Thoughts about when to stop growing

[candlesandfish]

I've always said I'd stop growing my hair out when it stopped, and every time it gets really long I'll say "I'm really stopping now!" but then I don't get my hair cut for six months or so (mostly from laziness and being cheap, haircuts are expensive!) and it grows more.

It's really really REALLY long and it is pretty and in very good condition, but I'm at the point where I have to wear it up all the time no matter what and I'm trying to decide whether to have it cut back up to tailbone-ish or keep it this length or grow to classic or what. The romantic part of me thinks classic would be wonderful but the practical points out delightful things like sitting on my hair and yanking my head back.

Here's my hair as of tonight (with messy background and a gap in the middle that the photographer didn't tell me about, argh)

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/46755/2503425790100712226S425x425Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2503425790100712226HRYuJi)

The photo is clickable and you can go to a bigger view and get an idea of the ends and stuff.

The pants aren't particularly flattering either, I'll try for a better photo on the weekend when it's not 10:30pm

What do you all think I should do? The general tone of this board is 'the longer the better' but I'm starting to wonder whether that's true for me. I've always wanted long hair but is this long enough or too long?

I need to get the ends 'done' anyway sometime soon, and I'm thinking about the shape as well - even if I don't get much length off, should I make the curve shallower or not? I'm thinking yes but not sure...

[bumblebums]

What do you all think I should do? The general tone of this board is 'the longer the better' but I'm starting to wonder whether that's true for me. I've always wanted long hair but is this long enough or too long?


I don't think that's necessarily true. Plenty of people here stop at waist, tailbone, or some length shorter than classic. It is more important that you are happy with your hair than for it to be the longest it will grow.

Also, if you don't like wearing it up, then classic is probably not a good length for you, for the reasons you mentioned.

I would suggest that you maintain at the current length until you're sure of what you want from your hair.

[candlesandfish]

It's not that I don't like it up, I actually found this board from looking for hairstyles and have been having lots of fun putting it up ever since.

It's just a lot of work and I miss being able to wear it down a bit. It might be more manageable down once I get the ends dusted I suppose (they're very tangly, like I said I haven't had it cut since April) but hmmmmm.

[torrilin]

Get a trim to clean up your ends, and then see what you think. Heck, even get a 2 months out appointment for another trim, if your hair is inclined to grow quickly. There's nothing wrong with taking a couple months to maintain what you have.

[aenflex]

Can't say for anyone else, but me - I would be happy just below BSL...long enough to be long but not long enough to get in the way of my lifestyle. Not that I have a problem with TBL or Classic - I love looking at the folks with uber long hair and just dreaming :) But I would be happy at BSL.

[candlesandfish]

I keep looking at the photo and thinking it actually looks too long down...I really like the look of it at tailbone length, which is long enough to have people comment on it but not so long that it's hard to live with. I've got Chronic Fatigue Syndrome too so while learning neat tricks like pencil buns and learning that if I keep it up/braided it doesn't really need brushing very often have helped, it's still a lot of work.

I'd also really like to even it out a bit - I had it layered and feathered as I grew it out and so it's a very deep curve. I've got a good hairdresser that I trust so I might ask her opinion on that at least, but I'm thinking more and more of getting it cut to tailbone - my hair grows uberfast so it wouldn't take that long to grow back out if I regret it - my hair was about tailbone in June, so that's only 4 months.

Hmmmm.

[heidihug]

I've always said I'd stop growing my hair out when it stopped, and every time it gets really long I'll say "I'm really stopping now!"
I don't think anyone here actually is capable of stopping growing! ;) It's the cutting to maintain current length that we can do.

I think your hair is lovely, but you do have good points about the practicality of having long hair if you intend to wear it down. Past classic for me is when I absolutely started to have to wear it up all the time. If my hair was at your length, actually, though, I would wear it down quite often, as I see that length as very manageable. There are plenty of people here who maintain at BSL to classic and many places in between. Do what feels right for you.

[candlesandfish]

Haha, you know what I mean. Growing ie just trimming not cutting. My boyfriend's found his ideal length (halfway between shoulders and APL) which is nice and it's just odd to think about maintaing a certain length for the first time in my life since I was about 12 and started growing it really long. I got it cut in 2007 but that was illness and the fact that it had splits to my shoulders (ew) related rather than choice. Got it cut to my shoulders and grew it back out again and I've been 'that girl with really long hair' for the past year or so.

My only real worry is that I've fallen in love with a lot of hairstyles that I learned through here and don't want to lose enough length to make the styles not work anymore. I know I can lose at least 3 inches and still do a nice pencil bun the way I do it but the rest...hmm.

[Amraann]

I think that you have to decide at what length does it start to become a hassle for you?

There is nothing wrong with just maintaining a length that you enjoy.

[Anje]

Do what you like. You're allowed to maintain at a length of your choice, and most of us eventually do! (I like tailbone, myself. I may go longer, but I want thick ends first!)

I'd recommend getting a pair of hair scissors and learning Feye's Self Trim (http://community.livejournal.com/feyeselftrim). Then you can cut your hair when you feel like it, instead of having to make an appointment and all that junk, which is way more of a hassle than it's worth.

[trolleypup]

If you have time/energy/light, S&D can improve the grooming process by removing tangly damaged ends that are not in the trim zone...as the hair gets longer, such ends are more likely to not be at the hemline.

If you maintain at a length it gives you a chance to adjust your reflexes for the length, so you don't have to think about the accommodations for that length of long hair...of course, regardless of how used to the length you are, the longer it gets, the more stuff it CAN reach and get caught in/on/over/under.

Personally, I am a partisan for longer hair, but it is your hair.

[Fairlight63]

Your hair is really pretty!
Personally, I think that I will quit growing at tailbone length, unless it is too hard to deal with. My hair is just brushing waist right now - almost 32" - and it doesn't feel very long to me yet.

[Braidmaid]

I agree that your hair is very pretty. You choose what length is best! My hair is approaching classic length, yet I still like to wear it down as much as I can. No matter what choice you make, you are beautiful!

[Catia]

No certain length is really that troublesome if you want it, whether that be a pixie or floor length. If you are having doubts, it sounds to me like it is simply not something you want. No biggie. :shrug:

[Deborah]

Any length you like is the right length. You seem a bit tired of it right now, so I suggest you trim off 2 or 3 inches, then keep it there for a while. If you still feel a bit overwhelmed, take off another couple inches until you are happy.

Good luck!

[CaityBear]

It's up to you at what length you find is easiest to manage and most likeable. Some people have no problem with knee length hair and some maintain at waist or hip.

If you like to wear it down, then I personally find hip, no longer than tailbone, is the easiest to wear down without it getting tangled and a giant mess. Mine is about classic right now and I love it. I still wear it down sometimes, but I do only on days where I'm not sitting much, not doing lots of physical activity, not windy, etc. and always carry a hair pin. That's how I deal with my hair.

Right now I want to get to knee length (at first I wanted only classic) and then I will maintain it. Honestly, I'm not sure if I will. I'm too lazy to trim that often and it will probably get longer without me noticing. lol

I also second learning Feye's self trim method. I trim my own hair because I hate going to a stylist JUST for a tiny trim. It's not too hard to trim your own hair. At your length, I found it pretty easy. And since it's just a small trim who is going to notice if it's a tiny bit uneven anyway?

[Carolyn]

I agree with what Tpup said. As you grow to new and longer lengths it takes a while to get used to dealing with it. I've found that maintaining for a while and then growing again helps. A small trim of 2" of less can help. I've looked at my hair and thought OMG I need 6" cut off and cutting 2" did the trick.

BTW my goal is to be able to sit on my hair.

[LouLaLa]

You just know I think whats right for you. For me I think its waist, I want hip and I will grow to hip just because its a length I havent gone to in the past. Ill only stop when I dont get pleasure form it. Also I get more and more people being wierd now (cutting/touching and it isnt even really long so I dont want people feeling even more at libertly to touch me) However I know it will be impractical for me as I work very long days get up stupid early etc, so I wouldnt have time to maiintain it, or do any sort of fancy hair (ill give it my best go though before I cut!)

You just ahve to make you happy/look through old pics and see what length you enjoyed most. Dont be swayed by others etc just do what you want (it could take a long time to grow back if you cut back a decent ammount).

[candlesandfish]

I wasn't thinking about taking too much off, the most I'd go back to is tailbone length. My hair is fine and very very tangly so wearing it down is a major hassle especially given the issues with my health. I don't mind always wearing it up apart from the fact that I have to PUT it up every morning which gets a bit old after a while...

Maintaining it at a certain length sounds good, might chat to my hairdresser (she's really good, one of the only people I trust with my hair) and see what she thinks. She approves of long hair which is nice, though she doesn't cut it very often so we had to figure out how to do it last time!