Redefining Length Goal *sigh*

[Mesmerise]

So, when I found LHC I got all excited measuring my hair and working out how far it was to my goal length. Of course, when I measured my hair I stretched it out... which meant it wasn't so very far from goal. But let's be honest... as I don't WEAR my hair stretched out... my ACTUAL goal is somewhat further than what I imagined it to be.

Now, when I stretch my hair out I'm probably 1/2" from waist... YAY right? But honestly I'm at least 2" from waist if my hair isn't stretched... so errm even when I "technically" reach waist... I'm not really there at all :o.

So, when you guys measure your hair, do you measure it stretched or unstretched... and do you set your goal at stretched or unstreached? My ultimate goal is hips which are about 32" but the reality is that I'll need 34" to be a solid hip, and my interim goal of waist is 29", but the reality is I'll need at least 31" of hair to actually LOOK as if it's at my waist! (Goes back to the drawing board... lol...)

[Automne]

I measure my hair stretched. I believe the difference between my hair stretched and unstretched is 4 inches, well it depends how curly it is. I have no idea how many inches I need for my goal when unstretched so I set my goal at stretched.

[Dragon]

I go by unstretched length since I believe that’s my true length. It use to annoy me when people told me I don't need to grow my hair any longer because look how long it is already. That of course would happen after they had straightened it. Maybe if I straightened my hair every day, id probably go by that length. I don’t have a goal length.

[DuckyDot]

I have 2 goals at any one time. Right now i'm Low BSL stretched - so my next goal stretched is Waist. My next goal unstretched is Low BSL.

[torrilin]

The 3cs and 4s in the BSL to Waist thread seem to mostly measure stretched, even tho they wear their hair curly. This makes sense to me, since a 4 (either a or b) might appear to have hair that just brushes her shoulders, but in reality her curls are eating so much length that it's well past BSL. So the reality is... her hair is BSL with pretty much all the problems that implies in terms of care. The only woe she's missing is chairs trying to eat her ends.

Since I adore seeing such beautiful curly hair, I am soooooo not arguing.

[woolyleprechaun]

I measure as it is, dry and unstretched (admittedly from my longest bits....) But to be honest, if my hair was realy curly I would do a stretched measurement just so i didnt get disheartened! I think if I was stretching I would probly get frustrated ('it MEASURES apl, why doesnt it LOOK it?!') aaargh!

[angelshair]

I'm an unstretched convert. I never wear my hair straight so there really isn't any use in measuring it stretched. Doesn't stop me from strutting around by the bathroom mirror when my hair is wet though :P
Since my hair is curly I measure by landmarks only, I would go crazy trying to measure the exact length with my hair bouncing up and down like a deranged yo-yo.

[Firefly]

I don't measure anymore, but when I did I did unstretched since my goal was how long it appeared naturally (waist, hip, etc).

[Annibelle]

I stretch mine, because my body wave changes each day. Right after I wash my hair, my hair is much wavier and therefore shorter than usual. Day 3 is my favorite hair-- it's straighter, smoother, and therefore appears longer. So my goal is to be hip on Day 3 after washing...

[KittyLost]

I measure mine stretched/wet until it reaches longer lengths like BSL and beyond. Then I start measuring it unstretched. It's because I'm impatient and want long hair quicker so when I consider it long enough, I can then calm down.

I think it's best to measure stretched though, as it is the actual length of your hair and that is what you are measuring. Unless you measure by milestones, then it may be best to measure unstretched as that is all about where hair falls rather than length in numbers.

[Hiriel]

I measure stretched, as I find it more consistent, but my hair is relatively straight, so I don't feel like there's too much cheating going on ;)
My goal length is a relatively random number, chosen because I think my hair will look the right length unstretched when it's measured to that length stretched. But I keep moving my goal length anyway, so I don't really pay much much attention to it. I mostly measure because I'm a geek who loves numbers and statistics. ;)

[elbow chic]

I recently had a similar epiphany-- when I joined LHC I got out my tape measure and decided, "okay, solid BSL is 26 inches."

Well, I passed 26 inches and it still doesn't look BSL!! So disappointing. :laugh: So I reset my goal. Hopefully 30 inches of hair will "look BSL."

But for purposes of measuring, I do measure mine stretched. Partly because the amount of curl can vary pretty wildly from day to day and partly because I DID grow that much hair, dammit, and it's hardly my fault it doesn't choose to march straight downward. ;)

[HintOfMint]

I go by landmarks, but I go by unstretched. However, my underlayer, which is my longest layer, tends to be much straighter than the rest of my hair so there isn't too much of a difference.

Hair is a vanity thing for me, so when I want my hair at a certain length, it's because I want it to actually look like it's at that length.

[growingpains]

I think if you have curly hair it makes sense to measure stretched...

But for me... I mean 1c/2a isn't that curly, maybe there's an inch and a half or so of difference, but I figure it's not so much to make me want to measure milestones based on stretched hair.

Of course I do pull my longest hairs taut and see how much closer they are getting to waist, but I wouldn't actually consider myself waist until my hair was that length unstretched.

And OP, don't worry, you're so close to waist you'll be there in no time! Enjoy the length you have for now:)

[jojo]

I stretch as my wave takes my length up else and i blow dry for update photos for the same reason

[Braidy]

As you can see in my siggie, I once measured what the lengths for each milestone would be but since my hair is wavy and bouncy and the visible length tends to change according to the waviness and bounciness of each day, I gave that up a long time ago. I've basically given up on all kinds of measuring. At first I did a measure and a length shot every month but last month I didn't think it worth to take a length shot and I'm not going to do it this month either. And that tape measure has gone out of the bathroom even before that. My goal is tailbone and the moment I get there, I guess I'll feel the hair brushing.

[Lianna]

My hair in natural wurly state touches my collar bone, stretched is 1/2 inch to APL. That's over 2 inches on me now, it used to shrink only 1.5 inches a while back. I measure it wet, to know how many inches I have/have grown in a period of time, it's more acurate this way.

But to actually claim a "body part goal" such APL, BSL, etc I'll do it in its natural state, since isn't that much shrinkage as those who are 3b and up. I think if I was curlier I'd only measure it/claim goals while straight, because the difference can be huge, like SL-waist difference.

So I'm pretty much keeping an eye on it both ways. ;) (though I'm too lazy to measure it consistently)

ETA: I don't like when people refer to stretching the hair to measure as cheating, how is that cheating? The person grew that amount of hair, just coiled up. :)

[Slinks]

I recently had a similar epiphany-- when I joined LHC I got out my tape measure and decided, "okay, solid BSL is 26 inches."

Well, I passed 26 inches and it still doesn't look BSL!! So disappointing. :laugh: So I reset my goal. Hopefully 30 inches of hair will "look BSL."

But for purposes of measuring, I do measure mine stretched. Partly because the amount of curl can vary pretty wildly from day to day and partly because I DID grow that much hair, dammit, and it's hardly my fault it doesn't choose to march straight downward. ;)

this made me laugh out loud ;-) I do enjoy your humour :-)

[Lux88]

I measure it dry, and unstretched. I have naturally wavy, so it's a bit longer when stretched..but I base my length on how it looks without pulling it.

[ravenreed]

My latest goal has nothing to do with a specific landmark. I am just growing until I can do a complete braid around my head. Once I get there, I am done growing. I am a couple of inches away. When I am trying to figure out my length, I will measure wet and stretched. Otherwise, I would never know. My hair is very wavy.

[McFearless]

I don't measure my hair but once every blue moon I'll stretch it to see if it is growing steadily since my curls eat up so much length.

My goal is hip unstretched. I don't see the point in having stretched goals if you style your hair naturally.

[Mesmerise]

I don't measure my hair but once every blue moon I'll stretch it to see if it is growing steadily since my curls eat up so much length.

My goal is hip unstretched. I don't see the point in having stretched goals if you style your hair naturally.

Yeah, this is true. I don't know what I was really thinking when I set my original hair goals lol. I mean I measured to hip and thought "right 32"!" And then I was thinking about it yesterday as I looked at the back of my head in the mirror and stretched my hair down... and realized that although my hair isn't THAT wavy, it does lose at least 1.5-2" in which case, I'd better set my goal length at least 2" longer so it actually LOOKS hip when it gets there!

And then I'll avoid disappointment too ;) even if it DOES mean another 4 months before I'm at a solid waist when unstretched! I'm close to waist now...but really it doesn't look like it at all cause I need to stretch it to get there!

[julliams]

I go by what my hair is when it's totally dry and sitting as it would normally do. 2 inches is only a couple of months away - between 3 - 5 months with average growth and this will simply fly by. I do have to say though, there is nothing like being an inch past your goal because then it really does look that length from all sides. Try to relax and enjoy the length you are, remind yourself that each day is a day closer to your goal, and just let it happen. If you can try to move your focus elsewhere, the goal will happen before you know it.

[Phexlyn]

For me there's not much difference between stretched and unstretched hair. Even braidwaves shorten my hair more than the little natural waves it has, and those don't make much difference themselves, so I go for the stretched measurement most of the time.

Why don't you turn your stretched and unstretched measurements into (mini-)goals, like some other person suggested? It might help to keep you from being frustrated :flower:

[AmericanWoman]

I measure my hair wet because I want to know it's actual length. I can pretty much guesstimate how much more I need for TB. (unwet lol)

[LaceyNg]

i dont measure right now, although i plan to start soon.

my hair is by no meansd curly, but i still plan to measure it wet/ stretched, as i think that would be more acurate in terms of progress (ie, i grew x amount this month, for example).

having said that, i base my goal on landmark, not inches, and on dry, instretched hair, since, as some others have pointed out, theres no point in having a goal be stretched, when i plan on wearing it naturaly.

OP, good thread though! its interesting to see how other ppl set their goals, etc!

[spidermom]

I don't measure. When I was waiting for waist length, I'd cinch a red belt around my waist and use a hand mirror to look in the big mirror to see where my ends were. Once they touched the belt (dry), hooray!

[dragonchickx]

no stretching with my hair, it is so straight..

[strangemeow]

ive never measured my hair, i thought of doing it so i could put a number in my profile or something, but im afraid i would get discouraged lol