To wonder why do few girls have short hair nowadays

[Chewystick]

That’s it really. When I was at high school (80s), half the girls had short hair. However, I can only think of one girl my DDs (who have long hair) have known through school who had short hair and she has long hair now. When did short hair fall out of favour?

@ThatParent

My 10 year old grew her hair from pixie length after she started school. She was laughed at, told that only boys have short hair and asked several times why she wanted to look like a boy.

DD had similar, she is now 17, so that was 12 years ago.

I still love the Purdey cut, @Allaboutyou222! Joanna Lumley looked sensational.

When I was a teenager in the '80s short styles were a status symbol because of the expense -- frequent hairdresser visits, which might also include perms and foils, plus special shampoo and conditioner to use at home, plus styling tools and gels, plus an extra half-hour every morning to get your quiff looking shapely made short hair a costly proposition. Our household didn't have so much as a hairdryer, and I had to learn to trim my own hair.

By the mid '90s my long, dead-straight hair was in fashion. My time had come at last. Short hair's time will come again, but probably not during the 2020s; the "basic" look (plain jeans, sneakers, t-shirts and long, unprocessed hair) is very strong, according to DD13 and friends.

It's because shampoo is better than it used to be. You used to have to choose between short hair or frizz.

What even is this thread 😂
People have long hair because they want to! Or they have short hair because they want to
Quite frankly not sure why it bothers anyone the length of other peoples hair

@CountessOlenka. Statistically you are correct, adult obesity in the uk is double what it was in 1990.
However It’s not a reason for teens having long hair as most slim girls do too.

@Neurodiversitydoctor

I agree long hair has been around much longer (haha) than 10 years. Edwardian women had long hair Then bobs on the 20's, curls in the 30's, practical hair in the 40's war time Bobs again on the 60's Flowing locks in the 70's Short and punky in the 80's Definately flowing again from the 90's onwards. Really the short styles of the 8's were the anomaly now seen on women in their 50's/60's. I am 45 and have had at least jaw length hair my whole life as have most of our comptempories.

There was what was called the Eton crop in the 20s too.

@CountessOlenka

Girls are much fatter these days. You need cheekbones to look good with short hair.

It's like feminism never happened.

@CountessOlenka - honestly.

@EightWheelGirl - plenty of blokes with pony tails, more I'd say than when I was growing up.

I had short (pixie) hair as a teen in the 90s. Virtually no one else did. The odd Bob, but most girls had long hair.

@willithappen

What even is this thread 😂 People have long hair because they want to! Or they have short hair because they want to Quite frankly not sure why it bothers anyone the length of other peoples hair

Naïve.

I think Princess Diana sparked a trend for shirt hair....she looked amazing.
In the early 90s a pixie cut was on trend ....all the girls in my state secondary got one but when i moved to a private school all the girls had long swishy hair ...the sloan ranger look.

I was unusual in having short hair late nineties/early noughties.

It's high maintenance. Unless you have thick hair & style it carefully it can look terrible.

I think today's girls are more careful about the environment too and so less likely to do things like wash hair daily. With short hair your can't just tie it back nearly if you've slept on it badly.

I do think long hair looks beautiful though.i have a bob as it makes my fine hair look thicker...younger girls dont seem to have bobs.

I agree @TurquoiseBaubles

They ALL look the same in a way that is not the same as when I was a teenager and individual quirky styles were more acceptable. The only ones who have short hair are the ones who identify as boys.

It's as if there is this hyper feminine image of girl hood and if you don't conform to it, you must actually be a boy.it doesn't seem acceptable to be a "Tom boy" or a gender non conforming girl.

It's very worrying IMO, and not just a question of "trends"

out of interest, how often do you have to go to the hairdressers to keep your hair in a short style?

Every two months, when it was longer I still went every three months. The thing is, people seem to think if you have long hair you don't need to go to the hairdresser, but really it still needs regular trimming.

@EsmeSusanOgg

I had short (pixie) hair as a teen in the 90s. Virtually no one else did. The odd Bob, but most girls had long hair.

So did I, I was in my 30s then.

I’m 60 now. I grew my hair down to my shoulders in lockdown but don’t think it was very flattering tbh. Have just had it cut to mid neck length bob.

I like my dd to have longer hair so I can tie it up. When it’s short its always a lot of work, and constantly gets in her eyes/face.

@BakedTattie

I like my dd to have longer hair so I can tie it up. When it’s short its always a lot of work, and constantly gets in her eyes/face.

It’s not really short then is it.

Hair straighteners were invented.

@bentleyd

I agree *@TurquoiseBaubles*

They ALL look the same in a way that is not the same as when I was a teenager and individual quirky styles were more acceptable. The only ones who have short hair are the ones who identify as boys.

It's as if there is this hyper feminine image of girl hood and if you don't conform to it, you must actually be a boy.it doesn't seem acceptable to be a "Tom boy" or a gender non conforming girl.

It's very worrying IMO, and not just a question of "trends"

I agree with you. Gender stereotyping is worse than it’s ever been. Definitely not just a trend.

Yep hair straighteners and proper shampoo. Long hair in the old days looked frizzy and gross.

A lot of people (celebs) have bobs now, so not majorly short but not long either !

I wonder if one of the reasons also is that hair care technology has advanced a lot too, giving people more choice to have it long if they wish.

For example, hair treatments, conditioners and keratin etc so your hair is in better condition and doesn't need the ' dry ends cutting off' which I remember people saying when I was younger, but don't hear so much any more.

straighteners/curlers also. It's only been in the last 20 years or so that straighteners have been effective. I remember getting a pair of Babylis Pro straighteners in 1999 and it was life changing! More people might have chose to have long hair as it was easier to make it look how they wanted.

Very interesting thread.

Teenagers live in an echo chamber of pornified feminity. Woe betide any girl that chooses to dress out of step. I'm mid 30s and it's like there is no individuality anymore. Gender stereotypes are definitely worse. It's either feminine or masculine. I was a tomboy, nowadays I'd be called whatever the term is. No room for individual quirks.

@willithappen

What even is this thread 😂 People have long hair because they want to! Or they have short hair because they want to Quite frankly not sure why it bothers anyone the length of other peoples hair

Because on Mumsnet long hair is only for pleasing men, and any woman who says she chooses her long hair has internalised misogyny.

Whereas I think the question should be why aren't more boys wearing long hair? As that's what it would be like I'd just naturally left to thrive on its own 😝