).

And I’m pretty cute, if I do say so myself. :slight_smile:

79

Wookinaub --I don’t think anyone here is advocating messy, unkempt long hair for work or any professional setting. I think that most attorneys would put their hair up or at least tie it back. Same with bankers or any conservative profession.

It can be a safety issue as well. But, if a woman keeps her hair clean and tidy-there is no reason to have it cut short out of fear of unprofessionalism or “it’s too young for me”.

80

Kimera, your hair is beautiful!