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.)

See I genuinely look better with short hair, I’m petite and have good cheekbones BUT it takes me much longer as I have to style it and have it cut regularly and I just can’t be arsed.

I've NEVER met a woman who doesn't care more about the opinion of other women than men, when it comes to looks.

Agreed. Many men, although they obviously "know what they like" are oblivious to the niceties of grooming, make-up or fashion!

I actually love some short hair styles and how amazing it looks on other women. Some of the pics posted on here are stunning. Just not what I want for me and definitely not something i can be arsed with.

@FizzyGreenWater maybe we only care about other womens opinions because we are all unwitting victims of 1000's of year of the male gaze? sorry if someone has already said that im meant to be working so just glances at the posts

My hair has always been long and I wouldn't want it any other way.
I just smile when friends tell me how much they spend on the hairdresser, as I never go. I keep a fringe trimmed across my forehead, and every few weeks I ask DH to cut off a couple of inches across my back. Job done.

When I was pregnant the hairdresser actually refused to cut my hair short, because she said you won’t have time to style it every day after the baby’s born, you’ll just want to be able to clip it up.

Thing is OP, unless a woman feels that short hair suits her, she won't have that style. It doesn't matter what you or anybody else thinks actually.

I don't agree with your view that short hair suits many women. I've seen many women with many styles and very few 'clang' so I think that would indicate that women tend to know what style suits them and/or what they are happy with.

I think perhaps some women navel-gaze too much about what other women are/aren't doing...

Nobody's saying anyone can or can't have a certain hair length - this is just a discussion about preference.

It's not just a discussion about preference though, is it? There are several posts about how "awful" it is on older women.

Nothing to do with attractiveness and everything to do with laziness because if I can't be arsed I can tie it up, whereas when short you have to take time to actually do it.

I've had it shortish before (chin length) and am planning on cutting it to a similar length next month, however I will likely then grow it again

I have long hair because I like to tie it back off my face/wear it up for neatness. Also I do not need to spend a fortune at hairdressers (last time I was in hairdressers was aged 16 many years ago!!)as I can cut my own.

sussexmum I honestly don't think that's what it is. I think it's more that many women feel that other women are more discerning, and arguably more critical, about style, fashion and what suits the individual than most men are.

Ive got long hair because i want long hair, nothing to do with men prefering it long.

I agree with @OleanderOllivander I worked in the fashion industry for a long time: modelling, mags & buying & I don't dress for men at all. None of my friends do.

Isn't it more of a cultural/trend thing? My DW has long hair, and I hope to god it's not to attract men, as we're both women. My hair is mid length ( thanks lockdown!) but has been both very short and very long. I'm not doing anything hair wise to be attractive to blokes, I promise you that.

Nope. I love my long hair. Couldn't imagine not having it. When I'm older maybe I'll cut it. It's down to my bum since lockdown although I will have it trimmed shorter soon.

Have had several bf including my now dh that actually asked if I planned to cut it as I'd look better with short hair apparently. I ignored all of them

Having my hair long has bugger all to do with men - long hair is infinitely easier to look after. I can wash it and leave it to dry naturally, sleep on it, wake up in the morning, brush it and tie it out of the way. Why on earth would I want short hair, which needs cutting far more often, needs some kind of “style”, and if you sleep on it, needs sorting out the next morning, because you can tell which side you slept on and it’s too short to be able to tie out of the way when you don’t want the hassle of having to deal with it?

burninh

noted your 10:18 and you sound to have much more experience than me

but if you don't dress for men, do you ever think you dress / style for women (and I don't mean in a sexual way (although I presume nothing but I don't know you), I mean in a competitive way...)?

I have long hair.

Partly because I hate going to hairdressers, something about the environment there puts me on edge and makes me feel really tense and stressed. And it’s expensive.

Partly because, when my hair’s longer, if I’m short on time or can’t be arsed with styling it, I can quickly brush it and plait it and have it looking neat.
I’ve got the sort of hair that needs me to be doing stuff with straighteners and blow dryers or sprays to have it looking halfway tidy when it’s down, all of which is generally more bother and more time consuming than a quick brush and plait, so I like my hair to be long enough for me to have the option.

Ive had short, mid and long hair. the short hair was fun for a while but oh my goodness the maintenance....it got very tedious after a while My hair grows quickly so it needed what felt like constant trips to the hairdressers for trims or touch ups and I was constantly styling, blow drying and adding product to it. The mid length hair although fine just didnt suit me very much as my hairs thick and heavy so without having th e weight, midlength cuts gave me a bell shape which was hideous!!!! Now my hair is ultra long - all mine no extensions or clip ins and its great - healthy, thick, I never style or blow dry just wash once and week and leave to airdry and let the good cut and colour do the rest....and it suits me, plus I feel like a lioness with my mane. If men like it thats cool but mainly I like it.

I’ve never had long hair. Mid 30s

Most teen girls I know have long hair & they all look the same to me

I definitely think that the picture of Charlize Theron posted up thread is one of the most unflattering hairstyles she ever had and she looks 1000 times better with longer hair than that. Not necessarily long but longer than that very aggressive and severe looking style. Halle Berry, Frankie Bridge and Michelle Williams do genuinely look more attractive with short hair but they are the exception rather than the norm.

Natalie Portman is always lauded on here as an example from when she shaved her head but she didn’t look more beautiful with a buzzcut in mine and plenty of people’s opinions. She is beautiful full stop but more attractive with a bob and longer hair too. Ditto for Keira Knightly.

I have had long and short hair. Currently have just shaved it all off on a number 5. It is so easy to care for and needs nothing doing to it. I do not give a shiny shit what anyone thinks of it, apart from DH. I have been married 33 years and I know he loves me, hair or no hair.

Bubblebu Can only answer for myself and I'm no expert - but for me the reason I care how other women think I dress/"groom" myself (makes me sound like a horse!) is very similar to the reason I care what they think of the way I decorate my house, or how I speak, or do my work, or even brought up my children when they were younger. It's certainly not sexual and it's not really competitive, in the sense that I'm not trying to out-compete them but I do want to come across as having standards.

It's personal preference surely. Some men like long hair. Some like cropped hair on women. Women have hair in allsorts of styles and shape.

Bobs
Longer at the sides and short at the back Bob (forgot the name)

Hair extensions

Different colours. Shaved on one side.

It depends if you are punky. Really girly. Sporty too. It's personality surely?

My opinion, that isn't a fact, is I prefer longer hair on myself and personally the really short cropped hair I wouldn't like on myself. I tend to envy women with long wavy beautiful hair. Mines long wavy and thick. But it also is wild and easily frizzy. I wear mine down all the time because I don't like my ears. I also occasionally get eczema mildly on my scalp and i get self conscious. It would be typical if I brushed it up on a windy day id have the odd flake of skin in it. It's not visible with my hair down though.

I think women do what they feel confident doing. Also they work with what type of hair they have. Then they work with their personality.

Men will find a variety of women attractive. But we all know the magazine cover women are what's presumed to be the perfect women. Long hair. Perfect body. Tanned. No wobbles. No stretch marks. No sag. Gorgeous smile. White teeth. Immaculate face. Would look great in a bin bag. But we all know mostly that's makeup and filters.

Ole

makes sense