Waist length (or BSL?) pros and cons

[WaitingSoLong]

Ok, I remember being at waist length, actually, that was the length I was when I first came to TLHC (ok, maybe a little past) but I remember after waist I just HAD to do something to get my hair up or cut it off, which is how I found TLHC, looking for buns and such.

Anyway, I am just about to cut back to waist length. I am trying to remember the pros and cons of waist length to decide if this is really the length I want to cut back to.

As it is, I cannot stand my hair anymore. I have tried and failed several times to wear it down lately and it is a mad beast that gets caught and snagged and tangled so much it is not worth wearing down. I am one of those that don't see the point in having long hair if I can never wear it loose!

Currently, I am happy to wear a braid with a paranda most of the time. This is my compromise to wearing the length without the tangles and issues. Buns are getting to heavy for my head but I still need to be able to wear it up. I am thinking that waist length is long enough to still secure when needed but short enough to wear down on occasion and will be less hassle when washing, etc. Plus I could grow back to TBL in a year if I wanted, Classic in another year. I mean, hair DOES grow back.

I would lose 12 or so inches going back to waist.

Anyway, I just wanted to hear pros and cons of waist length and maybe even BSL. Thanks.

P.S. I am not fishing for compliments on my hair or want people to beg me not to cut. It is my hair, my decision and I am weighing my choices, that is all.

[DarkCurls]

I know you don't want compliments, but I just have to say your hair is gorgeous. Sorry.

I'm at waist right now, so maybe I can help?

Pros:
- Can do most updos: okay, a French twist is out and I can't do a Gibson tuck anymore, but that's it really, except the buns designed for super-long hair. Hair is not heavy yet.
- Detangling: I detangle twice a week under the shower with tons of conditioner applied to my hair. Very quick.
- I wear my hair down all the time. Every single day. I joined the "wear your hair up for X amount of time" challenge to see if it makes any difference for my hair, but until now I've always worn my hair down and it's quite manageable & not destroyed even though I have dry, wurly hair that tangles easily (I think? Since I don't detangle often I don't really know). I know what you mean when you say you don't see the point of having long hair if you can't wear it down... I feel the same.

Cons:
- Feels short: really! I can't imagine the change from classic to waist. I think maybe an inch or two below waist would be a good compromise. I love long braids, and you do lose a bit of length when braiding.
- It still does get caught in things. Really. ^^ My hair gets caught in seat belts, straps of backpacks, nails on chairs, and in other people's jewelry. *has quiet funeral for hair* I mean, ouch.
- And, well... I can't really find any cons for any length of hair except it either feels too short or gets caught in everything -- and WL is both!

As for BSL, it's got most of the pros of WL, without the updo one. It's a bit harder to squeeze BSL into some updos (I mean, it was for me).

[Kizuna]

I understand your decision and I can see why you want to have it shorter. I hope you will be happy with the length you choose.

I've never had longer hair than my current length (waist), but I'll give you the pros and cons I've found.
Pros:
- It's long enough to get into buns and braids.
- Half down styles looks great too
- It looks very nice when it's down
- It's long enough to be "long" in other peoples eyes
- I still manage to sleep with it out (not in a braid or bun) without having much tangle in the morning


Cons:
- buns won't be as big
- braid won't be as long
- it wants to tangle with the strap of my bag and sometimes get's caught in my jacket zipper

That's all I can think of for now

[natt i nord]

Most things are said already, but I want to add to the cons:
- hair won't be heavy enough to stay on the back while free

I'm at midback and that's what's getting on my nerves most at that length. With the slightest movement my hair slides onto my shoulders and I see absolutely nothing.

[bumblebums]

It might not be a problem for your hair type, but my hair is at waist length now, and it is still light enough to fly around when the slightest breeze blows. So that's a bit annoying.

Other than that, WL is much better than BSL all around. BSL was a pain for many updos.

[Madora]

BSL -

Pros - less to detangle
easier to shampoo

Cons - hairstyling very limited

WAIST -

Pros - "WOW" effect
Much more versatility in hairstyling

Cons - dealing with detangling often if you wear it down
(which would drive me nuts)

More time to shampoo

[schweedie]

I very much enjoyed my hair at waist length. It felt long, but not so long that it was too much of a pain to wear it down (although it may not feel very long when you're cutting back from a longer length, I suppose). It was the perfect length for the buns I usually do - the ends tucked down easily - and I also found it to be a very aestethically pleasing length.

BSL... Well, I don't really remember many pros for that, other than easy to wear down and wash, and it drying quicker. Because I'm so short, my hair is short enough at BSL that I can't do much with it, updo-wise.

[Amapola]

I'm finally down to waist and at last, it's long enough to stay back and does not fall to the front when it is down. I can still wear it down no problem, and can still sleep with it down no problem. At the same time, it's long enough that it will finally stay up when I put it up, and is not at all heavy.

When it was shorter, it continually fell into my face and refused to stay up. That might just be my hair, though. For me personally, waist length is far easier to live with.

Your hair really is beautiful, but as I've read posts here and gained a little knowledge about long hair, I've realized it is not for everybody. I mean, I think you have to decide how much you are willing to do to have it, and how much time you can put into it. And I've realized that it depends on your lifestyle, too. If I lived indoors all the time... But I don't. I live on a farm and I am constantly outside in the wind, sun, rain, snow etc so I just cannot leave my hair down all the time. I really understand the desire to cut.

[juliaxena]

I can't really comment but I can imagine at WL you will have another reason for WOW factor - super pretty ends.

[pink.sara]

Perhaps you could take 6 inches off and see how TBL feels for a while, and if wearing it down is still not practical then go to waist in a few weeks?

I don't know how thick your hair is but I remember it wasn't until tailbone I could do all the good buns, waist was a bit too short. And also it didn't tangle nearly as much as classic.

Also the slipping over the shoulder thing happened alot more at waist, tailbone tended to stay where it was put.

I am sure your ends will make your hair look stunning whichever length you choose though