Miss Manners' views on long hair

[spidermom]

I'm with Fiferstone, too.

I used to read Miss Manners frequently when we subscribed to a newspaper, and she can be quite funny in an understated way. Someone once asked her the correct way to eat potato chips at a party, and she went through a short discussion of the proper plate and how to serve yourself, and then she finished with "and then you pick them up one by one with your fingers and put them into your mouth. Chew with your mouth closed, please."

[FreakyGreenEyes]

Very nice. I love it when media realizes long hair isn't just for the young (whatever arbitrary/'it' age that happens to be at the moment).

[LittleOrca]

Besides, when your husband begins to look forward to watching the ritual of your slowly taking down your hair at night, for his eyes alone, daytime fashions will seem less important to you both.

This sounds almost very modest. Not that I am bashing people are are modest in this fashion and keep their hair up or covered for those reasons, but that is the feel I got when I read this. We LHCers know wearing the hair up is a good way to protect it, but making it seem like your hair is an aphrodisiac that drive men (or your husband in this example) wild when it comes down (or is down) and you need to control it sounds very close to other ways women have been told by various religions to control themselves so they don't tempt men. But then again, it is Miss Manners....

[going gray]

I too agree, she's simply states no one should cut there hair because they are getting older.

[Carolyn]

I'm with Fiferstone, too.

I used to read Miss Manners frequently when we subscribed to a newspaper, and she can be quite funny in an understated way. Someone once asked her the correct way to eat potato chips at a party, and she went through a short discussion of the proper plate and how to serve yourself, and then she finished with "and then you pick them up one by one with your fingers and put them into your mouth. Chew with your mouth closed, please."

A lot of the mannerly things she gives advice on are really just common sense and common curtesy. I liked her sense of humor too. Sometimes it was so subtle it was hard to get.

[rhubarbarin]

"Fashion has retained the essence of the old-fashioned custom of a lady's putting up her hair on reaching maturity by frequently assuring women that shourt hair is more flattering and more appropriate than long to anyone over twenty-five. Actually, long hair put up achieves the same effect, only (in the opinion of such romantics as Miss Manners) better. As you will learn from looking at nineteenth-century fashion plates or paintings, the basic "bun" can be adapted to any type of hair or face, and a slightly slipshod look is considered part of the charm. It is as appropriate for daytime as for evening, when fancy combs or flowers may be added. Besides, when your husband begins to look forward to watching the ritual of your slowly taking down your hair at night, for his eyes alone, daytime fashions will seem less important to you both."

Her interpretation doesn't make much sense to me because when women put their hair 'up' it was when they reached adulthood, not mature womanhood or motherhood (matron). Around ages 15-17, or at marriage which happened young, from everything I've read.

Historically though flowing, uncontained hair has either been associated with childhood (innocence) and sexuality.

It was very nice though to read something supporting longer hair. I didn't see that she was saying it should always be up, just that if you are thinking of going short for reasons of 'appropriateness' (and many people are influenced by this) you can keep it long and put it up for the same effect.

[Fractalsofhair]

I like her take on it. She's supporting long hair!!!

Anyways, her manners may be antiqutdated, but most manners are. Or maybe we all just have poor manners in this era.

[JamieLeigh]

Oprah needs to read Miss Manners.

[pradabacon]

^^^For reals.

[Honestwitness]

Hmmm... I usually feel the need to put my hair UP, when I'm in intimate situations with my DH, to keep it out of the way.