"So people can see your pretty face!"

[HintOfMint]

I just thought of that line from Freaky Friday (Lindsay Lohan one) where the mom in her daughter's body put her hair in a bun and swept the hair from her face.

When she said that, I thought of my own mother who would always admonish me to "get your hair off your face!" and my mother's mother used to say the same thing to her when she was younger!

Did anyone have this same experience growing up? Any parents who tell their daughters the same thing?

[DTsgirl]

My mother's only hair rule for her daughters was to keep it out of our face. She was HARDCORE about it. No long bangs, no leaving it down without a headband of barrettes or she'd cut it. I am 25 now, and it drives her batty if I go over without my hair back. The one time I tried to "style" it with sideswept bangs (that she wanted me to get!) and got my hair all big and full with sexy face tendrils, it just so happened I was supposed to spend the day. She hated it. HATED it. By the end the day, it was back in a messy bun (which she also hated because due to the styling and futzing, it was not smooth and perfect, her other hair thing). It's really irritating.

[1953Diygal]

There was a similar line in the movie "Peggy Sue Got Married."

I'm reminded of the late '80s when it was considered punk rock de reguir to have bangs that reached your chin or longer with the rest cut short.

[misspriss]

I heard this so many times growing up. My mom, my grandma, all the women in my life.

I really disliked hearing it, that is why I clicked on this thread.

[anthonyswife]

There was a similar line in the movie "Peggy Sue Got Married."

I'm reminded of the late '80s when it was considered punk rock de reguir to have bangs that reached your chin or longer with the rest cut short.

I wore my hair like that through most of my teens. :)

Thankfully my Мать couldn't care less what I did with my hair, even as a kid. What the rest of my family admonishes me for though is not brushing my hair. I've tried explaining that brushing isn't that good for curly hair and all it does is turn my hair into a frizzy mess, but they maintain that my hair would "look better" if I brush it. =/

[laughinglynxie]

Yes! My grandma always used to say that if hair was in my face it would make me go blind. HA! And my mom always had a rule about putting my hair up at least 3 days a week...and when it was down she was always making me go and brush it.

[Copasetic]

I always get the opposite. My mom is constantly asking me why I don't wear my hair loose more often.

[Dorothy]

I wore my hair like that through most of my teens. :)

Thankfully my Мать couldn't care less what I did with my hair, even as a kid. What the rest of my family admonishes me for though is not brushing my hair. I've tried explaining that brushing isn't that good for curly hair and all it does is turn my hair into a frizzy mess, but they maintain that my hair would "look better" if I brush it. =/

If that is you in your Avatar, Anthonyswife, it is difficult for me to imagine a scenario in which your hair would "look better". Looks to me like you're doing just dandy.

[Luna12345]

actually, my boyfriend says that to me all the time. :) My mom never did.

[anthonyswife]

If that is you in your Avatar, Anthonyswife, it is difficult for me to imagine a scenario in which your hair would "look better". Looks to me like you're doing just dandy.


Aww thanks so much, Dorothy! :D (yep, that's me lol)

[LisaMonster]

I think wanting to protect my hair by wearing it up has made me really have to embrace my appearance outside of my hair. It's been a challenge for me trying to feel pretty with my hair up, but I'm getting there. I don't have to hide behind it anymore.

[Nera]

Yes. My mother always says the same thing.

[Mesmerise]

Well... the only time I tell my daughter to get her hair off her face is so she doesn't get food in it LOL. This was especially the case when she was younger with long hair... cause it would get food in it, or drink in it and well...ick... you know?

Otherwise, I can't really see why anyone would want you to pull your hair back! How odd, I don't think my mother ever said that to me ;) (course I probably looked better with it covering my face LOL).

[Octave]

I always get the opposite. My mom is constantly asking me why I don't wear my hair loose more often.

Same here! It's not that I don't like to wear it down, cause I do in the evening. It's just that I hate having it fly about(live in a very windy city) and I want it to stay in a good shape as long as possible without having to trim it. :D

[Isilme]

Oh, my mom was like that when I was younger. Now when I ask her how I should have my hair for an ocassion she always asks me to have it down, or in a figure eight bun, and I'm like "but mom I wear it like that every day!"

[Yozhik]

My mom didn't really tell me either way what to do with my hair, but I knew these twins growing up whose mom told them to never tuck their hair behind their ears or it'd make their ears grow sticking out. :confused:

[Bonkers57]

Yep, my mom nagged me about it, too (when my hair was long enough to hang in my face.) My elementary school teachers were bad about the nagging, too.


I heard this so many times growing up. My mom, my grandma, all the women in my life.

I really disliked hearing it, that is why I clicked on this thread.

[krissykins]

Well, I tend to have bangs that hide one side of my face. I do this on purpose because I'm super shy! But my dad would always say, "Hiding behind your hair again?" Lol

[Anje]

My mom's rule was just that I had to have my hair pulled back at the table.

[colette]

My mum was never really fussy whether it was back or not, as long as it was brushed :) she hated it looking 'rat taily'. my gran on the other hand was forever telling me to get it out of my eyes, tuck it behind my ears, tie it back etc etc think she considered long hair to be unhygienic, hence why my mum never had long hair as a girl.

and yes, i do tie my daughters hair back for school, french braids usually, but thats cos the teachers are forever going on about head lice, and if i dont do it, they will! but this weeks the school holidays, so shes flowing free with her beautiful golden locks :)

[naereid]

My mom didn't really tell me either way what to do with my hair, but I knew these twins growing up whose mom told them to never tuck their hair behind their ears or it'd make their ears grow sticking out. :confused:
I heard that one too! Every once in a while I'll remember it and untuck my hair... just in case. :laugh:

[Photokissa]

My Mom was ALL about having my hair out of my face even though she kept my hair SUPER short when I was young. This is probably why I am 33 and my hair is the longest it has ever been in my life. I'm working through my mother inflicted hair issues though :p

[SwordWomanRiona]

My mother's only hair rule for her daughters was to keep it out of our face. She was HARDCORE about it. No long bangs, no leaving it down without a headband of barrettes or she'd cut it. I am 25 now, and it drives her batty if I go over without my hair back. The one time I tried to "style" it with sideswept bangs (that she wanted me to get!) and got my hair all big and full with sexy face tendrils, it just so happened I was supposed to spend the day. She hated it. HATED it. By the end the day, it was back in a messy bun (which she also hated because due to the styling and futzing, it was not smooth and perfect, her other hair thing). It's really irritating.

Yes, it must be! But you should do whatever you want with your hair, it's yours and not your mother's! I hate the way some parents think they have a right to decide about their chidren's appearance! :mad:
Fortunately, my mother's great and has never made me wear my hair one way or other. Neither has my father. I'm lucky in that aspect.

The only time I have been told that was during drawing classes at Secundary School. It is supposed to be reasonable, 'keep your hair out of the drawing paper so as not to blotch it', but I was annoyed at the 'repressive tone' my teacher used. :(


I really disliked hearing it, that is why I clicked on this thread.

Hear, hear!!

[pinkbunny]

Ha! I actually just uploaded this to my album today!
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5578&pictureid=96762

For a little over a year - age 13 to 14 - I went through a major FTW phase where I hid my face and scowled a lot... lol. Oddly, my mother wasn't overly opposed to this hairstyle - she often compared me to Veronica Lake!

[ellen732]

Absolutely! My mother would always say that to me. Over the years various other people have said it also, usually people I work with would say "Oh, now we can see your face" when I wear my hair up or back.

[curlytm]

My mum was never really fussy whether it was back or not, as long as it was brushed :) she hated it looking 'rat taily'. my gran on the other hand was forever telling me to get it out of my eyes, tuck it behind my ears, tie it back etc etc think she considered long hair to be unhygienic, hence why my mum never had long hair as a girl.

and yes, i do tie my daughters hair back for school, french braids usually, but thats cos the teachers are forever going on about head lice, and if i dont do it, they will! but this weeks the school holidays, so shes flowing free with her beautiful golden locks :)

You and your mom sound a lot like mine! My mom was not allowed long hair as a girl. She actually had a really traumatic experience in which her mom sent her twin daughters (my mom and aunt, both 8yrs old with APL) to the barber to get a "trim." Bestemor (Norwegian for "grandma") called ahead, telling the barber to chop it to chin, and forced them to keep it that way.

My mom never grew out her hair again and just figured out how to rock her short hair.

But! She gave me her curls! All my childhood, my mom kept my hair long and loose as often as possible. She learned intricate hairstyles/braids for sending me to school (for hygiene and simplicity).

Stupid me. I "rebelled" and started gradually shortening the length (resulting in curly's worst nightmare...TRIANGLE HEAD). I could tell it hurt her feelings for me to be chopping off my long beautiful hair, but she was supportive anyway.

The things we do to our parents...

In summary--I never heard it from my mom. She loved my unruly hair more than I did.

[Amraann]

I don't recall my parents telling me that in general. Only while eating.

[ScarlettAdelle]

My grandmother firmly believes I look my best with no makeup on and my hair pulled back (which, coincidently is my default look when I'm not doing something special, but out of laziness... I usually think I look awful...) when I put makeup on she complains there's "too much black" around my eyes and that my hair's in my face. She also complains that I ue black liner and mascara instead of brown. I have darkish skin and black eyelashes. If I wore brown, I'd look like an alien XD

However I now hold a cosmetology license and can throw jargen around so she'll leave me alone about it hehe

But then again she's be happy if I cut my hair into a pixie and let it be curly, which won't happen in the forseeable future XD

[colette]

You and your mom sound a lot like mine! My mom was not allowed long hair as a girl. She actually had a really traumatic experience in which her mom sent her twin daughters (my mom and aunt, both 8yrs old with APL) to the barber to get a "trim." Bestemor (Norwegian for "grandma") called ahead, telling the barber to chop it to chin, and forced them to keep it that way.

My mom never grew out her hair again and just figured out how to rock her short hair.

But! She gave me her curls! All my childhood, my mom kept my hair long and loose as often as possible. She learned intricate hairstyles/braids for sending me to school (for hygiene and simplicity).

Stupid me. I "rebelled" and started gradually shortening the length (resulting in curly's worst nightmare...TRIANGLE HEAD). I could tell it hurt her feelings for me to be chopping off my long beautiful hair, but she was supportive anyway.

The things we do to our parents...

In summary--I never heard it from my mom. She loved my unruly hair more than I did.

Thats what my daughter will end up doing - rebelling! cos she knows how damn precious her hair is to me, her hair is my pride and joy:)

[Anywhere]

I've never heard this one. my mother cut me blunt bangs my whole childhood and so my hair was always in my "pretty" face. (I don't think my mother liked my face much, she would always put a full face of makeup on me for school photos or other photo occasions, such as my yearly dance class photos. I was more dolled up than one of those pageant babies. shudder:)

[Zefyra]

Ive had various forms of bangs throughout my life... Usually either blunt to the bridge of my nose, or longer and either side of centre parted (currently rocking the centre part as they grow out ;) ) and yea, the usually are in my face, and people usually tell me to move them... But Im so used to them it feels weird to have the pulled back. And I have a round face so I look better with bangs I think....

[BabyRay33]

My grandmother hated it in my face so much that she got me to cut it into a bob when I was about 11. I always hated the color too, so once I was old enough I started dying it and then the damage began.

She still makes comments since I'm growing it out (you look like your mother! Yes, and she had lovely long hair!) but she'll get over it. It makes me happy so I'm doing it.

[BrightEyes7]

I think it's in the mom handbook they have to say that! My mom always used to tell me that. Especially when I went through that faze in the 90's where you'd slick your hair back in a ponytail or bun and then leave two long strands hanging down your face. It kinda looked like a catfish or something now that I look back... :laugh:

[kitschy]

My mother kept my hair in a "pixie." I hated her for it.

[marzipanthecat]

My grandmother always complained my hair was "hanging in your face like rat tails" - which doesn't exactly sound like "To see your pretty face!" but I like to pretend it amounts to the same thing...

[Nastasia]

My mom didn't really tell me either way what to do with my hair, but I knew these twins growing up whose mom told them to never tuck their hair behind their ears or it'd make their ears grow sticking out. :confused:

Yozhik, that's hilarious :). I've tucked my hair behind my ears my whole life, to the point that the hair that grows right in front of them has a permanent curve in it, and my ears actually fold back towards my head. Both times I got my ears pierced, the woman doing it had trouble getting the holes aligned symmetrically because of how close my ears are to my skull. It also means I look kinda silly with most hoop earrings, but that's so completely off-topic. :D

[truepeacenik]

hmmmm...
Am I the only one with a grandfather who said these sorts of things?

[Gingevere]

My mom isn't generally nitpicky about my appearance, but she has always said she prefers my hair up or pulled away from my face. Personally, I think having my hair down balances out my face and makes me look a little less severe.

[Qadupae]

My mom wanted my hair out of my face mostly because I suffered from severe depression and she thought I was hiding my face as a result, like I was trying to be invisible. In a way, I kind of was >>