growing into unknown territory support club

[jojo]

OK we have the shorties, shoulder to apl, apl to bsl, bsl to tailbone clubs so I thought id start a support club for us reaching lengths we have never been to before!

For me I am nearly passing waist, therefore this is unknown territory for me. My longest was waist, which looking back was probably more a little longer than midback. I am hoping to get to classic eventually with my next goal as hip.

I am finding styles which worked well before now just don't, pony tails are just a complete waste of time, they just swing forward. Funny not too long back 2006 I was so excited that I could get my hair in a pony tail! I am also finding it harder to wear down as it just gets tangly and messy, therefore my hair is bunned and away, some may say why have long hair and wear it up? well its convenient. I still can wear it down if I am on a special night out, but otherwise its up!

Braids work well, but they draw attention and although I dont mind the odd comment like " isnt your hair long" like really I never noticed :o its the touching I cant stand!

But overall I love my hair long and cannot imagine ever cutting it short. Just hoping I get a good growth in my year off cutting. The funny thing is I was so desperate to get to waist and now I am there, it feels very short to me, maybe this is a sign I am meant to be a very long hair:D

Anybody else in unknown territory and would like to share their stories?

[Speckla]

I getting into unknow territories now. I've never had hair this long. I've been wearing braids but they are proving to be weapons now. I went to a christmas party last night and my braid nearly took an eye or two out while I was dancing....it was swing everywhere... :)
My hair down gets caught on everything and it's getting to the point where I turn around and my hair brushes my arms...but I get freaked out because I don't realize it's my hair!!

Oh the shame...nah! :)

[Jules diamond]

What a great idea!

I've had hair up to my hip, but I was too young to remember it well so this feels all new to me. I'm still pretty stubborn about keeping my hair down on most days, though it's getting tougher to do so and have it look nice beyond a day after washing.

[jaine]

I'm almost ashamed to admit that my hair is longer than it has been in more than 11 years and it only took a year of growing out from a pixie to enter this unknown territory! :) I had waist-length hair as a kid but I really don't remember what it was like. (Except for some massive tangles at the nape of my neck, and I vaguely remember how to French braid.)

[ooo]

My hair never ever has been as long, as it is now. :o

[jojo]

I getting into unknow territories now. I've never had hair this long. I've been wearing braids but they are proving to be weapons now. I went to a christmas party last night and my braid nearly took an eye or two out while I was dancing....it was swing everywhere... :)
My hair down gets caught on everything and it's getting to the point where I turn around and my hair brushes my arms...but I get freaked out because I don't realize it's my hair!!

Oh the shame...nah! :)

I so hear you, braids can have someones eye out with a quick turn of the head!:cheese:

[Aliped]

I'm definitely in new territory for me. The longest my hair has ever been is shoulder length. I am now just touching tailbone. Very novel, but also very awesome! :)

[spidermom]

I've been in new territory ever since I passed BSL. I used to be so impulsive. I'd grow my hair from pixie for 2 years (give/take), get frustrated and decide "I've been growing my hair for YEARS and it's still not long." Then I'd get it cut again.

I finally matured enough in my 40s to have more patience.

[jojo]

I've been in new territory ever since I passed BSL. I used to be so impulsive. I'd grow my hair from pixie for 2 years (give/take), get frustrated and decide "I've been growing my hair for YEARS and it's still not long." Then I'd get it cut again.

I finally matured enough in my 40s to have more patience.

my hair story too, I think somebody slipped a pinch of patience dust in my 40th birthday card! your hair is one of my inspirations which keeps me growing:)

[ericthegreat]

I suppose I could join this thread as well, even though I don't feel awkward about my hair length and haven't felt awkward about it for the last 3 years or so. My hair has at least been waist length or longer for these last 3 years, so I've had time to adjust to it (always wearing a hairtie around my wrist in case I need to put it up).

I am still actively growing my hair to terminal length, but if I'm going to be honest, my growth has appeared to have finally slowed down. It hit this ceiling somewhere early this summer, as I've gained no more than 2 whole inches since June. I strongly suspect that I am near my terminal length.

[ravenreed]

Hmm, I have been swimming in unknown waters for ages. The latest worry is that updo's and braids are very heavy. When I do a braid and it pulls, that is worrisome. Sometimes I can redo it and it is okay, but it is getting to be more of a problem than it used to be. However, I like where my hair is right now, so if I had to stop here, I would be fine with that.

[Shellby]

What a great thread. I am in uncharted territory now, too. I have not had my hair this long ever. I am at waist. How funny that it doesn't seem long to me now either. :) Braids as weapons. LOL I remember not to long ago being accused of that when I hit a coworker when I spun around quickly and she got a smack right in the face. Learning all these updos has certainly helped that. Now I wear it up to work almost every day. Down is not an option, it catches on everything. Hair toys! Who knew?! Someone asked me how long I was going to let it get and I really don't know. I thought waist would be long enough, but now I am thinking hip....I do need a trim and that will take me back a bit. Probably 2 inches or so above waist to get all the dead off. Then we shall really see where we go, or maybe where we "grow" from there.

[ScarlettAdelle]

The longest I've ever had my hair prior to LHC was waist. I'm now just shy of tailbone, and still occasionally freeze and feel that twinge of sheer terror thinking something (usually I'm 245% positive that there IS a spider on me and that it IS poisonous, and that if I do not move super slow and let it crawl onto something else before I end its frightening little existence that it WILL bite me and I WILL die from said bite) and then realize my shirt's ridden up and it's my hair resting on my hip XD

[jaine]

The thing I'm getting used to is a difference in how people treat me and how I project myself. I felt very authoritative with a pixie cut and people treated me in a way that reflected that. With my hair loose and longer than chin I feel like I'm half dressed and still in my pajamas, regardless of whatever else I'm wearing. It's uncomfortable in many situations. I started putting my hair up every day at work because of this...it's closer to the put-together, authoritative feeling of short hair but just a good approximation of it at best. Hmmm.

[Cirafly24]

This is certainly the longest my hair has ever been...I'm between BCL and TB right now. Before this, the longest was about waist length, but I didn't appreciate it. I dyed and straightened the hell out of it, and then wondered why it looked like straw and was breaking off all over the place.

I always whined and moaned about how slowly my hair grew, even though I trimmed it every 6 weeks...and wasn't that supposed to make it grow faster? Ha. What ended up happening is that I moved to a new state, and I was so caught up with my new life that I didn't give a thought to my hair...just put it up in a ponytail every day and left it alone. A year later, I noticed how much it had grown and how much nicer it felt and looked, and the light bulb went on over my head ;)

[LaurelSpring]

I have been in uncharted hair territory since BSL. There have been many transitions! I think the biggest one the most recently was the realization that I have to wear my hair up around the house for safety and sanitary reasons. My hair was getting into everything. Litter box, food, too near the oven, now the fireplace. I cant look down and see anything. There have been many updo and styling sorts of transitions but it wasnt until it really started impacting everyday activities that I really felt the difference.

[akuamoonmaui]

I'm right at BSL, if I pull on my ends it's just a bit past there, I'm about 3 1/2 - 4 inches from waist. This is the longest my hair's been in 10 years or more. It's pretty healthy and virtually no damage. It feels good to have nice looking long hair. I love being able to pull it over my shoulder and not worrying about it migrating to my back. I finally feel like my hair is where it should have been all along. Waist is just a matter of time!

[ArienEllariel]

I'm definately in uncharted territory. I think the longest I've ever had my hair until recently was a hair past shoulder length. I've had shoulder length hair or shorter all of my life. APL is a nice change; I can't help leaning back and wishing for my hair to be long enough to at least brush my elbows (WL). I feel like my hair was meant to be long. :) I'm very excited for what this new year holds. I'm hoping to be near waist by this time next year.

[princessp]

jojo awesome idea for a thread, I'll join! I am somewhere either just stepping into, or close to being in unknown territory soon. I'm at hip/BCL with tailbone as my current short term goal. I thought about this today when I washed my hair and got a weird feeling from my length reaching longer than I ever remember.

[MandyBeth]

Well, my shoulder length now is my longest. By a good 4 inches.

[Chibbylick]

My hair is the longest it's ever been... so it is all new territory for me. I have 3 gorgeous little sisters, who have all had longer hair than me, but I'm not letting them psych me out anymore! One of them has classic length hair, and is know for her hair length, and keeps telling me mine isn't long, and won't be long until... (insert any random long hair disaster that would be prevented by a decent up-do). I think I might keep growing until she acknowledges mine is long too!

ps. can I call this waist? my avatar is my current hair length.

[MinderMutsig]

Well, my hair is getting stuck in my armpits again so I'm at the point where it used to get cut when I was young so every inch of growth beyond this is uncharted territory for me.

[Alix]

I've been in unknown territory since shoulder. The day I realized I was putting my hair in a ponytail without pins I was like WOAH.

[Lianna]

The longest I've had was BSL, but I chose to wear it SL or shorter for many (many!) years now. My next body length is APL, I hope I can join. :)

[Princess89]

I'm soon to be in unchartered waters. I'll keep lurking until i can officially join. It will be nice though because it will feel like i have longer hair than ever every day, no more shoulders or collarbone for me!

[Eire]

I'm into new territory as well. I am just past waist, and am starting to get "Your hair is long," comments. Can't really tell if it's supposed to be a compliment or just an observation. I have never before had hair long enough for people to take notice one way or another, so that's new. For some reason the tone people use when commenting makes me feel a bit self-conscious... often I get the feeling that they don't like long hair and are just "being polite" (why they feel the need to remark on it at all I do not know...)

[EmiliaF]

Great idea! My hair is now for the first time ever at TBL... weeeell, it's cut in a V and only the tip of the V is reaching tailbone but still.

Whenever it got longer than waist before I either lost the patience, didn't know what to do with it anymore or listened to someone who said that I have a really great face for a bob.
And I always got a 'trim' (according to the hairstylist, it was always very necessary to cut at least 4 inches) when I got highlights and now for the first time in 10 years I am stopping with both, so that is also new territory.

I am definitely in need for a support group!

[Mírien]

I am in unknown territory too. :D As a child I used to have chin length hair, later it was shoulder length and at high school it was roughly about bsl. Now it's past waist (nearly hip when wet) and I am looking forward to reaching some new territories.:cheese:

[Masara]

Jojo's original post could have been me. I've grown my hair down to "waist" several times before although looking back at photos, it was probably only longish mid back. I'm now going past tailbone and aiming for classic. My original goal was to get back to waist because I knew that was possible. Now I don't know where I'll stop.

Compared to my previous long haired moments, I'm wearing my hair up a lot more. Before it didn't bother me to wear it down, in half-ups or in simple ponytails and spend a lot of time bushing out tangles. Now, I'm happier with buns.

Since waist, I've been doing less "down" braids. if I braid my hair, the braid usually gets bunned or folded up somehow. I'm more aware of frizzy braids and I'm not so happy sharing my hair length.

My "unknown territory" is that I'm not bored with my hair yet. My usual system is to decide to grow my hair, stop cutting, grow to waist-ish, get bored with it and cut back to very short while swearing that I'll never grow it out again. 5 to 10 years later, I start the cycle again. This time, I'm still enjoying my hair. LHC has helped me take more care of it and, especially, find new and interesting things to do with it.

[jojo]

My hair is the longest it's ever been... so it is all new territory for me. I have 3 gorgeous little sisters, who have all had longer hair than me, but I'm not letting them psych me out anymore! One of them has classic length hair, and is know for her hair length, and keeps telling me mine isn't long, and won't be long until... (insert any random long hair disaster that would be prevented by a decent up-do). I think I might keep growing until she acknowledges mine is long too!

ps. can I call this waist? my avatar is my current hair length.

oh yeah your waist for sure, wow your hair is so thick!

[jojo]

another thing I now automatically bring my hair forward when I sit down, is that LHC conforming me to safer handling? I think I am subconsciously being taken over as I don't ever remember having to do this, plus its perfectly normal to have honey in the bathroom........isn't it!

[freckles]

I'm in uncharted territory. Looking at old photos, I think that the last time I had long hair it was somewhere between BSL and waist ... and now I'm at waist, in unknown land, and from here on in it's all a mystery!

good idea for a thread jojo :)

[ingvild]

I feel like I should be in here! This, at APL, is the longest my hair has ever been since I was young. The longest I had I must have been around 9, I had mid back length hair, I think, but then I got trichotillomania and my mum decided I should be at pixie for a couple of years (which was a good idea). Since then I've grown it out but only to shoulder length, and layered. And now I'm finally growing it out!

It feels a bit weird to have this long hair (even though it's not "long"!). I enjoy feeling my hair touching the top of my back. I still feel like I'm at an awkward length, mostly because of my layers (curses!) and I mostly wear my hair down or in a pony. I just need to stick with it, I keep telling my self it will be better once I reach BSL (& then I'll start trimming the layers). I have also vowed to myself to not visit a hairdresser again, and just trim my hair myself. Not that it's a loss, I save money and 30 minutes of agonizing small talk with the stylist :D On January first I start a wear my hair up for 50 days, hope it will help me take my mind off it (and help me learn some good styles for my stupid hair!).

[growing2shine]

another thing I now automatically bring my hair forward when I sit down, is that LHC conforming me to safer handling? I think I am subconsciously being taken over as I don't ever remember having to do this, plus its perfectly normal to have honey in the bathroom........isn't it!

YES!!! That's were im at too. :)
My hair is about waist and that is very new territory for me, but long hair seems very natural to me. Im very comfortable with my hair length, and im really looking forward to growing longer! :D

[MandyBeth]

Jojo, I've taken to pulling my hair forward already also! Ok, so it doesn't STAY forward, but it's good practice for later, plus it's fun to do. It's a look what I can do, weee fun!!!

[jojo]

Its weird really why we start doing this, plus I can really see the length, which is creeping past waist!

[Becky Safari]

I have also never had my hair longer than waist, which is my length now. I'm really excited to grow to my hips and tailbone. Unknown territory ahoy!

[Alvrodul]

Every new millimeter is uncharted territory for me! :D I had almost waist length hair when I was a teenager, then I cut it really short, and it stayed above shoulder length for years. Then about 5 years or so ago I sort of started to grow it - or perhaps it was that I was not bothering going to the hairdresser very often. :p
But it is really only the last couple of years that I have started to really grow it!:cool:

[Rin4Christ]

I've been in unknown territory for a few months now, not that my hair is as long as alot of the members of this board. I'm currently between BSL and waist, but I don't think I have been past APL before in my life.

For a number of years I would grow it out until I could donate 10inches then cut it back to chin length or shorter.

I really need to branch out on what I do with my hair... right now it goes into a cinnamon bun almost every day (held with a stick or claw clip) and every once in awhile i wear it down (less than once a month) or half up (once or twice a month).

I would really like to learn to braid my own hair, but my attempts so far are pretty terrible. I also need to look into different kinds of buns that I can keep up without elastics.

[MinderMutsig]

I've been in unknown territory for a few months now, not that my hair is as long as alot of the members of this board. I'm currently between BSL and waist, but I don't think I have been past APL before in my life.

For a number of years I would grow it out until I could donate 10inches then cut it back to chin length or shorter.

I really need to branch out on what I do with my hair... right now it goes into a cinnamon bun almost every day (held with a stick or claw clip) and every once in awhile i wear it down (less than once a month) or half up (once or twice a month).

I would really like to learn to braid my own hair, but my attempts so far are pretty terrible. I also need to look into different kinds of buns that I can keep up without elastics.
I suggest to try and braid your hair at night. It will give you the opportunity to practice and it will keep your hair protected overnight. That's all it takes really, practice, practice, practice.
Just do the same braid every night until you mastered it and you feel comfortable wearing it in public and then practice a different braid.

I would start with fishtail braids. They are really easy to do, they seem difficult and special and they look great when they are a little messy so you should be able to wear those in public fairly soon.

[Becky Safari]

That's where I am now, I am mastering the english braid on myself at night and sometimes throughout the day, and fishtails are next for me. Then I hope to be able to french braid myself, I can FB other people but on my own head it's a different story!

[Siava]

Great thread idea, jojo. I fit in this category. :) My hair was almost waist when I was 17. Now it's about an inch or two past that if memory serves. I'm getting frustrated with learning new hairstyles since I'm an uncoordinated doofus when it comes to braiding and such and throwing it up into a jaw clip while having it look sleek instead of messy isn't as easy as it used to be. Still, I'm excited and happy with where it's headed and have no urge to stop the journey at this time. I don't know when it will end, but I know it's not today. :)

[Vorvolaka]

I'm nearing lengths I've never reached before. I'm a couple of inches off BSL, a length I had in early high school and is my current goal, beyond that I have no clue what to expect. It's exciting and scary at the same time!

[jesis]

Love this thread! Even though I'm not *in* unknown territory yet, I will be (hopefully) soon! :D Thanks!

[Akiko]

I will be in uncharted territory pretty soon. My hair is 31 inch long now. It's the same length as one year ago. I got frustrated with my hair when it grew past waist and ended up trimming. Basically I cut off the whole year worth if growth in 2010.

I finally got to used to waist length and ready to grow longer. Also I am thinking about no trimming in 2011. Not sure if I can handle it, though.

[WaitingSoLong]

I haven't read the whole thread yet but I am in uncharted territory, too.

The longest my hair ever was before was waist length and that was back when I was 20/21. I past waist sometimes in early 2009 and have been in uncharted ever since.

I lost 4" last year and so had to regain that but I have surpassed that by another 4" so, I am at about 38" and don't even have a goal. I am just not doing anything to it until somthing happens to make me want to. It gets too hard to handle or I am just sick of long hair, I don't know.

Right now I am not sure if I can handle it past classic, or even at classic. I am not there yet, never have been, but I need LHC to keep me learning how to care for my ever changing lengths. I just recently graduated into the TBL to classic thread. I like to read other's stories and stuff to learn how to care for the longer hair. My routine is definitely different than at waist. It has to be.

I dislike fairy tail ends (on myself) so I will never grow to term, because I have to have an even hemline. I trim only when the hemline gets really ragged. And I self-trim now, no more 4inch disasters! What I think will look good on me and what I am willing to care for, well...who knows! It is uncharted!

[WaitingSoLong]

I am just past waist, and am starting to get "Your hair is long," comments. Can't really tell if it's supposed to be a compliment or just an observation. I have never before had hair long enough for people to take notice one way or another, so that's new. For some reason the tone people use when commenting makes me feel a bit self-conscious... often I get the feeling that they don't like long hair and are just "being polite" (why they feel the need to remark on it at all I do not know...)

I got a lot of comments like this at waist length. Like my hair length was "interesting" and not necessarily good or bad. Hmm. I am not sure when I made the decision to actively grow it. I only know I look terrible with short hair and have had virtually every hairstyle and color (natural colors).

Once I hit about hip, I started getting the oohs and ahhs. Also, that wasn't until after LHC so I am sure my hair quality had improved greatly. Now people would probably kill me if I cut my hair. I know if I ever do, I will get a lot of "why did you cut it?" and "it was so pretty". As long as I can throw it in a bin and get it out of the way, I am not sure I would cut it above hip ever again. Somewhere between hip and TBL it became ackward to wear it down so I rarely do now.

Also, I am having the frizzy braid issue someone else mentioned and not comfortable wearing braids, so it is like it is either up or loose. TBL may be as far as I ever go, if I cannot get a handle on longer. It is really in an ackward state right now, I am hoping a few more inches will set it in an easier palce to handle (bunning, etc.). I would like to see myself in classic, but I just don't know.

[Fairlight63]

My hair is also the longest that it has ever been before. When I was 12 I hair about APL length but after that it had been real short (about chin length) most of the time.
Some changes that I have made are:
I used to wash my short hair bent over the tub, now that it is waist length I have to wash it in the shower so that it doesn't get so tangled.
When wearing a sweater & taking it off, I have to put my hair over my shoulder then take off the sweater or my hair gets tangled up in the sweater.
I wear a braid then put a sleep cap on over it with the braid tucked in so that I don't pull on the braid when sleeping.

[thatjengirl1]

This is the longest my hair has been. it was this long when i was 6 yrs old and again when i was 16.

in a few months, my hair will be in unknown territory and i can't wait!! my hair has never been close to my hips, so it's going to be exciting :cheese:

[twilight]

oooh, good topic.

my longest was waist (been there a few times) and now i'm just about at tailbone and it sort of shocks me when i see it in the mirror. i love it, but it's a new feeling.

just the other day my dad saw my hair down for the first time in many months and he just about choked on his sugary soda drink. typical "i didn't know it was so LONG!" reaction. i kind of feel the same way sometimes :)

looking through the hairstyling articles here on LHC yesterday made me realize what it looks like to other people to see FEET of hair on one head... and knowing that's what i look like from behind... it's incredible.

i'm excited to know where it will stop... since getting to my "goal" i don't really know what to do next. we'll see, i guess!

:cheese:

[Avvoltoio]

I join to this thread too :), my hair never was that long, and i feel it years ago(and i may i will feel it many years until i reach my terminal length), cause my hair always was very short before.

[Avital88]

My hair has been its longest just over waist,so i think i´m longer now then back in 2004.
Its for sure healthier and thicker, i cant wait untill im at hip and i´m really sure that is my longest ever! Really a good thread idea.Let us all grow long and healthy!

[Bast]

My hair is as long as I can remember it ever being now, about 3 inches off of BSL. I'm just hoping that I can keep my hands off of it as much as possible so that I don't increase the amount of damage that the ends take, since they're rather prone to splits.

I'm excited to see how long it does get - I'm not looking for any specific length, but rather how long it is by certain milestones in my life.