UK LHCers - am I a total freak??

[dropinthebucket]

UK LHCers, can you tell me if I probably look like a total freak? Have been here in the UK one week now - wow, so many beautiful girls with long, long beautiful hair! Back home, the girls on campus all seem to be sporting the same somewhere-between-SL-and-BSL razor-thinned hair style. But here, I can't believe all the fabulous, natural waist length hair I'm seeing. Truly stellar!

Ok, so here's the thing, though. NO ONE is wearing it up! I'm in a very large city, and on a large campus, and I swear, I'm the only person with my hair up with a hair stick or fork. Everyone is looking at me like I'm a freak or something (or at least, I think they are! maybe they're not, maybe I'm just being self-conscious ...). Are hair sticks just not a normal thing here??? And how do they keep their hair so beautiful without them?

Is it a regional thing? Am I just not in an area where anyone wears their hair up? should I ditch the hair toys and "when in Rome..."? I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb and my hair stick screams "tourist"!

[Speckla]

I'm sure you just think they're looking at you like a freak. Maybe your hair being up is different and interesting to them? The same way I'd probably stare if I saw someone with different hair than the norm....I tend to stare (discreetly) and check out long hair.

[Rosalaun]

Not many people in my area tie their up, if people do it's usually just a simple ponytail/english braid/bun. The closest we get to hair sticks are the odd people (me) with those short chopstick-type sticks in. Decorative sticks just aren't usually that easy to find over here unfortunately, so people just don't bother.

[jojo]

I don't many other long haired people wearing hair sticks, I am in the UK too. It certainly is a conversation starter when people see mine, im known for my fancy hair sticks, you never know we may start a new trend!

[Speckla]

I am in the US but I get a lot of stares when I wear my flexi8. Most people wear their hair up in jawclips or ponytail holders. People strain their necks to check out my flexi. :D I hear, "Um, that's a pretty....barrette?"

[freckles]

I'm in the UK and I could probaby count on one hand the amount of times I've seen someone wearing hairsticks IRL, except me. I wouldn't worry about looking like a freak though, I wear hairsticks and I've learnt not to feel self conscious :)

[pepperminttea]

It's been so long since I last saw someone else wearing hairsticks I've forgotten it, so yes, it is rather on the rare side. I wouldn't worry about your hairtoys singling you out as a tourist though; if I saw someone wearing them that certainly wouldn't be my first thought, I'd just think you looked interesting. :)

I think a lot of people here just don't think about wearing it up. Either they never learned, or just don't know why someone would (the "why have it long if you wear it up all the time?" attitude seems quite strong locally).
I used to feel very self-conscious wearing it up, now I feel that more when I wear it down. :p

As for how they keep it looking nice? My bets are on luck, genetics, 'cones, and heat-styling. Wait until you're on the bus, or behind someone in a queue; close-up, there's a lot of split-spotting to be had. ;)

[Yasmine91]

I'm from the UK and no, I can't say that I have ever seen sticks or forks, on hair clips or scrunchies. But a lot of people have their hair down here. Long hair is from what I've read on here, more seen in the UK then US. Dunno why :shrug:

[marzipanthecat]

Hairsticks are unusual in the UK. I've only seen them a few times.

I suspect people may be checking you out for other reasons (not bad ones!) - it depends where you are really. In London, I think you have to be looking pretty unusual. Down where I am (in Devon) I think places like Totnes, well, I don't think you can look freaky there, no matter what you do...

In small villages, like where I live, people look at strangers just for not being familiar!

[pelicano]

Down where I am (in Devon) I think places like Totnes, well, I don't think you can look freaky there, no matter what you do...

I've heard that before about Totnes - would love to visit there! :D

[SwordWomanRiona]

One friend at university wears hairsticks sometimes. I don't yet because I am completely unable to find any!!:confused: I suppose I'll finish buying some on the internet.
And don't despair thinking that people see you as a "freak" just because you wear your hair up with hairsticks or the like (I find that strange, you know :confused:). It could be worse! Take me, for example: I sometimes dare to go to university with my hair braided with green ribbons, imagine that!:D (It looks nice, and I don't care a bit if some people stare :))

[pelicano]

They're probably staring in a 'wow, that's really unusual and nice' kind of way. :)

[LovelyL]

Either they never learned, or just don't know why someone would (the "why have it long if you wear it up all the time?" attitude seems quite strong locally).

this

While I was in the growing out stage of a short hair style, I had roughly shoulder length hair more or less one length. But I was getting the most outrageous tangles in my hair and it took me a long time before I started to keep it braided because that seemed to keep the tangles at bay. (I learnt this by accident btw!)

Finally I went to a hairdresser and explained the situation to him and was asking please please show me what I can do with my hair! His response was to look at what my friends did - yeah, great help since all they did was wear it loose or in a ponytail. His solution for the tangles was to give me layers which admittedly did help, but it meant that doing anything with my hair became even more difficult.

Because yes I did try to do things, I splurged occasionally in Claire's Accessories, but their hair toys never held properly in my hair (yeah I'd never heard of Ficcares for example). At the time I assumed I just had too much hair or something, and then I learn here that my ponytail thickness counts as bang on average!

It was only this summer that I learnt how to do a bun! and I had to use knitting needles for lack of hairsticks!

So after all this rambling, no I don't think others will be looking at you oddly, but there may be a few like me who look at your hair trying to figure out how the hell you did it!

[reverie24]

I can't recall ever seeing anyone in real life with hair sticks! Here in Germany, most people have really short hair I think, or if its longer they wear it loose or up in a simple bun or ponytail but just with a hair tie then. That's all I do too, but yeah, maybe people are just interested in your style or something! There's nothing wrong with standing out!

[Sweet_Decadence]

I honestly can't recall ever seeing anyone wear hairsticks of any description and have very, very seldomly found any for sale. So I wouldn't say your getting stared at for being a freak, more so out of intrique at something new. :)

[Fiordiligi]

I'm in London, and I see a lot of teenage girls from the local girls' school most days: they certainly all seem to have quite long loose hair these days, and if it's up at all, then it seems to be mostly a messy bun or a claw. It's quite unlike my school days. I was unusual at my school in keeping my hair long throughout my teens in the 1980s.

I've only once seen hairsticks in the wild in the UK, and that was on a tube. (I think she was probably a tourist, but, I hasten to add, I didn't think that because of her hairsticks!) And I've never, ever seen anyone in a Ficcare, a Flexi or a fork. But honestly people here really don't seem to notice one's hair. Maybe that's just because it's a big city? I would quite like it if people took more interest in mine, though... :)

[dropinthebucket]

Aw, thanks guys! and here I thought my celtic-style sticks would SO blend in! Ok, so if I see anyone with a hair stick, I'll know it's probably one of you ... :D

JoJo, yes, us LHCers should start a trend! and not only that - we should open a hair toy shop ;)

[Merlin]

You may be just thinking they're staring at you because you feel different, either that or you've got your skirt trapped in your knickers of course. Seriously though, if they're looking at you it's probably either because you're somebody they've not seen before or because your hair is different - but it's probably a 'good stare' not something about which you should worry I think


.... Totnes - would love to visit there! :D

It's easy to find, just follow the smell of incense, left at the macrobiotic llama trekking farm, right at the organic candle suppliers and then keep going till you hear the sound of chanting....

It's on a ley line which runs from Stroud and then down through Glastonbury

[T.L.T.]

I just started noticing how people wear their hair more since I joined LHC, and at the university I go to (although not in the UK) I noticed that most of the girls with long hair do wear it down, whether it is natural or chemically dyed. I think even in general, the short haired ones wear it down too.

[akka naeda]

OK, I morris dance, this means walking about in public with facepaint and strange clothes with bells on. I know what it is to be stared at, especially when you have to travel 1 hour on public transport in full kit to get to the festival site. And especially by teenagers who think they are amusing and clever.

I seriously doubt they are staring at you, I did a 2 week college course last June and wore sticks, Ficcares and my hair in a half up because it was so nice to have the opportunity to do so. The only time anyone stared at me was when I wore my hair in a halfup and that was because they couldn't imagine how I had managed to conceal so much hair on the back of my head for the previous 13 days. I demonstrated since I carry sticks and a Ficcare with me at all time, they were amazed because all the 2 with long enough hair could do was a peacock twist with a plastic clip.

People round here do wear hairsticks:)
There's me, and then in Witney there's another person who only ever wears a single plain wooden stick and someone who obviously bought her sticks from Claires when they sold them and doesn't mind walking about with 5" plastic protruding from her head. Neither of them has as much hair as I do, the only other people with hair comparable to mine in this area wear it loose when they go out (one thigh-length fine hair, the other knee-length fine hair) or in a low plait because they admit to not knowing how to style so much hair.

I haven't seen anyone in Oxford wearing hairsticks though, not even when I went to a meet, and no-one takes the slightest notice of me when I do

[Vercelli]

I have lived in London for some time and am in the UK quite often (because of partner) and I also have to say I never saw any person with hair sticks or forks. Some ladies have long hair which they wear open and not bunned or braided (which to me doesn't seem to be a good idea in London as it's crowded everywhere and one might risk damaging hair, or someone might even accidently touch it which I would hate). I wonder why this is the case? Maybe one reason is that the nicest hair sticks and forks on the planet are still made overseas? I haven't been in Germany for a while so cannot tell how it's over there. But in Italy it's almost forbidden to wear long hair up. And btw most of the ladies have artificial hair when it's long anyway so nothing can be damaged in that case. Strange thing also that they wear their hair down even when it's like 45 degrees in summer outside.:rolleyes:

[Lianna]

Same thing where I live, 98% of women I see are wearing hair down. The average is pretty long too, I'd say waist, but I see lots of hip everyday, occasional TBL. Men I often see ponytails. :D

[SwordWomanRiona]

this

While I was in the growing out stage of a short hair style, I had roughly shoulder length hair more or less one length. But I was getting the most outrageous tangles in my hair and it took me a long time before I started to keep it braided because that seemed to keep the tangles at bay. (I learnt this by accident btw!)

Finally I went to a hairdresser and explained the situation to him and was asking please please show me what I can do with my hair! His response was to look at what my friends did - yeah, great help since all they did was wear it loose or in a ponytail. His solution for the tangles was to give me layers which admittedly did help, but it meant that doing anything with my hair became even more difficult.

Because yes I did try to do things, I splurged occasionally in Claire's Accessories, but their hair toys never held properly in my hair (yeah I'd never heard of Ficcares for example). At the time I assumed I just had too much hair or something, and then I learn here that my ponytail thickness counts as bang on average!

It was only this summer that I learnt how to do a bun! and I had to use knitting needles for lack of hairsticks!

So after all this rambling, no I don't think others will be looking at you oddly, but there may be a few like me who look at your hair trying to figure out how the hell you did it!

Some hair accesories won't stay put in my hair for long, but I think that's because my hair is really fine and straight, so they slid easily. But that does not prevent me from wearing updos as well as half-ups, ponytails, braids or loose hair!:D But I avoid really big hair accesories, though.

[starlights]

Alot of the girls dont put forks in their hair, they normally just tie it up in a ponytail or wear it loose down... I too get amazed at the condition and length of their hair. I have been told by a few of them that they do treatment and condition on their hair regularly including trims so this is their secret!!

[Monsterkitti]

I dont think Ive ever seen a hair stick on anyone in person.

Most of the people I see wear their hair down if its longish, even the real long hairs Ive seen around occasioanly have had it down.

It honestly doesnt even pass my mind anyone would be looking at my hair sticks strangely, I'll occasioanly get a comment on my Ficcare but I think thats the colour more than anything.

[Meridon]

I've never seen anyone with hairsticks in! There aren't that many long hairs around here either, I know of one woman who has waist length hair but it is bleached to heck (white, eek) and very dry and frizzy looking at the ends.

I was amazed earlier when I saw a young girl coming out of the local college with a beautiful, thick, naturally blonde hip length ponytail :D I stared after her as she walked away and her companion noticed, but it was only in admiration as it looked so lovely with braid waves in it.

I'm going to order some hairsticks online when I get over the Christmas expenditure lol, and I shall certainly wear them!

[Toadstool]

I'm in Wales and I've never seen anyone with hair sticks or forks, but that doesn't make you a freak!

[Hiriel]

I not in the UK, but anyway, a lot of girls my age have BSL to waist length hair here, and very few ever use more than elastics to put it up with. I run around with ficcares, flexis and hairsticks all the time, and no one has ever looked at them twice except occasionally to comment that they're pretty.

I get more comments if my hair is down or in a pony tail, as hip length is a tad longer than average here ;)

[hayesa]

I'm in the UK, but I've yet to see a hair fork or sticks on anybody. Where I live, girls usually have lots of black and blonde dye on their hair, and it's often very straight and layered. I am envious of all your long hair sightings!

[Arya]

I don't see anyone wearing hair sticks anywhere I go..but maybe that's because they had quite the fad in the early 2000s? I personally don't wear them because my boyfriend is Asian and I study Asian languages in school. I don't want to be associated with the creepy people who study East Asia but also totallywanttobeasianomgdesudesu! No problem with anyone who wears hair sticks, I think they rock, I just personally don't want to be associated with the type of girl here that studies Japanese here and sticks chopsticks in her hair. They're creepy, trust me.

[bunzfan]

I'm in the u.k and i get some very strange looks when i wear hair forks/sticks which is most of the time, i normally get what's that thing in your hair.

[Purdy Bear]

I must admit Iv not seen many people here with hairsticks, just a few teachers sticking pencils in their hair.

Most seem to bun their hair, especially in London when I used to work up there.

This time of year, it maybe due to the cold weather, it might change during the warmer weather.

[annieangel149]

i cant wait to be able to wear hair forks/sticks! i soooo cant wait to stand out! :)
unfortunetly my hair is too short for them atm! however i wear my hair up in a sock bun now and all my friends think its strange that i dont wear it loose!

[stinamoo]

In Winchester I see a lot of long hair - I've even seen a lady with ~thigh/knee length blonde hair, with a ponytail band around hip length to keep in contained - gorgeous! However I don't see many people with their hair up either.

I think partly it's because people don't know how to do styles, or how to make them look good. When I used to wear a hairstick people wouldn't often notice - on the rare occasions that they did, I had to demonstrate how I could hold 'all that hair' with just a stick.

Keep your hair up if you prefer it that way, I'm sure people aren't staring as much as you feel they are :)

[Masara]

I visit the UK a couple of times a year, and now I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen anyone with hair sticks. I can't remember seeing people with buns either.

But then, I happily wear sticks and forks etc in my buns and people are probably staring at the back of my head in shock. It's just that I'm not very observant for things like that.:D

It looks like I'm going to have to travel to Totnes next time I'm in Devon:)

[SwordWomanRiona]

I just started noticing how people wear their hair more since I joined LHC, and at the university I go to (although not in the UK) I noticed that most of the girls with long hair do wear it down, whether it is natural or chemically dyed. I think even in general, the short haired ones wear it down too.

At my university, people wear their hair up as well as loose, in ponytails, braided or in updos...Although I have only seen one girl, a friend of mine, wear hairsticks. I myself like to change my hairstyle a lot, usually changing from wearing it loose/in a half-up, to wearing it in a ponytail/braided, a half-updo, or a full updo. But it is the Physics university I'm talking about, and we're supposed to be 'freaks', aren't we? :lol:

[dropinthebucket]

Writes down on list of places to visit while in the UK: Totnes. :D