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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have never before heard of the rule that girls and boys are supposed to part their hair on different sides?

94 replies

HugoTheHippo · 28/04/2014 12:11

DH informed me yesterday that boys/men part their hair on the left and girls/women (should) part their hair on the right. Apparently 'everyone knows this'. I have literally never heard of this before but have been sneakily checking out the hair-dos of strangers since then and it seems to be true! Am I the only one who doesn't know this vitally important fact, and WIBU to deliberately style my hair on the left now?

OP posts:
frankie001 · 28/04/2014 12:11

Nope, never heard that before. And good luck telling that to my unruly hair.

EatDessertFirst · 28/04/2014 12:17

I've never heard this but coincidently my DD and DS have natural partings on the 'correct' sides!!

So relieved not to be condemning my offspring to a life of ridicule!

Grin
beccajoh · 28/04/2014 12:21

Never heard that either.

WiiUnfit · 28/04/2014 12:22

I've never heard this either... Left as you look at them or their left? I think I might be a boy Confused

gertiegusset · 28/04/2014 12:23

Yes, have heard this but I don't think it's compulsory! Grin
Bit old fashioned.

MaidOfStars · 28/04/2014 12:24

My hair has always been parted on the right. I have always preferred "facing" people/being observed/photographed from the left because I had a very crooked left incisor that looked better from that direction. Parting on the right meant that, when I could control how they looked at me, people were treated to a sweeping glossy mane of hair, rather than a weedy looking thin parted side.

Now I have straight teeth, I don't really care which side people look at me from. But I don't see much of a reason to change my parting, just for fun.

popcornpaws · 28/04/2014 12:25

Yes I've heard of this before, but I'm ancient and the rule was around when i was young.My hair sits better with a left parting and I've never been mistaken for a man…yet!

SooticaTheWitchesCat · 28/04/2014 12:28

I think I have heard of it but I don't know anyone who follows this, my hair is parted slightly to the left but if it is 'wrong' I don't care Smile

Seeline · 28/04/2014 12:29

I've heard it too. Unfortunately my hair refuses to part on the right, as does my DDs. Like Popcorn - I haven't been mistaken for a male either Grin

KatieKaye · 28/04/2014 12:29

Nonsense! It depends on which side your crown is

MrsAlexVause · 28/04/2014 12:30

Apparently I have a boy parting then Confused

PostHocErgoPropterHoc · 28/04/2014 12:31

How ri

MrsWembley · 28/04/2014 12:32

Without meaning to sound rude, your DH is an arse.

Looking at some of responses here, you could let him know he is being very old-fashioned and completely out of touch...

Grin
struggling100 · 28/04/2014 12:33

I've never heard of it either!

This strikes me as one of those stupid things, like not wearing blue and green together. Tell DH you don't want your kids growing up being scared of breaking stupid and pointless rules!

TillyTellTale · 28/04/2014 12:33

I find the idea of being able to choose your hair parting's location fascinating. Mine parts in the middle, and nowhere else.

PostHocErgoPropterHoc · 28/04/2014 12:33

Oops. How ridiculous. Somebody somewhere may have decided on this 'rule', but that doesn't mean anyone has to pay it any attention.

Littleover · 28/04/2014 12:35

I used to do my MIL's hair and she has a natural parting on what she calls the "boys" side. She insisted I style her hair with the parting on the correct side. I spent years blowdrying a parting into the girls side for her. When it was windy she would look like a Mohican as her natural parting would break through the mega strength hairspray and lift the bit in the middle of her head. I tried many times to tell her that in 25 years of hairdressing I had never been aware of this rule. She knows best.....

Primrose123 · 28/04/2014 12:35

I've never heard this. My parting falls naturally to the right, but I have 2 DDs and one has a left parting and one has a right parting. :)

PostHocErgoPropterHoc · 28/04/2014 12:35

Btw, I'd be very grateful if anyone could help me part dd2s hair. She has a double crown and her hair goes in about 12 different directions all over her head.

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 28/04/2014 12:35

Mine is on the right as it just falls tht way and even when i try to change it it wont. But i have two boys, one with a left side and one with a right side parting. And one with a pain in the arse cows lick Grin

Forgettable · 28/04/2014 12:41

Hah post hoc one of mine has got a frikken triple crown, bonkers swirling. Looked like Pigpen as a toddler. Nowadays surf dude hair works. Hahahah.

crazykat · 28/04/2014 12:42

Mine is naturally on the right, dd1 straight down the middle and dd2s is on the left. DH and ds1 don't have a parting at all.

I've never heard of a boys/girls parting.

FryOneFatManic · 28/04/2014 12:45

I have never heard of this rule, and neither has anyone I know.

My hair parts on the left, as does DD's. DS doesn't have a parting (too short) and neither does DH (long, tied back). Hair will part as it naturally falls.

OP, style your hair as you like.

KatieKaye · 28/04/2014 12:49

Meant to say I have never heard of it either and am fairly ancient.
Hair partings as sexuality markers? Who would believe that?

Davsmum · 28/04/2014 12:49

That was a common way to do hair parting pre- 1960s. That, and boys buttons being on the right hand side of a garment and girls on the left - I think that's how it is still done with buttons.

I doubt it was a 'rule' though...I mean,..what was the penalty for non compliance?? ;-)