QuoteReplyTopic: motivations for short hair Posted: January 16 2002 at 1:05pm
A huge number of guys these days settle for the "classic" short cut, tapered at the back and sides from shaven off at the nape to a bit longer. There are even many crewcuts, caesars & buzzcuts out there? I`d like to see different peoples` reasons for this. Desire to conform? To please a partner? Genuine personal preference? What?
I`ve got a hunch it`s because these styles are quicker to cut using clippers than they are using scissors.
Perhaps it`s because shorter styles need regular trimming more often? (4 weeks vs. 8/12 weeks for a longer style).
If housing is expensive, do people have less money to spend on their appearance?
Is it because the population is aging and fewer people have hair?
More people are working and have families, so there is less money and time to go on personal items?
According to some of the fashion tips here, you have to have the same hairstyle as the interviewer to get the job. That is scary. On several jobs interviews I had, there would be some company departments where all the guys were `buzzed` or cropped short, otherwise had ponytails. That freaked me out.
My parents always had this belief that there was something masochistic about someone wanting clippers used (perhaps because of the National Service/draft). Having the back/nape clippered doesn`t bother me, but having the top cropped to less than two inches.(Bad personal experience).
Maybe it`s due to the general prosperity of the area. I`ve always noticed that upmarket cities would always have people who had `maintained` hair eg. casual lengths with highlights/frosting, while poorer areas would keep to this short hair styles.
My personal preference is for a tapered 2 inches at the back and sides to 3 inches on top). I really see my self image as someone with a caual and relaxed attitude(maybe a corporate style haircut). You would not belief how some stylists will seem surprised at this request for scissors only these days.
I`ve been told a "side parting" is now old-fashioned as well.
I would say a mix of desire to conform and personal preference. As a guy with long hair, there is a LOT of social pressure from girls, other guys, jobs, etc. to conform and get a short haircut. Most guys just choose to go along with the pack and get the same haircut they see on everybody else- probably just a subconscious desire to conform caused by years of conditioning. The same goes for your beard question, though there are a lot of goatees around right now.
LOng hair for guys is definitely "In Style" right now.(trust me i`m a model from Storm Agency) Back in 1999 when Ricky Martin was "Livin da vida Loca" --was also the start of that short/ spikey/ bleached hair craze. Today its all about cropped, preppy, shoulder length, smooth sleek hair behind the ears, preppy look thats back in style.
I`m proud to be a Long-haired guy---I find that the more "feminine" chics tend to dig-it more. And super feminine chics are a good thang ;)
I would have to say that maintaining shorter hair is a little easier than having to work with longer hair. Most guys don`t like to mess with it too much before going to work, going out, etc... and short hair just becomes a lot easier solution for them. I tried to grow my hair out a for about six months before giving up. It layed too flat and was too heavy to do anything with. So I cut it off again, but I am anything but a conformist. I am one of those people who has to constantly change my appearance, so coloring my hair is a big part of what makes me `me.` I must say that it`s a lot easier to get rid of an unwanted color by letting it grow a little and then cutting it off than to try to color over it and hope for something that you can live with.
Now on another point, living in the midwest I must say I`ve seen a lot of people who don`t want to fall into either category. They want a little bit of both... and I`m talking about mullets. I`m almost positive that the mullet isn`t chosen for it`s aesthetic appeal, but more for reasons that stem from the high points of short and long hair. Short hair that`s easy to style, and long hair that you can throw around and pull back and whatnot.
I guess the long and short of it comes down to personal preference, but there are the few instances that a person goes to a style to please someone else.
MattJPat
duke
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The thing that really makes me wonder is why so many men accept that their hair be tapered with clippers. Why not wear the hair at the back a bit longer than the nape of the neck. It seems that tapering was expected of men for a ling time since the invention of clippers to the 1960s. It doesn`t look like anything special, and the stubble at the back, when I had shorter hair, got on my nerves.
I agree with you duke. I have had too many experiences of barbers cutting my hair too short for my liking, and consequently I have been avoiding them for the past 6 months. Now it`s getting pretty long, and I like it, although I should probably get it trimmed soon for convenience`s sake. I can appreciate short haircuts and would quite like to wear one, but every time I ask for "just a trim please" it ends up shorter than I can tolerate. So I just let it grow, grow, grow, and yes, I totally agree, there is far too much pressure from society on guys to wear their hair short. I guess short hair haters just have to take pride in being different from all the other guys, and have faith that in the long run, being part of the minority will pay off.
Well i have long hair. It goes past my ears and about 3-4 inches from my shoulders. When i style it however i slick it back and gel. (fyi im in high school). For some reason this is highly looked down upon in my social sorroundings. The girls love it but the guys always have some smart remark for it. "You have balls wearing your hair like that." I hear that daily. Over time its starts to get to me. So i ask what is a good style for a "kid." I used to have the short spiky look and then it came i "style" so i tossed it bc i hate being in "style" i like being different. But is it time to go back to the spiky look? Or is there another look i should try out?
A huge number of guys these days settle for the "classic" short cut, tapered at the back and sides from shaven off at the nape to a bit longer. There are even many crewcuts, caesars & buzzcuts out there? I'd like to see different peoples' reasons for this. Desire to conform? To please a partner? Genuine personal preference? What?
I wish longer hair on guys would "come back".
Well, while I was living with my parents still, I kept it short because they wanted it short.. and I never could stand the period between short and long. The transition sucks really..
I am growing my hair out because most girls I know suggest I grow it out.. but I know next time I see my mother she`ll offer to pay to have my hair cut. I don`t believe she really prefers short hair, its just that where we emmigrated from its not acceptable for men to have long hair.
I hope I can keep my hair growing for some time.. unfortunately the job I have involves travelling internationally, but we`ll see.
I`d never had my hair really short, so I guess I wanted to know what it was like. Boy was that a mistake...All 9 inches of my thick wavy hair got cut off, but it`ll grow back..With time :(
I`d never had my hair really short, so I guess I wanted to know what it was like. Boy was that a mistake...All 9 inches of my thick wavy hair got cut off, but it`ll grow back..With time :(
:)
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I have been growing my hair for the past year and it is amazing the reactions I get from all kinds of people (both positive and negative). In my whole life I think I may have had a coulple of comments on my hair when it was short. Now that it is long my hair is a conversation piece.
I keep the top and sides short and the back it down to my shoulders and wavy. Most women give me compliments on it and say I should keep it long. Older people say cut it off and my kids believe it or not say I should cut it. Guys either say nothing or give some type of sarcastic comment.
I am not a fan of the `mullet` purely because I have never seen it look good on any man. You may be the exception, but anyway, the only thing we human`s truly possess albeit temporarily, is ourselves. You have the right to express and enjoy yourself and live out your full vision of your self and your life. Go ahead and do not let anyone dictate or influence you adversely. They are messing with your self respect - and that is an area that is never up for grabs!!!! Personally, I love long hair on a man - any man - it makes my knees go weak and does wonderful things to other parts of my anatomy (hehehe).
Take Care
Uzma
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Mullets again! I must say I don`t find them very pretty myself. They`re so out of sync. But ultimately, what you like matters not what others say (though it may be a good idea to listen to what your wife says.) As soon as you described the style, I understood why so many people didn`t like it (there was a long thread called "the mullet style for men" I think on the Hair Politics board. Check it out for fun.) Ever thought about growing ALL the hair on your head long? Just suggestions.
Long Hair all the way. I have straight hair that goes past my shoulders about 2-3 inches and I can do many things with it. Some grils like it, some dont, the ones that dont usually have short hair, or are conservative about hair length (gahhh stupid government class). But most of the feminine girls, or the ones with short hair, but miss their long hair, like it. I think the short hair is going slowly out of style, but many males will stick with short hair, so they wont have to mess around with it.
Leon, The guys that don`t say anything about your hair are the ones that like it. AND< it`s the ones that put you down that really wish they had your kind of hair. SO enjoy it. Just keep it clean and looking good. Good luck. Mick
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