How do you decide what your goal length is?

[SkyChild]

So I am currently trudging along at APL and the longest my hair's ever been. But I don't know where I'm going to. I like the look of tailbone and classic lengths. I think fingertip sounds romantic but would be too impractical for me. So how do you decide if you don't know where you're aiming?

[Aderyn]

Lots of different ways.

For me, personally, I have a few criteria:

1. What looks flattering. Sheer personal preference. I like the looks of TBL to Classic.
2. Not extra long to the point where I am severely limited in regards to hair toy choice. I don't want mega flexi 8's to barely fit, or only be able to use very large forks/sticks. I like fitting within the "normal" range and I like having a variety of toys to choose from and trying out the work of new vendors.

Not "annoyingly' long. Personally, I think I would find lengths longer than TBL/Classic to be a bit annoying.. too much hair to deal with when wearing it down (which I would like to do on occasion).
Laziness. Am I going to have to spend too much time braiding it? How long will washing take? Drying? Etc.

1 and 2 are the most important. The last 2, while they are considerations, I'm not too worried about - it's not like I grow 6 inches in a month, I'd have plenty of time to adjust. Then again, it's hard to say what length is my ultimate goal length if I've never been there. I may reach the goal and change my mind. Who knows.

[Larki]

I don't have a particular goal in mind - I just want to grow it until I like the length. :)

[Sharysa]

I decide on looks versus practicality. I initially went for waist-length since that was a fairly standard goal, but then I grew to hip-length because it looks impressive while still being practical.

My optional goals are tailbone-length/classic-length if I ever get bored with hip-length, because I'm five feet tall and that would take a relatively short time (about three or four years, judging by my growth from collarbone/shoulder to hip in three years).

[MsPharaohMoan]

Unfortunately I think this is the sort of thing you decide once you're there. For example, classic, fingertip, and mid thigh sound like good areas for me to stop at, but I'm not sure which one. I'll probably have to experience each in order to make an educated opinion. Probably not the answer you were looking for :)

[Johannah]

There's one rule that probably goes for all of us: whatever goal you choose, LHC changes it. My first goal was waist. Then hip length. Now BCL. Next time maybe TBL. Oh, well...

[fiðrildi]

I second the looks versus practicality. I think knee length is my limit (if I ever get to reach it!).

And I agree with Johannah, whatever is your initial length goal, LHC will change it :bigtongue:
When I first joined here, my goal was tailbone, but then I changed it to classic, and now I'm going for fingertip :p

[woodswanderer]

I just stop when it becomes too difficult to manage loose. I like TB, but right now I'm so close to classic that I may wait until I hit classic to trim back to TB.

[NitaB]

I don't really have one, just a vague feeling of 'longer'. Either you will know when you get there or hover around a certain area until you feel like changing it

[KittyBird]

I agree with Johannah, LHC always changes your goals. :lol: I started with waist, then changed to hip, then tbl, then classic, then terminal. Now I've changed my goal back to classic again (I'm nearly there), because updos are becoming heavy at this length. I've also realised that I'm actually very happy with how long my hair is now, and I don't feel a need to grow much longer.
I think goal length is something you figure out as you grow. :)

[torrilin]

I didn't have a goal length, still don't :). Or at least not a goal in a way that fits in a sig file or my profile.

I wanted hair that was easy to put up. I wanted a braid to wrap around my head (got within spitting distance, have since decided that being purist about this is not worth it). I wanted longer than my previous long of BSL/MBL. I wanted twin braids to do ridiculous interlacing things when done up as heidi braids (got that.).

My current length is tailbone, in a deep V cut so that the shortest layers are somewhere in the BSL range on me. I achieved tailbone blunt, and I didn't like it, so I changed how I trim until I did. It's fall, so I'm having my usual fits of dye my hair outlandish colors or do other drastic stuff. It's seasonal and part of my seasonal affective disorder, so I might do something temporary, or try swapping away from my signature styles or something. If I still want a drastic change in spring when I'm feeling better, I'll do it. (history says I won't) Blunt tailbone kept pissing me off well into summer, which is why I modified it :). It's a good idea to factor in stuff like this into decisions about goals.

In terms of looks, eh. The only person whose opinion about my hair really matters to me is me. It's my head. My partner prefers my hair long rather a lot, but he's survived my occasional fits of wanting short hair over the last ten years. He doesn't try to talk me out of short hair for his sake. He knows that even if I really want it, about 3 months in, I'll be whining about how short hair sucks, and he's got another solid year of whining every so often. He probably prefers my hair rather shorter than I like it really... He likes when I wear it down, and I don't really enjoy it down, so he's most likely to get what he wants if my hair is short enough that I'll give up in frustration. (that said, my current length is one where I don't actually hate wearing it down! I didn't think that was possible!)

Growing your hair is a process. Even for a pretty fast grower, longer lengths are multi year projects. You've got time.

LHC doesn't automatically change your goals for longer. It's ok to decide that you've found long enough. You can always change your mind again later if you want. And you can always go shorter if you want. Plenty of posters have gone back to shorter lengths if that's what they preferred. It's common to have fantasies of longer and longer, but not everyone sticks with 'em.

I don't think most of the folks that are past tailbone or classic really like wearing their hair down. It's fun to do as a once in a while thing, but with super long hair, it gets worn up a lot. So the way it looks down tends not to be a huge factor. The finer your hair is, the more updos will be a factor. If you hate how updos look? You probably don't want super long hair, or you *really* want to up your hairstyling game. (I'm happiest with my hair up no matter what my length... my hair is fine and floaty, and it tickles my face worn loose)

[darklyndsea]

If you're happy with the length you're at and want to grow longer, just set your goal as the next-longest goal length. When you get there, if you like the length and want to grow longer, change your goal length to the next longer goal length...

But from what I've seen, a lot of people write terminal when what they really mean is "terminal, unless it's longer than whatever length I get unhappy at". A lot of us are just growing longer, not to a specific length.

[Chromis]

I originally thought I wanted to grow to classic, then I decided just to see how long it could get as a screw you cancer! statement pretty early on.

Classic was a few years ago :lol:

I wouldn't worry about a goal length being impractical. You'll never know until you get there really. Some people have cut because they liked being able to wear their hair down or wanted layers or just because. I personally have found my hair is *easier* to manage as it gets longer! We are all different. I never liked wearing my hair down even when it was shorter, but there are at least a couple of super long hairs here who do wear their hair loose (EdG springs to mind!) and don't seem to have any trouble with it.

It always sounds a bit funny to me to hear people say they don't know if they want to grow to a certain length because they don't think they can handle it. I say grow it an see! You can always cut back if it turns out you aren't fond of it. I should warn too, that some lengths are just not as much fun. Mid-thigh was a pretty meh length for me, but then getting knee made everything awesome again. At mid-thigh all my favourite buns stopped coiling at awkward spots and now they make a fun turn again.

[Trin]

yea... my initial goal was really just to get my hair healthy and see what tips you guys had... now... I'm looking to go terminal, just so I see how long that is. Once I've reached that, I'll decide whether or not to keep it at that length.

... and it's all LHC's fault.

[hufflepug]

Mine is BSL for what is probably the dumbest reason... I remember being little and my cousin had longer hair than me. She said that hair isn't "long" unless you can put your hand behind your back and touch the ends with your fingertips. Which for me, is BSL.

[Madora]

A great deal depends on how you are able to handle your hair as it grows longer. A certain length might sound very appealing...but when you reach that goal, you discover that it is a royal trial (for whatever reason). So, in general, you just have to wait it out.

My original goal was knee, but now I've discovered a different way to braid my hair, I'm hoping to grow another foot and maybe reach calf. I was inspired by Julie Andrew's marvelous calf length wig in her fun parody of "The Phantom of the Opry" on You Tube. Julie looks fab in super long hair! That wig was to die for!

[kaydana]

You'll know when you get there.

[ShDiHa]

I want to grow to waist. My reason(s)? I have never had truly long hair. My hair has never touched beneath the short sleeves of my shirts. I have always had APL+ hair, but never reaching BSL.

[LauraLongLocks]

I made my goal knee length, or if I can't make that goal with thick ends, I'll go to a shorter length so I can have a thick hem. The reason I chose knee as my goal was looking at photos of different hair lengths. As I browsed through, I knew I wanted hair that was long enough to be stunning. In my mind, that is at least TBL. Knee length is as long as I can imagine right now. I'm a busy mom and don't think I really want any more hair than knee length. I might want to wear it down on occasion, and can't imagine going in public with it longer than knee. Time might change that goal for me, but probably not until I am mostly done having little kids in my household. I would only go for longer lengths if I could keep a thick hem. I don't even know if I could handle knee length hair, or if I would enjoy that length, or if I can grow it that long. I figure the only way to know is to grow it and see. If I ever decided to grow longer than knee I know I would stop at ankle length and not go any further. Having it dragging on the floor is not for me. I'm at hip now, and I know this isn't long enough for me yet. I have not found my minimum length. I think my minimum will be TBL.

[burny]

I don't think I could handle past knee length(around there, I imaging it would start to get stepped on while sitting, caught in chair-wheels, etc.). I'm guessing I will want to stick to somewhere between classic and fingertip. I like physical activities, and imagine that some lengths around classic will severely hamper tumbling/kicking/running ability.. but if I can learn to do updo's, and fight against my laziness, to actually do them constantly, then I could maybe go to knee length. I'm pretty lazy though, so I can't see it happening.

[Aurum]

I joined at APL/BSL with waist length in mind (super long to me, at that point)... Now that I'm here, it doesn't even feel long and I've got my eyes on classic. I may decide to go longer, who knows.

[iluvbooks]

I guess it just depends on what you find most attractive and manageable.

I have classic length hair, and it's pretty much my ideal length. I'll continue growing it, because I can always trim it back to classic and my ends will be thicker in the process. I want to try for knee length, just to see if I can.

[Fufu]

I aimed for waist in the past, but i couldn't take the heat and the damaged ends..

Now my goal length is BSL.

[dogzdinner]

I think my goal is probably going to be where it looks healthiest! I have some old layering to chop off but once that is gone I would like thick ends (fairytale on me just looks straggly!).
Ideally that would be classic. Im hoping I can grow that far!

[Stray_mind]

My goal is now TBL, because i see how great it looks on others, especially with a U or V shaped hemline and i imagine same on myself.

[Beckstar]

My goal right now is APL. I'm at shoulder (stretched) and that was my goal when I was growing out my pixie cut. I'm looking for BSL/waist as my finally goal. I did achieve hip a few years ago but it was an impractical length for me to wear down. My hair got caught on everything and I once wore it down at work and shut it in a filing cabinet. Ouch. I kept walking/moving by my hair stayed still and pulling me back to say,"Hey, you forgot me." BSL is a fun and very manageable length for me. I usually wear my hair up but it needs to be a length that I can also wear down and not worry about damage or send too much time taking care of.

[lapushka]

You just take it one goal at a time. APL? Then you next aim for BSL and see whether or not you get there. Join a challenge, make a thread, join a group. One milestone at a time.

[DweamGoiL]

My original goal was Waist. I have now passed that and will maintain somewhere between WL and HL. Longer than that, makes it impractical for me to wear it down mostly, particularly at work. This is a good manageable length for me.

[AmyBeth]

I'm in the "I'll know it when I see it" camp. Of course my original goal was waist, because I thought it would be too much to ask for my extremely slow-growing hair to get any longer, but once I got there, I thought hip would be nice. Then once I got there, I decided maybe I could get to classic. As it gets longer, it does become more challenging to manage, so we'll see if I can develop the patience to deal with more extreme lengths. So yeah, my goal keeps changing, too!

[Wosie]

Mine is BSL for what is probably the dumbest reason... I remember being little and my cousin had longer hair than me. She said that hair isn't "long" unless you can put your hand behind your back and touch the ends with your fingertips. Which for me, is BSL.

Hah, I kinda wish somebody would've said that to me, then I would've displayed my incredible flexible joints and show her that I could have hair around shoulder length and still touch it with my hand behind my back. ;)

---

I'm aiming for classic. Mainly because it's the most beautiful-looking length (imho)... It looks elegant and romantic. When I joined I had waist as goal, and after a while hip. Then I hopped all the way to classic. :D The longest hair I've ever had was around hip-BCL length, so I will at least get that far, for sure. I want to know how different it will feel and look these days, as it's been ages since I last had really long hair. :)

[Carolyn]

I can see that having a length goal could keep you from cutting if you are easily discouraged but otherwise I don't see goals as all that important. You will probably change your thoughts as you grow. I used to think mid back was long. Then I got to bottom of bra and that was like wow long. I assumed waist was unattainable so I never thought I'd get there. I got there several times now. My goal now is to be happy with my hair and have fun with it. If I do have goals now it would be thick ends, able to be bunned, and easy to wear down.

[diddiedaisy]

I don't know where I'm going to end up, at least mbl though. If my hair is nice enough waist. My hair has never been past bsl, when it was that length 100 years ago I was trying to grow it longer, but every 3 months I'd go for a perm (lol) and a trim. Little did I know that couple of inches I got trimmed was all of my growth. No wonder I never got past it!!!

[peachyleshy]

For me I want to grow it until it actually looks long to me. Which I think would be at least waist length. But I've never had hair that long so I'm not sure. I hope it will grow that long!

[Yozhik]

My initial goal was BSL, then WL, then "let's wait and see."
I've cut back to between BSL and WL a few times in these last 5 years, and I think anywhere between bsl-hip is where I'd like to keep it. :)

[LadyCelestina]

What other people said about LHC changing your length goal...I admit it : I joined for BSL,now I am at waist and my goal is knee :lol:

[lapushka]

My goal has always been classic, because that's the length I had as a young teen (10/11). I never ever reached that length again. I am now in my early forties, trying to get that length again. It will be thirty+ years before I reach it, hopefully 2015. Quite a story. :bunny:

[faeriehaerie]

Hah, I kinda wish somebody would've said that to me, then I would've displayed my incredible flexible joints and show her that I could have hair around shoulder length and still touch it with my hand behind my back. ;)


Me too, sooo, I must have suuuper long hair, hoovering around midback. :ohmy:
I'm aiming for waist as I had as a teen, then maintain there for a while ...

[UndineOmega]

My romantic goal are the long flowing tresses of women pictured in art nouveau/jugendstil illustrations :o

But since I'm quite a rational person I need quantifiable goals to keep me going ("only 3cm to go..."). So my first goal is 90cm (35.43") which I hope to reach early next year.
The next goal is of course 100cm (39.37") just because it's such a nice number ;)
Right now my final goal is real classic length (i.e. not stretched/straightened but the curls at CL) because it appeals to me aestheticly.

[lady mechanic]

I'm aiming for bsl/mbl. In my humble opinion it's beautifully long. Long enough to do all those wonderful braids I keep seeing but not so long that it becomes impractical for me. Plus with me being currently stuck at collar bone length with baby fine/ delcate hair it seems like it will take forever to get to if at all . Maybe some day when I do get there with silky soft healthy hair *sighs wistfully* I'll keep going. Good luck reaching your goals everyone!

[Zindell]

Since I want to wear my hair down at all times (all lose or in a half-up) I think I'll end up somewhere between BSL and Waist. I shall see what feels and looks best. :)

[Gertrude]

I am not really the goal oriented type. Mainly I wanted to break the curse of growing my hair longer than APL. Split ends, breakage, tapering, sort of frayed looking hem. And it wasn't like I was getting to bleach and perm and blow dry and flat iron either. I just have very fragile and fine hair.

My aim was BSL with a thick hemline and without the frayed look, and thanks to frequent micro trims and kinder ways of handling my hair and protective up dos and braids I have gotten there. And I am now aiming for waist, but really I just want to see if I can keep the success going for longer. Both in time and hair length.

I can do buns more easily now and with a few more inches they will be much easier still.

If I end in what's called the Mid-Back Abyss I shall be very content.

So LHC has changed my original goal length. It's true LHC has ways to make you think.....................differently (-;

[Chiaroscuro]

You just take it one goal at a time. APL? Then you next aim for BSL and see whether or not you get there. Join a challenge, make a thread, join a group. One milestone at a time.
Agreed. So many people tell me they want hair just like mine. But none ever get there. They don't know how to dress it during awkward stages so they become bored and dye it, cut it. They get tired of taking care of it, especially as it gets longer and longer. They fall in love with a hair toy that cuts it or they keep to a single style which stresses it. They give in to peer or familial pressure. Self love isn't enough so they start regular visits to hairdressers who are financially compelled to recommend toxic treatments. Many are nervous hair groomers--they fall so in love with their new long length that they are constantly playing with it, tossing it, twirling it, pulling it, chewing it, and therefore it breaks. Others just can't stand hiding all that glory in an updo so they 'let it fly' thus causing tangles and breakage. And, unfortunately, there are sicknesses and hormonal changes...

Enjoy the journey of getting from one milestone to the next, and we'll celebrate each milestone with you!

[JustPam]

I'm taking it one step at a time too, hopefully no trims next year will get me to my first goal of waist by Dec '15, next goal is either virgin at waist or continue to hip as is and then grow out dye. If and when I get to hip I'll see how it looks and decide if I want to keep growing or not, but I think between waist and hip would suit me best, aesthetically and practically.

[Eastbound&Down]

My main goal is TBL because that is slightly longer than I have ever had it before, and I loved and miss my long hair so much! My current short term goal is APL, growing out natural and focusing on health. I really wish I would have found LHC in January before I cut off a years worth of growth but we live and learn! So now patience and being nice to my hair so it will be nice to me.

[Nymphea]

I just decide according to my actual feeling towards the length I have at that moment.

I had different lengths throughout my life (from shoulder length to classic) and since I've started self-trimming, I can say that I have complete control over my length, which feels super empowering! :D

I grow until I like the length, as Larki already said. Sometimes I maintain the length, sometimes I grow more. Recently I realized that anything beyond hip at this point feels uncomfortable somehow, so I'm currently maintaining my length between waist and hip and I feel happy. I suppose that once you are there at your current goal length, you just know. :)

[kelseyxface]

My goal is to just grow until I say "gee, I don't think I like this length...". I've never had super long hair, I think my longest APL plus an inch or two. So I'm not sure how long hair will look on me. (: I figure I'll just grow it and if it gets too long for my liking I can just bring it back a few inches. c:

[Jac]

I'm currently aiming for APL, which I know barely counts as "long hair" to a lot of you. :P But I've never had my hair that long, or longer than collarbone since I was 5-6 years old for that matter. I had it just at collarbone in the summer of '07, and it's only been shorter than that since. So I have no idea if I'll like it that long or not. Personally I think the longest I'd want my hair is waist, maybe hip length. Anything longer than that isn't really my style. Also I don't want to have to worry about sitting on my hair. XD

[lapushka]

Agreed. So many people tell me they want hair just like mine. But none ever get there. They don't know how to dress it during awkward stages so they become bored and dye it, cut it. They get tired of taking care of it, especially as it gets longer and longer. They fall in love with a hair toy that cuts it or they keep to a single style which stresses it. They give in to peer or familial pressure. Self love isn't enough so they start regular visits to hairdressers who are financially compelled to recommend toxic treatments. Many are nervous hair groomers--they fall so in love with their new long length that they are constantly playing with it, tossing it, twirling it, pulling it, chewing it, and therefore it breaks. Others just can't stand hiding all that glory in an updo so they 'let it fly' thus causing tangles and breakage. And, unfortunately, there are sicknesses and hormonal changes...

Enjoy the journey of getting from one milestone to the next, and we'll celebrate each milestone with you!

Agreed. I used to never get past BSL, and that was my own damn fault. I dyed it to bits and beyond and it just wasn't healthy, was breaking off. Until one day I got a bad dye experience, got a chemical burn and cut and from then on it just grew, mainly because "I left it alone!" - that's the key issue here. Stop messing with it, stop trimming it and it will grow.

[squirrrel]

Hair length wise... I have the feeling that my goal is more related to hair health... Recently I've had hair as long as 'can-i-call-this-waist, which I cut back to BSL or so to take out as many split ends as possible (hair is very fine and S&D was struggling to get them all). Also, I've realised that some of my hair was getting very dry and frizzy (despite being 'straight' and not really wavy). My goal, beyond letting it do its own thing as I can't really be bothered with arranging regular hair appts, so cuts aren't really in my schedule) is to get hair looking sleek again. I'll worry about the length later! :)

[Angels+Eyeliner]

I'm jumping on the bandwagon of 'LHC changes your goals'. I came here wanting 'longer' so I could wear a nice updo for my wedding (after a lifetime of chin length hair). Right now I have two hair goals: reach the next 'milestone' in the short term and end up somewhere between tb and hip. I think a nice end goal for me will be to have the ends of it touch a seat when I'm sat down, but not that I can sit on my own hair. That seems long enough without being unmanageable to me, and a fairly easy length to keep it at. But I know myself, once I get that far I'll probably want to keep going and just see when it gets too much to deal with. I can't see the ability to deal with knee length hair fitting into my lifestyle, but anything could happen in the future. I just know that if I ever grow it too long, I can always cut it back to not-quite-sit-able length but I will never get there if I cut it now.

[emilia1992]

Yup, another vote for LHC changing goals. I used to think waist was the longest I'd want it, but then it grew past that, and I thought, 'This actually looks nice', then it grew past that, and I thought.......you get the idea.

I thought that my current length (TBL - my avatar is old) was unmanageable for a while, and thought about cutting it shorter. Then I found a new type of bun I can do with my current length, thought, 'This actually looks nice', and, predictably, I'm letting it get even longer :)

I'd say, choose a hair goal that you think would be achieveable, then let it develop as your hair grows.

[mica]

To be honest I dream about a full, blunt hemline almost as much as I dream about my goal length. Currently I'm planning on maintaining once I hit TBL until that happens, if it happens...finger crossed. If I see I can go longer without loosing thickness I probably will, so I guess thats how I'll decide it.

[jacqueline101]

I chose mine based on a long time goal of tail bone. I really don't think I could go much longer my hair would become a pain past tailbone length.