Question for those BSL or longer . . .

[MariposaSexyGirl]

Well now that my hair is BSL it doesn't feel that long to me. So when someone comments on my hair I'm kinda still suprised. When I go to the mall I see a couple of woman with long hair. Last week I saw a girl with midback length hair.

 

[Vshanell]

Hope u dont take offense to this...but do u think it is because you are light skinned and some people assume u are probably "mixed" and have "good hair"? Ill bet people would break there neck to get a look at your hair if you had a darker complexion. You truly have a beautiful head of hair....and I would compliment you even if u were white

Yes, I think you're right. I've thought about this before but never voiced it. I just forget that people make a lot of assumptions sometimes ya know. My family is very diverse looking, from white skin to very dark skin and we are not a racially mixed family so I try not to assume others race.

Thanks for the compement , and no I do not take offense at all.

 

[Vshanell]

Well pokahontas and ttlayli, if you lived in Delaware, you'd be hearing it all day from me. I'd be

That was hilarious!

 

[Vshanell]

I think some (key: not a lot or all) people are interested, but they don't want to come off as strange. For example, if I had not seen my relative w/ Aveda products I would not have known that she gets the same joy taking care of her hair as I do. I would just assume that she just kept her hair on point like a lot of women who are not necessarily into haircare...I hope what I'm saying makes sense.

Another thing, I, as a black women, am hesitant to compliment people w/ long, healthy hair, because A) sometimes it really was a great weave or B) some people have had long hair all of their lives and thus seem a little jaded when you compliment them...

ETA: This is from IRL experiences not LHCF. I must say that the BSL or longer ladies here are some of the most humble individuals I have encountered.

You know, you are totally right. I always play down my hair obsession because I don't want to come off as "weird". There are other women that could be doing the same thing......I never thought of it this way.

The women that I have talked hair too always get the classic glazed over look of disinterest so that's how I know they're not like me.

 

[MrsQueeny]

I get a lot of compliments because I rarely wear my hair out and pressed. I am mostly in twists or braids so I think the length always surprises people. The shrinkage is really deceiving. Here in NM black women in general are rare. I have yet to see someone with hair as long as mine that didn't have locs or dreads. Q

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

I get a lot of compliments because I rarely wear my hair out and pressed. I am mostly in twists or braids so I think the length always surprises people. The shrinkage is really deceiving. Here in NM black women in general are rare. I have yet to see someone with hair as long as mine that didn't have locs or dreads. Q

Word! So true.

 

[HoneyA]

I don't get the is it a weave question too often. Most times people just assume I'm Indian or part Indian. My BF's friends ask him where's the little Indian?erplexed I've come to the conclusion once you are dark skinned and have hair past your shoulders, people will think there must be some sinister explanation or it must be a weave.

 

[Angelicus]

I rarely wear my hair down but when I do, I get stares from people that have never seen me before. Long after I started working at the job that I am at right now, I was told that a lot of people were trying to find out if my hair was real or not I wish that I could tell them about this wonderful board.

 

[plastic]

bumping .....

 

[Cleve_gryl]

In fact just last week, this Black women in the store behind me (who was talking loud on purpose) was telling her friend "Her hair is not cute! She needs to comb that s***!" Mind you, I was wearing my hair natural (3c curls) and I KNOW my hair was cute that day! So I just turned around, glared for a second, then looked at her hair, smiled and shook my head. This broads hair was GREASY, DAMAGED and was covered by one of those thick rubberbands that hold newspapers together! erplexed She got the hint though...

OOOOH!! SEE...the women here do this to me ALLL the time . Two heffacats did this to me in the gas station the other day, mind you when I looked at their hair it was dead...the plastic quickweave with color added. Bishes

 

[prospurr4]

When I wear my hair straightened and down, which is rare, people mostly just stare, but I also get compliments and comments like, "Your hair is long."

 

[Fine 4s]

I have a different experience with other black women at my job and in my social circle. I'm also very open and talk to strangers. If I did get a negative response, I'd just keep going until the wall comes down. Not to sound all 'The secretish' but I think that some of the interactions could dissipate if one person hands the olive branch OR does something to break down that barrier. I love talking about hair so much, that for me it's a challenge to get THROUGH to that person.

Back to the question...

People at my job as wel as my friends come to me for advice. When I first started talking about hair, they were interested but not THAT interested. This past weekend, one of them admitted that when she saw how long MY hair grew to be, only then did she consider applying what I was telling her.

Before the board, I met this girl with long MBL hair. My homegirls used to talk about how pretty her hair was. When I was introduced, I swore that was NOT her hair because I saw a track in the front. Well, after I got to know her a LOT better, that was all hers. She did have issues with her edges and I think that's why I thought the thickness throughout could not have been hers. Boy was I wrong!

People say they could tell my hair is long and it's always up in a bun, even in twists they are never down (however it's because my heat damaged ends make the style ugly IMHO).

 

[Jynkx]

You know, you are totally right. I always play down my hair obsession because I don't want to come off as "weird". There are other women that could be doing the same thing......I never thought of it this way.

The women that I have talked hair too always get the classic glazed over look of disinterest so that's how I know they're not like me.

this has happened to me too.
when i was talking to my friend the other day she starts going in the "i dont see what the big deal is. hair is just hair". i was like "oh ok". nuff said. . she has had shoulder length hair since i met her 15 years ago. and her sister in law is on the hair boards and tries to get her on board too. giving her homemade hair butta and she is just not interested.

 

[beautifulisaunderstatment]

I get the weave questions, are you mixed questions, and the stares. Ive learned to love it. Ive even let quite a few people touch my hair. I dont mind at all its just the way they do it. If they give me the doo doo face and whisper to their friend "that ish fake" I dont pay them any mind. I get more responses when I wear it out than when I wear it straight. Everyone loves a big fro. I get more questions from black women when I wear it straight. Mostly nice women. Some of them come up and whisper "is that a weave/is that all your hair?"

Its sorta like seeing a very tall person. You wanna ask "How tall are you?" but you dont wanna be offensive. Humans are inquisitive. Ive learned to take it in stride. Ive been asked how tall are you, are your boobs real/can I touch them (a lady asked me this), are those contacts, do you have veneers (after a teeth bleaching LOL) etc. I dont get offended; I generally dont think people intend to be mean but if they are I just ignore them.