Long hair perception around the world

[Sushi144]

This sound like a pretentious title... Yeah, college spoilt my capacity of finding good ones ! :p

I noticed here a lot of american poster who complain about people always saying they should cut their hair, and telling they are the longest hair in their area or almost, even when they're actually just midback.

Living in France, I have a totally different experience about long-haired people. Here, about 2/3 of the women have at least APL, even more for young women. Being TBL myself, even if I dont have a common hair lenght, I'm far to be an oddity - I should be past classic, or even knee, to be.
After a few weeks on LHC, I also went looking for virgin hair. I noticed they're not so rare here, especially for the women between 25 and 40 - too old to try funny dyes or abuse of straightener, too young to hide their white hair. But they're already a big difference in north, where I live, and south, where it seems there are more bleached blondes.

How are long hairs perceived in your country/area ? Did you noticed a difference when you travelled/moved in another city/country ?

ETA : maybe I exaggerated a little, the average is more between SL and APL. But still. ^^

[Shahada]

I find alot of people think long hair is impossible to achieve and even though they stand in awe of it, they are not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to gain the length they desire.

[Amber_Maiden]

Not common at all where I am. It's pretty rare. I'd say hip length is something people stare at. Mid-back is pretty ok with most people and they say that that length is pretty long.

[PixxieStix]

Here people seem to think hair is long at BSL, and most women have it around shoulder-APL. Waist and longer gets some stares. There is a girl who works at the college I attend with thick, gorgeous hip length hair with bleached streaks and highlights. The ends could use some TLC, but overall her hair looks very well cared for and it is considered "very long" in this neck of the woods.

[Renate]

Fashion, magazines, actresses, the media, they all try and say that shorter lenght is now what's hot - but nothing is enough to convince Brazilian women to cut their hair short!

Long hair here is the norm, I would say hip lenght is nothing surprising, nothing to stare at. Shoulder lenght is already pretty short. Anything shorter than chin lenght is very short. A pixie is almost like being bald.

The average lenght for below 30 is between APL and BSL, the average for above 30 is around APL.

Below BSL is considered long.

[aisha.christine]

Where I live, long hair isn't too uncommon ("long" being BSL to hip). I find that when you are looking at health of hair though, the number drops exponentially. Almost everyone here that has long hair has horribly deep-fried hair.

[DreadfulWoman]

I live in the U.S., but long-ish hair is kind of the norm where I live, especially for younger woman. Anywhere from APL to hip length, although anything long than that seems pretty unusual.

[Elenna]

I'm in California. Most of the long haired people here are fairly young; their hair may be BSL or sometimes longer. Just about all of the older ladies here have short, short hair cuts. Some have dyed hair, and some have natural hair color.

[Nedertane]

Hmmm, well, I'd say that where I live, average length would be around BSL or APL. Every so often, you'll see someone with longer than waist hair, and while people might stare for a bit, or maybe make a comment, but they aren't considered freaks, or anything.

As for health, people tend to do "standard" care: shampoo and condition every day, trim every few months, and some heat styling. Doesn't sound good to LHC'ers, but in my neck of the woods, it's normal, and isn't seen as being as bad as bleaching, and heat styling daily, which would be fairly uncommon.

[Piyo]

In high school and college in Colorado (US) long hair wasn't very common. It seemed young women really like to keep it around shoulder length with layers because it's versatile? They like to switch it up a lot, both style and color.

In Chicago I see long hair a little more often, but I have wonder how many of the long haired people I see are natives here. I think a lot of Russian tourists had long hair! About 150 people worked at the store I worked at, and only one other girl had hair around waist length.

I think the perception from a lot of people I know about long hair is that it is too much work or that it is "outdated". I have to agree that it does take more work. :P

[HappyHair87]

Being Black in America...having long hair kinda makes you a rare sight. If you are known to have long hair it is automatically assumed you are mixed...(As in Black parent/non-black parent). True we have a lot mixed in our blood, but it doesn't mean i'm mixed just because my hair grows longer than shoulder length. Both of my parents are Black(even though my mother is very light skinned) and i have had waistlength hair.

Anything beyond SL in the Black community is considered as being long. APL-BSL is considered REALLY long....i thought like this until i discovered hair boards in 2008. I used to think that other Black girls that had really long hair were mixed with something. Education is powerful bc now i feel silly for believing the myth that Black ppl's hair can't grow that long.

[Andraste]

I find alot of people think long hair is impossible to achieve and even though they stand in awe of it, they are not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to gain the length they desire.

This.

Long hair takes patience and care, and most people don't seem to have enough of that, where I live at least. I've lived in the South before, and people say that it's the 'armpit of America', so my current home, (Nevada) must be the butthole (lol). I grew up here too, and it's a very odd community. Shoulder length is considered medium length here! :no:

I NEVER see hair past bsl, so I can't wait until I reach waist.
Only 2 inches left :heartbeat

[jessa]

Here in Perth, Western Australia, between BSL and Waist is common, but majority of them are extensions which are mostly atrocious and have been severely heat damaged from straighning or curling, and its quite easy to tell they are extensions as most girls dont even bother having them properly put in or cut to suit their hair. Long, natural and healthy hair is not as common.

[honeydippedxo]

Where I live most people think BSL is long.

[Juneii]

The definition of long hair where I live and within my age group is pretty short. "Oooh my GOD, my hair is sooo loooonggg" has come out of the mouth of several girls with just barely BSL length. But I have seen hair as long or longer than mine as well. But the perception of long hair where I live is generally around the length where you can tie your hair up in a ponytail and is long enough to swish around a little.

[LittleOrca]

Long in my town is anything shoulders and longer... Average long hair is between BSL and Waist... To me, that all still short.

[AspenSong]

Well, in the small town I grew up in, in SW Colorado - long hair was not an odd sight. Most of the women and girls around had at least mid-back length. It also probably factored in that I grew up near the S. Ute reservation as well, and you might have found one or two of the women who had shorter hair, but for the most part they all had TB length or longer hair. I remember being horribly envious of my friend growing up and her jet black, TB length hair that was 6"+ around her ponytail. *sigh* So there, long hair was pretty normal and appreciated I'd say.

Here in Denver where I live now, I see some longer hair, but it mostly ends BSL to a bit below. I have no idea what anyone's perception of longer hair is here, because no one has ever said anything to me other than "Oh, your hair is long!" and that's usually it. Granted, I usually have it up! haha.

Now, when I lived in TN when I was in my teens and I had TB length hair, it was a totally different story. In the area we lived in, nowhere around there was there ever any longer hair than BSL - short cuts were very popular. In fact, if it got longer than bsl, someone would start harping on the person about it and "having ALL that hair!!" and it being too hot, too much trouble, useless, makes you look "old", it's just "hangin' there and looks stringy!", etc. This was other people, not just me. I got it fairly bad from even family (except my dad) to cut my hair. And people seemed shocked by it there too. My Dad would laugh because it never failed that we'd be out somewhere and if my hair was down, someone would sneak up behind me quietly and touch my hair! lol...And then ask me if it was real! lol. Don't get me wrong, I nearly slapped every one of them because I don't get walking up and just touching someone like that, but that's beside the point. It was just different for them to see hair that long. Sadly, I got so tired of the hounding and nasty, back handed comments about it, that I cut it in the end to shut everyone up because, basically at 17, I was far weaker than I am now. =/ Always regretted it...and it made me more angry how I was suddenly so much "prettier" and interesting and whatnot to family and people with it in a short shag. :p Even all this time later, my Grandma (my only living family now, other than my brother), still doesn't like it long. The last time she saw me it was about BSL and she started in on me about when I was going to cut it. *eyeroll*
I told her when it was dragging the floor. lol :p - Can't wait to see what she'll say if I can go back this spring to visit and it's about hip length!

[sfgirl]

Frisco hipsters usually either have short the SL hair, and the girls in my fashion school maybe have their hair to APL. The older hippies sometimes have TBL hair, but everyone I've seen is damaged up to the scalp. :(

[Nordlilja]

Where I live, BSL is "long" and waist is "very long". Anything longer than waist is very unusual. But if someone has waistlenght hair, she (yes, always "she") could be any age. Updos are uncommon, except for ponytails and braids, and hairtoys... don't ask, please...:rolleyes: Do I have to tell you all that am doing my very best to change that:D?

[MaryMarx]

I think it's pretty common here where I live. I see BSL's very often. Also a lot of long haired guys. :crush:

[ScarlettAdelle]

I quit wearing my hair down because I would get approached fairly often (at least a couple times a week) by people telling me "You should cut your hair and donate it to kids with cancer. Yours will grow back, their's won't" and other equally pretentious ways of putting it. In my area, where I guess being nosy and rude isn't as looked down upon as I personally believe it should be (I mean, come on! Who walks up to a stranger and tries to tell them what they "should" do? I can't even BEGIN to describe how rude that is!!) long hairs are I guess seen as insensitive and I suppose selfish.

I guess that makes me insensitive and selfish. :shrug: oh well.

[Tota]

I come from a small country in Europe and I live in the second largest city. When I look around I see that in general people here don't know how to take care of their hair to make it look healthy and shiny. They really don't care much about it I think.

Women with long virgin hair are a rarity here. The ones that do have long hair have mostly dull, unhealthy and frizzy hair that is straightened and dyed. BSL is already considered as "long hair". Women after 30 (or even younger) mosty wear pixies, bobs or shoulder length hair and they have it bleached, dyed (red is very popular), straightened and so on. I used to be one of them and when I stopped dyeing my hair and let it grow out I got comments like: Why would you want to do that??? and also: Why would you want to have your hair healthy, it's just hair, it's to be cut off.

So ... yeah. But I can see in younger population (teens) that long hair is becoming popular. I guess all those Kardashians and other popular long-haired influences did a difference. So about two years ago extensions were extremely popular. After that I started noticing more and more young girls growing out their own hair and I see more and more virgin hair longer than BSL.

I think that this recession thing also helped a bit because more and more people is realising that going to the hairdresser's every month is not a neccessity and that giving up on dyeing and constant cutting can be a way of saving money. So now I can see more of simple hairstyles that don't need touch-ups every few weeks. Recession is a bad thing nonetheless.

Before I joined TLHC I tried to find a site with some info of natural and hair-friendly haircare in my own language because I thought that the products listed there would be easier to find. Do you think I found it? Nah! Just forums talking about extensions, blowdrying, hairsprays, straigtening etc.

[Henrietta]

Not common at all where I am. It's pretty rare. I'd say hip length is something people stare at. Mid-back is pretty ok with most people and they say that that length is pretty long.

Same here. BSL is "long" because OMG, you can braid it! Not so much pixie cuts, though, many ALP/SL people. And whereas BSL in "long & normal" waist is "too long to be normal, if you are at waist you must be doing it on purpose because who would like to deal with this much hair if it wasn't particularly important for him/her". If you're longer than hip then, man, your life must be all about your hair :D

[PorkChop]

Where I live id say APL-BSL is average length.
As to virgin hair, I'd say virtually nobody has it (women, not children)
Id say the most common colour young women dye it here now is red, then followed by brown. Red is the common/popular choice to dye it at the moment, and a lot dye it dark brown and black too

[Toadstool]

Where I live id say APL-BSL is average length.
As to virgin hair, I'd say virtually nobody has it (women, not children)
Id say the most common colour young women dye it here now is red, then followed by brown. Red is the common/popular choice to dye it at the moment, and a lot dye it dark brown and black too

I'd agree, but I would add that age 30 upwards (and certainly above 40) very few women have long hair. Most have short cuts, above shoulderlength. Long hair isn't prized, apart from in the young.

[Mina17]

Around here APL to BSL is pretty common in teenage girls. I see a few women in their 40s and some older back-to-the-land types with waist-TB length hair.

[pink.sara]

I also went looking for virgin hair. I noticed they're not so rare here, especially for the women between 25 and 40 - too old to try funny dyes or abuse of straightener, too young to hide their white hair.

Slight derail but obviously at 30 I'm too old for the colour of my hair and should put down my straighteners too.
And I'll never be too young to hide my greys, a little circle of the sods popped up in my early 20's!
:rolleyes:

[lunalocks]

I started getting a lot of attention about my hair even before I reached waist. Most women here have shorter than shoulder, and covering the gray or highlights is the norm. In the past 2 months I have had 2 salon owners comment on the length and health of my hair, saying it is a rarity, and I am only at hip! That said, I was at a dance last night where another women had a lovely TB braid.

[Mesmerise]

I have noticed that hair length sort of goes in phases. For example, I'd say it was much less common when I was in high school (back in the late 80s) than it is now.

I see a lot of young women with long hair, and a few older ones. It is more common to cut it as you get older, but that doesn't mean that there aren't women 40+ with long hair. It's certainly not something you'd comment on, and I've never heard of a women in that age group being told that she was too old for long hair!

Two of my neighbours in my small court (with like 9 houses in it) are long haired renegrays! Both have hair probably mid back length, almost waist.

So yeah, it would be less common to see an older woman with waist length hair, but I don't think anyone would really care.

However, when hair gets to lengths beyond hip, it gets noticed. It is very rare to see hair beyond classic (although I did the other day!!) Hair of that sort of length really gets noticed, in any age group.

[MonaMayfair]

I live in central London and everyone I see seems to have at least BSL length hair (of course loads of people here are tourists, so could come from anywhere!)
Don't often see obvious extensions either (and I have a good eye for recognizing them)
That's one of the reasons I had my hair cut into a bob about 3 years ago, I wanted to be different from everyone else!

[3azza]

People In lebanon: shoulder length to waist is most common. Hip to classic is less common but still exist. Most girls like to straighten their wavy hair. Ten years ago, most curlies would straighten it, but not as much anymore.
Women, the older and the well groomed, think curly hair sucs, but most men like it :eyebrows:
People In Dubai: I received bad and sometimes hurtful comments about my curls.
People from France/Italy/Switzerland: i received positive comments about texture and length.

[jacqueline101]

In my town mid back to bra strap is fairly long. Most people don't grow their hair too long. I think it has to do with the scorching summer heat.

[Sheryl]

I'm in Ontario, Canada. The long haired people here are usually young girls, under 30. Older women usually have shoulder length or shorter, although there are exceptions. Long hair is the "in" style here now and I see woman of every age who are obviously growing it out.

Coloured hair in the "over 30" crowd is the norm.

I'm 55 and I have BSL hair. I'm growing it to my knees. :D I don't care if people think I'm too old for long hair or not. Actually, when it's in a French braid, I get a lot of compliments on it. I think most women want long hair they can braid but just don't have the patience to grow it out past the inconvenient stage. They'd rather spend all that time in the morning, every day or every other day, styling it. Long hair is so much eaiser and a lot more fun.

A lot of my life is all about my hair. :D
until the ground thaws, anyway...

[joliherb]

Here in Idaho, USA the average lenth is about the chin or long enough to go into a pony tail. I go to a church though that beleives in corinthian hair/uncut. The average lenth is at the waist. Some are about 6 inches below the bum. My hair is at the bra strap level. I hadn't cut it for 24 years. It just stopped growing. I was so excited to find out about conditioner only washing and oiling. My hair has grown 3 inches in the last 4 weeks! I sure hope it continues! :applause

[Sushi144]

Wow, so many answers ! Thank you for sharing your experiences ! :)


Being Black in America...having long hair kinda makes you a rare sight. [...] Anything beyond SL in the Black community is considered as being long.
Long-haired black women are quite rare here too. A lot of them have extensions, or fake braids braided with their own hair. Those who try to have long hair often abuse of straightener.

AspenSong : It really amazes my that people can put so much pressure on you just for hair... :(

MaryMax : I noticed long-haired guy are more popular in cultures which used to consider long hair as a positive thing (here in Europe Celts, Germans, Vikings, and in North-American Natives). I'm glad I live in Europe because we have many of them ! :inlove:

ScarlettAdelle : all this donating thing sounds really weird to me. Is it an American specificity ? Here people don't talk randomly to other people anyway. :D

Tota : I always thought the Kardashian girls had hair damaged by straightener. Am I right or just jealous ? :o


Slight derail but obviously at 30 I'm too old for the colour of my hair and should put down my straighteners too.

It's actually not my own opinion, but the "rules" most people agree right here. French society is very judgemental even if it doesn't look like at first sight. If you break one of the hundred of tacit rules everyone is supposed to respect, you're labeled "misfit"; people won't spontaneously tell you in the street that you shouldn't do that (please, that would mean we should TALK to each other ! :D) but their opinion about you is definitely altered.

But for me, I don't mind ! A lot of women past 25 have funny hair colours ont this forum and it's not a problem for me ! :) I'm not as positive about straightener because I think it's a bit damaging, but after all it's you to decide. :)

[dwell_in_safety]

I would say that here (northern Indiana) 90% have hair APL or shorter, tending towards shorter, with only about 5% of women possessing virgin hair. BSL is long, and at waist I would have the longest hair at my college.

[holothuroidea]

There seems to be this "sweet spot" for hair length for young women in my area, and that is between APL and BSL. Any shorter than that is "unfeminine" or "old ladyish" and any longer than that is "religious." So basically the idea is that men like long hair but too long and they'll think you are a religious "nut" and are therefore unavailable.

All of this is really stupid and I would say most people don't subscribe to those ideas but they are still prevalent. Probably thanks to media and such and such.

Hair longer than waist is relatively common around here, but I think it's because we have such a large foreign population- especially east Asian and Indian. Most of the women I see with very long hair are from these cultures. For a white woman older than 20, anything below BSL is rare but you'd probably have to go below classic before people started looking at you funny.

ETA: I grew up in Minnesota and it is much different in the Midwest. Most women have hair above APL, and if you had longer hair (waist) you'd really stand out. Notably, there is very little ethnic diversity in that area of the U.S. and there is more of either a "fundamentalist" or "hippy" stigma associated with long hair.

[Tota]

Tota : I always thought the Kardashian girls had hair damaged by straightener. Am I right or just jealous ? :o

I don't know, they could even have extensions but I really don't know ... I guess they do mess with their hair more than an average person ;) I'm just saying that no matter the state or the source (extensions etc.) of their hair, popular people on tv and magazines do tend to have some influences on young girls here because it's amazing how many highscool girls I see with long hair nowadays. When I was in high school (8 years ago) only ONE of my 25 female classmates had hair longer than APL.

[Sheryl]

There is a "hippie" or a "Back to Nature Nut" stigma here associated with long hair.

I'm a "hippie", always have been, and not just because of my hair! :D

When I tell someone I'm an artist or a farmer, I get the "Oh, that's why you look like that" look.
Who needs society? It's coming apart anyway...

[racrane]

In Wisconsin, most girls in high school have APL to BSL hair. Girls do have longer but it's often cut to around those lengths. I had waist length for a year and people always stared at me. Anyway, I noticed a lot of girls when they go to college cut their hair into shoulder length or I'm guessing their idea of "professional work setting" hair styles. Very few girls at my college have longer than BSL hair or they cut it if it gets too long.

Of course, I don't care what everyone else does; I like my hair long and it'll be long. :)

[Starry_Eyed]

There seems to be this "sweet spot" for hair length for young women in my area, and that is between APL and BSL. Any shorter than that is "unfeminine" or "old ladyish" and any longer than that is "religious." So basically the idea is that men like long hair but too long and they'll think you are a religious "nut" and are therefore unavailable.

All of this is really stupid and I would say most people don't subscribe to those ideas but they are still prevalent. Probably thanks to media and such and such.

Hair longer than waist is relatively common around here, but I think it's because we have such a large foreign population- especially east Asian and Indian. Most of the women I see with very long hair are from these cultures. For a white woman older than 20, anything below BSL is rare but you'd probably have to go below classic before people started looking at you funny.

ETA: I grew up in Minnesota and it is much different in the Midwest. Most women have hair above APL, and if you had longer hair (waist) you'd really stand out. Notably, there is very little ethnic diversity in that area of the U.S. and there is more of either a "fundamentalist" or "hippy" stigma associated with long hair.

I currently live in MN and we're actually more diverse than people think. MN has the largest population of Hmong people in the USA and I also see quite a few Mexican, Indian, and African Americans here. We're not as diverse as some states on the coasts, but for being in the center of the country we're not doing too bad with diversity.

Long hair here is indeed generally seen as a young woman or girl hair style. Most people start cutting their hair in high school or college and I think there's a social expectation that you should cut your hair once you start your professional/adult life. Honestly, I think part of that comes from the fact that most people don't know how to style long hair without heat tools and then they can't keep up with the damage so they chop it off.

As someone about to turn 30 I do think I need to know how to style my hair instead of just having it down or in a ponytail constantly, but there's a lot of neat updo's and heatless techniques that can create interesting and sophisticated long hair. I think something that has been an "ah-ha!" moment for me on my long hair journey is realizing that my grandmothers probably knew a great deal about heatless styling, but all that information became obsolete and forgotten for a generation or so after curling irons became the norm. Now here I am, scouring the web for all that old information . . . life is funny sometimes, isn't it?

[joliherb]

I think something that has been an "ah-ha!" moment for me on my long hair journey is realizing that my grandmothers probably knew a great deal about heatless styling, but all that information became obsolete and forgotten for a generation or so after curling irons became the norm. Now here I am, scouring the web for all that old information . . . life is funny sometimes, isn't it?[/quote\]

Yes, the old ways were the good was as far as no heat is so much better for hair! I love up dos and I do a fancy up do at least twice a week. other than that I do a simple bun that keeps it out of the way and protects the ends.

[growfro]

Here, people with hair at BSL or longer is considered long. Waist length among the friends/family/coworkers etc is pretty uncommon. I told some friends I'm growing my hair to waist length, and they look at me like I'm crazy. Don't get them started on hip+ length. ;) I feel my own is short at BSL.

[RitaPG]

I think longer hair is more common around European countries - don't quote me on this, since I can't be sure - but where I'm from, APL to BSL-ish hair is very common, especially amongst younger people.

And since I went to college, I find even more longhairs, several boys with chin to shoulderblade long hair, a couple with waist or longer. Some girls with waist hair, one with Tailbone+ (not sure if she made it to Classic) and a teacher with a Classic length ponytail.
Although short hair is more common amongst mature (and older) women, long hair is not frowned upon in here most of the time, I believe. The other day I saw a lady with her white hair in a braided bun, and judging from her thickness I'd say she was longer than APL. One of my grandmother's sister also had a long braid all her life :)
I once saw a boy with bright, ankle length hair :thud: I'm sure he was foreign, though, very pale hair and skin, very tall, I think he was from Northern Europe...

I'd say APL to BSL is the norm here, and anything longer than waist is rare.

[holothuroidea]

I currently live in MN and we're actually more diverse than people think. MN has the largest population of Hmong people in the USA and I also see quite a few Mexican, Indian, and African Americans here. We're not as diverse as some states on the coasts, but for being in the center of the country we're not doing too bad with diversity.

Hello!! :waving: I miss MN and I'm jealous of you. :p

Anyway, I didn't mean to imply that MN has no diversity. But comparatively (especially compared to the NJ/NY area), it is not very diverse. I've lived in communities in NJ where I was clearly a minority as a white person. When people from this area visit the midwest, their first impression is usually of how incredibly white it is.

Of course in MN, just like anywhere else, you'll see more diversity in metropolitain areas than in rural ones. I grew up in a town in the backwoods of northern MN, so I really wasn't exposed to any ethnic groups other than white people of various backgrounds and Native American.

This is only relevant because as I said, I've noticed that in places with higher populations of Asians and Indians and Eastern Europeans, long hair tends to be more popular. In places where they are distinctly a minority I have seen more of a trend towards them cutting their hair in order to fit in with the larger population. I remember even most of the Native Americans in MN would keep their hair short. But here they have a very strong sense of community, and ethnic groups will even occupy entire towns. I think they feel less pressure to fit in and long hair is more common.

Of course, this is all generalizing and speculating but it's something I've noticed.

It sounds like hair attitudes in MN haven't changed that much since I lived there. I remember long hair being for little girls. It was popular around 7-8th grade to get your hair cut to a bob to be more "grown up."

[Maktub]

Where I live in Canada, I'd say ;

children : girls usually have between SL - WL hair and keep it natural. Boys have very short hair. chin lenght would be considered long for boys.

teens to 25 : varies a lot, they play with it. But BSL-WL hair is not unusual. WL is considered beautiful I think but longer then hip is considered weird. chin lenght or SL is not unusual either. Shot boob or longer than WL is seen, but quite unusual. A lot of WL hair or BSL is extensions. Men have very short hair. chin lenght would be considered long for them.

30 + : hair gets shorter for women. Anything between ear lenght and BSL is still seen, but I'd say the average is around shoulders. Men still have short hair. Women around 35-40 start coloring to camouflage grey if they didn't color already.

60 + : hair gets shorter again and most women have permed, short, colored hair. Men don't color, but most still have short hair.

black women : very rare to see long and/or natural hair. A friend has a gorgeous very healthy afro and gets comments around 10 times a day - everyday - about it. Wherever she goes. It is very unusual (mostly positive comments and people who wish they had hair like her, but people come and touch, etc. so it's annoying). She is convinced that if she braided it, a lot of people that know her would not recognize her is she passed by.

WL or longer hair is more common among minorities in big cities (indian, pakistan, south american etc.) they often wear it up, looks very healthy and usually is not colored or chemically processed. They have lots of pressure to cut in the work place though. I have a friend from south america who had GORGEOUS think TLB lenght hair (& wore it up most) and she cut it BSL because of the pressure to fit in to find a job :(

[growfro]

teens to 25 : varies a lot, they play with it. But BSL-WL hair is not unusual. WL is considered beautiful I think but longer then hip is considered weird. chin lenght or SL is not unusual either. Shot boob or longer than WL is seen, but quite unusual. A lot of WL hair or BSL is extensions. Men have very short hair. chin lenght would be considered long for them.


Forgot to mention that yes, here the lengths of anything past BSL is alot of times extensions. Very well blended I might add. For the ones who wear them and care for them well they look great. I tried clip in ones last year, but I felt an even greater desire to grow my own long hair when I removed them each night. :(

[Buffy]

I kinda think that in Europe long hair is more common than in America.

I live in Greece where 80% of the population spends EVERY DAY at the beach from May till September! The temperatures are very high so you can imagine, very long hair can be annoying / get in the way/ hard to take care of because of sea and sun.

YET, despite that, apart from some girls(i personally know only 2-3 girls like that) who happen to have a VERY specific hairstyle such as this: http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/img/0bfa/TheZimbioTeam/16794m.jpg?m=The_Zimbio_Team
Almost EVERYONE else is APL, BSL or mid back. (you don't see waist and hip too often though, because of the reasons i mentioned)

[nmarie33]

I live in Denver, and what I see varies a lot depending on the demographic:

Girls and teens: BSL seems fairly common

White women: I mostly see shoulder or shorter, and lots of bleached blonde or heavy highlights

Hispanic women: Waist length or longer is not uncommon, and you will see tons of Hispanic ladies with killer thick braids and virgin hair

Metalheads: BSL and longer is quite common for men and women, in various states of health! The Ogden is a great place for longhair guy sightings! <3

[airmid]

Here in Newfoundland, Canada, really long hair is uncommon. There are plenty of women with shoulders to APL, some with BSL, but seeing someone with waist or longer is not the norm. Usually it's a layered shoulder-length 'do with extensions and lots of heat damage that I see when I go about town. I'm at BSL right now and I can't wait to get to waist because it will be unique around here. :) I don't know, maybe it's the weather here that discourages long hair, we are simultaneously the windiest, rainiest, snowiest, and foggiest province in Canada (I love it).

[Starry_Eyed]

Hello!! :waving: I miss MN and I'm jealous of you. :p

Anyway, I didn't mean to imply that MN has no diversity. But comparatively (especially compared to the NJ/NY area), it is not very diverse. I've lived in communities in NJ where I was clearly a minority as a white person. When people from this area visit the midwest, their first impression is usually of how incredibly white it is.

Of course in MN, just like anywhere else, you'll see more diversity in metropolitain areas than in rural ones. I grew up in a town in the backwoods of northern MN, so I really wasn't exposed to any ethnic groups other than white people of various backgrounds and Native American.

This is only relevant because as I said, I've noticed that in places with higher populations of Asians and Indians and Eastern Europeans, long hair tends to be more popular. In places where they are distinctly a minority I have seen more of a trend towards them cutting their hair in order to fit in with the larger population. I remember even most of the Native Americans in MN would keep their hair short. But here they have a very strong sense of community, and ethnic groups will even occupy entire towns. I think they feel less pressure to fit in and long hair is more common.

Of course, this is all generalizing and speculating but it's something I've noticed.

It sounds like hair attitudes in MN haven't changed that much since I lived there. I remember long hair being for little girls. It was popular around 7-8th grade to get your hair cut to a bob to be more "grown up."

Well hello from "God's country"! :D Yeah, MN isn't going to have as much diversity as NY or NJ or other huge cities . . . . I'm from the Twin City area though, so I see a lot more than probably "up north" communities. :)

It's too bad there's that attitude about long hair here . . . when I traveled to London and Paris, long hair was for everyone who wanted it and there were some ladies with *gorgeous* long hair! Then again, I enjoy being a little defiant of the mainstream sometimes and I'm thinking about growing my hair out to waist length if I can get rid of the taper in my hair.

[nellreno]

I live in the Phoenix metro area of Arizona. Among the white community shoulder to APL is average and you really don't see longer than bra strap much often, and older women have the typical short hair cuts. From what I've seen of the Hispanic and Native American communities, it's the same for younger people but I've seen a lot more older women with at least medium-length hair, and I've seen some amazing long thick braids too.

[Tisiloves]

South London: If its longer than APL/BSL, there's a good chance it's not theirs.

[Ocelan]

In Finland, atleast where I live and for young people, it's most common to have either shoulder to APL, sometimes BSL length hair, or something shorter styled in a whacky way (ok, not ever having been a shortie myseld, "whacky" is anything that you have to blowfry half an hour to get it to set). Older people tend to have a perm and/or shorter than shoulder length hair.
I've only ever seen one person with longer than TBL hair (atleast with their hair down so that I could see it), in school over 10 years ago. She had about mid thigh length.

My perception to how long people's hair is might be a little distorted though, since I belong to the metal community where it's common that also men have atleast shoulder length hair (which means they're growing it out) and the norm for them is around APL or BSL. I just saw a friend of my DBF and he has hip to TBL hair. I had never noticed his hair being that long. Women in the metal community tend to have hair atleast past APL but there are exceptions. Rarely they have it past waist though, even though many men may have.

The color and condition then again is another story. Most young people here dye their hair and the condition usually isn't that great. They bleach, they change color every month... all sorts of harmful things. Many even shoulder length hair is really frizzy and dead looking, I suppose because of heat styling on top of the bleaching.

Men don't dye their hair as much, but some still do. Atleast in the metal community most men have natural hair color, even though the condition isn't probably top notch. Mostly still better than on the dyed and heat styled girls' heads. In the metal community most women dye their hair black or dark or red. Only those with already naturally quite blonde hair dye blonder.

[BBdck1]

I think most people consider "long" to be pass SL. In the past 2-3 years, I live in northern and southern CA as well as AZ (still travel to all 3 throughout the year). I think the average in az is AP to BSL and people don't really pay much attention to hair. CA have a lot more extremists with hair in a vairety of cuts and colors. Long, healthy waist length hair are pretty uncommon but not rare. Even when I see someone with really long (pass classic) hair no one really stop to stare/comment, most of the time people just spare a quick glance and move on.

[B-L]

Well.. I live in Sweden and many girls under 25 have longish hair (bsl or waist). Many do use extensions. Havn't seen so many that have longer then waist though. I've never seen classic IRL.
At work, I'm youngest (will be 30 in june) and have the longest hair many of my coworkers ever seen :o They think it's so looooong (just BSL :D). The one that has second longest hair is between SL and APL. The other are all shorthaird = like pixie or bob.

I also have longest hair between my friends and closest family. Only one of my cousins (she's 15-years old) has midback..

The common belief here is that the longer the hair, the more work it requires. That it is more difficult to maintain and that it is not suitable for older women (35 years or older).

The funny thing is that my colleagues at work, with really short hair, go more often to the hairdresser as they have to cut it as often so it will keep its shape. They have to color it more frequently also because the roots are more distinct if the hair is really short. They always complain about it.. :D

[BBdck1]

I live in the Phoenix metro area of Arizona. Among the white community shoulder to APL is average and you really don't see longer than bra strap much often, and older women have the typical short hair cuts. From what I've seen of the Hispanic and Native American communities, it's the same for younger people but I've seen a lot more older women with at least medium-length hair, and I've seen some amazing long thick braids too.

I agree. Where I live in Phoenix, it's mostly white older people so I don't see much long hair. Even the younger people have only BSL.

[B-L]

Oh, I forgot. :D
I've heard soooo many times in the past that once I get kids I'll HAVE TO cut my hair. Children and long hair doesn't go togather apparently :D
When I was pregnant with my first child my own mother asked me when I was going to cut my hair :doh:

[Cimorene]

In my neck of the woods (Kentucky, USA), APL to BSL seems common for younger women, with the majority of older women having shorter hair (to SL). Below BSL is uncommon, and if you're a woman with hair below your waist, many people assume you're Pentecostal (a charismatic branch of Christianity, for those of you unfamiliar with the term). Most of the Pentecostal women around here do wear their hair long, though (my step-grandma and my aunt both do).

Most of the men seem to wear their hair pretty short (unfortunately, IMHO). :nono:

[FrozenBritannia]

I see lots of people with long hair where I live. Of course, a lot of them have it up, so I can't see how long it really is, but as they are hutterite or mennonite (both kinds here) it is safe to assume its tbl at least. Then there are the teens with waist etc. the last time I was in a restuarant every server there had waist length hair. The korean girls even had it naturally, not straightened perfelectly flat. Of course, their hair was pretty straight anyways, but you can still tell which hair has been suffering the flat iron.

[annamoonfairy]

I am from America! I think on a global level that majority of people get bored or need to feel in control so they cut their hair. Hair past the waist here is a big deal. I think people love to look at beautiful long hair no matter what country you are from.

[icallitbliss]

I'm in California. The longest length I see is either BSL or Waist. Anything longer than that usually results in stares.

Most of them sport APL or shoulder length styles, as well as bobs.

[Sewas]

In southern Arizona close to the Mexican border, you will see luscious waist-length locks among many of the Hispanic women, old and young. The Native American tribe, Tohono O'odham, have beautiful blue-black long hair which is worn by women and by the men also. Braids are just gorgeous here. This is a retirement state so most of the older white ladies moving here wear those short, helmet hair-dos. Most of the younger white women have shoulder-length hair and coloring their hair is very popular. There is a great mix of hair sightings here.

[Seeshami]

I live in Colorado, the northern half of the center 1.5 hours ish from Denver, and even though my hair is not super long, I am at waist length people love to encourage me to cut my hair. I have not seen any one here (as in my home town, the town I live in and the town I work in) in years with it as long and as thick as mine besides my mother and the poor lady I creeped out when I complimented her bun and asked her how long her hair was.

I actually just posted a rant on my facebook the other day, for your reading pleasure here it is;
Dear People Whom Stare, glare or pretend not to look at my hair,

I am perfectly aware of the fact it is long. I know that I have blond roots and red length. I understand it's uncommon for people with my thickness to not only wear it down but to choose to wear it long enough it covers my entire back. I plan on growing it at least 6 more inches. And I hope that annoys you, I really do because if your annoyed over my hair, you're touched. It's MY HAIR on MY BODY and I LOVE IT. So glare all you want, stare all you want, and watch me play with it and put it in buns all you want, because all your nasty stupid looks aren't going to cut it, make it fall out or make me change it. :p

[Lady Neeva]

I'm from Texas, and most have APL-BSL length hair. I spy a girl here and there who has tailbone length hair that are in braids. I lived back in Guangzhou a few years back and the lengths were actually longer.

[Quezie]

I live in a very multicultural city, which is even reflected in the hair. :p

I see many middle eastern and east Asian women with beautiful, long, natural hair. I guess it's very much about what you grow up around, what you see as acceptable or attractive hair length.

[AnthonyB93]

I live in North GA. From I've seen the average "long" hair is about APL/BSL. Getting to waist will get stares and comment(good and bad). I have never seen anything past waist, except for the first time in my life I saw a woman with classic length hair in a mall a few months ago.

[Sharysa]

Here in the San Francisco East Bay, long hair is rare if it's not on an ethnic person (usually Asian or Native American). A lot of African-Americans tend to have waist-length extensions. My friends tend to call my mid-back length hair "sooo long" in a positive, awed way. Which may be because it's so thick and unruly. :P

And for people who aren't Native American, long hair is rare if it's not straightened and/or dyed. Especially on Asians.

And in general, BSL to mid-back "normal" long, waist-length is "stare in awe" long, while anything significantly past it will get stares.

[sparrowswing]

I think it's a lot more regional than most people realize. I currently live in the city, but I'm still just a few hours' drive from the rural area where I grew up. Here very long hair - mine included - is a rarity, but it's not really acknowledged. I've been here more than a year, and so far only one person has ever commented on the length of my hair. I've also never gotten a reaction to elaborate updos or interesting hairtoys. People here seem to be too worried about their own lives to worry about someone else's hair.

Where I grew up, however, longer hair is very common (at least down to BSL or mid-back) but anything beyond that is considered very strange and will often lead to speculation about your religion or gossip about your hygeine (because obviously the process of taking care of one's hair means keeping it short, right?). It is there that people are more likely to consider TBL+ hair disgusting, even if the people in question have waist-length hair themselves. If you keep your hair in a pixie, you're trying too hard to seem younger. If you let it grow long, you're showing off. If you dye your hair, you're fake. If you don't dye your hair, you must think you're better than everyone. If you put it up in any style other than a ponytail, you're an attention whore. If you don't put it up at all, you're lazy. Basically there is no way to please these people.

[evb]

I live in the midwest~ what I not so affectionately call The Buckle of The Bible Belt~ and there are a metric ton of long hairs around. One of my daughters friends has TB if not Classic {I try not to peer at teens too much} hair and has had it since I met her when she was 14. I go to Choir recitals and not only do 99.9% of the girls performing have BSL or longer hair but so do their female family members who are in the audience. Yesterday I went to a social thing with my husband and the lady sitting next to me had at least hip {she took it down then twisted it up and tied it so I only got a glance} and several women were bunned. Two gals were wearing their hair and they were at mid back. Seriously long hair is not that rare amongst people around here

OH Last month I saw this lovely lady, and I will have to try and meet her next month, who had two braids that started above the ear in back, so cute! and the tails of her braids were at hip. She has to be classic right?

[evb]

and in response to sparrowswing ~ I recently started a thread because my PT wanted me to cut my hair which is between waist and hip I guess. Kinda hard to tell when you are round o.0 She did ask if I kept it long for religious reasons so I guess it is just an assumption that I live with.... I don't get asked. Tho the gal who was cutting my hair, and I loved how she cut it, hates long hair. I can tell by her asking me when I am going to cut it. But I went to a salon a couple of weeks ago for waxing and fully half the clients had BSL to waist hair so I think I will break down and pay a fortune to get my hair cut there :(

[lydiajo]

I live in Tampa, Florida, USA. I see a fair number of long hair women. In addition, when I would have lunch with my then 4th/5th grader, about a third of the girls had waist length hair or longer. Some of them had classic length braids.

[lydiajo]

EVB,
Just remember, round is a shape. As my 12 yr old reminds me. LOL

[TheMechaGinger]

I live in the desert, it's actually pretty common to see people shaving their heads here. Actually, I can think of three or four girls I went to highschool with mega short/shaved heads. But I don't mind the heat, if anything it just forces me to try new updoes all but three months of the year :] Of the women with very long hair that I've seen here, they've all been older. Most younger people see long hair as being extremely impractical given the heat.

[neko_kawaii]

I live in the desert, it's actually pretty common to see people shaving their heads here. Actually, I can think of three or four girls I went to highschool with mega short/shaved heads. But I don't mind the heat, if anything it just forces me to try new updoes all but three months of the year :] Of the women with very long hair that I've seen here, they've all been older. Most younger people see long hair as being extremely impractical given the heat.

I've experienced both short and long in the desert. Unless it is shaved or bunable, I can't keep it off my face and neck easily, and there aren't many styling options with shaved. Give me long.

I do however see lots of long hair down in all seasons, but as others have said beyond waist is mostly seen on Native, Hispanic, or Asian/Ocieanic though I see quite a lot between BSL and waist on a great variety of people. I took a survey one evening outside a grocery store (my son was asleep and my husband was shopping) and actual short hair was in the minority.

[humble_knight]

How are long hairs perceived in your country/area ? Did you noticed a difference when you travelled/moved in another city/country ?



The more I travelled in an eastwardly direction, the more common long hair seemed to be. My area : home of heavy metal, so I always see men with long hair of different lengths.

[Alun]

This sound like a pretentious title... Yeah, college spoilt my capacity of finding good ones ! :p

I noticed here a lot of american poster who complain about people always saying they should cut their hair, and telling they are the longest hair in their area or almost, even when they're actually just midback.

Living in France, I have a totally different experience about long-haired people. Here, about 2/3 of the women have at least APL, even more for young women. Being TBL myself, even if I dont have a common hair lenght, I'm far to be an oddity - I should be past classic, or even knee, to be.
After a few weeks on LHC, I also went looking for virgin hair. I noticed they're not so rare here, especially for the women between 25 and 40 - too old to try funny dyes or abuse of straightener, too young to hide their white hair. But they're already a big difference in north, where I live, and south, where it seems there are more bleached blondes.

How are long hairs perceived in your country/area ? Did you noticed a difference when you travelled/moved in another city/country ?

ETA : maybe I exaggerated a little, the average is more between SL and APL. But still. ^^

It's many years since I was last in France, only really the North, between Paris and the Belgian border, and I have never lived there, but what I actually noticed was far fewer men with long hair!

I wonder if you see the same thing now and in your area?

The next thing I want to say is really off topic, but IME beards are even less popular in France than long hair on men.

[RavennaNight]

I don't know. I live in NY, and have never really felt as though people think my hair length to be too long or weird. People made comments that it was too long when I had helmet head between Shoulder-APL length. That was one awkward phase, and I never heard another thing about it after it grew further. There are a lot of longhairs in NY.

I will say, though, I recently had my first creeper incident, though. Some dude pulled my hair in the ferry terminal. :shudder:

[spirals]

It's hard to determine the average length. I see anywhere from short to tailbone. I will say the hairstyles here (upper midwest) are about 10 years behind the west coast. That exploded-out-the-back bob that became popular in the late '90s is still going strong here, complete with red streaks. I do notice the over-50 female crowd holds staunchly to the short haircut you find also on their husbands. But they wear the same outfits as their husbands do also. If I do see waist or longer, it's found generally on teen girls. Everyone else has around APL-BSL.

[trolleypup]

Here in the San Francisco East Bay, long hair is rare if it's not on an ethnic person (usually Asian or Native American). A lot of African-Americans tend to have waist-length extensions. My friends tend to call my mid-back length hair "sooo long" in a positive, awed way. Which may be because it's so thick and unruly. :P

And for people who aren't Native American, long hair is rare if it's not straightened and/or dyed. Especially on Asians.

And in general, BSL to mid-back "normal" long, waist-length is "stare in awe" long, while anything significantly past it will get stares.
Huh! What a difference a few miles makes! I figure I'll see TB or longer on a white woman pretty much every day. Around classic is not unusual in my neighborhood (one of the Little Chinatowns). Men's hair past waist is fairly common also. Comments for very long hair tend to be positive, at least in public.

[cranberrymoonz]

Here in the Netherlands, many girls have natural hair between APL and BSL. Hair that's shorter than SL is considered rebelish OR for old women. They almost never wear long hair, at least not loose. Waistlength is fairly common but ppl will be jalous. Everything beyond is considered exotic.

[Zindell]

Another Swede here...

Most women seem to have a hair length from shoulder to APL. For younger women maybe BSL.
For women 30 to 50'ish, APL or a bob that is shorter in the back seems to be the mainstream look.

Waist length and longer is very uncommon and now when my hair is passing BSL I get some weird looks from my coworkers. I won't ask for their opinion though. I'm sure they think that "I don't take care of myself" letting my hair grow like that. :p

Unfortunately (for me) there are not many "viking inspired" men here anymore, so almost every man has short hair or shave it all off.
(Not that that is always bad, some guys really rock their look, but I'd love to see some longer hairstyles as well.)

[chen bao jun]

bump---I was enjoying reading this.

[Vintagecoilylocks]

I thought long hair ie. BRA strap and longer was on the return. East coast U. S. A. here. THe hair care commercials and the fashion magazines are mostly BRA strap and longer now. I was happy to see alot of the costume drama's went with the longer lengths on the actresses lately. I hope it really catches on. I see alot of BRa strap to waist and longer at the grocery stores. I figure that's your average person. I have also noticed my fellow Baby boomers are not all cutting to puddle cuts either. Yeah long hair.

[Magalo]

In my age range, I'd say the majority of girls wear their hair from APL to BSL. A handful at waist, a handful with a pixie, and very, very rarely longer than waist. Hips and beyond is very exotic. And maybe 80% of girls wear their hair either loose or in a boring ponytail. A couple bun/top knot for the rest. People have boring hair here. :p

[Vintagecoilylocks]

P.S.

though I am seeing more and more AA women my age sport their naturaul hair many tend too keep it boy cut short.

[yoni]

umm it's actually quite seen a lot with women, while for me it's way less, but it';s a growing number I assume :D

[DancingQueen]

I live in Denmark. I'd say MBL is not that uncommon, but that is 'long' hair, and probably the longest you will see on a regular basis. Waist is rare, and anything longer, you almost never see. On older women, the pixie is almost a uniform, and women of 30+ often have shoulder to APL. Among young people, length vary a lot.

It is mostly young children and old people who have 'virgin' hair (color-wise). Young people often have some kind of thing done to their hair; colored, bleached or at least some stripes. 30+, they start to relax a bit, just some stripes, or natural-looking, dyed hair.

Denmark is not a very big country, I don't think it varies a lot depending on areas. In big cities, like copenhagen, it tends to be more fancy/'done', and thus more processed, while some of the small islands might be more natural.

[CJCHair-stylist]

I live in Cape Town South Africa. Natural hair is very rare for ladies over the age of 16, they start colouring really young. To see naturally blonde hair on an adult is a headturner. All my blonde ladies want to be blonder for some reason and brunettes want to be darker, redder or cover their greys. In fact most adult women do not know what their natural hair colour really is. Anything longer than waist is a headturner as well.

[cherry blossom]

Beautiful idea for thread..

Where I am originally from (south Asia) Loooong hair is definitely considered the way to go.. When I had waist length hair as a little girl, I remember feeling it short, and wanting to tailbone length hair.. APL, BSL are considered 'short', Waist means you are on the path to growing out your hair.. and Tailbone onwards means, you are officially in the long hair club !!
Dont gasp.. I know.. sounds very different and sort of pessimistic right ?

And you can imagine my surprize when I visited US, and my colleague commented on how long my hair was, which was right after a chop at BSL ..

The world is indeed an amazing mix of variety !!

Love
CB

[DarkCurls]

I live in France, like the OP.

Shoulder to APL is definitely the average here, but longer hair is not very common. I get "oohs" and "aahs" at waist length; I can't imagine what kind of comments I would get at tailbone. I've mentioned wanting to grow it that long (and longer) and got disgusted/horrified/shocked reactions, so...
This morning I heard someone tell her friend -- "Hey, this is for a poll. Do you like long hair on women?" and he replied "Long hair? Um... no longer than yours." Hers is BSL, considered "long" because past the average.

And I see a lot of people with dyed hair too... Not that that's a bad thing.

[Soltimus]

In Denmark, where I'm from originally, people seem to either have quite short hair or somewhere around BSL. I just looked through my friends list on Facebook, and most of the women on there have hair around BSL unless they have a pixie or somewhere around chin length. It seems a lot tend to cut their long hair shorter after having had a baby, and also women getting close to 40 sometimes end up chopping the length. Quite weird with the age thing. It sometimes seems as though people don't think long hair suits women over a certain age.

In Wales, where I'm currently living, it seems most women go for shoulder to APL at the most, and you see quite a lot of cute bobs and pixies as well. My MIL has TBL hair and she's the only one I've seen with hair longer than BSL here. In Denmark I know quite a few women with mid back or hip length hair. Dying with box dyes seem equally popular in Denmark and Wales, but here in Wales the ladies have a tendency to also go for a very fake looking bleach blonde look. My stepdaughter did the same, but I'm glad to say that she's growing out the bleach and embracing her very lovely ginger locks.

[Sharysa]

Huh! What a difference a few miles makes! I figure I'll see TB or longer on a white woman pretty much every day. Around classic is not unusual in my neighborhood (one of the Little Chinatowns). Men's hair past waist is fairly common also. Comments for very long hair tend to be positive, at least in public.

On one hand, I wish I lived where you did so my mother would be less against me growing my hair out. On the other hand, at least I'm not constantly tormented by the sight of waist- to classic-length hair. :D

EDIT: Where in the Bay do you live, by the way?

[chen bao jun]

When I lived in France (a lifetime ago, more than thirty years) lots of women had long hair--but then they in the US in those days also. It was the 70's and lots of young girls wore hair to their waists. In fact, you noticed when a young girl had a pixie. I remember the first time I saw the late Princess Diana's photograph, during her engagement, I was shocked that her hair was cut so short. It was not usual to see a young woman with such a short haircut. Later, of course, that haircut became iconic and was imitated very much.
What I noticed in France in the 70's was how many women henna'd their hair. I had never heard of henna and never seen it before and wondered how so many women were getting the exact same shade of violetish red hair. It was really really common, and I had never ever seen this in the US.
Also, I noticed very much that the West Indian black women in Paris wore their natural hair. In the US by the time the huge afros of the late 60's and early 70's had gone completely out of style. And I had never seen grown up black women wear their hair without it being straightened in some way, in public, except in an afro, being consciously rebellious. I would see these girls who were dressed to the max, designer clothes and hermes scarves and louis vuitton bags and full makeup--and they would have their hair in two plaits pinned on top of their head in its natural kinky state and the texture did not seem to matter. The girls with 4b and 4c hair did this just the same as the girls with the looser curls (who wouldn't have been seen out in public unstraightened in the US at that time, either) and all were completely unselfconscious, as if it were 'normal'. It was a revelation to me--it made me wonder why it WASN'T normal in the US too and made me wonder why we had the ranking in the black community with some hair considered more beautiful than other hair, since all of them looked very nice.
From photos that I see that's no longer the case and hairstraightening and weaves and all of the American things seem to have come to the Afro-French community. Now its here and not there that you see black women with natural hair. But of course I'm not there, so I may be very wrong about that.

[floralgem]

In my high school, you can actually see a variety of lengths. The girls here don't go shorter than SL (considered mannish.) and I've even seen some hip/tb around here. I actually had 2 long hair sightings; a girl in the grade below me with a really thick, black, almost classic hair that she wears in a ponytail everyday, and an Indian girl with a really thick hip length braid. the adults here have an average of apl-bsl, but it's abused by dyes and heat styling, which also runs rapent through the schools because I live in an upper middle class neighborhood where looks matter. my hair right now is a pretty standard length, and I don't know what will happen when it gets longer.

[Springlets]

I live in southern China and I notice there's a pretty big dichotomy here; hair is either short (like above shoulders) or long (waist length or longer). It's not uncommon for me to see someone with TBL. It seems that short hair is really common for young girls, in fact, in the summer I saw some girls (aged 5 or below) with shaved heads. When they're older, they go either the short or long route. I don't know what length it would have to be to turn heads- thigh length maybe? Maybe only 25% of girls have natural hair, most girls color their hair somehow, even if it's just a little lighter. Natural red or blonde or light brown hair at any length is what people really pay attention to though.

[Nymph]

I live in Belgium. Here it's mostly as in France, "long" hair is BSL, waist is already really long. I have a lot of friends among LARPers so there tends to be girls with longer hair in that community, there's one other who has tailbone length like me. People tend to react really positively to it, if you exclude the standard question "how do you go to the toilet?" :p

[Masara]

Another person living in France...
I agress that the average you see is shoulder to APL, but of course a lot depends on where you live.
I work in a school with teenagers (11-16) and 2 or 3 girls per class will have BSL or longer hair. Nearly all of the girls from North African families have at least BSL hair. Among the teachers, there are a couple with BSL-ish hair, but most wear it shorter.

My hair (just off classic) fascinates but that's mainly because I always wear it in an updo and most people here have problems doing aything more complicated than a pony tail. Plus red hair is unusual in France (not that I think I have red hair, French people do..)

When I first arrived in France, or even when I first started growing (6 years ago) I saw a lot more people with long hair. It doesn't seem as common now. But still, compared to things I read here from people in other countries, I don't get any comments about being 45 with long hair. You don't have to justify having it.

When I go back to the UK, I notice all the teenage girls with their perfectly straight, over processed hair, even quite young ones. In France a lot of my pupils wash their hair a couple of times a week (shampoo only, very few people use conditioner) , air dry, stick it in a ponytail and forget it. They don't tend to discover colour, dryers, straighteners etc etc until their late teens and many of my fellow teachers still don't do much with their hair.

[EtherealDoll]

I live in Ukraine.
Waist length and hip length hair is not unusual here, the average is probably BSL for women in their 20s and APL for women in their 30s. APL hair and bobs(chin length or layered shoulder-length) are popular with women in their 40s. For someone to comment on your hair being very long, it should be longer than tailbone length, and then comments are usually positive.

[SleepyTangles]

In this last year I've seen more and more girls with long hair, around Midback, or very short hair with a distinct edgy feeling, like pixies, undercuts, buzzed sides, and similar cuts.
I also see many long haired men in the University zone, mostly in dreadlocks or curly manes, occasionally ponytails. But it may be just my Department, we're a "bunch of hippies" apparently - no long haired man in Law or Medicine Department, I fear.
I live in Italy.

[MaryO]

For very long I've noticed that older ladies in my country rarely have long hair at all and since joining LHC I have noticed how few people have truly long hair. I have been brainwashed to think that over the age of 30 you shouldn't have long hair but now I'm rebelling against that thinking! ;-) I have been seeing some people with longer hair but I have to say that I haven't seen many people (except for young girls) whose hair is in enviable condition. I suppose it's from dyeing and frying!

[MissAlida]

Where I live- eastern Europe- BSL, waist or hip length hair is pretty common on young women, older women usually have APL or shorter hair, most of them having pixies. I have seen classic length hair maybe 3 times my whole life, and knee length once. I think that around here, only TBL+ hair would get any stares. The rest is pretty normal/accepted.

[Sagi1982]

Hmmm... "long" hair between APL and MB seems common here (North Western Germany; area next to Duisburg).
Longer hair is complimented with " Are you playing a fairytale princess in theatre?" (I was aked this several times although I look more like the big bad wolf :taz:) or people think you're in some strange religious cult or a pervie.

Some days ago I grossed out two teenage girls in the supermarket while wearing a braided pony. :cool:

[chen bao jun]

I live in Ukraine.
Waist length and hip length hair is not unusual here, the average is probably BSL for women in their 20s and APL for women in their 30s. APL hair and bobs(chin length or layered shoulder-length) are popular with women in their 40s. For someone to comment on your hair being very long, it should be longer than tailbone length, and then comments are usually positive.
Ukrainians so often have the most beautiful long hair. And you are very attractive looking people in general.

[dulce]

I live on an island near Vancouver,Most people have shoulder to maybe BSL,older women have very very short hair[dyed or some are gray]At hip length with silver hair [which is not long on this forum]I am considered an oddity where I live.Most people have salon styled ,layered dyed hair even those with midback hair.

[iluvlovelylocks]

Ukrainians so often have the most beautiful long hair. And you are very attractive looking people in general.

I am Ukrainian :) You're comment made me smile! Thanks for the positive compliments towards me and my people!

[iluvlovelylocks]

Ukrainians so often have the most beautiful long hair. And you are very attractive looking people in general.

I am Ukrainian :) You're comment made me smile! Thanks for the positive compliment towards Ukrainians!

[iluvlovelylocks]

I live in Ukraine.
Waist length and hip length hair is not unusual here, the average is probably BSL for women in their 20s and APL for women in their 30s. APL hair and bobs(chin length or layered shoulder-length) are popular with women in their 40s. For someone to comment on your hair being very long, it should be longer than tailbone length, and then comments are usually positive.

Hi EtherealDoll, like I said in my above post, I am Ukrainian but living in America. I agree with you, even here in American almost ALL of my young Ukrainian/Russian friends have very long hair. But then again, many young Ukrainian girls around here are going for shorter hairstyles too!

[~honeyflower~]

My town is a mixture of Cowboys and Native Americans, I notice that the Native Americans have classic length even the men. On the other hand, its around waist for the cowgirls and short for the cowboys. When I had hip length hair it was very long for the country folks. Although the people that tour through from city's, are the ones that stand out the most.

[trolleypup]

On one hand, I wish I lived where you did so my mother would be less against me growing my hair out. On the other hand, at least I'm not constantly tormented by the sight of waist- to classic-length hair. :D

EDIT: Where in the Bay do you live, by the way?
SF.

It is awfully nice to be where diversity is accepted and encouraged.

[Angelistarr]

I've never heard of a women in that age group being told that she was too old for long hair!

Ive heard that a million times. Two of my aunts have been told they should look more conservative in reference to length. One has her hair all white APL. The other dyes her hair natural brunette and is BSL. I don't understand why age is a factor for one's length.

Here in NYC, I don't see past WL too often and when I do, it tends to be damaged. Age doesn't usually matter, and extensions are used too much to actually say where the average hair length would be. Mine is at SL but used to be between BSL and waist.

[Sharysa]

SF.

It is awfully nice to be where diversity is accepted and encouraged.

Really late, but YAY SF! I'm only an hour away!

[Rosetta]

Here BSL / midback is really seen as "long", and only rarely does one see longer hair than that. Many women do have short(ish) hair here, not pixie necessarily but short, especially older women. Most people think they cannot have long hair, due to Nordic hair being so very fine in quality. :? (I'm sure that's what all the hairdressers say...)



After a few weeks on LHC, I also went looking for virgin hair. I noticed they're not so rare here, especially for the women between 25 and 40 - too old to try funny dyes or abuse of straightener, too young to hide their white hair.
"Too old to try funny dyes"? :rolleyes: I'm sorry, but just can't understand (or believe) this kind of thinking...

Incidentally, over here there seems to be a trend these days for women in their 50's and 60's to dye their (short) hair quite a vibrant red :) It does sometimes seem as most women of that age have short red hair, even though that's not the case. ,)

[Siiri]

Incidentally, over here there seems to be a trend these days for women in their 50's and 60's to dye their (short) hair quite a vibrant red :) It does sometimes seem as most women of that age have short red hair, even though that's not the case. ,)

Yeah that and short black hair with pink/violet/blue/green/white in the front part.

[Syaoransbear]

When I went out for supper the other day pretty much every other girl had waist length hair. I was so jealous.

[Shoga]

I live in Pennsylvania in the US by a city with tons of diversity. It's not that unusual to see somebody with TB hair, but fairly rare to see anything past it. Heck even at my old workplace, three of us out of around 12 other girls have TB hair lol!

[Milui Elenath]

I have noticed that hair length sort of goes in phases. For example, I'd say it was much less common when I was in high school (back in the late 80s) than it is now.

I see a lot of young women with long hair, and a few older ones. It is more common to cut it as you get older, but that doesn't mean that there aren't women 40+ with long hair. It's certainly not something you'd comment on, and I've never heard of a women in that age group being told that she was too old for long hair!

Two of my neighbours in my small court (with like 9 houses in it) are long haired renegrays! Both have hair probably mid back length, almost waist.

So yeah, it would be less common to see an older woman with waist length hair, but I don't think anyone would really care.

However, when hair gets to lengths beyond hip, it gets noticed. It is very rare to see hair beyond classic (although I did the other day!!) Hair of that sort of length really gets noticed, in any age group.

This is exactly my experience here too. I don't think I could average the hair here because I feel like most people do what they feel suits them. I have noticed more BSL and WL lately and I agree that it is rare to see hair past that length. I have classic length and get the occasional 'wow that is long' but never negativity. I don't really find we are a country (or at least the state where I live) that comment on peoples looks - possibly because we are highly afraid of offending someone culturally or maybe we are all too nice or perhaps we just don't care about how other people look! :D

[Kayla Nyx]

Where I am in Wisconsin, most girls here wear their hair bsl, and woman arould SL/bsl. There is one girl here in highschool with me who has tbl hair, but its rare to see past waist here.

[ghost]

I live in Oakland, CA and work in Walnut Creek. I see a lot of hair between BSL and tailbone on women of all ages and races, and on guys it's not uncommon to see hair someplace between shoulder and hip. Oakland has a pretty decentmetal and goth scene, and since it's so close to Berkeley and San Francisco there's some of that hippie vibe left over, too.

[LadyCelestina]

Here BSL / midback is really seen as "long", and only rarely does one see longer hair than that. Many women do have short(ish) hair here, not pixie necessarily but short, especially older women. Most people think they cannot have long hair, due to Nordic hair being so very fine in quality. :? (I'm sure that's what all the hairdressers say...)



"Too old to try funny dyes"? :rolleyes: I'm sorry, but just can't understand (or believe) this kind of thinking...

Incidentally, over here there seems to be a trend these days for women in their 50's and 60's to dye their (short) hair quite a vibrant red :) It does sometimes seem as most women of that age have short red hair, even though that's not the case. ,)

While I don't support the idea that you can ever be too old to do something with your hair /or do something with a wig/, I can't help but see a completely different meaning to that comment.The poster probably meant women that got over the phase of crazy dyes,but aren't ready to go gray.

[LadyCelestina]

The most common lenght here would be in the APL to BSL range,but waist or can I call this hip isn't rare either.This goes usually on people under 30.People over 30 go for APL or shorter - more like the older,the shorter,which is sort of sad.
As for coloured hair vs.virgin,I think it's about equal.
Long curly hair however,is a rarity,and while mine might not be terribly long by LHC standards,many people notice and comment.

[Venefica]

In Norway I do not often see women with really long hair. The most common seam to be shoulder length or shorter though APL is not uncommon on young women. I have thigh length hair and when I was at Classic my hairdresser said that mine was the longest hair she had ever seen. I know one girl in the RPG community who have a braid to her tail bone or at leas had that the last time I saw her and sometimes I see Indian immigrant women with tail bone length hair, and a few even longer, and one of the women working at the hairdresser I use have waist length hair and the same with one of the leaders of the Aspergers support group I go to have waist length hair.

I generally have positive reactions to my hair though, most give me complaints, though I do get the question on whatever it is my own real hair allot. However some people say my hair is ridiculously long or recommend cutting it, but since I am in my 30's it is sort of accepted, but women over 30 they are not accepted with long hair and is constantly told to cut it. I talked to one lady who was in her late 40's who said said wanted to grow her hair out but she could not as older women should not have long hair, and I hear that argument very often around here.