So I've had long hair for as long as I can remember.
I think that my mum always wanted me to have long hair, or maybe it was because I told her I wanted it, I'm not entirely sure.
But I DO remember that as soon as I was able to grow hair, it grew. And grew and grew and grew.
I was telling Lyndon the other day about how up until I was about 11 or 12, my hair was reeeeeally long and my Mum had to brush it for me daily and put it in a long plait(braid) because that was the only way I could wear it that didn't result in endless tangles and knots.
When I was 11 or 12, I had to go on a school camp to Auckland and my mum wouldn't be there to tame my hair for me (I couldn't do it by myself, I didn't know how and it was just so long and hard to deal with) so I got most of it chopped off.
Honestly, my head sprung up the moment it was cut. Like there was this giant weight that was just taken away. It felt AMAZING! My head was so light and free!!!!!!!!!!
After that I kept my hair long-ish but learnt how to deal with it on my own.
It was definitely a learning experience.
I only cut it short once and that was in 2009 after I broke up my boyfriend at the time (so cliche).
I got a lot of compliments but realised I actually didn't like it that short.
Yes, it was easier to deal with, but it didn't look right.
Without the weight of the long hair weighing it all down, my hair kind of grew outwards and was really poofy and overly-voluminous.
This was not what I wanted.
So after that I decided I would never cut my hair very short ever again, but obviously a trim every 6 months or so was both necessary and good to keep the hair healthy.
Having had long hair for 20+ years, I feel that I know quite well the struggles that come along with it.
Yes, people say that your long hair is pretty a lot of the time, and say they wish they had hair as long as yours, but there are always negatives that come along with the positives.
These are some of the negatives.
1. It gets stuck in lots of things
Things I get my hair stuck in daily include:
My own armpits.
The car door/window
My husband's beard
Under my husband's arm
My guitar's strings
My clothing's zippers
Food
Branches/Trees
Nails/Screws
My engagement ring
My handbag
I could just end the blog here, but WAIT! There's more.
2. When it falls out, you (and everyone else) knows its yours
Guys who marry or move in with girls with long hair will know this.
One of our hairs is equal to at least ten, if not more, of the guys hair.
Lyndon finds my hair on almost all of his stuff.
His clothes, inside his work bag, in his beard, in HIS hair.
And it does get everywhere in the house, SORRY DEAR!
When I'm doing a good clean I usually rub my hand over the carpet where I normally brush my hair and pick up a huge ball of the stuff. You don't even want to SEE my hairbrush.
But Lyndon thinks its pretty so I guess we just have to deal with all the foreign strands everywhere (did I mention its all in my car as well?)
3. Washing is an ordeal
You know how people have the lame excuse: "Sorry I can't come out, I'm washing my hair" ???
Well this is a LEGIT reason for me.
It takes at least an hour to wash and blowdry (I have to wash my hair at night because I'm a night showerer)
I also use a crazy amount of shampoo and conditioner, luckily I only need to wash it every five days or so, otherwise I'd never have any time for anything else and I'd also be completely broke.
4. Only so many hairstyles
I struggle with this one the most I think. I get stressed out when my hair is down when I'm trying to do things, especially when I'm playing guitar, so I have had to find good hairstyles that both work for me and aren't going to hurt me later on.
When I wear my hair in a bun, or a ponytail, it usually starts pulling really badly and hurting my head eventually, so usually a plait or pinning some of my hair up is the best way to go.
Short hair is definitely easier to do different things to, but I'm trying to do some more experimental things every now and then (usually unsuccessfully)
5. Risk of looks like a Mormon/Religious Zealot/Brethren
This one is pretty self explanatory. When I see my mum after not seeing her for awhile, she usually comments on my hair and tells me its starting to look a bit like a Brethren woman.
I see where she is coming from. I do not suggest wearing your long hair straight down, unlayered, with ratty ends that go past your butt.
Its not the best look.
I try really hard to avoid this myself. It makes you look old and like you are maybe in a cult :-P
If you can make it work though then all the power to ya!
6. When it's hot- Beware!
Long hair is the worst in summer, as I mentioned before, there aren't a lot of hairstyles you can do with really long hair that aren't going to hurt your head.
Even a plait or wearing some of your hair pinned up won't help cool you down on a really hot day because the hair around your neck creates an insulated area of intense warmth that makes you feel all sweaty and gross and creates an uncomfortable dampness down your neck and back.
Trust me, I'd know.
Best thing you can do is pile all your hair on top of your head and tie that sucker up and hope for the best!!!
7. The stress of it getting into lots of things
Yes I have to tie up my hair everytime I eat a meal, and yes Lyndon does find hair in his mouth after we kiss sometimes, hahahaha........ I'M SORRY LYNDON! YOU THINK ITS PRETTY THOUGH!!!!!!!
The stress I feel when I'm trying to eat or play guitar is actually very serious though.
I have to, HAVE TO, have a hair-tie on my wrist at all times during my life UNLESS I'm showering or sleeping.
I also have a few spares in my bag, that's how important it is to me.
Trying to eat without my hair-tie is enough to make me want to punch a wall and run around screaming. Hair just droops over and into the food and its just so bad and I can't handle it.
My hair also gets stuck in my guitar strings if its not tied up and it impairs my vision. I can't see what I'm doing, the hair is everywhere, its like a blanket of hotness over my face that I can't get rid of.
I can't see, I can't breathe, its inescapable.
The stress, THE STREEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
But once you're able to tie it back, AAAAHHHHH. Sweet relief.
I can go on living.
At the end of the day, yes its a struggle, and a pretty funny one sometimes, but I love my long hair and I don't wish to cut it. At least not at the moment.
<3
Thanks for reading and I hope you've learnt something today, even if that's just that I'm a bit crazy (maybe its the long hair).
