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Amara
July 15th, 2008, 09:55 AM
In the recent bangs/fringe thread, Sedonia said..."I never felt like my hair could be 100% wild and free so long as I had bangs. I feel like they are a symbol of inhibition that I've freed myself from."

That made me wonder what other things we associate with our hair that might not be readily apparent to other people.

For instance, my long hair symbolizes adulthood to me. As a girl I always had short hair, so this makes me feel womanly. Some people I know feel opposite! Opposite from Sedonia, I know my bangs actually make me feel a little bit wild and unkempt, since they blow around and are usually free from updoes (I can catch them in a braid if I want to), which I like.

What other associations do you have with your hair that others might be surprised by?

Samikha
July 15th, 2008, 09:57 AM
Great idea for a thread! I have a lot of obvious associations with my hair; femininity, nostalgia, history etc.
I think the one most non-LHC people might be a bit surprised by is that since coming here I consider my hair a hobby :D

Awalia
July 15th, 2008, 10:05 AM
To me, long and healthy hair is a symbol of feminin beauty. It makes me feel like a lady :). I'm not sure why.

Amara
July 15th, 2008, 10:07 AM
Yes, hair=hobby makes for crazy looks from most non LHCers, this I know. :D

heidihug
July 15th, 2008, 10:29 AM
since coming here I consider my hair a hobby

Me, too, Samikha.

LaurelSpring
July 15th, 2008, 10:37 AM
Lately I have been considering mine my kind of palette. It is like my creative outlet. Every day a different creation.

Other assosications that come to me are femininity, sexuality, freedom and individuality.

Lisa-Maria
July 15th, 2008, 10:46 AM
My hair is a freedom, I decide what is to be done with it, how I like it no one but me has a say on the subject of my hair. It makes me feel good!

Samara Morgan
July 15th, 2008, 10:52 AM
Hmmmmm I don't really know how to describe what mine means to me lol :rolleyes: All I know is that it makes me feel........ like "me" really :lol:

Belisama
July 15th, 2008, 11:04 AM
I associate my hair with independence and uniqueness. I have the longest hair of all my co-workers, by many inches if not feet and I am the only one in the building who wears hair sticks/ficcares/or any manner of stylish hair toys. No cookie-cutter bobs or overly-styled dried and fried should length dos.

VanillaTresses
July 15th, 2008, 11:15 AM
Interesting topic/thread! I most associate long hair with "natural environment." Out-of-doors, acceptance of nature, "weathering the storms" etc. I also associate it with patience and a certain type of wisdom and steadfastness.

I also associate long hair (in particular) with one professor that I had back in public high school-- he had dark steely gray curly long hair all the way to his tailbone, and he wore it in a brad every day (he said his wife braided it for him). He had an aroma-aura of patchouli around him (permeated everything, including our textbooks) so when you were at home doing your reading homework you would swear he was right around you somewhere because you could smell him! :cool:

That takes a lot of "b@lls," I think, especially in public high school in a very conservative county. He was a Vietnam vet and all of his students held a lot of respect for him. He cared a lot about every student, and focused especially on those who were struggling or rejected by their peers. Angel in disguise! Several of his children had pre-deceased him and I think his heart was broken.

Anyhow, he died not that many years after I graduated, and I dunno, I still associate long hair with him, and want to grow my hair out very long as one way to "honor" him. I hope this isn't getting as :cheese: as I think it is....

Samara Morgan
July 15th, 2008, 11:29 AM
I also associate long hair (in particular) with one professor that I had back in public high school-- he had dark steely gray curly long hair all the way to his tailbone, and he wore it in a brad every day (he said his wife braided it for him). He had an aroma-aura of patchouli around him (permeated everything, including our textbooks) so when you were at home doing your reading homework you would swear he was right around you somewhere because you could smell him! :cool:

Anyhow, he died not that many years after I graduated, and I dunno, I still associate long hair with him, and want to grow my hair out very long as one way to "honor" him. I hope this isn't getting as :cheese: as I think it is....

I don't think it's cheesy at all VanillaTresses, I think it's really sweet :agree: I think quite a few people associate long hair with wisdom :) (I'm thinking Gandalf here :D)

Curlsgirl
July 15th, 2008, 11:40 AM
I don't think it's cheesy at all VanillaTresses, I think it's really sweet :agree: I think quite a few people associate long hair with wisdom :) (I'm thinking Gandalf here :D)

Hmmmmmm Gandalf, YES!!! Love it!
And Vanilla Tresses I too think that is great and not weird or cheesy at all!!!

I associate long hair with "pretty" not sure why and also "princess". I think it is "freeing" and "feminine", "young-like", "sexy" and sort of yes "wild". :)

AerisDawn
July 15th, 2008, 01:02 PM
Hmmmmmm Gandalf, YES!!! Love it!
And Vanilla Tresses I too think that is great and not weird or cheesy at all!!!

I associate long hair with "pretty" not sure why and also "princess". I think it is "freeing" and "feminine", "young-like", "sexy" and sort of yes "wild". :)

Agreed! Especially the princess thing. Who doesn't want to be like Rapunzel?

Hypnotica
July 15th, 2008, 01:07 PM
Long hair for me (on males and females alike) reminds me of wilderness, the Vikings, strenght and magical beings.

Honey39
July 15th, 2008, 01:21 PM
I like long hair blowing around my face and shoulders on me - it makes me feel free, and beautiful, and like I've accepted my hair rather than fighting against it. I associate long hair with femininity, beauty and pampering. For me, that is.

On other people - yeah, I can see the beauty of short and long hair, but I do have a personal preference for long hair on men and women. It feels freer somehow. (I hate long nails on men though - yikes, that's an absolutely phobia of mine - so it's not all about freeing everything to grow, lol!)

WritingPrincess
July 15th, 2008, 01:32 PM
Great idea for a thread! I have a lot of obvious associations with my hair; femininity, nostalgia, history etc.
I think the one most non-LHC people might be a bit surprised by is that since coming here I consider my hair a hobby :D

Oh, yes! I so agree with that. It's the only hobby that I haven't gotten bored with.


Agreed! Especially the princess thing. Who doesn't want to be like Rapunzel?
Well, I don't. Just think of the breakage she must have had! :scared:

WaimeaWahine
July 15th, 2008, 01:50 PM
Okay. I'm a bit kooky but it seems past life related sometimes. The forums mention everything from mystical creatures like elves and mermaids to associations with women of medival times.

I had such a thing for the 1950's as a child that it really disturbed my mother. After seeing When Peggy Sue Got Married and growing into a true sense of self, my high pony tail was inevitable. If it were possible to live in Pleasantville, you'd find me there.

Old fashioned perhaps. :knit:

danacc
July 19th, 2008, 12:56 AM
Primarily, I associate my long hair with nature/naturalness, independent spirit, and simplicity. I also resonate with long hair as a hobby, and as a unique, or at least unusual, quality.

Now that I wear it up nearly all the time in public, it has also become a sign of comfort and familiarity toward those who "get to" see me with it down.

winter_star
July 19th, 2008, 05:23 AM
Long hair for me (on males and females alike) reminds me of wilderness, the Vikings, strenght and magical beings.

Hypnotica I agree with you. This is one of the main reasons I love long hair so much. It helps me feel closer and connects me to a world of fantasy and beautiful medieval women and men. It is very empowering, feminine and spiritual to me. Also, for some strange reason I am rarely attracted to a man (or woman for that matter) who has short hair :confused:

winter_star
July 19th, 2008, 05:28 AM
Okay. I'm a bit kooky but it seems past life related sometimes. The forums mention everything from mystical creatures like elves and mermaids to associations with women of medival times.

I had such a thing for the 1950's as a child that it really disturbed my mother. After seeing When Peggy Sue Got Married and growing into a true sense of self, my high pony tail was inevitable. If it were possible to live in Pleasantville, you'd find me there.

Old fashioned perhaps. :knit:

Waimea Whaine I agree with you too. I think my love of long hair has something to do with a past life and my obbession with medieval times and all things mystical.

But I suppose i'm a little kooky too! :D

bex487
July 19th, 2008, 05:36 AM
I always associate long hair with beauty-because of the centuries-old view that long hair is feminine. When I cut my hair short, I always feel a little regret because I think of long hair as young and fun and carefree. It's never JUST hair. ;)

liseling
July 19th, 2008, 05:50 AM
I think I associate long hair with freedom and, sortof, 'unprocessed-ness', if that makes any sense. Also the state of long hair I see as a measure of self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and ableness. Like if I see someone with well cared for long hair then I see them as more self-sufficient than someone who has long straggly unkempt hair (short hair I just dont get this type of feeling with either way).
Another example is like when I see an old person with long hair that looks well maintained I get this feeling that they're doing a good job of holding onto their abilities to be independant and self-sufficient. When people cut their hair just because they're getting older I always see it as more aging than if they left it long - like they've given up or something.

paper
July 19th, 2008, 06:25 AM
I just started growing my hair. The longer it gets, the more feminine I feel. I love it. And, the journey has been fun. Like a hobby, like others had said.

Vainjane
July 19th, 2008, 09:56 AM
I associate long hair with femininity, fanticy, and freedom. As a child I always pictured myself w/ classic length hair, or longer. I wanted to BE an elf. I consider long hair a kind of rebellion from the mainstream beauty fads and expectations.

RavenDream
July 19th, 2008, 10:44 AM
I associate my long hair with my sense of rebellion and also my sexuality. The longer it gets the more feminine and beautiful I feel.

WavyGirl
July 21st, 2008, 10:20 AM
I associate it with naturalness. I guess it's because short styles tend to need lots of product &/or manipulation and they look more artificial to me. I know that lots of those with long hair use product too but it's just an association not a fact *shrug*

Sensuality also seems more pronounced in someone of either gender with their hair down. Like they released all their inhibitions with the hair ties. Like they are comfortable in their own skin.

Tangles
July 21st, 2008, 07:19 PM
For me, long hair represents innocence because the last time I had it really long was a totally different phase in my life. It was only a couple years ago, but I feel so overly adult now, weighted with responsibilities.

I feel like growing my hair will give me a bit of that feeling back, as silly as it sounds!

helpmegro
July 21st, 2008, 08:15 PM
Not for other women, but for me, I associate long hair with youth and childhood, because I've had long hair throughout childhood, etc. I cut my hair earlier this year to look more like a woman... but now I want my long hair back, because I do associate long hair with beauty and femininity!

embee
July 21st, 2008, 08:33 PM
Yes, there is freedom - freedom from following the expected path, being myself. And there is control - I control what I do.

My hair was always a disappointment to me - thin, straight, stringy. It also disappointed my mother who wanted a blond daughter with ringlets.

Now I find myself delighted with my hair, it is easy to manage, it "does" what I want, it looks kempt and neat instead of needy.

Long hair has always seemed more feminine. People who matter to me say my hair looks nice. Not beautiful, because that's not the kind of hair I have, but it doesn't look messy or screwed up. It used to look like it needed attention: a wave, a trim, a fix, a wash, a brush - something, but I never knew what, as nothing I tried seemed to work!

crystal_89
July 21st, 2008, 10:46 PM
I grew long hair to feel more feminine. I find it an attractive feature on me.

I also grow my hair long because I feel like its an achievement. It takes time and patience to have long, healthy hair. Its not something everyone has and can be rare. I love it when my friends, or anyone comes up to me and says "oh wow, your hair is really long!" (even though on here its not).

daydreamer
July 21st, 2008, 11:25 PM
I think long hair for me means femininity, youthful in spirit (agelessness), and a kind of natural untamedness.
I actually really like a chin length bob on me, it suits me well -- but it symbolizes adulthood, modern fashion, cuteness, and just a time of my life that I feel isn't me anymore. I always had at least BSL length hair as a child so maybe that is why longer hair feels younger to me.