How Long Does Hair Have To Be Before Peeps Think It's A Weave?

[Alpha Female]

This may seem a strange question, but I've wondered it when I read posts where people have thought the posters had a weave, and either asked the poster directly or had the audacity to physically check for themselves. But then I see other people with what I think is long, healthy hair who say that has never happened to them. So I wonder...how long does hair have to be before people in the 'general public' think you are beyond 'natural black hair growth,' and so consequently, must be wearing a weave? Just curious...

 

[ladylibra]

i think sometimes it is the health of the hair that makes people think you're rocking a weave. thick, healthy APL hair can get mistaken for weave a lot, or so i've noticed.

anything BSL or beyond, folks don't believe black women can achieve. my sis actually did have fusion extensions for a while at BSL and you shoulda seen the way girls would stare at her hair looking for tracks... and the way their faces crinkled up when they couldn't find any. i mean it was fake but they were mad cuz they thought it was fake and felt they were proved wrong... of course they immediately assumed my sis must be mixed (she gets mistaken for Hispanic all the time) and write it off as, "she must be lucky."

we know better though, don't we ladies?

 

[glamazon386]

A healthy full shoulder length or longer around here.

 

[dlewis]

Even when I wore my hair shorter people assumed it was a wig. I think because it's always so big. I love big hair.

 

[MizAvalon]

Girl please, shoulder length! That makes me a little sad because it's like folks think black women can't even have shoulder length hair without it possibly being fake.

 

[LorraineCC]

I was thinking the same question while reading another post. Why are people worrying about someone else's hair anyway? I can care less about how long someone's hair is. Maybe because I'm sick of people, even my grandmom, trying to check to see if I have a weave. I would never think it would be appropriate to ask someone if that's their real hair. My thing is worry about your own hair. It seems that some women with really long hair get upset to see another black woman with long hair. Sometimes I think the women with long hair are the main ones checking someone elses hair.

 

[pistachio]

I was thinking the same question while reading another post. Why are people worrying about someone else's hair anyway? I can care less about how long someone's hair is. Maybe because I'm sick of people, even my grandmom, trying to check to see if I have a weave. I would never think it would be appropriate to ask someone if that's their real hair. My thing is worry about your own hair. It seems that some women with really long hair get upset to see another black woman with long hair. Sometimes I think the women with long hair are the main ones checking someone elses hair.

Back when my hair was BSL, I admit I was checking other Black women's hair too, but I never got mad and felt "upstaged". In fact I though it was good, and wondered if their reggie resembled mine. But I know what you mean, and agree with you because I have women in my family that they gotta be the only one with long hair.

 

[blue_flower]

Back in the day when I had short chin-length hair, this one chick asked me,"Is that your real hair? It's so thick!" I think if your hair is thick, trimmed ends, and a solid-color with a nice shine, people will assume your hair isn't real, regardless of length.

 

[Aveena]

I think its the health and thickness in general and not length. People expect relaxed hair to be scraggly and/or thin.

 

[frankie]

Back in the day when I had short chin-length hair, this one chick asked me,"Is that your real hair? It's so thick!" I think if your hair is thick, trimmed ends, and a solid-color with a nice shine, people will assume your hair isn't real, regardless of length.

ITA with the bolded.

I have a friend with the thickest, nicest hair, it doesn't matter what length it is (chin length to below shoulder), people assume it's not "all" hers.

 

[ddean]

I think its the health and thickness in general and not length. People expect relaxed hair to be scraggly and/or thin.

ITA. I've had friends accuse me of wearing tracks because my hair is much thicker and healthier now.

 

[♦K.O♦]

Big hair, regardless of length, and long hair get the comments.

I think my hair's color attracts comments to. It has always been multi-tonal.

 

[TCatt86]

Not long. People thought I wore a weave back when my hair was the length in my avatar and it was barely past shoulder length. But that's because it was thick. Now my hair is chin length and people think it's a wig, because it's full, thick and appears healthy. I was at the nail salon and this lady was like "girl where you got your wig from, cuz that is a good on?" And I replied "my head". But I was nice about it, because that is really a compliment.

 

[curlycraze]

If your black, chin length. Many folk are miseducated.erplexed

 

[dillard]

Even when I wore my hair shorter people assumed it was a wig. I think because it's always so big. I love big hair.

ditto! even now people ask me if i have tracks and i'm barely SL. if i have it all out with bangs out (and my NG is so thick you can hardly see my scalp) ppl will ask me if it's a wig

 

[dillard]

Not long. People thought I wore a weave back when my hair was the length in my avatar and it was barely past shoulder length. But that's because it was thick. Now my hair is chin length and people think it's a wig, because it's full, thick and appears healthy. I was at the nail salon and this lady was like "girl where you got your wig from, cuz that is a good on?" And I replied "my head". But I was nice about it, because that is really a compliment.

 

[mahoganee]

Even when I wore my hair shorter people assumed it was a wig. I think because it's always so big. I love big hair.

Same here. People have thought my sisters and I have worn wigs since we were kids at one time or another because our hair is thick. Funny thing is that for the past couple of years when I wear a sew in people think it's my hair but when I wear my own hair out they think it's a weave. I think it's hilarious!

 

[Miss*Tress]

Back in the day when I had short chin-length hair, this one chick asked me,"Is that your real hair? It's so thick!" I think if your hair is thick, trimmed ends, and a solid-color with a nice shine, people will assume your hair isn't real, regardless of length.

This is true. As long as a black woman has full, even, healthy hair, she may be suspected of wearing a wig or extensions. It happened to me at all different lengths except very short.

 

[Soliel185]

I think it depends on where you live for one - if your area has a large Black community you'll probably get it more than in another area where there're more of other races. Also - I think the length is tricky b/c you'd assume that the longer your hair is the more people will ask, but I have found that once hair gets past about APL, everyone assumes that it's fake and doesn't bother asking b/c they don't believe a black woman can grow hair that long. But if your hair is anywhere from chin to APL length, and thick,shiny, or generally healthy looking, people will ask b/c it's within the realm of "possibility" that you could have grown it yourself.

 

[HoneyA]

Back in the day when I had short chin-length hair, this one chick asked me,"Is that your real hair? It's so thick!" I think if your hair is thick, trimmed ends, and a solid-color with a nice shine, people will assume your hair isn't real, regardless of length.

ITA. It doesn't matter what length you are really as long as it's straight, thick and healthy, people think you are wearing wig or weave. And if people mean it as a compliment, rest assured you are doing something right.

 

[silverlotus]

Back in the day when I had short chin-length hair, this one chick asked me,"Is that your real hair? It's so thick!" I think if your hair is thick, trimmed ends, and a solid-color with a nice shine, people will assume your hair isn't real, regardless of length.

I agree with this (especially the thick part) & also the poster who said they're more likely to think the hair is yours if you appear "mixed." I don't think it has to do with length much at all, actually.

 

[SleekandBouncy]

I've not had anyone assume (openly) that my hair is a weave. Maybe it's not long enough, maybe when I hit mid back and it uncoil with a thick haired thud they'll ask if it's a weave. *dreams wishfully of thick hair that uncoils with a thud*

 

[ClassicBeauty]

I agree with this (especially the thick part) & also the poster who said they're more likely to think the hair is yours if you appear "mixed." I don't think it has to do with length much at all, actually.

I get that all the time. People think my hair grows long only because I'm so light. They just assume it's because of my white genes. When I wear it curly, they see that I don't have "white people hair." (Especially not this kinky stuff in the crown of my head.) People who know me, just think it takes too much work to have long hair. They know all the time I put into this head.

I still get weave checks from strangers, but not often.

 

[cocoberry10]

i think sometimes it is the health of the hair that makes people think you're rocking a weave. thick, healthy APL hair can get mistaken for weave a lot, or so i've noticed.

we know better though, don't we ladies?

I agree. I think healthy, thick hair will always be mistaken more for weave. I've seen BSL length hair, where the ends look really dry and chewed up and the hair looks a mess, and trust me, I never mistake that for weave (although, some weave looks a mess too)!

 

[sareca]

I agree with everybody else... any full healthy looking length works.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Just about any length can be mistaken for a weave. If the hair is in excellent shape people will question.

I remember when i was about 12 I was walking to school and this lady had the NERVE to drive by, come back, roll her window down and shout "Is that a weave?????". What does a 12 year old know about weaves??? I just smiled and said no looking confused. I don't even know if I knew about weaves at that age. I think at 12 my hair was apl but it was thick as kunta kinte's. I used to rock a lot of braid outs back then. Giggle, i just remembered that. Didn't even know that that was a "braid out".

 

[senimoni]

Back when my hair was BSL, I admit I was checking other Black women's hair too, but I never got mad and felt "upstaged". In fact I though it was good, and wondered if their reggie resembled mine. But I know what you mean, and agree with you because I have women in my family that they gotta be the only one with long hair.

I had this happen to me once at the store...like she was mad she wasn't the only one with long hair..to bad b/c I was about to tell her that her hair was gorgeous but she was too busy looking funky. She had me beat in length and thickness so I don't know why she was mean mugging.

 

[ladylibra]

Same here. People have thought my sisters and I have worn wigs since we were kids at one time or another because our hair is thick. Funny thing is that for the past couple of years when I wear a sew in people think it's my hair but when I wear my own hair out they think it's a weave. I think it's hilarious!

LOL! i have a straight-hair wig that i wear on occasion. i remember i wore it once and a girl in my apartment saw me in it one day, then saw me the next day with my shake and go. she asked me why do i always hide my hair under that big curly-haired wig? i was like, "you got it backwards..."

 

[MariposaSexyGirl]

When my hair was at a blunt apl I got asked if it was a weave.

 

[youwillrise]

LOL! i have a straight-hair wig that i wear on occasion. i remember i wore it once and a girl in my apartment saw me in it one day, then saw me the next day with my shake and go. she asked me why do i always hide my hair under that big curly-haired wig? i was like, "you got it backwards..."

hahahahaha!
that's just great.