Classic or longer

[Eireann]

I'm growing my hair out (not surprising in this crowd.) It's currently around BSL, and my initial goal is tailbone. Lately, I've been toying with the idea of classic or longer. Part of what is holding me back is the difficulty in caring for it, and also the difficulty in wearing it down. Also, I have a job in an office where I have to look/dress fairly "professionally." I worry whether having extremely long hair would make me seem less "professional" or "serious". I'd be interested in hearing from people with classic or longer hair to talk me into it (or out of it!)

[Angellen]

I'm not at classic right now, but I have been there in the past. It does take more work, because you need to pay special attention that it doesn't get caught in or under things, because of the length. I'm thinking rolling office chairs if it's down, or car doors, or just plain sitting on it.

However, I think in order to keep it healthy, it needs to be up more often, and I don't think it gets much more professional than a well-constructed bun. :D

What I would do is just keep growing. BSL is still a ways from TB, so you can always change your mind then. HTH

[Euphony]

I'm not nor ever have been to classic - though that may eventually be a goal for me. I'm nearing tail bone which was my goal. I figure tail bone then trim the darned layers out that seemed like such a good idea at the time, then go from there. Being the length I am I just wear it up more. I wear it up nearly every day to work, I'd say I wear it down 2 days out of a month to work. I work in an office, fortunately it's not an office strict on appearance so here it doesn't really matter. But I do look professional for the most part. I wear many different buns with many different hair toys. It's all good.

[eadwine]

It doesn't matter how much hair you have. An updo is an updo. A bun is a bun. A bit bigger maybe, but it's still an updo ;)

Don't worry about it so much :)

[eresh]

I'm growing my hair out (not surprising in this crowd.) It's currently around BSL, and my initial goal is tailbone. Lately, I've been toying with the idea of classic or longer. Part of what is holding me back is the difficulty in caring for it, and also the difficulty in wearing it down. Also, I have a job in an office where I have to look/dress fairly "professionally." I worry whether having extremely long hair would make me seem less "professional" or "serious". I'd be interested in hearing from people with classic or longer hair to talk me into it (or out of it!)


About your officeworries...
If you wear it in an updo it doesn't matter how much hair is in it ;-)
The updo will be about the same.
No one will think you're less serious (they don't see how long your hair is anyway if it's in an updo)

It does take a little more time in the morning in the beginning...but you get the hang of it quickly, doing my hair in the morning takes about 10 minutes to brush, mist, braid and make the updo.
:-)

Go for it, I'd say :-)

[Rain]

My hair is barely at classic again. I work in an office. It's an extremely casual office so take this for what you will but the few times I wear my hair down at work, I only get compliments. I wear it up at lot just because it's easier to deal with. What is more professional than a classic bun?

[heidi w.]

I'm talking you down, as in longer! (heehee!)

First, this question is not necessary at this juncture. From BSL to tailbone will take a while, not overly long, but a while. So you don't need to decide RIGHT NOW.

As you continue to gain length, you will make adjustments, including learning more updos.

It's ok to get to your first goal, hang out at that length for a while, and then continue on down as a JUST TO SEE how it goes and how you feel with it. It's kinda fun to be able to say you at least tried it.

Us uber longs do not wear our hair down on a daily basis. We reserve this for more special occasions. Thus, in the world of professionalism, looks and dressing the part, an updo is often perceived as very professional, especially when paired with a suit. Versions of a french twist come to mind.

My guess is you will be on a given job for some time, enough that folks there know your professionalism and quality of work and character. Thus, if you end up going longer (at least to try on for size), you can try braids and half up/half down things on occasion at work, and my bet is this will not marr your reputation or professional demeanor.

I think we all have our length of comfort. Right now I'm still working on getting to the toes after a trim back in March (when it was just beginning to brush my ankles). I just wanted a better hemline. But my hair looking its best is knee length.

heidi w.

[Anje]

I agree with most of the others that if you wear your hair in a classic-looking updo, length will not affect how professional it looks.

There is a professor on my floor (I work in a university laboratory) who has roughly fingertip length hair, which she wears down or in a low ponytail most days, with the part around her face twisted back. I don't think there's anyone who thinks she looks unprofessional this way.

[freznow]

IME, updos are easier at longer lengths, which makes it easier for me to care for because I just put it up and forget about it.

As for wearing it down, it's just something you get used to. True, a bit more inconvenient, but also at longer lengths it's easy to wrap it around your neck when you have to and stuff like that. It's really not all that hard. But you'll know if it's for you when you get there and see how you like it.

[mira-chan]

I have thigh length hair and I wear it up for work, always. I work in a lab, bunsen burners and such included, and I teach, I've had no problem. Another person I know with the same job has knee length hair that she braids then knots up in a low bun, which looks good too. One of the professors wears a fingertip length braid at all times. No one has ever said any of us look unprofessional.

As for care, that depends on hair type. On non wash days it's simpler for me than when it was waist/ hip and I just wore ponytails at those lengths. I don't have to comb it every day, it doesn't tangle in updos/braids. I just redo the bun and go.

On wash days it can get as complicated as I want it to be or I can be done and wet braided then bunned in 15 minutes.

[Tigerdawn]

My hair is just barely at calf length. It was around knee when I worked in an office. I think I wore it down once, for halloween. The rest of the time it was in an updo of some sort. My updos only take a minute or less. If it takes longer than that it is deemed a "special occasion" updo. I am lazy.

Just remember that if you get to a length and decide you don't like it there, you can always cut it back.

[Islandgrrl]

I'd have to agree with what everyone else has said.

For me, at least, the longer it gets the easier it gets. More available updos (which means a more comprehensive variety of hairtoys!) keep things interesting so I don't have to wear the same bun endlessly. And it always looks professional (sometimes too professional if you ask me - but then I'm sitting here at my desk barefoot in a tank top and shorts).

I don't find that washing is any more complicated as it gets longer, either. Maybe it's because it happens so gradually that I'm just constantly in the process of "getting used to it longer." I dunno.

You don't have to make a decision about your ultimate goal anytime soon. Get to your first goal and take it from there. I originally thought I'd go for the knees again, now I'm not so sure - I'm thinking it might be fun to just let it go and see what happens. My own private hair adventure!

[flapjack]

I had hair to my knees for years and honestly, the only thing that bothered me about it was the amount of conditioner I used, haha. I would go through a bottle in about 2-3 weeks, while shampoo took months.

So if you're cool with spending extra on conditioner (but making up for it with no salon visits, doing and learning to do things cheaply and in a DIY fashion, etc.) then you're in the clear. And I highly recommend a lot of braids and buns. Practice the braiding now if you're not very good, haha. That's what I did.

[Carolyn]

The others have given you excellent advice on buns and updo's for a professional environment. I'll comment on the growing goals. Since you are a BS length now, it's probably doing to take you at least 3 or 4 years to get to tailbone and on to classic. The average growth rate is 1/2" per month or 6" per year not including any trims. You have PLENTY of time to adjust to the length as it grows and assess for yourself how you like it, how easy it is to care for, and the ways you can put it up for work. There is no need to think that far ahead. Set yourself mini goals. Waist could be your next goal. I know it took my about 3 years to go from mid back to waist. There is nothing that says you can't change your mind along the way. You could decided you really like it at a certain length and hang out at that point for a while and then maybe go on or not. I felt like I put so much emphasis on getting to waist, I didn't enjoy the growing and the styles along the way like I wish I had. Just relax and your hair will slowly but surely get there.

[enitsirk]

It doesn't matter how much hair you have. An updo is an updo. A bun is a bun. A bit bigger maybe, but it's still an updo ;)

Don't worry about it so much :)

Exactly :)

If you grow to classic, if you're like me, you probably won't want to wear the hair down much anyway. I think a single braid is plenty professional too.

I wear buns probably 70% of the time and various types of single braids 29% of the time, something different 1%. Obviously these aren't very accurate percentages, but what do you expect :p


ETA: Flapjack is completely telling the truth about conditioner!

[AlleyKitten]

My hair is just coming up on tailbone (well, it's about two inches away, but I can pretend, right?). I've definitely found that as it gets longer I learn new ways of keeping it manageable. Every so often my hair will outpace some of my methods of dealing with it, but then they'll catch up and it'll be easy again. I used to think I wanted my hair a little shorter than it is now because it would get too hard to live with, but now that I'm here I just want it longer!

I also definitely agree that you can always cut it back to your favorite length, so there's very little risk in growing it!

[embee]

My hair is at classic. It's easier to deal with now than ever before. Brush it smooth and twist it up and put in my hair stick. Ready. :) And it's a snap to redo if something goes wrong during the day (hardly ever).

As your hair grows you'll find new updo styles and you have plenty of time (years) to mess with them and see what works well for you, for your hair. You also have time to make a small collection of simple, unobtrusive (probably fairly expensive) hairtoys.

Be warned that a single long braid may not work as planned: mine gets frightfully fuzzy rather quickly. The updo styles I choose say "carefully put together" and "neat" and "under control". I have no objection to those adjectives in my work environment! :)

[Solange]

I found my hair a little more difficult to care for *after* classic length (especially if I want to leave it loose), but it wasn't very hard to adjust. At knee length, I do wear my hair up at work almost every day, for the sake of convenience, and ocasionally in a braid. As others have mentioned, it is not difficult to look classy with long hair, as it is very versatile.

[Amoretti]

I'm at slightly past classic and my hair has never been easier to take care of. Mind you, it's always up. I haven't worn it down on a daily basis since TB.

Go for it. :)