How long does hair have to be before it is considered long?

**CaraLynn** · May 19th, 2009, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Euphony

For me personally on me, anything longer than my hair currently (whenever that is) is long...in other words my hair may never be 'long' to me.

That, exactly.

**simply_me** · May 19th, 2009, 05:26 PM

Very interesting thread. I agree that it is a matter of perspective. I've had short hair for most of my life, so right now, my hair feels long. Co-workers have commented on how long my hair is getting and mind you it hasn't reached BSL yet.

In the area of New England where I live, most women have shorter length hair, so shoulder length hair is considered long. It's pretty unusual to see someone my age (48 ) with the length I have right now. I still plan to let my hair grow longer. I really don't care what people think.

**teela1978** · May 19th, 2009, 05:32 PM

When my hair gets a little longer than apl I start thinking of it as long.

**Themyst** · May 19th, 2009, 05:41 PM

When I see someone with waist-length hair, I consider it long.

**klcqtee** · May 19th, 2009, 06:07 PM

For me, my hair will be long when one day I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt, and my hair brushes my own arm and spooks me. I'm naturally a jumpy person, so it might not even need to be elbow (waist) length.

This also happens to be my long hair goal, only about 30 inches to go!

**Alun** · May 19th, 2009, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by Deborah

I think to say that one's hair must be bsl or waist or whatever before it can be considered 'long' is hurtful and discouraging to others. Anyone who's hair touches their back and shoulders has 'long hair.'

(I have always had hair much longer than that, so that's not why I say this.)

Each individual may feel dissatisfied with the length of their own hair until they reach some far-off target length, but that does not mean they don't already have 'long hair.' I would never tell someone their hair is not 'long', nor would I judge their hair as 'not long' in my own mind because I think that the term 'long hair' is exclusive to those who can grow their hair to some quite long length. We can become such snobs about hair on a board such as this one.

Sorry if I sound irritated, but I guess I am a little. I hate to see women discouraged by the snobbery of other women. For many it can be like holding the carrot on a stick in front of the poor donkey. Almost anyone can have 'long hair.' Let's don't make it harder than it is.

What she said, except the part about always having had 'hair much longer than that'.

**jojo** · June 5th, 2009, 07:00 PM

Really when you think of it, it depends on the gender too. Like men are considered to have long hair when it reaches shoulders this probably because its more unusual to see men with long hair, yet its more common for women to grow their hair so we tend to think of long on a woman as waist.

But then again is hair long when its a certain number on a tape or is it considered long when it needs to be worn up because its irritating to be blowing in your face all the time and not just worn up because you can?