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.)

I had a chin length bob once and hated it. Shorter hair is not easier to manage IMO. I couldn’t tie it up properly as bits kept falling down, it kept kinking up at the sides and I didn’t feel as feminine looking. I have had long hair ever since and it suits me. I am not interested in whether men prefer it or not - I prefer long hair.

@Lweji i understood it. He means women who are heavier are less likely to look good with short. I think it's true. I definitely were my hair down more when I'm feeling fat as it takes the emphasis off everything else

I get what you are saying OP. Dd (8yo) asked me to cut her hair the other night and was really thrilled with the result - pixie-bob if that's a thing qualified hairdresser I am not! and it looks really smart on her. However on our way out of the school for her ""meet the teacher" couple of hours and a couple of the bitchy mums were smirking at her as she went past. One called out "Well that was a BOLD move!" and they smirked together. Meanwhile it's fine to post up pics of their 9yo's in mini skirts with ripped tights, goth make-up and high pigtails doing "slutty goth" It really did make me see how the "in group" really value long hair as a feminine must-have.

@chubbyhotchoc

Thank you for sharing your own experience and this is what I (perhaps poorly) was alluding to.

For anyone who otherwise wants to indulge in whatabouttery and shoot the messenger, I will be very, very clear -

I think ALL women can wear whatever the hell hair they want. All women, all sizes, whoever you are.

I also however believe (as per chubbyhotchoc's post just now) that with over 50% of the UK being overweight etc, that quite a few people probably choose to keep their hair long. It doesn't mean they CAN'T cut it as some sort of unspoken rule. It means I think they choose to keep it long as a result.

Short hair is way higher maintenance than long! You can just shove long hair into a ponytail or a bun, you can't do that with short hair. It always needs styling unless you have hair like Demi Moore.

If you have ultra fine hair I find in nearly all cases shorter styles look better.

Not me. My ultra fine, baby blonde hair makes me look bald if it's short. That is not a good look on me!

Wow. What nonsense.

Loving the stereotyping!

Not sure where I stand in your theory OP. I have long hair (always have) and I'm also bisexual and I like long hair on a woman....as a feminine woman. I don't think it has anything to do with testosterone.

I don't have long hair to attract a man or a woman. I have it because I think it suits me more than short hair. If shorter hair suited me, then I'd have my hair shorter.

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

You were the one identifying as a man from the start of your post. Why?

And I see no explanation of what you wrote in reply to my request, but an attack.

Please do explain what you meant, if not to claim that fat women should have longer hair.

And why you thought we needed the thread explained to us.

And yes, much harder to maintain when short - no weight pulling it down so needs styling everyday.

Nah, short hair, out of shower, bash it with a comb, job done.

'Wear' not 'were' before the spag police come out

@diplodocusinermine

Nah, short hair, out of shower, bash it with a comb, job done.

I don’t even own a comb

Thats how easy mine is 😀

I have longer hair because I mostly like to tie mine back. I don't like loose hair, even short, and if i have it very short because i have quite a small head it looks very odd.

I think it drove on fashion. I’m 49 and have medium length- to my shoulder but have been short, bob and longer. I was married with short in the 90s in a ‘Lesley Ash’ from Men Behaving badly. It’s just fashionable at the moment to have long hair, nothing to do with men imo.

Depends not drive!

I have long, fine hair so by your logic ought to have it cut short as I’d look better (more attractive, even?) But I’m not hugely bothered by how my hair looks so I don’t. My choice is based on ambivalence rather than trying to be attractive. I don’t want to have to go to the hairdressers more than once a year (at most), don’t want to waste time styling/ blow drying, and do want to be able to just tie it back for work.

Mines also a bit wavy and requires a lot more styling when short to look smart/tidy.

Omg. Is this thread title for real??

He means women who are heavier are less likely to look good with short.

Yes. I understood that too.
You didn't think it was just a correlation either.
So, a judgement on how women look better. Not larger women prefer to see themselves in longer hair, but it "suits them better" and it distracts from their fatness.

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.

My DH does prefer my hair long. But I don't keep it long for him (he hates tattoos and I got one anyway).

I keep it long for several reasons

I have A LOT of hair. And keeping it long weighs it down. I've tried a bob, I just end up with a massive bouffant.

If it was short, I'd need to straighten it every day to keep it under control. Not only is that bad for your hair, but I'm bloody lazy.

I like being able to throw it up without brushing it if I'm in a rush, like this morning when we all woke up at 0740 and needed to be out of the door by 0820!

I like the freedom to easily change how it looks. Braids, bun, high ponytail, down and straight, down and curly.

I can't bear having it in my face. So being able to put it up and get it away from me is the main reason. It's currently almost down to my bum, but I have gone as short as shoulder length. My main instruction to the hairdresser is 'do what you like, leave it long enough to tie back and get out of my face'.

Basically it's minimum maintenance. If I cut it really short, I'd have more maintenance as I'd need to regularly have it cut to keep it that length. As it is, I go to the hairdresser once or twice a year.

I think this is crazy.. I've had both long and short styles and never considered what other people think I should have.
Same with light/dark hair.. my husband always preferred my hair lighter but I often switch between blonde and brown.. would never occur to me to remain light just because that's his preference.

I actually don't mean that women who are heavier are less likely to look good with short!!

I didn't provide ANY value judgement on what they look like and whether they should choose a style.

I commented because if you spend five mins on Google you find a lot of "heavier" (to use your word) people avoid short hairstyles.

That's their choice, but I was being objective and saying I think that is why there's so much long hair around (as we're talking about more than 50% of people).

For goodness sake - if you're going to put words in my mouth, then I can't debate on here. It's pathetic.

@madwoman you have made me spit my tea out laughing. Brilliant post, you sound fab!

I have one of those unpopular opinions that women shouldn't have hair longer than shoulder length after the age of about 35. It's not very common here anyway. Women tend to have long hair in middle age in the US and France, but it doesn't seem to be the norm around Europe in general.

@GinDaddyRedux
I've quoted your own words.
I have no idea what you wanted to say, just what you actually said, despite your protestations.
I earn a living from being able to objectively read sentences. And from being able to distinguish facts from opinions.