Why do we want "long" hair?

Glib Gurl

Glib Gurl

Well-Known Member
Okay. First off let me say I'm not trying to start anything (no really!) -- also, I apologize if this has been discussed here before. But I was just curious -- why do we want "long" hair?

I have a relaxer. I've had one since I was 12 years old. And I've been trying to grow my hair for as long as I can remember. Every once in a while I confront myself and ask the question, "Why???" Certainly, as a child, the primary beauty standard that was presented to me was that of long, flowing (and usually blond) hair. (Just like Whoopi Goldberg in that famous comedy sketch, I, too, used to put a towel or shirt on my head to pretend I had long hair like the white girls in the commercials.) Now as an adult, I'm still chasing that dream. I have come to terms with the fact that this goal is a byproduct of the European beauty standard that was planted into my head as a child. More recently, I've begun to think, "Well, maybe my hair never will get beyond should length -- so what? Maybe I should learn to accept it and just do the best I can with what I have . . . ." So now I'm focusing mostly on having healthy hair (and hoping that, in the process of getting healthier, my hair will get longer, too).

I'm wondering about you guys. What are your reasons for wanting long hair? Is it because of this European beauty standard that has been shoved down all of our throats? Is it simply a personal taste? Or, are we just looking to make our hair as healthy as it can be?

Discuss!
 
Hmm, for me, I look good with long hair and have never had it before.

But I think this has been discussed before, and the discussions have turned nasty. Just a warning.
 
I am attracted to long hair on a woman and I think it can be feminine and youthful. Actually for me now, I am really trying to grow my hair long for youthfulness. I think it fits my personality.

The healthier my hair gets though, I really feel settled in with my hair even had the shorter length. But, that does not mean that I am not going to stop taking care of it. I am just appreciating it at all lengths.
 
Honestly, I would like to see how long my hair can get. I haven't ever made it past my shoulders and I want to break that barrier. But I will take overall health anyday.
 
My reasons:

- I am probably somewhat brainwashed by the 'long hair = beautiful' thing.

- I want to prove I can. After years of my hair not getting past shoulder length due to mistreatment some people think it's just my genes or whatever. I want to prove them wrong.

- I don't think my (natural) hair suits me at this length. It needs to be either shorter or (a lot) longer. I've done shorter and I'm bored of it, so I want longer.
 
I want "long" hair because I've never had it before. My hair has been no longer than shoulder length since I was about 11 years old. It's time for a different look!

Even if it doesn't grow all that long, I'm much happier with my hair now than I've ever been. It's healthy, thanks to what I've learned here.:D
 
I want long hair because I've never had it. The longest I remember my hair ever being is a few inches below SL. I just want my hair to get as HUMONGOUS as possible :)
 
I ain't about being brainwashed, because even before the "media" was prevelant long hair was always seen as beautiful. Check out the bible and other historical literature. White people aren't the only ones that can have long hair, so why should they be the only ones with it?

Like HoneyDew said, I see long hair as beauty and as youth also.
 
Well my goal length isn't considered "long" the longest i would want my hair to be is apl. I never wanted bsl because I just dont think it would suit me. I want my hair to grow longer because my hair has been at neck length for more than four years and I want a new look and I think I would look great with that length. Also if my hair was longer it would be so much easier to style it in the morning. Sometimes I just want to comb it back and put it in a simple ponytail but I can't even do that. I know some people here get tired of the buns and ponytails but if I could do that to my hair I would be so thankful because it would save me sooo much time and frustration in the morning.

Even though I know that it is just hair, this has been a goal of mine since I was a young girl. Growing my hair to apl will make me feel like ok I can achieve anything I put my mind if I work really hard and if I really want. it will make me strive to work on other goals in my life, not just hair. so growing my hair is a little deeper for me. I dont think wanting longer hair necessarily has to do with european standards of beauty. I can honestly say if shorter hair looked good on me I wouldnt bother growing it out. for me it's personal taste.

right now I am aiming for healthy hair but I realize that doing things like daily moisture, weekly dc are needed to keep your hair healthy regardless if ur trying to grow it out or not.
 
I'm going to be completely candid here:

I've never really felt...attractive, even as a child. Somehow, I got it into my head that it I had longer hair, I would be prettier.

Even though I'm growing more comfortable with myself and my looks, somewhere in the back of my mind, I still think I would look better with longer hair, at least better to people who are drawn to long hair :ohwell:.

I don't know, for me, it's an issue of self-esteem.
 
aurora3140 said:
I'm going to be completely candid here:

I've never really felt...attractive, even as a child. Somehow, I got it into my head that it I had longer hair, I would be prettier.

Even though I'm growing more comfortable with myself and my looks, somewhere in the back of my mind, I still think I would look better with longer hair, at least better to people who are drawn to long hair :ohwell:.

I don't know, for me, it's an issue of self-esteem.
Click to expand...
Girl you are very pretty.


But to answer the OP, Ive had shortish hair all my life, time for something new. I have shaved my head so I would like to swing the other way and see what BSL hair would be like.
 
OnAHairQuest said:
Girl you are very pretty.


But to answer the OP, Ive had shortish hair all my life, time for something new. I have shaved my head so I would like to swing the other way and see what BSL hair would be like.
Click to expand...

Thank you! That's so sweet :). I'm trying to change my point of view.
 
I want long hair because I love how it looks on me, it just compliments my face better. Long hair to me has nothing to do with white ppl or white standards, I've seen all kinds of ppl with long straight, curly, kinky and dreadlock hair and I like the look of long healthy hair.
My only issue as a child was the texture and it had followed me up until adulthood, but now i find the more I transition I really like my kinky texture and wouldn't want to trade it, but as far as long hair is concerned I find that for me and many women on this board its just a personal preference.:)
 
Thanks everyone for your responses. And Aurora3140, I know exactly what you are saying . . . low self-esteem bites.
 
Because I want to swing it and I want it to be BIG!!!!

:grin:

Glib Gurl said:
Okay. First off let me say I'm not trying to start anything (no really!) -- also, I apologize if this has been discussed here before. But I was just curious -- why do we want "long" hair?

I have a relaxer. I've had one since I was 12 years old. And I've been trying to grow my hair for as long as I can remember. Every once in a while I confront myself and ask the question, "Why???" Certainly, as a child, the primary beauty standard that was presented to me was that of long, flowing (and usually blond) hair. (Just like Whoopi Goldberg in that famous comedy sketch, I, too, used to put a towel or shirt on my head to pretend I had long hair like the white girls in the commercials.) Now as an adult, I'm still chasing that dream. I have come to terms with the fact that this goal is a byproduct of the European beauty standard that was planted into my head as a child. More recently, I've begun to think, "Well, maybe my hair never will get beyond should length -- so what? Maybe I should learn to accept it and just do the best I can with what I have . . . ." So now I'm focusing mostly on having healthy hair (and hoping that, in the process of getting healthier, my hair will get longer, too).

I'm wondering about you guys. What are your reasons for wanting long hair? Is it because of this European beauty standard that has been shoved down all of our throats? Is it simply a personal taste? Or, are we just looking to make our hair as healthy as it can be?

Discuss!
Click to expand...
 
I think long, healthy hair is beautiful , color and texture aside, I just love it, on men and women.

Most of the women in my family have long hair, I've never seen my Mom with hair shorter than waist length. My grandmother and great grandmother could sit on their hair easily when they took it down.

I think long hair compliments my features and it makes me feel very feminine and pretty.

My hair was very long as a child, until I started "doing" my own hair and wanted it bone straight at the expense of it's health.:perplexed

My hair goal is classic length. At least:look:
 
I had long hair until I was about 13 and did a "home style" with some scissors. After it grew back out, I just kept it cut...my family (mainly my dad) jokes that my hair won't grow. I wore weaves, braids, etc. I wore this one style of half wig for a yr and one day decided to blow dry it and it was past my shoulders...came here and its been history every since:D
 
For me, simply ease of styling--I like ponytails (now pony puffs) and it's easier to do them on longer hair. I also like long twists.

But as a natural, I'll never have long flowing hair again (when I did the BC it was armpit length) and I'm perfectly okay with that--I like big hair though.
 
I think it may well be the Euro standard of beauty in part, but I want long hair because I think it's pretty. Curly, kinky, wavy, straight - all of it looks always looks good whenthe hair is healthy and well maintained.

I want to wear a real bun and a real pony tail. I want to be lazy and put my hair up without it being such a big deal because it is short. I want to see if I can having gone from neck to shoulder and shoulder to neck for years. Finally, as I am getting, um, er, well... older - shhh don't tell anyone - I am going for a new look for myself. Dropping the last pounds, fighting wrinkles every step of the way, and growing my hair long is part of that change.
 
I think I should change the question since I have long hair.

Why do I want to keep "long hair"?

I think all hair lengths are nice. I have even had a Halle Berry cut at one time and looked fabulous! I am blessed to rock any length. I am no beauty queen but I am a cute hottie.

Yet, long hair for me is cultural. I am a Guyanese girl and I am use to seeing women with long hair. In fact, my uncle had waist length hair growing up and he was not locked. His hair just kept growing. No matter how many times my grandmother cut his hair it would grow long. In addition, the Guyanese men I have known (my father, uncles, friends, etc) love women with long hair.

I had a Guyanese guy who really liked me and he said he would not marry a woman with short hair. He wanted his daughter to have long hair and wanted to make sure that his wife had hair so he knew it was genetically possible. Grant it his sister had beautiful waistlength hair. My father also married my mother for her long hair. If he could see my mummy's short hair now..he would pass out!!

So it is not so much wanting long hair but keeping it for cultural reasons.

I have thought about giving my hair to locks for love when it is much longer but then my mummy said why would you want to do something like that. She said there are people praying and kicking bricks for long hair and you have it so appreciate your blessing.

So beyond cultural, I am guess I am appreciating my blessings.
 
Cheleigh said:
For me, simply ease of styling--I like ponytails (now pony puffs) and it's easier to do them on longer hair. I also like long twists.

But as a natural, I'll never have long flowing hair again (when I did the BC it was armpit length) and I'm perfectly okay with that--I like big hair though.
Click to expand...

ITA. I'm not crazy about short hair that isn't cut into a cut style. Long hair doesn't need anything special to look good.
 
I disagree. Long hair for long hair sake just hanging doesn't look good either. You have to style it to make it nice and attractive looking. Buns and ponies are a little stale at times if not jazzed up properly. There are ways to get creative and long hair does allow you to go "short" temporarily if you want or to go long, lush and curly/wavy.
 
When I started my hair journey, I wanted healthy hair--that was my goal no matter what the length. Long hair is a plus and it does look good on me. I certainly haven't paid this much attention to it before LHCF and it really is interesting to watch it grow. :yep:
 
Ease of styling is also a factor for me.

Last Thanksgiving I got a horrible haircut in layers . . .as a result I couldn't (and still cannot!) put my hair into a french braid, which is one of my favorite "protective" styles. :mad: But yeah, knowing that I can pull my hair back into a ponytail or bun in a pinch is very comforting . . . .
 
I just want to see how long it can grow and have enough hair to put in ponytail. Plus, I think longer hair looks better on me.
 
well for me i want to see if i can grow my hair long and to see if i can take care of it because i never really tryed to take care of my hair until now so it will be fun to see how much growth i can get and keep and beside i think i look better with longer hair:) :)
 
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