How weird is it for me to continue to use pretty chopsticks in my hair?

[jane_marie]

I have been using pretty chopsticks in my hair whenever it has been long enough for me to put up since I was a teen. Now, that I have joined on here and am trying to learn how to do new styles I have found that no one else uses them. I have checked out a lot of the hair sticks and forks on here and of course that led me to etsy. I think they are pretty and there are a few that I'd like to buy but it seems like an unneeded expense for me right now because money is tight with me going to school and I'm honestly pretty happy with using decorative chopsticks.

Is it strange to keep using them until I feel like getting myself something special?

If you saw someone in real life with a bun that was secured by a chopstick would you think anything of it?

[iforgotmylogin]

Not at all. I think they look fantastic

[languagenut]

I just saw a set of chopsticks for sale online, and the description noted that they could also be used as hair pins. While the hair sticks I bought at Sally's look just like chopsticks. The only reason I don't use chopsticks as hair sticks myself is that they're so long; if you don't mind that, then go for it! There have also been a number of people in the self-made hairtoy thread who have altered chopsticks of various sorts to suit their hair stick preferences.

[Elodea]

Since chopsticks are used for eating in various Asian countries, you're technically not supposed to use them in your hair. If you're around Asian people, they might think it's odd or rude of you to use them in your hair. An analogy is like if you used a fork or spoon in your hair. I think if they look less obviously like chopsticks (which are usually a bit long to be used as hair sticks -- do you trim the ends at all?) then it's a bit more acceptable. I'm not saying it's 100% unacceptable to use them in your hair (at least in the US; I would definitely not wear them in my hair if I traveled to an Asian country), and many people probably wouldn't notice or care, but be aware of how it might be perceived by some people.

[jane_marie]

Since chopsticks are used for eating in various Asian countries, you're technically not supposed to use them in your hair. If you're around Asian people, they might think it's odd or rude of you to use them in your hair. An analogy is like if you used a fork or spoon in your hair. I think if they look less obviously like chopsticks (which are usually a bit long to be used as hair sticks -- do you trim the ends at all?) then it's a bit more acceptable. I'm not saying it's 100% unacceptable to use them in your hair (at least in the US; I would definitely not wear them in my hair if I traveled to an Asian country), and many people probably wouldn't notice or care, but be aware of how it might be perceived by some people.

huh... this is really interesting to me because my ex husband was 1/2 Japanese. We were married for seven years and I had to have wore chopsticks in my hair to his parents' house many many times. Neither of them ever said anything to me about it and the entire family was very warm/welcoming to me (it was only him that was ever rude to me). I find it a bit shocking that they might have found it rude and never said anything.

Come to think of it, I over the last week spent several days hanging out with my brother who was visiting the states. He teaches English in Japan and he never said anything to me either and he's usually not shy about being critical whenever possible. haha

In addition to all of that I have had many Asian friends, coworkers and fellow students over the years. Why did no one ever say anything if it's offensive?

[iforgotmylogin]

They only people I have ever seen use them as hair sticks WERE East Asian

[KameRose]

I don't see anything wrong with it. I have several pairs of chopsticks/hairsticks myself. I think it is like anything else, most people don't care at all and some people are going to be offended. I honestly did go a bit crazy googling this subject and for every post i found saying that it was considered an offensive thing to do there was another saying that they just thought people wearing chopsticks looked ridiculous and they thought them weird/crazy for wearing them in thier hair. And I also found several post along the lines of "I'm asian and I wear chopsticks in my hair." If you read the comments in the link Elodea posted, two of them are along those lines. Bottom line is that you can't please everyone and as long as you are happy with them what does it matter. I also found quite a few that weren't even asian that were pretty bent out of shape over the issue at the perceived slight....

Where I live I can be wearing honest to god genuine hairsticks and people will still call them those asian chopsticks.

On a side note I have been guilty of giving the 'that is supper weird look' to people I see wearing pens or pencils in thier hair. But that was pre-hair toys for me. Now I just look at it and go "Ooooo, a utilitarian hair toy!"

[jane_marie]

They only people I have ever seen use them as hair sticks WERE East Asian

This whole thing confuses me now. I wonder why no one ever said anything to me. It kind of sucks because I find the length of a chopstick to be really nice for creating a loose bohemian bun. It sounds like it might be considered rude for me to even use anything of a similar size and length because someone might assume that they are chopsticks even if they aren't based on the length.

[iforgotmylogin]

I just asked Qian, my Chinese landlady about this, she said it's fairly common. She added that there is a famous Korean singer whose name escapes her whose signature look is exactly this

[jane_marie]

I don't see anything wrong with it. I have several pairs of chopsticks/hairsticks myself. I think it is like anything else, most people don't care at all and some people are going to be offended. I honestly did go a bit crazy googling this subject and for every post i found saying that it was considered an offensive thing to do there was another saying that they just thought people wearing chopsticks looked ridiculous and they thought them weird/crazy for wearing them in thier hair. And I also found several post along the lines of "I'm asian and I wear chopsticks in my hair." If you read the comments in the link Elodea posted, two of them are along those lines. Bottom line is that you can't please everyone and as long as you are happy with them what does it matter. I also found quite a few that weren't even asian that were pretty bent out of shape over the issue at the perceived slight....

Where I live I can be wearing honest to god genuine hairsticks and people will still call them those asian chopsticks.

On a side note I have been guilty of giving the 'that is supper weird look' to people I see wearing pens or pencils in thier hair. But that was pre-hair toys for me. Now I just look at it and go "Ooooo, a utilitarian hair toy!"

You know it's funny you mention this because that's exactly why I started using chopsticks in my hair in the first place. haha

At some point in my childhood I discovered chopsticks and I refused to eat with a fork anymore. My parents were fine with it (mostly because I used to scrape the fork against my front teeth while eating and make a terrible noise) and soon I had a bunch of pretty chopsticks. At some point I didn't have a hair tie but I had chopsticks in my lunch bag and I just used that and I have been using them ever since. I have probably 30 sets of chopsticks in my kitchen and when I go to do my hair I just walk into there, grab one and go with it. On days when I'm running late I often use the set I keep in my purse for eating with. It's a utilitarian thing for me: "Hey I can eat with this! It doesn't take up as much space as a fork, it's easy to clean, I can put my hair up with it too and they are here!" ... that sort of thing.

haha I feel pretty upset about this whole thing now.