Not wearing hair down because of insecurities?

[Emichiee]

I have noticed there is many LHC ers that are not (yet) satisfied with the way their hair looks and do not wear it down often for that reason.

I would be one of them, I really do plan my hair down days for several reasons and make sure I wear cloths that go well with the hair down.

My main reason is that my lengths (yea not just ends) are really thin, to the point where they are see through.
My trims have bettered this but only very slowly since I am still growing my hair longer.

I have created this survey to see how everyone else deal with their hair insecurities.

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Hair Length: Almost Classic

Goal Hair Length: Classic - to upper thigh

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?:
My lenghts are very thin and tapered because of many factors (layers, shedding, past damage, taper due to intensive growing), when the light hits my hair from the side or from a certain angle it looks not much longer than midback with a few long strings.

When did you start feeling like that?: Late 2006, but was feeling better after trims in 2007...

How do you deal with it?: I trim frequently while growing, soon I will have another long term trimming phase because I have gotten to a point where it annoys me a lot. After that I will keep growing and evening up. PATIENCE is the key.

Have things bettered?: Planned Hair down days are actually okay now..not great but I can be proud of its length and condition.

What is your stategie to improve its looks when down?:
I am making sure my cloths have a medium light color, no patterns or dots that can shine through and they are long enough for the whole hair (dresses and cardigans) and dont make the hair stick to it. Wearing a short T-Shirt and jeans is very unflattering, you can see the line through my hair.
Other than that I make sure my hair is naturally straight (hemline looks more even) and freshly washed.

When will you be happy? :
When most of my hair is thick enough not to be see through, thats all I want. Not even asking for 1" thick layer of hair..


Well, I would love to hear your answers.

Emi
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Edit 10/31/2009:

I thought I should update on this to show my plan did not work so bad. Since I posted that thread I have been maintaining my hair at classic length. I gained thickness (it grew down) and even a tiny amount of hair length. It does work and really helped my insecurities

Comparison Aug.'08 vs. Aug.'09:


And I will continue updating.

[WritingPrincess]

I voted "No Insecurities" but I meant to vote "Some Insecurities". Sorry about that.

Hair Length: Halfway between tailbone and classic

Goal Hair Length: Knee length--possibly beyond.

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?:
I don't feel very insecure about wearing my hair down, but I do feel like it becomes tangled and stops looking good after 10-30 minutes.

When did you start feeling like that?: When I finished wearing my hair up for six months, it had grown enough that it tangled more easily and I wasn't really used to having it down anymore.

How do you deal with it?: I carry a comb and will run it through my hair periodically.

Have things bettered?: Somewhat. I'm really not used to wearing my hair down yet.

What is your strategy to improve its looks when down?:
See the above question "How do you deal with it?"

When will you be happy?: I'm not sure. I'm planning on letting it get quite a bit longer than it already is, and it's F/M, so I don't know if it'll ever change. I'm mostly happy with it anyway right now.

[Islandgrrl]

Hair Length: BSL

Goal Hair Length: Knee to Terminal

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?: I don't really have insecurities about wearing it down, I'm just so used to wearing it up that I can hardly imagine wearing it down!

When did you start feeling like that?: About 100 days into my Hair Up for a Year Challenge (which has about 102 days left)

How do you deal with it?: For now I wear it up. After another 102 days, I don't know.

Have things bettered?: Yes, in that my hair is in better condition now so that when I'm ready to wear it down it will look pretty good.

What is your strategy to improve its looks when down?: My first reaction was to say, Wear It Up. But I think that if I just make sure it looks okay and protect it from mechanical damage, I'll be okay.

When will you be happy?: I'm happy with things now in terms of the condition of my hair. I'll be happier with more length, gobs more length, and when I can trim off the remaining bits of damage (which are not too bad).

[RedCardigan]

Hair Length: Just below shoulder but heavily layered.

Goal Hair Length: 1st goal is BSL

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?: Its short. The ends are really thin and heavily layered and razored.

When did you start feeling like that?: About 3 months after I foolishly cut my hair super-short

How do you deal with it?: Wear it up as much as possible. Started CO-washing. Try to be patient as it grows out.

Have things bettered?: I think CO washing and being able to wear my hair up vs just in a ponytail has helped improve the condition of my ends alot.

What is your stategie to improve its looks when down?:
Not much I can really do, I think it will improve as it gains length

When will you be happy? :
When its finally BSL and when I get the layers (eventually) all grown and trimmed out.

[Buddaphlyy]

I voted for insecure about Blue Cheese. I'm deathly afraid of it.

[RedRose]

I voted for very insecure.

Hair Length: Above shoulder, 17 inches

Goal Hair Length: BSL seems very far away right now, but more achieveable than waist!

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?: I have very thick mind-of-its-own hair, which this short is uncontrollable, unless you choose to blowfry or worse to it, which I don't want to do. And the colour is hideous and makes me looks washed out. Hopefully that will change. Sadly its so short that I now HAVE to wear it down. My hair is better longer, since then it behaves itself under its own weight.

When did you start feeling like that?: Today, horrible, horrible cut. But before that the colour was hideous, so I don't think I've worn my hair down in public since well before easter. Now I have no choice as its too short to do anything with. I started feeling self conscious when the colour became horrendously uneven and patchy.

How do you deal with it?: Um...N/A yet I suppose, but I guess I'm just going to have to grit my teeth and bear it. And maybe invest in a push up bra and some big sparkly earrings to distract attention away from my hair.

Have things bettered?: N/A, but I do hope they will.

What is your strategy to improve its looks when down?: I'm considering possibly using monistat to make it grow faster. That would help! And fading out this colour and possibly using honey treatments to get it where I want it to be. I suppose time is all that can really help.

When will you be happy? : When my hair stays behind my shoulders? When my hair reaches my shoulders? When it has enough weight to not go crazy? One of those. And also, when the colour is one which SUITS me and is relatively EVEN, in the natural way as opposed to chemical colour craziness.

I suppose its the way that we're all insecure about what we have/haven't got, but it's so sad! If I had the OP hair I would just smile every day and love wearing it down, see-through ends be damned! Your hair looks absolutely beautiful to me. This thread has made me think a lot about my own over-worrying about how my hair currently is. My hair isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have beauty (the virgin growth is very lovely, those wonderful 2.5 inches!). Maybe I should stop worrying so much and embrace it. But that might have to wait until its a little longer and isn't triangular, that's just too much to deal with right now.

[AJoifulNoise]

I chose somewhat.

Hair Length: See siggy. That's about 27 inches. So, just between BSL and Waist

Goal Hair Length: Mini goal-Waist. Ultimate goal-Knee?

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?:
It's kind of funny. I cut off my thin ends in July because I was so insecure about them. But, now my hair feels so short that I don't want to wear it down! I am far less insecure than I used to be, but I still wear it up much of the time.

When did you start feeling like that?: Because of thin ends- January 2008. Because of hair shortness-July 2008.

How do you deal with it?: I wear my hair up either in buns (the best), braids (still feels short), or some combination (akward at this length).

Have things bettered?: Yes. I am adjusting to the length and becoming more confident about it. I am so incredibly happy that my ends are blunt and thick. When I wear my hair down, I focus on that.

What is your stategie to improve its looks when down?:
Only on CO days. It's less frizzy.

When will you be happy? :
When I grow back those 6 or so inches. I'll feel more like me when my hair reaches waist and I can continue where I left off.

[spidermom]

My insecurities have to do with the fact that my hair is so fluffy and poufy and frizzy so much of the time; it's more like a cloud than hair. So to be sure it isn't catching the slightest breeze and floating over to stroke some stranger's cheek, I securely bundle it up and pin it to my head.

[thankyousir74]

Hair Length: Shoulder

Goal Hair Length: Terminal

What is the reason you feel insecure about wearing your hair down?:
VERY uneven hemline but that's not really it, I just don't think it's long enough to make a significant difference from when it is up or down. That's why I voted somewhat.

When did you start feeling like that?: Since I was able to put an elastic in my hair

How do you deal with it?: Meh I try doing half ups to get used to the feeling.

Have things bettered?: Things will surely better with time and growth

What is your stategie to improve its looks when down?:
none really just at least have it oiled a bit so it doesn't look frizzy or dry

When will you be happy? :
Around BSL and all the same length

[Gumball]

I picked no insecurities. I actually used to wear it down all the time when it was shorter, but with my hair type I just don't have the patience to deal with it after it's been down for a long time (tangles or it just wrapping around itself). That's why I keep it up and out of the way in some form or another most of the time.