Why Grow It If You Keep It UP?

[Cosmicfish]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time? Personally when my hair is to my waist I will wear it down for the majority of the time unless I'm doing housework or working out or sleeping. So give me your reason why you wear your hair up more when its long. True tangles and breakage and all that jazz but is it more than that?

[Arianwen]

Only my wash day hair is nice enough to leave down. I don't want to wash every day so I experiment with hair styles on day 2 etc. Keeping my hair up cuts down on the split ends etc which my wurly fragile hair is severely prone to.

I see nothing wrong with wearing hair up 99% of the time, lots of updos are gorgeous, plus hairtoys = awesome.

[spidermom]

Long hair can be hazardous, too, depending on what you're doing. I've had it snag up in the seatbelt mechanism - it's a devil to get out of there. I've also slammed the sliding glass door on it and rolled up the car window, not knowing I was catching my hair in it. I can't have it down in the kitchen because my family doesn't appreciate 3-foot-long hairs in their food. I've even had it get caught in the crack between the wall and the light switch cover. Then of course there's the tangles and the knotting up. If I didn't have it up most of the time, I'm sure I'd be accidentally yanking out lots of hairs.

Plus it's a wonderful feeling to be done with the day's work and let my hair down. It makes for a very nice transition.

[eresh]

My hair is kneelength and a bit.
During the week I wear it up because it's a hazard to wear it down at work (I work with animals).
Also, I really like doing braids and different type of updos.

When I wear it down I really enjoy it :-)
But I don't feel the need to always wear it down either, I grow my hair for me, not to show it to other people.

[schweedie]

Well, I wear my hair down a lot of the time, but one of the reasons I want to grow it out is so that I can wear it in pretty updos. There are so buns and braids that I think look lovely, and I want to be able to wear my hair like that.

[Arianwen]

Long hair can be hazardous, too, depending on what you're doing. I've had it snag up in the seatbelt mechanism - it's a devil to get out of there. I've also slammed the sliding glass door on it and rolled up the car window, not knowing I was catching my hair in it. I can't have it down in the kitchen because my family doesn't appreciate 3-foot-long hairs in their food. I've even had it get caught in the crack between the wall and the light switch cover. Then of course there's the tangles and the knotting up. If I didn't have it up most of the time, I'm sure I'd be accidentally yanking out lots of hairs.

Plus it's a wonderful feeling to be done with the day's work and let my hair down. It makes for a very nice transition.

I often think of that woman who VACUUMED her hair cleaning under her fridge, I'm not even sure that was on this msg board or a different one, but I cringe when I think of that.

[XcaliburGirl]

I love having my hair up. For me, it's not about tangles or damage. It's just the way I prefer to have my hair. I also like how it looks on me.

I can't put it up without it being long. On the occasions where I do wear it down, I like the novelty of having very long hair.

[renarok]

If waist length is your goal then wearing it down is fine, but if you want your hair to grow to more extreme lengths it is important to take better care of it.

Hair that is past hip length is 'senior citizen' in hair age. It is fragile. It needs to be treated accordingly if it is to remain in good shape.

Long hair can get caught in car doors, seat belts, chair backs, there are lots of hazards!!

Yours is a common question, and if you grow your hair long enough you will certainly understand why keeping it contained is beneficial.

[Anywhere]

I wear it up (or braided at least) most of the time in school. I don't like it getting caught between the back of the chair and the metal pole supporting the back, or to get caught between the pole and the desk behind me. It's also EXTREMELY EXTREMELY EXTREMELY annoying to some people to have to sit behind someone with long hair, as it gets in the way if they flip it over their shoulder and such. (there was a girl in my middle school who had long hair and sat in front of me in english. She'd randomly redo her ponytail like five times per class and it'd always end up whipping me in the face or getting on my desk and it was just... irritating. and if im in a place where I don't trust a lot of people (school, art class, crowded public places) I want it up. Who knows what they might do to my hair? kids carry lighters these days, they might tug on it or snip it without me knowing.. paranoid i know, but my brother used to catch me by my hair when he'd chase me when he was mad. it hurt.
besides im trying to grow out my layers so if I wear it up all the time by the time school ends my hair will be so long and I can cut off most of the remaining layers.

I leave it down around the house most of the time, or if I'm with friends/DBF. Wearing hair up is a situational thing for me.

[forty-two]

In my case, with two small kids it's impractical to wear down at any length. And I can do some really cool updos at my current length ;). I have enough length that I don't have to work hard to get some complicated-looking styles. Just putting my hair into two braids and winding them around my head a few times looks pretty awesome =). Plus, my fairy tale ends are an updo asset - helps lock the style in place, and there aren't a bunch of ends randomly sticking out. And if I want to wear it "down", I have several styles that allow me to appear to have anywhere from shoulder-length to waist-length hair, while keeping my real ends nicely protected. It just gives me way more options than when I actually had waist-length hair - it actually feels *easier* to have knee-length hair :).

[Arianwen]

Oh I forgot to add, I hate having my hair in my face when I'm trying to do stuff, like chores...I can barely see :P

[Gumball]

I wear it up because it helps protect my hair from undue stress, such as wind, rubbing against clothing, and getting in the way of normal activities. Those are just benefits, though. I really wear it up just because I like wearing it up. :) I grew it out to wear it up, and up it'll go!

[Othala]

Chores are hazardous to hair as is mowing the lawn and remote controlled helicopters. Don't ask.

[XcaliburGirl]

... remote controlled helicopters. Don't ask.
:blueeek: That would hurt.

[ArienEllariel]

Chores are hazardous to hair as is mowing the lawn and remote controlled helicopters. Don't ask.

I won't ask but I have a pretty good idea of what could happen with one of those helicopters.. probably not any different than what happened to me when I was using one of those hand-held battery operated fans. That was NOT fun to untangle and I ended up with a lot of broken hair.

[Ravenne]

I like it just not being in the way. I wore my hair down almost every day before it was long enough to put up in a bun. Now that my bangs are long enough to go back with a hair stick, I'm loving the fact that I can go all day and not once have to swipe my bangs behind my ears. Hoorah! And I like the process of putting hair up and getting the updo looking like I want. Can't wait for it to get longer so I can do things like braided buns and elizabethan taping!

[spidermom]

Oh yeh, and long hair down can be very hot.

I really dislike the question "why have it long if you wear it up all the time?" Because when I'm ready to let it down and pay attention to it, it's long. Am I supposed to give up my pleasure in it and cut it short if I'm not going to wear it down/show it off? That's as bad as telling me I have to cut it because I'm over 50. Not gonna happen!

[heidihug]

This has been hashed out pretty extensively on several threads, mostly recently here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=50018&highlight=wear+hair+up). Hope that gives you the answers you were looking for.

[JenniferNoel]

I love the amount of extravagant up-dos and braided buns and all of the good fun that comes with having a lot of long, healthy hair. It's so much fun. Even though I wear my hair down even when it's long, I still love that luxury of being able to do some of the complex and gorgeous dos.

[Arianwen]

Oh yeh, and long hair down can be very hot.

I really dislike the question "why have it long if you wear it up all the time?" Because when I'm ready to let it down and pay attention to it, it's long. Am I supposed to give up my pleasure in it and cut it short if I'm not going to wear it down/show it off? That's as bad as telling me I have to cut it because I'm over 50. Not gonna happen!

You go girl! Don't you dare cut off that amazing mane!:cheese:

[kittensoupnrice]

I like being able to wear my hair up with all sorts of pretty sticks.
It's also like why some people have fine china; you don't eat on it every day but it sure is nice to be able to haul them out for company or special occasions.

That, and I like having hair long enough to be able to whack or tickle people with my braid when they irritate or amuse me. :D

[Nae]

"Why grow it if you keep it up?" Ummm because I have to grow it to have the privilege of keeping it up.

Being able to keep it up is one of the benefits of having long hair!! The sheer flexibilty of all the different options that you have with long hair is mind boggling. With short hair things are way more limited.

That and I am slightly addicted to different hair toys.........lurve them!!!

[Luna Lavender]

Well, you can't put it up if it's short, right? :D

I also like to be able to put it out of the way. Plus, my hair tangles really fast, it takes me a while to get the tangles out after a day of having it loose. I definitely don't want to do that every day, aside from the damage it causes. My hair isn't really that long yet, but I can't wait to be able to do al those gorgeous updo's!

[waist2011]

Well, you can't put it up if it's short, right? :D

I also like to be able to put it out of the way. Plus, my hair tangles really fast, it takes me a while to get the tangles out after a day of having it loose. I definitely don't want to do that every day, aside from the damage it causes. My hair isn't really that long yet, but I can't wait to be able to do al those gorgeous updo's!




THIS exactly^:)

[nowxisxforever]

Tangles and breakage, it gets in the way, things like that. I grew my hair out long because I enjoy it being long - but that doesn't mean I always enjoy it being down. Just like someone with shoulderlength hair will often pull it up into a ponytail or a clip, I will often put mine up in a bun.

Beyond that, it's simply not 'safe' to leave it down in most places. Outside? Wind! Inside, or on busses? People will touch it, or pull it, and get in your space.

A lot of the enjoyment of having long hair is being *able* to put it up in a simple or elaborate style as appropriate. How many girls do you know with short hair who can do a historical or wildly elaborate style, or any real style at all, when they want to go out, or have a fancy event to go to?

ETA:


Only my wash day hair is nice enough to leave down. I don't want to wash every day so I experiment with hair styles on day 2 etc. Keeping my hair up cuts down on the split ends etc which my wurly fragile hair is severely prone to.

I see nothing wrong with wearing hair up 99% of the time, lots of updos are gorgeous, plus hairtoys = awesome.

Same with this, as well. My hair type is especially prone to split ends, and when I left it down all the time not only did it take a good 30-45 minutes to detangle (at BSL or waist!!) but it also greatly reduced the quality and condition of my hair and caused a lot of breakage.

Now my hair is right about mid-thigh, and it's in such better condition! I CAN wear it down sometimes now without it looking horrible.

[pineconejg]

Not that I have long hair yet, but it has to be at least somewhat long to put it up. And I LIKE updos. They are so much cuter than short hair. And more versatile. You can think of more ways to wear your hair when it is longer instead of the same way everyday. And when you do wear it down, look out! It makes you feel different (hopefully a good different).

[WaitingSoLong]

I love having my hair up. For me, it's not about tangles or damage. It's just the way I prefer to have my hair. I also like how it looks on me.

I can't put it up without it being long. On the occasions where I do wear it down, I like the novelty of having very long hair.

I could have made this exact post. Only I am a bit more...OCD? I DO have OCD, but maybe just now realized it is one reason I have long hair. The main reason I have long hair is because it is easier than shorter hair (IMO). Just a couple days ago I listened to a bunch of ladies from my church talking about how long it takes to do hair, etc. It takes me less than 5 minutes TOPS. Sometimes, most the time, less than ONE minute. I spend LESS time washing it, etc. than with shorter hair, plus, my face just doesn't DO short hair. Now, why I wear it up? Because I cannot stand the feeling of hair touching my face and neck, especially if it is hot (sweaty). To the point I will plaster it with hairspray to keep the flyaways off my face. I used to have a nice shoulder length do with layers. It was a nice look for me, but I became irritated with it touching my face and not being able to get it out of the way when I cook, which I LOVE to cook.

I wear my hair up 95% of the time. But NOT 100% of the time. I wear it up to get it out of the way. Really, that is it. I actually do not prefer the way I look with it up. I only wear my hair down when it is wet after showers and when I go out. And by out, I mean, date with my husband or to a special function and sometimes for church, but my neice is 1 and it is hard to hold her, etc. with my hair everywhere.

I like the "letting my hair down" thing at the end of the day, too. I reserve it for my husband mostly. It's sexy.

The longer it gets, the more I wear it up. For this reason, I am not sure I can get past TBL. I think it will constantly be in my way. Also, at, say, buffets, I think it is unkind to risk getting it into food, so I at least partially secure it, or secure it while I am at the buffet (I stuff it down the back of my shirt).


kids carry lighters these days, they might tug on it or snip it without me knowing.. paranoid i know, but my brother used to catch me by my hair when he'd chase me when he was mad. it hurt.

This reminds me of two things. 1: being at a metal concert back in the late 80's and watching some poor fellas long teased hair go up in a flame when someone lit his cigarette. 2: Self-defense...long hair is easy for a predator to grab.

But I agree, to NEVER wear it down, well, it is a waste of beauty for some. Plus, I like the compliments I get when I wear it down. Especially if I have worn it up for a long time, people forget how pretty my hair is. Don't I sound vain?? lol

[slz]

My hair is kneelength and a bit.
During the week I wear it up because it's a hazard to wear it down at work (I work with animals).
Also, I really like doing braids and different type of updos.

When I wear it down I really enjoy it :-)
But I don't feel the need to always wear it down either, I grow my hair for me, not to show it to other people.
Exactly the same all the way for me (except I work with animals and teenagers shudder: ).

[missjessiecakes]

I am specifically growing it to keep it up 90% of the time. I dont really like to have it down. So the longer it is the more styles I have to choose from.

[Jasperine]

But but but, with the short lenght I have now, a lot of beautiful styles are off limit to me. That's why :D

[Anlbe]

Because.....

I like updos, I think the ones I use look better on me that my hair down, no bad hair days, quicker, easier, more versitility, it makes my hair down days a special occassion,

.....because that's what I want to do.

[SpinDance]

I grow it long because I like it. I put it up because it is convenient, protective and I like to. For me, having it long is the best of everything. I get to play with it when I want, and I can have it completely out of my way when I want. Short hair cannot be gotten as completely out of the way unless it is extremely short. For me, short hair takes more fussing and maintenance than long.

Besides, how else can I justify so many hair toys!?? ;)

[Anje]

Why would anyone want to have short hair and have to do the same thing with it every day?

[Juneii]

to see the length when I look in the mirror. As well as being able to do intricate styles that others cannot do because their hair is not long enough.

[Henrietta]

First of all: why not? Long hair gives so much opportunities in making lots of beautiful updos. So we can use our length just because... we have it.
Then: breakage. And tangles. You know;)
And when I have long hair I won't need the whole world to see it. No reasons to wear it down all the time. Every now and then- yes;) I want it long to be able to create UPdos ;)

[florenonite]

I like it up. In fact, I'm growing it so that "up" is not just a ponytail with escaping strands, but any one of a number of different braids or buns.

I also don't like that I have a grand total of two different looks with short hair: the aforementioned almost-ponytail, and down. I like being able to play with it and wear different styles.

ETA: And when my hair was waist length, I found it quite honestly annoying to have it down all the time. It just got in the way.

[christine1989]

For me it is about how long hair makes me feel- not so much about who sees it or how it looks. Long hair makes me fee girly, unique and like someone who dosen't follow hair trends. Besides, I look forward to being able to do the intricate updos that are only possible with long hair.

[ArienEllariel]

I like being able to wear my hair up with all sorts of pretty sticks.
It's also like why some people have fine china; you don't eat on it every day but it sure is nice to be able to haul them out for company or special occasions.

This. :)

I don't have "long" hair yet by LHC standards but I like the idea of being able to do many different updos verses having short hair that I can't do a thing with if it misbehaves. With long hair, there are no bad hairdays. You just through your hair into a pretty bun or updo when it looks "meh".

[ifyouforget]

Why would anyone want to have short hair and have to do the same thing with it every day?

This.
Short hair is cute, but versatile it ain't. Long hair can accomplish any number of looks. And this short hair is really really tired of having only one or two styling options.

[11eleven]

I personally can't handle wearing my hair down. I find it gets really annoying. Whenever I do wear it down I end up putting it back up withing a half hour. When I had shorter hair it would bother me that I couldn't put it up and away from my face, which is why I love my long hair and wearing it up!

[Antipodienne]

My hair is mine. I know it's long, and that makes me happy. Other people don't need to see it all the time. :)

[Merewen]

There are some specific hairstyles that I like that I can't do yet because my hair is too short.

[swanns]

My hair definitely is a safety blanket for me and I don't mind it at all :) I'm just really attached to it and every time someone suggests I trim off 10 inches or so because it wouldn't make any difference because I always wear it up just makes me cringe. Just knowing it's there makes me feel nice. It's like my own little personal secret that I can reveal when I want to. I like it that it makes me a little special.

[eamane]

I like wearing my hair up and down, but now I have decided to wear it up all the time, at least until Yule. And, the longer hair, the nicer updos ;)

An another thing is, more the thought, the feeling, like I have a secret, no one knows how long my hair is, if I want to surprise them with it some day, I could! Do you know what I mean, I feel it didn't come out right but :lol:

ETA: I see swanns explained it better, that's what happens when you start writing and get interrupted before posting ;)

[aksown]

Because it's mine and I'll do what I want with it. ;)

[redneckprincess]

i always thought the same thing, but there are so many pretty styles that can only be done with longer hair.

I plan to wear my hair down alot also when it gets waist or so, but the nice twists and buns will be fun too

[Islandgrrl]

I wear it up for all the usual reasons.

Mostly, though, because it's mine. It's all mine. I don't have to share it with anyone if I don't want to. And I don't want to.

[HairColoredHair]

I enjoy my hair quite thoroughly the brief times it's down. It's for my enjoyment... not others. And I like being able to put it back... short hair just gets in my mouth and eyes....

[sally_neuf]

Because almost everyone I know still thinks I'm between shoulder and APL, when I finally let down my soon-to-be BSL by december is gonna be a BLAST :D

[sparkle'n'bling]

I wear mine up because the length makes it impractical to wear down - it gets in my way all the time, catches on things, gets shut in things, and it tangles really easily. Also I like being able to do lots of different updos. And on the rare occasions I do wear it down (once or twice a year), it gets lots of compliments because people aren't used to it.

[Liave Ekeli]

Because it's impractical to wear it down while doing day-to-day things. I'll wear my hair down when I'm home just mucking about, or if I go out and I want to show it off, but when I'm hurrying to school in the morning, or going shopping, or something like that, it's more practical to wear it up. Hair gets caught in/on everything, especially bag or backpack straps...at least that's my main issue on a regular basis.

[enfys]

"Down" is one style. "Up" is ...200? 300? More?

Why have long hair if you only wear it down? You may aswell have a bob and always wear it down.

Also, the only people who ever get to touch my hair are me, DH and (if they aren't holding appliances) two very dear friends. I want to keep it that way.

[Fiferstone]

My hair's now at BCL (b*tt-crack length), and is approaching tailbone/classic length. I wear it up most of the time because I don't want to deal with it getting stuck in/caught in things, caught on the buttons of people's clothing (that has happened...VERY embarrasssing). It's a "set it and forget it" thing for me. I know once I've put my hair up in the morning before work, I'm done with it for the rest of the day. When I come home and can relax, I take it down. As Spidermom says, it makes for nice transition to "down" time. My goal in growing my hair "super long" (for me, anyway), is to see, at least once in my life, how long my hair can actually get. I'm nearing 50, so I can always cut it short if I want to. I may not "always" be able to grow it out again. Might as well enjoy it now :).

[swanns]

"Down" is one style. "Up" is ...200? 300? More?

Why have long hair if you only wear it down? You may aswell have a bob and always wear it down.


Good points!

[Wanderer09]

Because wearing my hair up makes me look older, and as a 20-year-old who's still mistaken for a young teenager I need as much of that as I can get. :p

And there's nothing like the feeling of setting your hair free after a long day...

[ravenreed]

I DID wear my hair down all the time at waist length. It was only when I wanted to get longer that I had to re-evaluate my hair care methods because I was cutting off as much in damaged ends as I was growing. If your goal is long hair as fast as possible, it is probably better to investigate protective styles, but if your goal is to wear it down, by all means, you are not alone.

I have even considered cutting back to waist because I miss being able to wash every day and wear it down every day. At TB, there is a huge difference in catching in things and general wear and tear than there was at waist, at least on my hair. I do like the way I am able to do more updos at tailbone, however, so I am hanging out at this length for a while.

[Igor]

"Down" is one style. "Up" is ...200? 300? More?

Why have long hair if you only wear it down? You may aswell have a bob and always wear it down.

This. And also "Oh look, its this thread again" :rolleyes:

[estherbeth]

1) Convenience and safety. It's easier to put my hair up in a bun or braid than to have to watch it every moment to make sure it isn't sneaking into something that might damage it (or annoy someone else).

2) I like being able to wear it down just for special occasions and special people. Think of it like, maybe... you don't go grocery shopping in a cocktail dress. Though it is nice to receive compliments sometimes, I don't grow my hair for the pleasure of everyone else. :toofers:

[Katrina]

Because my hair type doesn't behave well when worn down. It doesn't matter if it is tailbone length, waist length, APL length or shorter. It just becomes too frizzy and dry to look and feel good. And it tangles, horribly! So I might as well have really long hair and enjoy all those pretty updos I can do with it. To me, it's better than short(-ish) hair pretty much always kept contained.


I really dislike the question "why have it long if you wear it up all the time?" Because when I'm ready to let it down and pay attention to it, it's long. Am I supposed to give up my pleasure in it and cut it short if I'm not going to wear it down/show it off?

Yes, this too. Well said.

[kwaniesiam]

Because you can't wear it up when it's short.

[lpsqt60]

I feel the same as spidermom, I keep it up all day at work and when I am around the house or in the car but once I am done with the day I always take it down.
I like to keep my hair up as my neck gets hot also my husband will somehow, someway find my hair and inadvertently pull it :mad: so for me, an updo means safety!:D

[anthonyswife]

I have hip-length hair and actually prefer to wear it down, as updos usually hurt my scalp very badly. Mostly I just enjoy varying what I do with my hair depending on what I'm doing, what I'm wearing, what I feel like, etc. I put my hair up when it's windy, when I want it out of my face (i.e. if I'm going to be active that day), if my hair looks truly awful that day, and I'm probably going to have to keep it up or at least in a braid for work soon. Other than that I usually wear it down, and I've really never had a problem with it getting caught in/on anything. My hair gets tangled even in braids and updos, so having it down getting tangled doesn't make a difference to me. I'm typically a very unobservant person, but oddly I'm extremely aware of where my hair is. If it's down and I need it out of the way, I gather it up and put it over my shoulder.

My sister-in-law has gorgeous black waist length curly hair and she ALWAYS wears it down. I have seen her put it in a ponytail once in all the time I've known her. She sleeps with it loose, it always looks beautiful, and she never has a problem with it getting caught or anything like that.

[swivelhop]

I often think of that woman who VACUUMED her hair cleaning under her fridge, I'm not even sure that was on this msg board or a different one, but I cringe when I think of that.

Warning HIJACK. I'm so glad I have an old shop vac. Vac up hair... OOOPS, turn off vac, pull hair out unharmed but dusty.

[HikerTrash]

I don't wear mine down as often as I would like. It never looks good down for very long. It starts to annoy me. It tickles my face. I'm always pulling out a long shedding hair which I'm sure grosses people out, but better to pull it out than have it land on somebody. I originally started growing it because I wanted to wear a long braid or two long braids. That really makes me happy and I'm really happy I learned how to do a rope braid here. It's so cool. So who cares if I hardly ever wear it down. My goal is braids.

[CaityBear]

Waist is short enough that wearing it won't always get into the way. I'm almost to classic right now. I'm growing it out to knee (mainly because then I can say I did it. I was first going to grow to classic then maintain it then decided why not grow to knee) and I do it because there is SOOOOO much more I can do with my hair now. There's more options for putting my hair up.

[Arielle8960]

I put my hair up because:
1) I think it looks nice. I love trying out new styles. When my hair was short, I never styled it because I didn't know how.
2) I work with kids. They are lovely, but they touch, pull, yank, try to "braid" and try to put glitter in my hair. If I didn't wear my hair up, I'd have a hair makeover by a four-year-old every day.
3) When I wear it down when I go out, it somehow feels more special because I wear it up 95% of the time.

To me, wearing long hair up is just another way to enjoy having long hair!

[jane53]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time? Personally when my hair is to my waist I will wear it down for the majority of the time unless I'm doing housework or working out or sleeping. So give me your reason why you wear your hair up more when its long. True tangles and breakage and all that jazz but is it more than that?

I agree, Cosmicfish. And I get MORE breakage from wearing it up.

[ArienEllariel]

I put my hair up because:
1) I think it looks nice. I love trying out new styles. When my hair was short, I never styled it because I didn't know how.
2) I work with kids. They are lovely, but they touch, pull, yank, try to "braid" and try to put glitter in my hair. If I didn't wear my hair up, I'd have a hair makeover by a four-year-old every day.
3) When I wear it down when I go out, it somehow feels more special because I wear it up 95% of the time.

To me, wearing long hair up is just another way to enjoy having long hair!

Aw, how cute (obviously not every day but still) :p

[going gray]

I intend to keep my BSL hair up simply because it's such a elegant look. Frankly it will also look better on me than having my hair hang down....

[squiggyflop]

waist length is nothing.. i could wear it down all the time at waist if i was maintaining.. its when you get further than that, that you gotta start wearing it up.. otherwise you might accidentally sit on it or get it stuck in something.. it just gets in the way..

lol i knew you were a newbie before looking at your post count just by the way you refered to waist as super long.. maybe that makes me super duper long..

eta: also once you get past tailbone people tend to stare.. if its up then you can hide in plain sight.. it does attract a lot of attention.. at least my hair attracts attention when i wear it down.. im closing in on classic length though.. i got 3 inches wet and 4 inches dry to go

[Speedbump]

I wear it up most of the time because it protects my hair, but more importantly, it protects the world FROM my hair. Mwahahaha. :twisted:

[HintOfMint]

There is a certain amount of maintenance that goes into having longer than normal hair, at least for certain hairtypes. (Some people here do better with their hair down than up, but for many, including myself, that is not the case).
I want to enjoy my hair down at least some of the time, but to have the length I want, there are sacrifices involved. So I may not wear it down as much as I like, but when I do wear it down, it is likely to be at a length I prefer, and healthy.

What can you do?:shrug:

[eezepeeze]

Plus it's a wonderful feeling to be done with the day's work and let my hair down. It makes for a very nice transition.

This^. I tend to wear my hair down on wash day and sometimes day2, but it gets too frizzy for my liking on days 3 and 4, so I wear it up. I also wear it up to keep it from making me hot if I know I'm going to be somewhere stuffy, etc. And, sometimes, I wear it up just because I can. I'm proud of all the braids and updos I've learned since being at LHC, and I set different hairdos as mini goals, so when I reach one, I like to wear it in that style a lot. But, if someone likes their hair down all the time, it's not like they're breaking a moral code, or something. It's just a preference.

[RitaPG]

Think of it like this:
Hair is like books; Just 'cause they're big, doesn't mean you want, can or have to show them to everyone.
To some ladies, hair is considered private and not for everyone to see.


As for personal reasons:
- The day you get your hair stuck on something (or someone) and ripped off your scalp you'll know why it's always up there LOL.
- Chairs that have nails on the back, like the ones at school, my hair always got caught on those darn things.
- I have pets, and cats (dogs too, but mostly cats) LOVE to bite and pull hair.
- Ever heard of those pranks where some "friend" decides you need a haircut? It is extremely stupid, but people are capable of everything and I'm actually terrified of having someone doing it to me. Seen it happen, I was a small kid and had short hair back then, nowadays the thought of it makes me shiver.

Not everything is bad news though, having your hair down sure is super nice, but then you start to learn some funky updos and grow a large collection of hair toys. Not to mention during hot summer days it's almost impossible to have it down.

[Speckla]

You can't do updos, ponies, and buns on short hair.

[Purdy Bear]

When I had hair and had it BSL and longer, I always loved the flexability of it. When I had it chopped short I soon hated it, and my hair did too, it never behaved and it stuck up all over the place I would have to wash daily to tame it.

I realise now, with LHC education, it was because of its curl and spirals. I look forward to getting my hair back and having it as long as I can (dermatologist permitting).

[PrincessBob]

I wear it up because I can do something with it now. My hair has always been too thick to do anything with. Also I am very ticklish and my hair knows exactly how to trigger that. "Just" tangles are the bane of my existence, as I have a super sensitive scalp, even the slightest tug, let alone rally pulling on my hair, will send me into a shower of cries and tears.

[Nat242]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome <snip>

Why does what other people choose to do with their hair bother you?

[Phexlyn]

I just love updos, and intricate braids, so I grow my hair in order to wear gorgeous updos almost all the time :D Also, long hair is just easier for me, I don't need to wash it as often and if it annoys me I'll just put it up.

And don't forget that long hair is a great excuse to collect hairtoys...! ;)

[akka naeda]

I wore my hair down regularly when it was probably twice as long as your "super long" waist length:), it got plenty of tangles and splits. I cut several inches off and it's much happier now it's grown back. It is possible to do, but you have to be much more careful.

Now it's knee length I wear my hair up
so it doesn't get caught in things and scalp me (even my plait is long enough to regularly get shut in the car door)
so I don't spend my time sitting on it.
so it doesn't get dragged in the mud when I'm working outdoors/walking the dog.
to minimise the amount of detangling I need to do.

And most importantly there's the shock factor when people do actually get to see it down......

OMG! I never realised your hair was THAT long and it's so thick all the way down!

If it was waist length I'd actually be wearing it down most days, apart from when I was doing something like operating machinery, painting, sports.

[slz]

if its up then you can hide in plain sight..
And yet you can be spotted by those "in the know", people who can tell the approx. length by looking at your head-eating-bun. I like this, too, like a secret society's sign of recognition :eyebrows: .

[Tuntenut]

I used to always leave my hair down. After my hair reached waist length a couple of months ago, I started wearing it up every day. My reasoning was to protect the already mis-treated ends and to keep my hair thick and healthy.

I have come to love wearing it up. It's like I have a wonderful little secret that no one else knows about. It also makes the effect of wearing it down so much greater. Not to mention that experimenting with up-dos and hair toys is oodles of fun!

[jasper]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time? Personally when my hair is to my waist I will wear it down for the majority of the time unless I'm doing housework or working out or sleeping. So give me your reason why you wear your hair up more when its long. True tangles and breakage and all that jazz but is it more than that?

Ugh! This post just made me realize I spend most of my time either working or sleeping! :cheese:

Seriously, though. I need my hair out of the way for work, workouts and sleep. I wear it down on vacations or weekends.

[lesbia]

I also think so. In fact I wear my hair up only sometimes to protect them or when they're dirty.. but I want see my long hair!

[WaitingSoLong]

Because wearing my hair up makes me look older, and as a 20-year-old who's still mistaken for a young teenager I need as much of that as I can get. :p

I have this same problem at 34, people still think I am a teenager. I have some funny stories, too...but I am not sure wearing my hair up really helps the age thing much, but I know when I wear it down, that is when I look the youngest. I have finally learned to embrace it and have some fun fooling people :eyebrows:


And yet you can be spotted by those "in the know", people who can tell the approx. length by looking at your head-eating-bun. I like this, too, like a secret society's sign of recognition .

Except the darn sock buns. I am never 100&#37; sure of those. Plus, if you have thin hair, being up makes it look much shorter. People are like "you fit all that hair in THAT bun?"

[EtherealOde]

I wear it up for all the usual reasons.

Mostly, though, because it's mine. It's all mine. I don't have to share it with anyone if I don't want to. And I don't want to.


Why does what other people choose to do with their hair bother you?
What they said. Seriously, why do you care and why are you making judgements on how others act? I don't show off my breasts all the time, maybe I should just get a reduction. I wonder if people who are fit and in really good shape, but who don't wear skin-baring clothes all the time to show it all off should just give it up and get fat since thay aren't really showing off their bodies or anything anyway.

Jeeze, get a life already, I can't imagine why the personal hairstyling choices other people make should bother you in any way whatsoever. Maybe your opinions will change with some maturity.

I just love updos, and intricate braids, so I grow my hair in order to wear gorgeous updos almost all the time :D Also, long hair is just easier for me, I don't need to wash it as often and if it annoys me I'll just put it up.

And don't forget that long hair is a great excuse to collect hairtoys...! ;)
On a lighter note, this is also true for me. I love being able to do so much with my hair. If all I had to do was wear it down just to show it off it would get old and boring really fast. May as well have short hair if I am never going to bother styling it.

[swanns]

Except the darn sock buns. I am never 100% sure of those. Plus, if you have thin hair, being up makes it look much shorter. People are like "you fit all that hair in THAT bun?"

Your hair doesn't even have to be that thin for this to happen - I have iii hair and my standard bun is really small compared to the amount of hair I actually have on my head. Yet another nice way to confuse people :D

[LittleOrca]

What they said. Seriously, why do you care and why are you making judgements on how others act? I don't show off my breasts all the time, maybe I should just get a reduction. I wonder if people who are fit and in really good shape, but who don't wear skin-baring clothes all the time to show it all off should just give it up and get fat since thay aren't really showing off their bodies or anything anyway.

I love this. :thumbsup:

[RachelRain]

I often think of that woman who VACUUMED her hair cleaning under her fridge, I'm not even sure that was on this msg board or a different one, but I cringe when I think of that.

I do this regularly. Even if it's in a braid, it inevitably ends up sucked up in the frickin' vaccuum. I'm so glad we switched to one without the brushy thing.

I prefer my hair down, but then it frizzes up like mad and drives me crazy. Plus, if I'm doing laundry it gets stuffed into the washer with the clothes, it falls into the sink while I'm washing dishes, it plops in the pan as I'm cooking dinner if I turn my head, I've actually chopped my hair as I was dicing onions, etc, etc. Also, my cats think hair is a tasty treat. (They also think dust bunnies are tasty treats, so they're obviously a little mental.)

I also wear it down because my boyfriend likes it down though, and because no matter where I place a bun it hurts my neck. If he preferred it up, I'd suck it up and probably put it up 5 or 6 days a week instead of only when I'm cleaning or when we're on the bike or whatever. I know there are updos that I could try that would be easier on my neck but my fingers are stupid and I get frustrated very easily, and I haven't really tried to learn many yet.

To each their own, really. :)

[RachelRain]

Chores are hazardous to hair as is mowing the lawn and remote controlled helicopters. Don't ask.

As are fans... loose hair anywhere near the back end of a fan = bad.

[juliaxena]

I plan to wear hair down at least 3 times a week, the rest of the day I will se all the cool hair toys I'm getting and everyone is looking at. I only like updos because you can put sticks, forks and swords in them!

[constantki]

I think my hair is beautiful when it's up. And you can't put it up in these updos without some length!

[torrilin]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time? Personally when my hair is to my waist I will wear it down for the majority of the time unless I'm doing housework or working out or sleeping. So give me your reason why you wear your hair up more when its long. True tangles and breakage and all that jazz but is it more than that?

My hair is really fine and floaty, so if it is down... it gets in my face. Not a little in my face. In my face to the point where I am scratching at phantom itches, yoinking it out of my mouth, eyes, eyeglasses frames, trying desperately to keep it shoved behind my ears...

It's really unpleasant.

I mostly let it dry when it's stuffed into an updo, and then when I let it down, the fine and floaty bits are more inclined to stay out of my face. Then I am happy and do not have a face covered in scratches and I can enjoy my hair for what it is.

[x0h_bother]

I agree with the OP for a few reasons of my own. My face looks bad with hairstyles that are up and back from the face completely, although I think they are pretty. My layers are not conducive to perfect braid updos. And I am not at a length that requires my hair to be up and out of harms way. I like touching my hair, feeling it move throughout the day, and of course showing it off if people like it. I am only split end prone due to heat damage, and my hair is not long enough yet or fragile enough to get splits from years of wear and tear.

[Hiriel]

I love updos. I love how my hair looks down, but an important reason why I want it even longer is because there are so many styles I can't do yet (because my hair is too. damn. thick!).

[Carolyn]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time? Why would someone else's hair choice be "bothersome" to you? It's none of your business how anyone else wears their hair. How could it bother you? I can however understand that someone who has never had at least waist length hair wouldn't understand wearing hair up the majority of the time. If you haven't had hair that long before (and I don't know if you have or not) you won't know the logistics of it until you have had it. I never thought much about updo's until I got past the mid back range. It never occurred to me to do anything other than a nape ponytail. When I got closer to waist I discovered hair toys and updos and a whole other world of hair opened up for me. I could wear my hair down every day if I wanted to but at this point I don't want to. I think your question is one often asked by someone who has never gone into the longer lengths of long hair.

[swanns]

I have to add that for many years I thought like the OP and I wore my hair down all the time (seriously, I don't know how I managed, it gets all tangled up in a matter of seconds!), but I have somehow turned into this person who never even considers wearing her hair down when leaving the house. Weird :) And yeah, I think I started turning into this person at around waist length, so it figures.

[Nightshade]

This. And also "Oh look, its this thread again" :rolleyes:

Hahahaha that was my first thought too :p

I wear it up to keep it out of the way, healthy, protected and it's considered professional at work.

Besides that, there are few reactions as fun as taking all that hair down in front of unsuspecting people :eyebrows:

[CopperHead]

I hate the feel of my hair on my face and hanging all over my arms and hands. It is very long and thick so wearing it up is perfect for me. I do a half up at times and it causes quite a commotion. ;) I get way too hot with it down too.

To many people who are growing their hair, being able to finally wear it up is like a rite of passage. Then the hair toy obsession sets in. :D

eta *typo correction*

[jeanniet]

I usually wear it up when I go out and down when I'm at home, for a lot of reasons. For one thing, it's windy here much of the time, and I'd look like a maniac with my hair flying all over the place (never mind the tangles!). For another, I'm growing my hair long *for me,* not anyone else, so when I put it up it's because it's convenient for me, or because I want to protect it or whatever. I'm not really interested in showing it off; that's just not me. The thing I love about long hair is that you have the option of having it short (up) or long; you aren't stuck with just having it one way, the way you would if it really was short.

People have all kinds of reasons for keeping their hair up, or covered, or down. You have your reasons for wanting your hair down, but I don't think your reasons are any more valid than those of someone who wants to keep her hair up all the time.

[FrannyG]

I love, love, love wearing my hair down if I'm going out somewhere and I want to feel my best.

Having said that, I wear my hair up most of the time to keep cool, and to protect my hair. The thing that I love is that the more length I have, the more options I have to wear my hair in various braids and updos.

[lapushka]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time? Personally when my hair is to my waist I will wear it down for the majority of the time unless I'm doing housework or working out or sleeping. So give me your reason why you wear your hair up more when its long. True tangles and breakage and all that jazz but is it more than that?

I don't get it. Is there some unwritten rule that hair should be worn down all the time? :)

There's lots of reasons to put it up and out of the way: safety, damage, because it's practical, fun, cute, stylish, ... Lots of these reasons have already been mentioned.

[charalito]

I love updos. I love how my hair looks down, but an important reason why I want it even longer is because there are so many styles I can't do yet (because my hair is too. damn. thick!).

I'm on that boat too. Part of the reason I want longer hair is to be able to do pretty and intricate updos that require lenght. And of course, there are days I let my hair down just to show off.

[aimison]

I'm quickly approaching waist length and I keep my hair braided/up almost all the time for all the reasons people have mentioned already...

It stays out of my face at work, doesn't get caught in seat belts/car doors/windows, and doesn't turn into a monster tangle when it's up. I also love the intricate updos that people can do (and hair toys..oh, the beautiful hair toys!). I don't like the giant hair tumbleweeds that tend to form much faster when I wear my hair down more often.

Another reason--I like the me with my hair down is something a lot of people don't normally see, if they do they're pretty close to me so in a way I feel like it's a "gift" I share with them.

[redheadlynn]

When I had longer hair, I wore it up (or at least in a low braid!) because I pick at my hair and generally damage it or pull it out. I tend to bend and pick at split ends and go crazy (think S&D without the scissors....) It's an OCD hair thing I have that also relates to body hair. So I kept mine up.

Right now my hair is short, and the only issue I have is pulling out crazy curly hairs that grow out of my head. *shrug*

[ArienEllariel]

When I had longer hair, I wore it up (or at least in a low braid!) because I pick at my hair and generally damage it or pull it out. I tend to bend and pick at split ends and go crazy (think S&D without the scissors....) It's an OCD hair thing I have that also relates to body hair. So I kept mine up.

Right now my hair is short, and the only issue I have is pulling out crazy curly hairs that grow out of my head. *shrug*

I get crazy curly and/or crinkly looking hairs too that don't blend in with the majority of my hair.. It's a huge struggle not to pluck 'em out.

[WaitingSoLong]

I think the original poster was merely asking from inexperience. I, too, never understood it until I HAD it. I, too, figured I would show off my long lokcs 24/7 when I had it to show. But then it comes and reality presents itself. I don't think we should badger people and get all defensive about why we wear our hair up (or down or in dreads or purple or henna'd etc.) when they are merely asking from curiosity. Sure, the OP used the poorly chosen word "bothersome". I think there was more curiosity here than anything.

That being said, DO take the time to word posts carefully. I think we should assume most people mean no offense. And if it comes off offensive, then please try to find a non-offensive way to let them know it appears offensive to other people.

It is a fair question from someone with no experience. If you have "super long" hair and never ever put it up, then please tell me why NOT? It becomes necessary so it doesn't get in the toilet or become one with out toothpaste when we brush or sit in our spaghetti. Until your hair is past a certain length, I am not sure you realize this. It's just being naive.

And as to "this post/question/topic AGAIN", well, not all of us have seen this kind of post before. It was the first time I have seen the question asked. There are newbies added daily and maybe the OP just asked a question many never got around to asking but are still curious to read the answers anyway.

[Capybara]

It's a personal choice. I know some people who have extremely long hair and wear it almost exclusively down, even in warm weather. :shrug: I don't think everyone with long hair wears it up all the time :)

I wear my hair up because I like how it looks up, sometimes certain situations require it (work, etc), it's out of the way, and it is more comfortable during the summer. It is true, too, that I wanted to be able to do more of the beautiful bun and braid styles. However, if I want to wear it down, I do. If I feel like wearing it up, I will.

[Coriander]

Being a nursing student, I am required to keep it up and out of the way while attending to my patients. I also can't stand having it in my face while I'm in lecture classes and trying to pay attention to my notes instead of brushing my hair out of my eyes. :)

While I'm at home, I keep it up while doing chores. Also, I have two cats who now see my braid as a new toy, and keeping it up saves us all from being startled. :lol:

Of course, there is always the protection from damage and the special occasions in which I wear it down.

[LaurelSpring]

Two words - Princess Hair :magic:

(Specifically Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella) I feel like I have Princess Hair when its up.

[Rapunzel-London]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this community and this is my first post, so please be gentle with me. I wear my hair up 75% of the time because that's what hair toys were invented :eyebrows: All those lovely scrunchies, clips and slides are great to play with. I personally think I keep Claire's Accessories (a lovely shop here in the UK) in business with all the hair toys and earrings that I buy.

Really I wear my hair up for work and let it down as soon as I'm finished.

My hair is currently 25 inches long, in between BSL and WL and I would love to grow it as long as I can.

I have been reading posts on this community for a while and I am in awe of some of your stories and photos. Also the kindness and support you show each other is beautiful. If you will have me I would like to become part of this friendly and informative community.

Rapunzel-London.

[eicamawa]

My hair isn't too long yet, but I wear it up because if I don't, I keep playing with it, and it gets tangled, and then it just annoys me...

[slythwolf]

Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time?
I have never understood this question. It literally makes no sense to me at all.

If it was short, I wouldn't be able to wear it up, now would I?

[luluj]

I just love to wear my hair up! I think it looks so nice with a beautiful hairstick or flexi 8 and a few strands of wispy hair hanging loosely around my face. It feels like I put some thought into my hairstyle. Of course, I do love to wear it down too!

[BlueMuse]

I often think of that woman who VACUUMED her hair cleaning under her fridge, I'm not even sure that was on this msg board or a different one, but I cringe when I think of that.

Yep, that was me :o. You can bet I put my hair up in a nice bun now when I do my household chores.

And as to answer the question at hand. I wear my hair up almost all the time because I love the different updo styles. I also make, buy, and love to wear all kinds of hair forks, clips, hair sticks and other decorations.

Plus, since my hair is so long I have a wide variety of styles to choose and I can leave it down if I want to. I always felt like I only had one style when I had short hair, and now I have hundreds.

[sneakybea]

Interesting question. I used to never wear my hair up, when it was about BS length, because I thought it made my head look small. I think I started wearing it up more because I love sparkly hair sticks, which feel like jewelry for my hair. Putting it up also minimizes tangles and keeps my hair from distracting me. I like being able to just put it up and forget it, and I like that, after wearing it up all day, I can take it down and have killer bun waves. Plus if my hair is wet (I don't blow dry, and am terrible about allowing it time to air dry), I think it looks much tidier to put it up.

[lippleyluv]

I have just recently begun wearing my hair up consistantly. I started because of the summer heat. I will continue to wear it up (at work at least) because I spend at least 30% of my time in a very very "windy" area created by powerful fans, that tangle my hair something fierce. When it's up I don't constantly need to comb out my hair to ward off that pesky grizzled look - not very polished or professional.:laugh:

[dianehair]

The answer to the question is -

Variety of course.

Having had hair so short it was almost shaven to hair longer than my bottom, I can say that the best hair length is one that enables you to put it up.

You can buy toys, sticks, accessories. Play around with styles, plait, braid, bun, twist, coil, whatever. You also have something to flick, something to hide behind and something to tantalise with!
:cheese:

[Toadstool]

I think the original poster was merely asking from inexperience. I, too, never understood it until I HAD it. I, too, figured I would show off my long lokcs 24/7 when I had it to show. But then it comes and reality presents itself. I don't think we should badger people and get all defensive about why we wear our hair up (or down or in dreads or purple or henna'd etc.) when they are merely asking from curiosity. Sure, the OP used the poorly chosen word "bothersome". I think there was more curiosity here than anything.

That being said, DO take the time to word posts carefully. I think we should assume most people mean no offense. And if it comes off offensive, then please try to find a non-offensive way to let them know it appears offensive to other people.

It is a fair question from someone with no experience. If you have "super long" hair and never ever put it up, then please tell me why NOT? It becomes necessary so it doesn't get in the toilet or become one with out toothpaste when we brush or sit in our spaghetti. Until your hair is past a certain length, I am not sure you realize this. It's just being naive.

And as to "this post/question/topic AGAIN", well, not all of us have seen this kind of post before. It was the first time I have seen the question asked. There are newbies added daily and maybe the OP just asked a question many never got around to asking but are still curious to read the answers anyway.

All of the above.
Yes, the word "bothersome" was an ill-chosen one, but some responses are seriously overdefensive and aggressive.
If I were the OP and a newbie, I certainly wouldn't find this the warm, supportive community we like to think of it as.
And I don't get the "Oh no, not this thread again" response either. I've seen it a few times. Why does it bother anyone if a question is repeated? It's the same as the OP finding your hair up "bothersome", it doesn't have to affect you.

[Juanita]

I wear mine up most of the time because it's cooler and I also love wearing my hairtoys. Also all the different styles that can be done. To me just wearing it down is boring. Some times I will leave it down though.

[Nat242]

All of the above.
Yes, the word "bothersome" was an ill-chosen one, but some responses are seriously overdefensive and aggressive.
If I were the OP and a newbie, I certainly wouldn't find this the warm, supportive community we like to think of it as.
And I don't get the "Oh no, not this thread again" response either. I've seen it a few times. Why does it bother anyone if a question is repeated? It's the same as the OP finding your hair up "bothersome", it doesn't have to affect you.

On my part, I don't believe I was aggressive at all. I was simply pointing out to the OP that she might want to give some thought to why other people's choices about their appearance seems to affect her so much. Honestly, it felt like the kind thing to do. Maybe, on reflection, the OP would realise that there really was no need to be 'bothered' per se, and maybe acknowledging that would give her some peace.

If she meant something other than 'bothersome', then the shoe doesn't fit and she doesn't have to put it on. She's more than welcome to ignore my little suggestion, especially if she thinks she did not express herself clearly. That said, I'm not about to speculate on what she did and did not mean. All I can do is respond to what people WRITE. I know nothing of their intentions or meaning beyond what they communicate through text.

Frankly, unless you've had some private communication with the OP, you don't know that her words were "ill-chosen", and I for one will assume that she is capable of saying what she means. And if she did, then I think she does need to give the matter some thought. I bear no grudge, I was not mean or defensive, I just suggested she examine her feelings a bit.

If the OP actually meant to say that she was "curious" or something similar then my suggestion is irrelevant, and I'm sure she's capable of discerning that. But I'm not about to start assuming that people don't mean to say what they say. I don't really understand how questions and comments can be answered unless we have some shared understanding of the meaning of words, and believe that people say what they mean to, as best they can.

[Toadstool]

Nat242 I wasn't referring to anything you had said.

[Bene]

I grow my hair for me, so I keep it up and out of the way. I'm not interested in the least to show it off. I avoid wearing it down because people lose their damn minds and think it's okay to treat me like something at a petting zoo :rolleyes: For some reason, when I wear my hair down, it invites people to touch it, comment on it, or ask me if I'm going to donate it to Locks of Love.

I don't want other people looking at my hair. The only people who actually know what my hair looks like when it's down are my b/f and the people on this site, because this is a site dedicated to hair health. If there weren't religious implications, and if I wouldn't overheat, I'd keep it covered when outdoors. Bunning is the next best thing.

[Stevy]

You might like to do a search on the Mane Forum: this topic has come up many times before. And yet we still have bun-wearers here, putting their hair up despite the fact that they're perplexing total strangers whose opinions they don't care about! Amazing, isn't it?

Frankly, if you're finding other people's hair 'bothersome and confusing' I think maybe you have too much time on your hands. Have you thought about using it to learn some pretty updos?

[LisaButz2001]

If this thread has been posted before, you need not comment, if you don't want to, but why post negative comments? Personally I wear my hair up because:

1) It's too hot to wear it down often where I live.
2) I'm paranoid about people touching it/cutting it/ setting it alight.
3) It's impractical at work or around cats.
4) People pester me to cut it

[Cinnamoon]

Because I like updos! The reason that I'm growing my hair is so that I can do gorgeous updos. :)

[spidermom]

I was the same way when I was new, starting "new" threads that were really old threads. I didn't know how to use the search function, but even if I had, I wanted real-time conversation, not to read over a bunch of old stuff. I've learned to skip over threads when I don't have anything constructive to add.

[Kelli Kat]

My hair is only bsl right now, but I wear it up everday for lots of reason

#1 being I love hair toys, I always have and you can't use cool toys with short hair.

I'm also trying to grow it out really long and want to protect it. Plus I like being able to different things with it. I've done the whole cut and grow and have had really short hair, I hated it. So my hair stays up because thats how I like it.

[WaitingSoLong]

I know nothing of their intentions or meaning beyond what they communicate through text.

But I'm not about to start assuming that people don't mean to say what they say. I don't really understand how questions and comments can be answered unless we have some shared understanding of the meaning of words, and believe that people say what they mean to, as best they can.

You have never written a post that came off the wrong way, even though you thought you made it clear? Sometimes, it is not until other people point out my wording or how to seems to them that I realize how my post comes across. This is due, I think in part to the face that we cannot really convey vocal tones in posts. When we write it, there is the sound on our heads of how our tone, etc, is being output. But when reduced to mere words, it can be interpreted differently by anyone depending on their mood, THEIR ways of speaking or past experiences with the topic, etc.

You defended your own post in your last response, which indicates maybe dome people took YOUR posts in different ways.

I, personally, try to see past the words and I ALWAYS give people the benefit of the doubt and assume they mean no harm (which is how I hope they treat my posts because I never intend malice). Granted, sometimes they are being malicious. But I have found that people are very frequently misunderstood in forums because we cannot hear the vocal inflections.

And there is always the "if you don't have anything nice to say..." rule. I think criticism is often warranted or appropriate but criticism can be given in nice ways and doesn't have to sound harsh or hateful.

We are people from all over the world, from all different "walks" and social cirlces. I think that is cool and hope people go easy on me if I am quite different from what their social norm is. I find it intriguing to hear all the different opinions, stuff that never occurred to me, like that waist length is "super long" to some people while being very short to me.

LHC rocks!

[Stagecoach]

I just posted this to my blog, but I"ll post it here as well.


I love wearing my hair in updo's, even when my hair was short I still always kept it in a pony tail. I like having my hair nicely contained while I'm working and going about my day.

However, when evening comes and I'm ready to relax, I find that taking my hair down is incredibly relaxing.

Plus, I enjoy keeping my hair 'secret' if you will. As I've gone toward the freakishly long lengths, I really don't like wearing it down in public because so many folks find it weird. At home, in the privacy of my family, I can enjoy it when it's down.

The one weird aspect to me, is I can no longer take my hair down in front of guys. Something about the actual letting down of my hair seems so personal that I feel exposed doing so in front of guys other than my family. So when I do end up wanting to relax and I'm with guy friends, I find myself always going off to some corner and letting it down discreetly. I'm not sure what happened... it used to never bother me but now it really does.

[ravenreed]

Well, looking on Youtube, there are so many male requests for b*u*n d*r*o*p*s... (Will that screw up the internet search feature enough?) I don't blame you for wanting to keep that private.


I just posted this to my blog, but I"ll post it here as well.


I love wearing my hair in updo's, even when my hair was short I still always kept it in a pony tail. I like having my hair nicely contained while I'm working and going about my day.

However, when evening comes and I'm ready to relax, I find that taking my hair down is incredibly relaxing.

Plus, I enjoy keeping my hair 'secret' if you will. As I've gone toward the freakishly long lengths, I really don't like wearing it down in public because so many folks find it weird. At home, in the privacy of my family, I can enjoy it when it's down.

The one weird aspect to me, is I can no longer take my hair down in front of guys. Something about the actual letting down of my hair seems so personal that I feel exposed doing so in front of guys other than my family. So when I do end up wanting to relax and I'm with guy friends, I find myself always going off to some corner and letting it down discreetly. I'm not sure what happened... it used to never bother me but now it really does.

[SurprisingWoman]

I spend a lot of time at home cleaning and cooking. I can't have my hair down when I do that but if I go out it's almost always down.

... because I can. ;)

[ScarlettAdelle]

I wear mine up most of the time because I work in the cosmetology industry and I'm sick of having people ask me if they can cut or color my hair when I'm trying to achieve virgin, tailbone length. They always think I should have above shoulder length hair with a bunch of colors in it and, to be completely honest, I absolutely hate hair like that. I would feel like I've been pushed out of the cookie cutter for a southern Californian girl. When I wear it up, most people who come in assume it's extentions and leave me alone about it, and when they don't see it, my coworkers seem to forget it's there.

Plus, I have tons of curly hair, and it gets super hot under my near black mass of twists and turns.

Furthermore, I have a lot of damage at this point because I just made the decision to stop coloring it or using any sort of chemical to alter it and let my natural curl and color do their thing, so I have lots of breakage and damage and fairy tale ends that I'm not too fond of, but can't bring myself to cut.

Lastly, I don't grow my hair out for anyone but myself. Knowing it's there makes me feel beautiful. I don't need anyone else to see it. It's not for them.

[Rivanariko]

What I love about long hair is that it is so versatile. I can put it up with a hair stick and forget that I have long hair while I'm at work, while I'm cooking, or cleaning, or doing anything else where it's going to get in the way. As much as I love my long hair, when it's down, it's a hassle. It gets in my face, it gets full of tangles, it gets caught in things... Keeping it up prevents that. But then at the end of the day, I can let it down and enjoy the feeling of it falling down my back. I'll wear it down for a special occasions when I don't mind having to think about it.

And I'll admit it, I love the "WOW" factor when someone who has only seen me with my hair up (like the people I work with) sees me taking it down. My hair is fine, so doesn't make a very big bun. When I pull the hairstick out and it falls down to almost TBL, people's eyes tend to O.O
Which makes me feel special. :D

[Nat242]

You have never written a post that came off the wrong way, even though you thought you made it clear? Sometimes, it is not until other people point out my wording or how to seems to them that I realize how my post comes across. This is due, I think in part to the face that we cannot really convey vocal tones in posts. When we write it, there is the sound on our heads of how our tone, etc, is being output. But when reduced to mere words, it can be interpreted differently by anyone depending on their mood, THEIR ways of speaking or past experiences with the topic, etc.

You defended your own post in your last response, which indicates maybe dome people took YOUR posts in different ways.

I, personally, try to see past the words and I ALWAYS give people the benefit of the doubt and assume they mean no harm (which is how I hope they treat my posts because I never intend malice). Granted, sometimes they are being malicious. But I have found that people are very frequently misunderstood in forums because we cannot hear the vocal inflections.

And there is always the "if you don't have anything nice to say..." rule. I think criticism is often warranted or appropriate but criticism can be given in nice ways and doesn't have to sound harsh or hateful.

We are people from all over the world, from all different "walks" and social cirlces. I think that is cool and hope people go easy on me if I am quite different from what their social norm is. I find it intriguing to hear all the different opinions, stuff that never occurred to me, like that waist length is "super long" to some people while being very short to me.

LHC rocks!


I did not accuse the OP of meaning harm. I did not find her words offensive or upsetting in any way, and made no accusations in that vein. I found her reaction to long hair worn up a bit odd, and I suggested that she might want to reflect on why she felt that way.

I see nothing hateful there. It wasn't even criticism! It was a rhetorical question, written to encourage some self reflection.

Of course people can be misunderstood. Of course it can be difficult to express oneself clearly without the aid of tone or body language or existing relationship. The point I made in my last response is that the OP has not, as far as I have seen, indicated that she felt as though she had been misunderstood. As far as I've read, she's okay with what she said. I think it is pretty rude for people to keep presuming to speak for her. She's a literate, adult human being. I'd be very annoyed if people presumed to re-interpret me, especially when I had not said that I felt misinterpreted.

[UltraBella]

I think telling the OP to "get a life" and suggesting she is immature is more offensive than the way she worded her question. So she used the word bothersome. Big deal. Maybe it does bother her ? Maybe every time she sees a lady with long hair bunned she wants to scream "LET IT DOWN !" and pump her fist in the air....... She may have a burning desire to run up behind you and snatch your hair stick so your hair falls free, and then run away. ;) As long as she doesn't actually do it, I am okay with how she feels.
And, this is my biggest issue, she is only 17 !!! Please cut her some slack, as a teenager I would have logged off, cried, and never come back if I read some of the harshest responses. I have a daughter who is 15 and she doesn't always word things the way an adult would. She is still a great girl though :)
I personally found that even at waist length I had to keep my hair up often. I have far too much hair to just let it hang freely. I enjoy wearing hoodies - long hair and hoodies do not get along very well. Unless you like knots the size of your fist. Ugh.......... I love wearing my hair down and do so when I can. Unfortunately I live somewhere that is very windy and that causes those giant knots as well. I wear my hair up out of necessity.

[McFearless]

I found the OP's post kind of sweet. I think she meant beautiful hair needs to be seen! I get what shes saying. I see people on this forum with hair so breathtaking it shouldn't be hidden:P It just came out the wrong way.

[RachelRain]

I think telling the OP to "get a life" and suggesting she is immature is more offensive than the way she worded her question. So she used the word bothersome. Big deal. Maybe it does bother her ? Maybe every time she sees a lady with long hair bunned she wants to scream "LET IT DOWN !" and pump her fist in the air....... She may have a burning desire to run up behind you and snatch your hair stick so your hair falls free, and then run away. ;) As long as she doesn't actually do it, I am okay with how she feels.

I personally found that even at waist length I had to keep my hair up often. I have far too much hair to just let it hang freely. I enjoy wearing hoodies - long hair and hoodies do not get along very well. Unless you like knots the size of your fist. Ugh.......... I love wearing my hair down and do so when I can. Unfortunately I live somewhere that is very windy and that causes those giant knots as well. I wear my hair up out of necessity.

My hair's not even as thick as yours and I get the evil fist knots.

Curses!

BTW - awesome mental image on the fist pump thing :D

[Athena's Owl]

I never understood this and honestly its kinda bothersome and confusing. Why grow your hair super long, if you're going to wear it up all the time?

why do you want to wear it down all the time?

who is your long hair for?

I wear my hair up often in order to keep it from getting damaged. if I didn't protect it from getting damaged I wouldn't have long hair.

I didn't grow my hair long to decorate other people's worlds.

[Kathie]

Maybe every time she sees a lady with long hair bunned she wants to scream "LET IT DOWN !" and pump her fist in the air....... She may have a burning desire to run up behind you and snatch your hair stick so your hair falls free, and then run away. ;) LOL!UltraBella.

Anyways, I like the way long hair looks up. The volume you can get with a longhair updo looks awesome and can be really flattering!

[adiapalic]

I wear it up because it's hot. I wear it up because it gets in the way. It tangles. It sticks to my sweaty arms when I'm doing yard work. It's hazardous when I'm cooking or handling dangerous machinery or chemicals. I wear it up because I simply like updos made with long hair.

I grow it long because I love the way the length looks when I do have it down. Why buy sexy red expensive panties when very few people beyond yourself are gonna see them? It's just a thang. :bluebiggr

[Nicoliee]

I wonder this lol. I see a lot of LONG hair and a lot of girls who wear it up. ALL THE TIME.

[azhie]

For me, keeping hair up just looks tidier and feels more comfortable. I'm not aiming at any length-- hair just grows when I don't bother with hair cuts. This is my first time with longer hair and I'm pleasantly surprised with how much easier it is to maintain it.

[ooo]

One of the reasons why I grow my hair out is, because I love all the styles one can do with long hair. Of course wearing ones hair down is a style too, but not my favourite and not the most convenient.

My hair is still quite short and there aren't too many styles I can do yet. In my opinion I wear my hair down a lot, but already a friend commented, that one can't see how long my hair got, because I always wear it up. In the past year I've seen this friend about 4 to 5 times.

[chicken]

Ah... because I can? For me long hair is for making many different hairstyles...

[Konstifik]

Well, I'm not spending tons on money on dust-collectors - I want to wear my pretty hair toys! :D
Updos can be fun and gorgeous, plus it makes your surroundings awe when you put it down in rare cases. ;)

Oh and protect from damage and snagging of course. :D

[Igor]

I wonder why people keeps chiming in with ”Yea, I don’t understand it either!” when we have now 15 pages explaining reasoning for it?

Well, I guess some people just masks their personal disproval with ”I don’t understand your choice” :shrug:

[turquoisebud]

I don't have LHC long hair but I wear it up 99% of the time because I like the way it looks. Also it isn't in my face. Something here said once that long hair is like having a blank canvass on your head - so many possibilities and styles. I was really beginning to think I was weird because I always thought "How cool it will be when my hair is longer and I can "unveil" it before select people and act all nonchalant about it and someone gasp and exclaim "Wow, looks at her hair" (Okay, maybe I am a bit weird) :D
Like other people have said, it gives me something only I know is there somethings, a secret beauty so to speak. Well, there you go. :)

[Finoriel]

Why Grow It If You Keep It UP? - But why not?
My hair is incredibly boring when down and I don't want to look the same every day :wink:

[pepperedmoth]

I'm getting good at answering this question.

1.) I like the way my face looks with my hair up, and like it less with hair down. Most up-dos are easiest with hair around BSL.

2.) Short of a buzz cut a bun is the best way to avoid hair in my face which I HATE; again, buns are easier with BSL hair.

3.) The same reason I wear pretty underwear. I get to enjoy knowing it's there. (While a lot of women wear pretty lingerie for their partners, my partner doesn't give a damn. He does, however, love playing with my long hair.)

4.) The same reason I have a china collection and don't use it every day. It needs to protected on a day to day basis so I can whip it out on special occasions.

[misstwist]

I wonder why people keeps chiming in with ”Yea, I don’t understand it either!” when we have now 15 pages explaining reasoning for it?

Well, I guess some people just masks their personal disproval with ”I don’t understand your choice” :shrug:

True, that.

[Finoriel]

It's just a different angle of looking at it :).
For those of us who heard that question a few times already, the answer seems so obvious. But just because we already thought about it. For others who never thought about it before they found this forum it's a valid question and maybe not too easy to understand.
I mean the general trend in many cultures is that long hair is worn down to "show it off". That's what TV and newspapers and ads show and that's how the majority wears their hair. Not only in my part of the woods I guess.
When viewing it from this angle it's not too odd that people keep asking about the why and have difficulties to switch the angle on how they view long hair.
Don't loose patience with those who are curious and want to learn :flower: you learn best by asking.