Had my long hair since I was 19, it's been through a dyed and crimped goth phase, the inevitable IT pony tail and subsequent jokes about there being an arsehole under every ponytail.
It's even been partnered with a beard for the UNIX work at home hippy look.
Increasingly I'm getting fed up with it. Don't really want to be like some friends who have held onto every last strand but also wary of the terrible middle aged haircuts that ex long haired friends have ended up with.
Half thinking of going on Amazon, getting some clippers and going for shaved. T'other half is dead set against it and I'm a tad worried I may have an odd shaped head and suddenly go down with ManFlu for a month thanks to the sudden exposure.
Anyone any advice - serious or comedy. It's a dull Friday after all.
Pigtails?
I think you need to post a picture of yourself with long hair so we can [s]photoshop it remorselessly [/s]see your face shape
Man bun. Take pics
I used to have long hair, now go for Grade 2 all over every month...
I think this'd look good on you
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If it's thinning you either need to embrace the bald and go full Terry Nutkins, or just deal and get a boring normal haircut and keep it tidy. I'm an ex-longhaired balding chap, and I would buzz it all off but the missus won't let me*, so I have a dull, receding short-back-and-sides, and wear hats a lot.
(* I could obviously do what I want with my hair if I really cared, but I like an easy life.)
I went with "long but not ridiculously so," kinda Dave Grohl (in my head, probably closer to Homeless Drifter in reality).
I had mine long for about 15 years and yep, it was becoming a pain in the arse (I remember in particular a windy day at T in the Park where it was constantly in my eyes, for some reason that kind of broke the camel's back). But it still took me ages to get it cut, because I had no idea what to do with it. That was just a skill that had atrophied because every haircut I'd had since I was in school was "just tidy it up a bit"
So I went to a good hairdresser (usually I go to a barber, this was definitely a stylist) and said "I haven't a clue what to do with all this, but I want rid of it. It's got to be low maintenance, fairly helmet hair resistant, no "product" because I need to fall out of bed and run a comb through it and go to work". And then just sat back and let her take care of business. Sorted. Came out boring but functional, but if your hair's the most interesting thing about you, you're just boring. And if you're not boring who gives a **** about your hair?
It gets shorter every time but I've got some decent sized scars on my noggin so not sure a buzz cut is a good idea, otherwise I'd have done that already.
Had my hair about nipple-length* from around '92 to '01.
Since then I've told the hairdresser "Grade 2 side-and-back and messed up on top" with varying degrees of success in the range of "looking OK" to "looking like a bog-brush" depending on how long it is before I can be arsed to go for my next trim.
*As in it reached my nipples, as opposed to being the same length as my nipples
I had my shoulder length hair buzzed the day I stopped being a student. I wish I'd figured out earlier that a grade 1 is the lazy option. I don't even own a comb.
Pigtails?
Reigns!!
Ever since I was 14 I've been growing my hair long then shaving it off again, I've been short haired for about 5 years now but still haven't settled on a style. I generally just shave it off but leave it a bit longer on the top and leave it scuffy. I'm going thinner now though, and not around the waist!!
Had the same dilemma, eventually cut my hair for a job interview and looked like a rubbish version of Hugh Grant, hated that then after surfing at Llangenith my mate says he needs a hair cut so we went to Taffys in the Uplands, I ended up with a number 3 and had that for years.
One thing to watch out for, it may grow back curly 😯
It gets shorter every time
That's generally what happens at a barber's.
Embrace your hair chaps. 🙂
I'm toying with the buying clippers approach too, I'm phenomenly lazy, can't get to the barbers in the week, resent wasting my w/e on such a mundane chore, so my hair gets longer and longer, till I look like marge simpson (not blue mind) and my wife hacks at it with the kitchen scissors. Can't help thinking grade 4 all over would do the trick, could do my beard at the same time for ease!
Cougar - ModeratorThat's generally what happens at a barber's.
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Flat-top
It'll save you a fortune in shampoo if you take the clippers to it. It's pretty liberating once it's done.
How old are you OP?
If you're over 33 then you just go to the barber and ask for a short haircut and that's the end of it.
Ignore what people may think and get yourself to a decent hairdresser, somewhere like Toni and Guy and book an appointment with the Style Director. They're usually someone with a wealth of experience who can advise and listen at the same time.
That's what I did when I got rid of my long hair after a 12 year partnership. Never looked back.
had long hair through my student years - was half way downy back. got to the point where i didn't like it, but had no clue what cut i wanted. went to a decent salon and let them sort it out. best thing i ever did
Half thinking of going on Amazon, getting some clippers and going for shaved. T'other half is dead set against it and I'm a tad worried I may have an odd shaped head and suddenly go down with ManFlu for a month thanks to the sudden exposure.
I had shoulder length hair when I was at uni, went straight to a zero clippered a couple of years after graduation.
What you look like with your hair in a tight ponytail is pretty much what you'll look like with a buzz cut. Get the clippers out.
The only thing I do regret, is not having a bit of fun with it as it went away- I was on short notice as I wanted it gone before a job interview. If I'd had the time I'd have gone full pat sharpe for a while.
Clippers +1.
Many years ago I looked like I was in Hanson .
I cut it very short and my mother didn't recognise me when I knocked on her door.
Note - we need before and after pics to brighten up our miserable lives..
especially if you visit a "style director".
I once sported a side parting and 90's curtains, then centre parted and curtains, then in 96' I swept it all back and never looked back.
^^ that pick up there was taken of me early 00's in a brief moment of "I'll bring it forward today" some photographer or other wanted something "in keeping with the times" Once I stepped out of the studio I swept it back again nd it's been like that, and will stay like that until probably next week when I get bored.
In all honesty, get the back cut, keep the top longish and sweep it all back..
Unless you are going thin, in which case the clippers is the best bet.
Had long hair for years as couldn't think of how to have it and hate going to the barbers. Clippered it myself last year to 12mm and haven't regretted it for a second.
it was biking that made me get mine cropped short. I couldnt get a decent helmet fit and when i did teh extra insulation of hair made me sweat like a rapist.
I`m no3'd every couple of months. i toy with growing it out again but, to be brutally honest , i cant be arsed.
I had dreadlocks for a decade which were down to my rse. one very hot summer it got too much as I was almost passing out in the heat so I grabbed the clippers. five minutes later is was grade 1 up top and about a stone lighter.
bar the occasional moment where I think about my youth I have not missed my hair one bit. run the clippers over my head and face once every couple of weeks and that's it job done.
I used to have shoulder length hair and now that I'm thinning I wish I could have it long again. Not a pony tail though ...
I'd hate to have hair again.
It's an inconvenience of the highest order.
My Ray Reardon / Dracula style gets cropped every four weeks and has never seen a brush or a comb for 10 years.
I had long hair until I was 25. At one point to my waist but they were dreads. Had them cut out at 23ish after someone I used to know who also had dreads cut through one of his and it was full of maggots! 😯 He was pretty lacks on the personal hygiene front though.
Most of my old band mates also had their long hair cut a little later but now nearly all of them have got long hair again in their 40s. Even though I still have most of my hair on my head I don't think I could be arsed with all the hassle of long hair anymore.
That's what I did when I got rid of my long hair after a 12 year partnership. Never looked back.
I would if I were you, it might be a mullet.
Ignore what people may think and get yourself to a decent hairdresser, somewhere like Toni and Guy and book an appointment with the Style Director.
😆
Mid-back length and henna dyed from about 19 to 22, then a 90s bleached number 2 and floppy fringe, from about 25 to my mid-30s spiked up and dyed various colours. At this point had a relapse and let it grow out again for a couple of years, but ended up looking like this . . .
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. . . so relented and went back to spikes, but can't be arsed with dying it any more so it's all a bit shades of grey these days . . .
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. . . easy to maintain ("number two and trim on top") and easy to 'style' - slap on a bit of fibre putty and rough it around a bit. 30 seconds to do at most and a bit more interesting than a 'short haircut'.
cinnamon_girl - MemberEmbrace your hair chaps
Eh?
I've had a pony tail (never loose) since I was 18.. I'm not mid 40's and am receding badly, and again my head is going to look bizarre shaved & g/f has said don't do it... TBH I'm struggling with what even a good hairdresses/stylist could do..
This thread had given me hope but it fading.. just like my fringe
If you're going from long to shaved I'd recommend a transitional phase [img] 
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Had one for a couple of weeks after getting bored of long hair fun but a lot of effort to get it up, though the missus might help fnar.
*not a pic of me
I'm a tad worried I may have an odd shaped head
Everyone has an odd shaped head.
Book an appointment with this guy,don't ask for extras.
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Do wonder if you chaps would be better off speaking with a female stylist who can unleash her creative side so as to make you look hot, or even hotter as the case may be.
😉
Started growing mine again 18 months ago, initially just to wind up my wife.
People reckon it suits me and I've enjoyed doing it again.
Everyone is under strict instructions to let me know when it gets too thin.
I'll give it another six months, then back to a crew cut.
Brad Pitt managed nicely in his zombie film. Google it and his after shave adverts. I tried it for a while but have now ended up with a sons of anarchy style greased back , it looks a bit biker, but homeless but the main judge in my life -mrs- likes it and work have never objected it joked about it. I am lucky as I am blessed with thick hair even now into my 40s.
If I could post picks, I'd put one up of me with a bright red Mohican whilst wearing a wedding suit!
Didn't have mine cut at all for 15+ years. Was down to my waist!
Started thinning rapidly so off it came.
No1 all over.
Best thing I ever did. 3 minutes to have a shower. No shampoo to buy. No wet hair to dry. No comb needed. Just lots less pissing about in general.
I give it a no1 every 10 days or so. £10 for a set of clippers every couple of years.
I had long hair and it was a pita but I still liked it. Was terrified to cut it off, it ha become too much part of my identity. Tried some hair styles with wax then went for grade 2 crewnfor a while and settled on a grade 3-4 ish. Thought I would have a odd head too. So much easier with short hair and I can't be doing with products.