To think most women keep hair long to be attractive to the opposite sex?

[Ilovegreentomatoes]

It's always been said men prefer long hair it looks more feminine etc.
I know many women hate having their hair short and are devastated if their hairdresser cuts of more than an inch.What is the obsession with long hair? I have fine hair and cut it short because long hair looks crap on me but I'm definitely in the minority. Even women who look better with short hair because of their hair texture insist on keeping it long. Do you think that's because we are subconsciously taught mainly by men that long hair is more attractive. Plus all teen girls have that uniform ultra long hair there is no diversity. And no I'm not jealous because I have short hair!(well very short bob to be fair.)

Any views on mens hair?

All basically the same isn’t it?

No. Do you not know any men? They can be fussier about their hair than women. In more subtle ways too.

@Justaboy

I still don't give a fuck. I doubt that you're my type anyway!

It's partly fashion. As a child in the late 1970s/early 80s, I always had a bob, shoulder length at the longest, as did everyone else. As a teenager, I had very short hair, again, so did everyone else. Since then, I've had it longer. I had a graduated bob a few years ago but now it's shoulder length. I have very thin hair so it looks better slightly shorter. Long hair is fashionable atm which is why women have it.

I had short year when I was younger and I liked it and it suited me.

Now much older (50s), my hair is long as I find it difficult to get to the hairdressers but tbh it is more flattering as I have a square jaw and the neck has sagged .

When I divorced I had my hair long and blonde and I definitely got more looks and attention from men than I had ever had in my life.

I'm a bloke and it's none of my business to opine on what women do with their hair. You won't get my view on what "women should do". I may however give my thoughts on this thread in general if that is ok.

I think the OP has a point....

....but it's been completely lost in the "men" argument she led off with. It's a facile argument that has ended up largely destroying anything interesting that could have been discussed.

It's clear that practical considerations and budget tend to guide other women's beauty standards - it's not about being submissively beautiful to men. Being able to tie one's hair up quickly, not have to pay for a haircut every six weeks - these are the indicators as to why hair is long. The men argument derailed any interesting analysis on that.

I have reliably read that over 50% of women in the UK are found to be either overweight or obese. It is therefore highly unlikely that with such face shapes, people are going to go for a pixie haircut or bob that won't frame the face as well. I think this is the reality of it all, rather than the "it doesn't suit me as well as long hair". I think for these body types, long hair draws the eye away and provides an anchor point for a sense of style and self. And fair enough, makes sense.

If you're a Charlize Theron in build and bone structure, with a big budget and plenty of confidence, then she will do what the fuck she wants - of course short hair absolutely rocks on her.

@GinDaddyRedux

I'm a bloke and it's none of my business to opine on what women do with their hair. You won't get my view on what "women should do". I may however give my thoughts on this thread in general if that is ok.

I think the OP has a point....

....but it's been completely lost in the "men" argument she led off with. It's a facile argument that has ended up largely destroying anything interesting that could have been discussed.

It's clear that practical considerations and budget tend to guide other women's beauty standards - it's not about being submissively beautiful to men. Being able to tie one's hair up quickly, not have to pay for a haircut every six weeks - these are the indicators as to why hair is long. The men argument derailed any interesting analysis on that.

I have reliably read that over 50% of women in the UK are found to be either overweight or obese. It is therefore highly unlikely that with such face shapes, people are going to go for a pixie haircut or bob that won't frame the face as well. I think this is the reality of it all, rather than the "it doesn't suit me as well as long hair". I think for these body types, long hair draws the eye away and provides an anchor point for a sense of style and self. And fair enough, makes sense.

If you're a Charlize Theron in build and bone structure, with a big budget and plenty of confidence, then she will do what the fuck she wants - of course short hair absolutely rocks on her.

And yet. You do. 🙄

I'm not too far away from 60, I have had long hair short hair and mid length hair. I prefer it long, usually wear it in a pony tail. I have never considered having a certain length for a bloke ? ? WTF ?

it is just personal to each individual isn't it?

I miss my long hair a lot now it has dropped out with the chemo and although I have had a surprising number of complimentary comments about how my growing back short hair has arrived it really suits my face and me generally (I am quite petite but I an not sure that is why - maybe they just feel sorry for me!!) I would still love to have my longer hair back.

I hope I would not be judged for my personal preference for myself on that.

I would hope also not to be judged if I confessed that when going through puberty many years ago I liked boys with short hair, in particular those where the hairdresser had managed a neat straight line on the back of the nape. wasted a few school lessons looking at the backs of some necks I now realise!

but that is just me - I can admire other styles and see how they can also suit the person and make them attractive (not just physically but in a holistic way)

maybe I am a woman from the 50s after all even tho I was born many decades after that …..:)

@Mydogisthebestest

That didn't take long

I didn't say what "women should do with their hair".

I did add some thoughts on what I'd read on the forum.

Much of male and female behaviour is defined by hormones rather than intellect or practicality. Socialisation keeps the worst effects of it controlled, but when it comes to minor things like trying to look attractive, so what?

High heels are worse I think because that can actually give you bunions and having healthy feel in old age is very important for keeping active.

feet, not feel

I've always cut my hair to suit my needs and wants.
A bob(ish) for Winter because it's easier to wash and dry and sits nicely on top of all the layers and scarfs.
Longer for Summer because I can tie it up and it's actually cooler that way and I can swim on the beach without getting hair on my face.
I need to blow dry it to look nice though.

@Ilovegreentomatoes they did give Rapunzel a short hair do at one point (although kept the merchandise with long hair). They did a series when it grew long but think it is short again.

Long hair for me is definitely easier shorter needs much more care as the weight straightens it and I can tie it back.

My hair is very short

I get lots of positive comments from women although Dh would rather my hair was long

My slightly longer hair was annoying me over lockdown so my eldest shaved it for me, i doubt i will ever let it grow out

@Cheekyfox

Keeping your hair long has nothing to do with the opposite sex. I refuse to conform and get a “mum haircut” because Im expected to

Given that there’s an overwhelming preference for long hair I’d say that it’s those who wear their hair short that are not conforming.

I like the idea that women (should) have longer hair because they are fat.

@Lweji

I like the idea that women (should) have longer hair because they are fat.

That's not what I said...

Just because I state a clear correlation doesn't mean that I endorse it, approve it, believe it should be so, or recommend it.

I mentioned this to a friend on the phone this morning and she mentioned how many women got their hair cut within a year of getting married. We counted quite a few.

So what did you mean when you said that it was highly unlikely that fat women wouldn’t suit short hair? Where did you pull that factoid from?

I have ultra fine hair. I've had all lengths from Sinead O'Rebellion to down to my elbows. My husband generally likes the shorter hair, but God love the man he thinks it (an me) are lovely. I did have a DP who banged on about long hair being more attractive, tried to back it up with cod science re signs of fertility - that's when I did the baldy

I have reliably read that over 50% of women in the UK are found to be either overweight or obese. It is therefore highly unlikely that with such face shapes, people are going to go for a pixie haircut or bob that won't frame the face as well.!

Please explain.

I certainly need ideas explained to me, as well as what a correlation is, it seems.

What would we do without a man explaining a thread to us, poor women?

Hum well. Marilyn Monroe had pretty short hair and I doubt anyone ever accused her of being unfeminine.
She herself was pretty open about wanting to be attractive to men yet never grew her hair. Why? I assume because it wasn't the fashion.

Men with long hair (and women with short to a lesser extent) has been in and out of style over and over down the centuries. Long hair, in fact, was once considered a sign of virility and long hair was always considered youthful and sexy in BOTH sexes for many years.

Charles II had long lustrous curls and we all know how he was with the ladies

In the C20th long hair on men became more and more popular again from the late '60s on and throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s it was quite common to see men with long hair and women with short.

But for the last 20 years or so it seems that society has gone back to trying to force us into ever more restrictive "gender boxes" and one marker of this is women - long hair, men - short hair. Although there are more ludicrous "rules" than this of course.
I myself prefer long hair largely for the "lazy" reasons cited on this thread but also because, yes I think it looks better on me. (And most people tbh. Including men lol)

My parents insisted I had a bloody awful "pageboy" haircut in the 80s, when i was about 7. (I dont know if it's so my mum no longer had to plait my hair in the morning) I hated it (i cant remember if i actually agreed to it!) I grew it straight away,and since then the shortest I've had it is shoulder length. My own DD has only had her hair cut twice in her whole life, and shes 14.

@Lweji

I have reliably read that over 50% of women in the UK are found to be either overweight or obese. It is therefore highly unlikely that with such face shapes, people are going to go for a pixie haircut or bob that won't frame the face as well.!

Please explain.

I certainly need ideas explained to me, as well as what a correlation is, it seems.

What would we do without a man explaining a thread to us, poor women?

Here we go again....someone doesn't like what's said, so they attack the presence of that person's sex on the board.

having long hair is a lot of work, so it is only indulged by those who care most about their appearance

Not really - brush it, ponytail it, done! Takes seconds