what has your new legnth brought to you?

[IMFOCSD]

For the ladies who started with "above the shoulder" length hair and now has past SL hair..what has this done for you? Has it given you a boost of confidence, self esteem, femininity, do you feel more attractive, do you get more attention.

I was just sitting here fantasizing about having longer hair (hair that passes my shoulders) and I got chills lol. Some months ago I got my hair cut into a style (short/shaved in the back long coming towards my face on both sides). My hair is now growing out, the sides were SL and the back was neck length. It was nice but I just cut it even all the way around (chin length) and it is healthy and full of body and bounce but I miss the length I had before the cut (on the sides anyways).

I need encouragement How has your longer hair affected you?

 

[taz007]

Hair anorexia .

Now that I am grazing APL, my hair is in a dang bun in order to achieve longer length.

ETA: Oh, now that I see the poll, I guess I would say that it makes me feel a little more feminine/sexy. I can't wait until my hair covers the tatas.

My hair was chin length when I began my hair journey.

 

[IMFOCSD]

For the ladies who voted and will vote...how long was your hair when you first started out & how long is it now?

 

[IMFOCSD]

Hair anorexia .

Now that I am grazing APL, my hair is in a dang bun in order to achieve longer length.

Your hair is beautiful ...I would love to get to your length....one day

 

[IWantBSl09]

I would say it affected in the sense that I do feel prettier with the longer hair and to know that it's mine is a confident booster. Granted, my hair isn't as full as I wish it could be, but at least it has grown. I'm almost bra-strap length and can't wait until the front part/sides are full APL. I'll admit, I do like the attention I get at the hair salon when the other girls are looking at my hair. Like they can't believe this dark-skinned girl has some length to her hair lol. Now if I only I could get more fullness, then I'd be set, but I do think the lack of fullness has something to do with the way my stylist relaxes my hair. She doesn't go all the way down the shaft, but she goes atleast halfway and that really irritates me. For the new year, I'm going to try self-relaxing.

But be patient, trust me time flies when you're not paying attention to the hair growth.

 

[IWantBSl09]

Hair anorexia .

Now that I am grazing APL, my hair is in a dang bun in order to achieve longer length.

Yeah I wear my hair up in a bun at least 90% of the time. When my hair is freshly relaxed, Ill wear it out for 2 weeks straight, then back up in a bun it goes.

 

[glamchick84]

i voted for better confident/self-esteem!! i started off with a CL bob last sept and now my hair is almost APL...i now have a thicker and pretty bun that i can where out in public

ETA: people are starting to tell me, my hair is long and growing!!! i have to admit it feels good Also, i'm more confident w/wearing weaves/wigs because i have hair underneath...lol(not that i was balded before,i just never took care of my hair)

 

[isabella09]

My new length and health of my hair indicates to me that my staples and regimen are working well for me. It also leaves me greedy for more

 

[preciouslove0x]

I would say it affected in the sense that I do feel prettier with the longer hair and to know that it's mine is a confident booster. Granted, my hair isn't as full as I wish it could be, but at least it has grown. I'm almost bra-strap length and can't wait until the front part/sides are full APL. I'll admit, I do like the attention I get at the hair salon when the other girls are looking at my hair. Like they can't believe this dark-skinned girl has some length to her hair lol. Now if I only I could get more fullness, then I'd be set, but I do think the lack of fullness has something to do with the way my stylist relaxes my hair. She doesn't go all the way down the shaft, but she goes atleast halfway and that really irritates me. For the new year, I'm going to try self-relaxing.

But be patient, trust me time flies when you're not paying attention to the hair growth.

What do you mean? Like you want her to relax the whole strand each time??

 

[BostonMaria]

For the ladies who voted and will vote...how long was your hair when you first started out & how long is it now?

I voted that my long hair makes me feel more feminine

My hair was nape length (if even that) two years ago. Its now full MBL touching waist length. When I hit the APL mark is when I was finally happy. Now that its longer you can't tell me nuttin

 

[IMFOCSD]

I voted that my long hair makes me feel more feminine

My hair was nape length (if even that) two years ago. Its now full MBL touching waist length. When I hit the APL mark is when I was finally happy. Now that its longer you can't tell me nuttin

Thanks ladies for your responses, they are encouraging. So BostonMaria, nape length about to years ago huh?

 

[Summer79]

I voted feminine/sexy. I started at...the first pic in my siggy and now I'm a little below bra strap. Not that I didn't feel feminine or sexy before I started my hair journey, but there is just something about your hair (natural, relaxed, texlaxed or whatever) that when it moves that makes me really happy.

 

[Dposh167]

i guess i feel more feminine. didn't really feel it when my hair looked like the attachment.


but most of all i feel better that i don't have to rely on tracks, weave to get length. my hair can flow thru the breeze all it wants with no panick attack that my tracks might show

 

[IMFOCSD]

i guess i feel more feminine. didn't really feel it when my hair looked like the attachment.


but most of all i feel better that i don't have to rely on tracks, weave to get length. my hair can flow thru the breeze all it wants

Your hair is gorgeous...it's something about APL hair that I love

 

[plastic]

It brought me too much attention ... from both sexes AND from males of all races ...I did not like the fact that having hair was the only reason I was being looked at ... so I cut it all off ... im getting the same attention now ... so maybe I was being paranoid

 

[SkorpioLust]

Sure, I feel sexier and more feminine -- particularly since I used to wear a short feather cut.

But unfortunately the thing medium length has brought me most is mocking and teasing about wearing a weave. (which I've NEVER worn).

I'm not even at my goal length (waist) and won't be for 2-3 years I guess but I'm a teacher and at my school I walk down the hallway to smart allecky girls saying "Hi Weave!" and boys asking "Is that a hairpiece?" All the while they go on and on over white people with hair beyond shoulders.

Honestly, with Chris Rock, Sherry, Tyra and the whole social view that all black women wear weaves... it's brought me nothing but suspicion. Sometimes I think I just want to stay at this length, because the longer I get the more I'll be criticized and frowned on -- for wearing my own hair.

I'd rather the smart *** children tease me for something true than to assume I have a weave. Who ever heard of being mocked for something you consider an achievement?

Seriously, a black woman with her own hair gets no glory for the achievement these days. It's not worth it. At least shoulder length hair is believable. Anything beyond that is just suspicious.

 

[supermodelsonya]

Since never having hair longer than NL all my life....

Having longer hair makes me feel like...

I can accomplish ANYTHING I WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[I AM...]

@ ScorpioLust I understand what you are saying but Chile Please.... they are insecure children. That should bounce off you....


As an educator myself I am always preaching about self love and beauty. I LOVE MY NATURAL HAIR. I cut it very short in July and rocked it natural all summer. With the knowledge I have gained from the LHCF you cannot tell me I ain't fly. I am currently a little past shoulder length and I practice what I preach from the inside out. I Henna twice a month, drink water and exercise regularly. Lately I have been rocking knots. Huge thick knots that resemble a "garlic knot" (google it ya'll) One sister at my job whom I consider forward thinking tells me regularly I should wear my hair out and that she disliked my knots. I told her point blank this is how you grow it out. I walked into worked today and this huzzy had two knots at the nape of her neck. I smiled and said great job but I was laughing so hard inside. I exude confidence you can tell by the admires. Everyday a star is born Clap fo Em

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Okay I didn't start out at shoulder length but my hair is longer now then when I joined it went from a little above BSL to about MBL...hope that counts lol

I voted all of the above It does make me feel very feminine when my hair blows in the wind or when I feel my hair brushing the middle of my back. I remember back during my transition when I would get braid or twist extensions the first time I went to my stylist to get some braids I took my hair out of its pony and sat down and the stylist was like "okay the first thing we're gonna do is cut out the tracks" I was like err no, this is all my hair, my african braider was like "WOW" it was pretty funny.

Guys love my hair because they can actually touch my hair and my scalp without me dippin and dodging them

When I give a woman hair advice even if it flies in the face of conventional thought they look at my hair and its like I watch their scepticism melt away so thats cool.

But it also might start drama with insecure people because they'll assume you think you're better because you have longer hair sometimes I give women with twa's compliments on their hair when my hair happens to be pressed and they give me the side eye because they think I'm being sarcastic so its weird how people begin to perceive you when you have longer hair.

 

[BostonMaria]

Thanks ladies for your responses, they are encouraging. So BostonMaria, nape length about to years ago huh?

Yes. The first picture is of my hair in the fall of 2007. The second picture is me 2 days ago trying on my "bump it"

 

[I AM...]

Boston Maria. Beautiful progress!! i love it APPLAUSE

 

[Galadriel]

I voted that it makes me feel more feminine. I just love flowing hair. At the beginning of my journey I was neck length and now I'm past APL (planning on getting my hair done tomorrow, so I'll check the length then!). As other posters have stated, it feels good to wear your own hair out and to know it's yours (regardless of what anyone else thinks). I also enjoy wearing styles that would be harder to achieve if I were not at this length.

 

[SmilingElephant]

My hair was APL when i started...and i thought that was long until i found LHCF!

Now i'm grazing Waistlength

It has given me super confidence and this sexiness about myself...a whole alter ego.

I voted all of the above ....and i love it ALL!

 

[Lucia]

Sure, I feel sexier and more feminine -- particularly since I used to wear a short feather cut.

But unfortunately the thing medium length has brought me most is mocking and teasing about wearing a weave. (which I've NEVER worn).

I'm not even at my goal length (waist) and won't be for 2-3 years I guess but I'm a teacher and at my school I walk down the hallway to smart allecky girls saying "Hi Weave!" and boys asking "Is that a hairpiece?" All the while they go on and on over white people with hair beyond shoulders.

Honestly, with Chris Rock, Sherry, Tyra and the whole social view that all black women wear weaves... it's brought me nothing but suspicion. Sometimes I think I just want to stay at this length, because the longer I get the more I'll be criticized and frowned on -- for wearing my own hair.

I'd rather the smart *** children tease me for something true than to assume I have a weave. Who ever heard of being mocked for something you consider an achievement?

Seriously, a black woman with her own hair gets no glory for the achievement these days. It's not worth it. At least shoulder length hair is believable. Anything beyond that is just suspicious.

Don't give up on your hair goal cause some haters are being ignorant. They def. can't call WSL or beyond hair a weave. It only comes in certain lengths and MBL is the last length maybe WSL. Keep growing that hair, they'll shut up soon enough.

 

[SkorpioLust]

Don't give up on your hair goal cause some haters are being ignorant. They def. can't call WSL or beyond hair a weave. It only comes in certain lengths and MBL is the last length maybe WSL. Keep growing that hair, they'll shut up soon enough.

Thank Lucia (gorgeous hair btw). I know I might sound stupid... but it's a new school and I'm still being "initiated" by the high school students and this is their running joke or harassment. But yeah it's beyond them, I feel society in general dismisses black women's hair. No glory. Just ridicule. And the "Good hair" movie just strengthened those tendencies. I have strong self-esteem...but it still makes me angry.

OK. I'm done. Don't want to be wet blanket. Long hair rocks, obviously.

 

[discodumpling]

Not necessarily my length (APL) but my hair knowledge & health has brought me a smugness LOL! I can't help but feel a bit superior when I look at my girlfriends hair. They are still relying on relaxers, weaves, tracks, hairdressers every week, short hair cuts cause they don't/can't know how to grow etc...
I'm silent everytime I hear their hairdresser horror stories, thankfull I don't have to deal with that ish anymore!

 

[Fine 4s]

...and frustration!
Doing my hair is just too much and I haven't even reached my goal yet.
Thank goodness for shrinkage!

 

[LunadeMiel]

None of the above. My new length has brought me frustration and longer time in the shower. Now my arms are beginning to hurt when I rollerset However, I'm still shooting for tailbone

 

[beans4reezy]

Yes. The first picture is of my hair in the fall of 2007. The second picture is me 2 days ago trying on my "bump it"

WOW Boston Maria! Are you serious?? Amazing progress!!!

 

[beans4reezy]

My hair finally reached APL, but I haven't enjoyed it. I am ten month post, so the shrinkage puts me at SL. This thread is inspiring, I put work into growing my hair longer, I should really get it blown out and straightened to feel some kind of way when my hair blows in the wind...lol