So...do you call this APL or BSL or something in between

[kitschy]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6031&pictureid=79548

I'm a n00b. I've never had my hair this long in my life. I was always told it was too frizzy or too big or too damaged (even though it wasn't damaged - but only curly).

Now that I am on a quest to grow my hair out, I wonder where I am. Do you measure from where your hair naturally lies, or do you measure when you pull it straight or what?

[ButterCup02]

From the looks of it you are BSL I think ? It looks past your bra strap to me. I count it from pulled straight, even my straightish hair curls/flips at the ends and I pull it straight to measure.

Love your curls! They are so pretty!

[Deborah]

I think this is a personal decision. I call my hair what it looks like - hip length. If my hair were curly, and visually ended at waist or bsl, I'd still call it what it looks like - waist or bsl. I'd feel silly saying my hair was hip length if to everyone who saw me my hair was bsl.

Technically you have hair to bsl (but only if you pull it down to that length) so some would call it bsl, and not worry about what visual length they have.

I'm sure others will chime in too, with their various opinions. :)

[kitschy]

Thanks buttercup. You can see my bra through my shirt and it is about an inch below when stretched. YAY!

[starlights]

As your hair is pulled straight (which is its actual growth length) it looks BSL to me!! well done & happy growing!

[spidermom]

I call mine by where it naturally lies against my body. I gave up on trying to get inches; my measurements were never consistent enough.

[Roseate]

You can go either way! My hair is BSL stretched but APL curly; personally I call it APL, but if I ever want to measure in inches I pull it straight to get a more consistent measurement. Looking good, welcome to LHC!

[Khiwanean]

I would call it BSL. I think part of the reason so many people go by the stretched length is that it tends to be more consistent. Curl/wave eats up length, but a persons hair may not always curl/wave the same every day. Stretching also lets you feel accomplished for having more length, but I'm sure most of us have an idea of where we want our hair unstretched, not stretched. So it's really a personal choice as to which measurement to go by.

[Joliebaby]

I also call mine what it looks like - but measure in inches when it is stretched for consistency. I think I lose about 2" to waves.

[Quixii]

I use the pulled straight amount to tell people how long it is. Probably because it increases the wow factor a bit - yes, you can see it goes halfway down my butt right now. But did you know that if I pull it straight, it goes an an inch past my butt? :D

[kitschy]

I use the pulled straight amount to tell people how long it is. Probably because it increases the wow factor a bit - yes, you can see it goes halfway down my butt right now. But did you know that if I pull it straight, it goes an an inch past my butt? :D

I think only someone with very curly hair can understand our dilemma. I lose 5-6" in shrinkage. My terminal length will probably look like BSL or waist length.

It's easy to call it where it lies if you have some wave and it only makes a difference of a couple of inches. Even between the first day I wash, and second or third day hair, I can increase two or three inches in length.:rant:

[tinti]

I would say bsl for sure :) I use the stretch method, because it's easier to measure that way :)

[Roseate]

Even between the first day I wash, and second or third day hair, I can increase two or three inches in length.

I love this superpower! I don't straighten my hair all that often, and when I do it seems like I've added 6 months of growth overnight! Fun times. I like the preview of coming attractions, feeling my hair at a new place on my back for a day and then shrinking back to normal.

The type 4's out there are the ones with the truly impressive shrinkage. I had no idea how much til I started going on hairboards- some of those ladies look like shoulder length but can stretch to more like waist! Magic.

[triumphator!]

Some people list both in their descriptions, unstretched and stretched.

[kitschy]

I love this superpower! I don't straighten my hair all that often, and when I do it seems like I've added 6 months of growth overnight! Fun times. I like the preview of coming attractions, feeling my hair at a new place on my back for a day and then shrinking back to normal.

The type 4's out there are the ones with the truly impressive shrinkage. I had no idea how much til I started going on hairboards- some of those ladies look like shoulder length but can stretch to more like waist! Magic.

I like the way you think! ;)

[JenniferNoel]

I call landmarks as I see them, but if I measure, I pull it straight for consistency like the others around here.
With the texture of my hair, some days it's at the top of my shoulders and others it's nearly APL. Back when it was long I never had that problem, it was just so weighted down.