Viewing hair length: This board vs. "out there"...in the real world

[honeybadgirl]

honestly and in my opinion, past the shoulders would be "long". thats what i would consider long. if i was describing someone and their hair was past their shoulders, i would say, she has long hair and so on. i would NOT at all say (if she had apl or bsl) her hair is short and she had on a white tee with black shorts. that wouldnt be a true description. in my opinion. i guess shoulder length is in between for me because i would just say her hair is shoulder length

or how bout if we say if your hair is over 10inches, 12, 14, whatever, then its long

 

[deltagyrl]

I think you pretty much summed it up. For me APL is medium length, anything above is short, BSL and longer is long, MBL+ is really long.

LOL Deltagyrl - Do you hide your hair?? Or has she seen it.

Nah. I usually wear it rollerset, in a twist-out or pulled back in a clip.
I'll "unveil" it soon........Waiting until I reach bsl.

They'll probably think it's a weave......

 

[CHECKMATE!]

growing up, I thought long hair was anything SL and below...on this board APL is DEFINITELY long in my opinion...Ive been told I have long hair (im a an inch from APL,about 2in from full APL) at work and I think to myself "who me? ", but i smile and take the compliment graciously

 

[SvelteVelvet]

My experience at work today, directly correlates to this thread. I took my braids out and got my touch-up this past weekend and I'm close to APL, don't know how much in measurement for sure, just know I'm close. One of my co-workers today has been gushing at my hair all day. This morning she just walked up and touched it, "You took the braids down. I love it. It grew alot under those. I love the regular hair on you better" And later on she's talking to me about something pertaining to work and just stops in the middle "you look so different, I just love it, this is how I'm use to seeing you.." calls another co-worker "Don't you love her hair like this?" And she kept touching it. He's like 'I love it" lol.. And yes they're caucasian. So that's more proof of the flawed perception theory that it's a race/ethnicity difference. We LHCF ladies are just in our own stratosphere!

 

[winterinatl]

Okay...

I did a late run to the Dominican Salon....so I wound up being the last one there...cool.

This woman, comes to the door...I guess she was hoping she could sneak in getting something done to her hair...but it was like 8:45 pm already.

She knows the stylists and starts chatting with them. I'm getting my hair wrapped, the stylist is doing the whole circling thing with my brush....

the woman is clocking me and comes out and says..."I'll be glad when my hair gets long like that..."

So I ask my stylist who is she talking about, I'm like she can't mean me because my hair is far from it...

For some reason, maybe because I was hungry...and she still was looking at me in the mirror....I verbalized it...I'm like "My hair isn't long." Now the stylists and helpers in the shop are looking. I can't seem to stop my mouth.

"I know a bunch of people who's hair is waaaaaaay longer than mine - I have a long way to go. No, my hair is not long, I feel bald headed most of the time. But thank you for thinking so though."

They are looking at me like I had just finished cussin. My brain tells me to shut up. I think I must've said that ish real funky.

It's still quiet for a bit. I continue to hand my bobby pins to my stylist.

Everybody starts to talk again.

Mo's back to being halfway relaxed.

*sigh*

The standard of this board makes me forget how some people actually see hair "out there" in the real world.

That was my mini-hair moment...needed to share.

Please feel free to share your This board vs. "out there" in the real world hair moment.

*puts some wine and plastic cups on the table cause I obviously need to chill the heyall out...*

I have a difficult time complaining about ANYTHING for this reason. They all look at me like then like I am just some ungrateful **** because I am concerned my split ends are getting out of control...very frustrating!!

 

[Tee]

Wow ladies, thanks

But on the real, I am thankful for the present state of my hair. I think about how it was a few years ago and I feel like I've come a long way -
and like Seni said...there should be the feeling of being grateful and I am.

I don't know why that lil commentary in the salon threw me off...I guess because I had already been feeling some kind of way...down in the dark, deep hair recesses of my mind...

One is on this board all the time...and I see heads like my goddess Mochamadness, my girls Sylver and Babygurl, KiniKakes, the fine-haired idol, I'm checking Letitia, another goddess, TSmith pulling up behind, Navs, GlamourGirl...mad others...including SENI...one's head could spin at all the long haired ladies on this board.

and hells yeah...I beez (yes, beez) feelin mad bald headed.

I know it is silly, trivial and there are far more pressing things to be thinking about....

*ashamed*

I just don't feel I'm there yet length wise for folks to be clocking and commenting in the Dominican salon.

But, I will remember in the future, should a similar scenario ever occur again - I will remember Seni's words, and politely say "Thank you" and shut my dayum mouth. Also remembering to be appreciative of where my hair is now because it wasn't always this way.

Thanks again my hair sisters.

*hair hugs all around*

Awh thanks. You just made my night. But seriously, your hair is so beautiful! I remember the pics in your siggy where it looked you had to pigtails going down your back. I thought...WOW, look her hair!!

 

[Tee]

I think most people IRL consider long hair to be anything shoulder length or beyond. My bother GF's daughter says her hair is long and it's not even shoulder length and she thinks my hair is really long whereas I consider my hair to be kinda long and it's BSL. But when I see other's hair like Tee's hair I think it's long. erplexed

Dee, you better stop it! Your hair is really long. You kicking the back of that chair's butt! I just sit back and watch your hair grow down your back and think....Yeahhhh Dee.

*Now I am off to find some Alma Light! I want your shine!*

 

[Tee]

My experience at work today, directly correlates to this thread. I took my braids out and got my touch-up this past weekend and I'm close to APL, don't know how much in measurement for sure, just know I'm close. One of my co-workers today has been gushing at my hair all day. This morning she just walked up and touched it, "You took the braids down. I love it. It grew alot under those. I love the regular hair on you better" And later on she's talking to me about something pertaining to work and just stops in the middle "you look so different, I just love it, this is how I'm use to seeing you.." calls another co-worker "Don't you love her hair like this?" And she kept touching it. He's like 'I love it" lol.. And yes they're caucasian. So that's more proof of the flawed perception theory that it's a race/ethnicity difference. We LHCF ladies are just in our own stratosphere!

They were trying to cut with their hands all up in your hair. What is wrong with them? I would have been dipping and dodging so hard!

 

[*Michelle*]

Dee, you better stop it! Your hair is really long. You kicking the back of that chair's butt! I just sit back and watch your hair grow down your back and think....Yeahhhh Dee.

UMMMM...Dee...YEP, she's right!

 

[MonaLisa]

I loved this story!

Like others, i can totally relate to this story..... because this board definitely has us judging hair on a whole other level. Before lhcf, full, thick, blunt APL hair was so long to me!!!! Now that i've gotten accustomed to heads like SweetCashew, Isis, Supergirl, Candy, and tons of others....... I sneer at my own BSL hair. Especially because my hair is so thin/fine, BSL just doesnt look that long on me. I feel like my BSL hair looks TOTALLY different than, say, Lauren450's BSL. Since im fine-haired, I wont be happy until Im MBL, i think. I see a few folks on here have named me as one of the long-haired ones...... but when i hold up that hand-mirror and look at my hair...... i dont see long hair. Like LocksofLuv said, once i hit BSL, it lost its appeal immedietely, and i still dont feel like it looks as long as many others.

Thanks for sharing that story, Mona!!!! As you can tell, many of us can relate to you, because we are all hair-anorexic in our own way!

Keep on growing, pretty girl!!!!!! And enjoy those wonderful compliments...... just think about how you looked at hair pre-LHCF!!!!

See Kini, you're the fine haired queen of LHCF.....so if you're feeling that way....I don't feel so bad.

I think being thin/fine haired plays a big part in my perception....even it gaining more length....you put your hair up against the thick haired gang of chicks on this board.....and lawd knows...it's a GANG of 'em...

and you just....*sigh* It just doesn't seem the same.

BUT...I do see long hair on you. Yes, you are one of that group. Accept it.

And I'm mad hair hugging TSmith and Letitia.

Thanks y'all

 

[SvelteVelvet]

They were trying to cut with their hands all up in your hair. What is wrong with them? I would have been dipping and dodging so hard!

What do you mean by "They were trying to cut" It was always from behind and unexpected, I didn't have time to say "who" before she was out of it.

 

[MonaLisa]

Okay....

I just had to share one of those "moments" today....that only members and those into hair care understand....

I'm hungry, tired...I'm trying to come out of Victoria Secret on 34th Street on a Saturday. Anybody in New York...understands...what the area is like on an afternoon with decent weather...

Well, this random fool...is in my way...and I'm trying to get around him...and he keeps getting in my way...intentionally....
asking me why I have sunglasses on.... ...did somebody punch me in my eyes...


*sigh*

Because I'm not in the mood to entertain him...I guess he thought he would find another way to dig at me...

I'm walking away....
I hear...

Random NYC Fool: "Forgit you...wearing a weave...."

If y'all coulda heard...how he put the stank on the word weave...
you woulda thought I had committed some type of hair sin..

Mo: "Whateva man. Whateva you say.."

Why did this fool look at ME like I was crazy.

What...was I supposed to cry? Cuss him out? Because of course, to
talk about a black woman's weave..she should get upset, right?
But I wasn't wearing one. I think my reaction complexed his arse.

And I had a moment of complexity myself...after years of weave wearing...and my hair not getting anywhere...I never got called out on my weaves...I always aimed for very natural looking weaves.

Now...I wear my own hair out for the day...I get called a weave
wearer in public. I found that ish ironic as heyall this afternoon.

This is no biggie...just one of those hair moments on the journey...sharing with the hair class...

 

[locabouthair]

mona girl don't you know that the best hair compliment when someone tells you ure wearing a weave that means ur hair is looking great! i cant wait until someone starts telling me i have a weave kinda serious

 

[sylver2]

Okay....

I just had to share one of those "moments" today....that only members and those into hair care understand....

I'm hungry, tired...I'm trying to come out of Victoria Secret on 34th Street on a Saturday. Anybody in New York...understands...what the area is like on an afternoon with decent weather...

Well, this random fool...is in my way...and I'm trying to get around him...and he keeps getting in my way...intentionally....
asking me why I have sunglasses on.... ...did somebody punch me in my eyes...


*sigh*

Because I'm not in the mood to entertain him...I guess he thought he would find another way to dig at me...

I'm walking away....
I hear...

Random NYC Fool: "Forgit you...wearing a weave...."

If y'all coulda heard...how he put the stank on the word weave...
you woulda thought I had committed some type of hair sin..

Mo: "Whateva man. Whateva you say.."

Why did this fool look at ME like I was crazy.

What...was I supposed to cry? Cuss him out? Because of course, to
talk about a black woman's weave..she should get upset, right?
But I wasn't wearing one. I think my reaction complexed his arse.

And I had a moment of complexity myself...after years of weave wearing...and my hair not getting anywhere...I never got called out on my weaves...I always aimed for very natural looking weaves.

Now...I wear my own hair out for the day...I get called a weave
wearer in public. I found that ish ironic as heyall this afternoon.

This is no biggie...just one of those hair moments on the journey...sharing with the hair class...

U made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your hair is the bomb and its come a long way. He confirmed it today.
Now hold your head and your 'weave ' up high and strut down 34th.
.....plays 'Staying alive theme song from saturday night fever....

 

[Mahalialee4]

I loved this story!

Like others, i can totally relate to this story..... because this board definitely has us judging hair on a whole other level. Before lhcf, full, thick, blunt APL hair was so long to me!!!! Now that i've gotten accustomed to heads like SweetCashew, Isis, Supergirl, Candy, and tons of others....... I sneer at my own BSL hair. Especially because my hair is so thin/fine, BSL just doesnt look that long on me. I feel like my BSL hair looks TOTALLY different than, say, Lauren450's BSL. Since im fine-haired, I wont be happy until Im MBL, i think. I see a few folks on here have named me as one of the long-haired ones...... but when i hold up that hand-mirror and look at my hair...... i dont see long hair. Like LocksofLuv said, once i hit BSL, it lost its appeal immedietely, and i still dont feel like it looks as long as many others.

Thanks for sharing that story, Mona!!!! As you can tell, many of us can relate to you, because we are all hair-anorexic in our own way!

Keep on growing, pretty girl!!!!!! And enjoy those wonderful compliments...... just think about how you looked at hair pre-LHCF!!!!

That makes 2 of us Kinnikakes: I have hair anoerexia, plus being natural, unstretched it looks short, stretched I think it looks thin and when is it going to get long!....When my hair gets to midback length almost waistlength and twice as thick then I will say I have long hair...but the longer it gets the more it shrinks...so I am really in a pickle!....

 

[MonaLisa]

U made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your hair is the bomb and its come a long way. He confirmed it today.
Now hold your head and your 'weave ' up high and strut down 34th.
.....plays 'Staying alive theme song from saturday night fever....

@ loca....
--------------------------------
@ Sylver....y...r...u...so...silly?


My hair is STILL trying to be one of YOUR hair's babies...
*raises brown fist in the air...*

 

[hottopic]

Enjoy it...you worked hard for it. Even by LCHF standards your hair looks really good

 

[SleekandBouncy]

That's a good question, but your hair is gorgeous either way!

I never thought about it. I do think there's a black long and a white long. Were the stylists used to dealing with primarily black clients? When my hair was shorter I noticed a big difference in how my length was percieved when I went to black salon versus latino or white salons. My hair was barely touching my shoulders before my first relaxer and all my friends kept saying how long my hair was, but I didn't consider it long. If I described my hair as long around latino or white girls they'd give me the crazy eye.

 

[PaperDoll]

*comes in mo's post, looks at her sig, hates & gives post one star*

take *that* you long haired *****!

you made it mo!!! congratulations girl and get ready cuz the hate gates are WIDE OPEN!!! watch 'em be like puffy when it comes to hating on your hair...CAN'T STOP, WON'T STOP!!!

 

[MonaLisa]

*comes in mo's post, looks at her sig, hates & gives post one star*

take *that* you long haired *****!

you made it mo!!! congratulations girl and get ready cuz the hate gates are WIDE OPEN!!! watch 'em be like puffy when it comes to hating on your hair...CAN'T STOP, WON'T STOP!!!

U r so daggone silly PD..

*I can not wait to hang with yo silly behind one day soon...

 

[meaganita]

If you are shoulder length or beyond, you have long hair out there.

True!

 

[meaganita]

And I had a moment of complexity myself...after years of weave wearing...and my hair not getting anywhere...I never got called out on my weaves...I always aimed for very natural looking weaves.

Now...I wear my own hair out for the day...I get called a weave
wearer in public. I found that ish ironic as heyall this afternoon.

...It's a cold world girl...a cold cold world!

 

[prettywhitty]

I totally feel the OP.

I wore my hair out because I just flatironed my hair for progress pics. I get to school, and I am waiting to take one of my finals. One of my classmates come up to me and is like "Oooh girl, your hair is so long!" I am looking at her like "Not really, its short". I was so baffled by her compliment. Then I had another classmate say the same thing. I said "Oh thanks" but I am thinking to myself It's soo short. Because of the board, I think BSL and beyond is long.

My name is Miz Jackson, and I am a hair anorexic.

 

[bLackButtaFly]

Okay....

I just had to share one of those "moments" today....that only members and those into hair care understand....

I'm hungry, tired...I'm trying to come out of Victoria Secret on 34th Street on a Saturday. Anybody in New York...understands...what the area is like on an afternoon with decent weather...

Well, this random fool...is in my way...and I'm trying to get around him...and he keeps getting in my way...intentionally....
asking me why I have sunglasses on.... ...did somebody punch me in my eyes...


*sigh*

Because I'm not in the mood to entertain him...I guess he thought he would find another way to dig at me...

I'm walking away....
I hear...

Random NYC Fool: "Forgit you...wearing a weave...."

If y'all coulda heard...how he put the stank on the word weave...
y

I'm in NYC and completely understand the crowdedness, adn general insanity of 34th street on a nice day especially by that Victoria's secret at Herald Square and on a saturday(you're a brave woman). People are outright crazy, and especially the guys. It makes me sad that that's the insult he could get back at you with, ridiculous! But go haed girl, sounds like you put him in his place.
Me and my friends were out on a saturady in harlem sometime last year. I had my hair out, and we were cruising around looking for parking or something. Anywho I was in the front seat letting the wind blow through my twistout, and these guys pull up in one of those promotional vans, somebody's random album. They start trying to talk to us, and my one friend who's always too much totally deads them, and was pretty mean. i was just chillin listening and cracking up, and one of the guys was like whatever raggedy ann. I was like who me? And he's like yeh with your shirley temples. I mean it was supposed to be an insult, but I thinking wow he's pretty far away to be able to tell that my hair is curly not just froish, that's curl definition! YES! Anyways I was like thank you, and we drove away. But my friends know how i am about my hair,a nd were like tryin g to comfort me, and I was like y'all I'm ok, he could see the curls from where he was: i'm not doing so bad afterall.(that was kinda off topic)

 

[zzirvingj]

I loved this story!

Like others, i can totally relate to this story..... because this board definitely has us judging hair on a whole other level. Before lhcf, full, thick, blunt APL hair was so long to me!!!! Now that i've gotten accustomed to heads like SweetCashew, Isis, Supergirl, Candy, and tons of others....... I sneer at my own BSL hair. Especially because my hair is so thin/fine, BSL just doesnt look that long on me. I feel like my BSL hair looks TOTALLY different than, say, Lauren450's BSL. Since im fine-haired, I wont be happy until Im MBL, i think. I see a few folks on here have named me as one of the long-haired ones...... but when i hold up that hand-mirror and look at my hair...... i dont see long hair. Like LocksofLuv said, once i hit BSL, it lost its appeal immedietely, and i still dont feel like it looks as long as many others.

Thanks for sharing that story, Mona!!!! As you can tell, many of us can relate to you, because we are all hair-anorexic in our own way!

Keep on growing, pretty girl!!!!!! And enjoy those wonderful compliments...... just think about how you looked at hair pre-LHCF!!!!

EXCELLENT suggestion. That's got me feeling better about my hair already!!

 

[nappi]

ppl always tell me i have long hair and i just look at them like umm ok ( my hair just brushes my shoulders) if u say so
everyone once in a while i asked if its really mine ....one chica even asked me if she could have a "piece" from the back
i just started laff'n

 

[DragonPearl]

Originally Posted by OnAHairQuest
If you are shoulder length or beyond, you have long hair out there.

Absolutely!!! This is a great thread, because after a while of being on LHCF, you can get hair anorexia. Your hair is NEVER long enough.

 

[meaganita]

I sneer at my own BSL hair. I wont be happy until Im MBL, i think. I see a few folks on here have named me as one of the long-haired ones...... but when i hold up that hand-mirror and look at my hair...... i dont see long hair. Like LocksofLuv said, once i hit BSL, it lost its appeal immedietely, and i still dont feel like it looks as long as many others.

That's EXACTLY how I feel about my hair. It was like BSL didn't do anything spectacular for me, and I couldn't understand why??? People thought I was crazy when I'd tell 'em that I didn't think my hair was all that long. And yet I can still look at someone at APL or SL and say, "Wow, she has really pretty hair. It looks long and healthy." I dunno...there's something about BSL that's just kinda "blah." - Can't put my finger on it though...Just glad other ladies can relate.

 

[The Girl]

ppl always tell me i have long hair and i just look at them like umm ok ( my hair just brushes my shoulders) if u say so
everyone once in a while i asked if its really mine ....one chica even asked me if she could have a "piece" from the back
i just started laff'n

I read this like 3 times before I think I got it ....wow

 

[MonaLisa]

That's EXACTLY how I feel about my hair. It was like BSL didn't do anything spectacular for me, and I couldn't understand why??? People thought I was crazy when I'd tell 'em that I didn't think my hair was all that long. And yet I can still look at someone at APL or SL and say, "Wow, she has really pretty hair. It looks long and healthy." I dunno...there's something about BSL that's just kinda "blah." - Can't put my finger on it though...Just glad other ladies can relate.

You and Kini are killing me...cause I look at both of you guys hair and I'm like...

but yet, I do understand.


*I'm going to sneak this in...I went to the derm last week (African-American female) because I'm concerned about my hairline - she asked me..

Derm: "So you wearing a weave/you wear weaves?"
Mo: "No, this is mine."
Derm: "Really? That's all yours? And your only problem is your hairline? I can help you."

*Disclaimer: I am not bragging about my hair, I'm just stating what she said; this is directed to the star bandit - don't get upset please...*

It caught me off guard a little that a female, African-American Dermatologist, went along with the assumption, black woman, some hair = weave pieces.

I didn't say anything. I just nodded my head. I don't know why, but for some reason, I didn't foresee that type of reaction...