5 Commandments For Growing Your Hair Out
We’ve all been there. Should I? Should I not? Can I pull it off? Will it look good? How long will it take? These thoughts have passed through every guy’s head as he’s pondered whether or not growing his hair out is a wise idea. Although shorter hair has dominated most trends since the late 1980s, these days more and more guys are letting their locks flow freely as they opt for less maintenance-centric and more natural looking long hair.
Every guy has looked into the mirror and wondered what it would be like to let their hair simply go, to have to tuck it behind their ears, and, of course, to tie it back in a now infamous man bun. Yet, even for the most enthused guys, there are definitely some things to keep in mind as they jump into (head first) what can turn into a year-long commitment to even enter the ballpark of “long hair.” To keep things simple, let’s start from the beginning.
Try To Start With An Even Cut
Chances are, unless you usually rock a buzz cut, your current hairstyle probably isn’t symmetrical, which will only be accentuated over time. However, that doesn’t mean you should necessarily shave your head before growing out your hair for an extended period of time. Depending on the way your hair is currently styled, it might end up growing out more evenly than you’d expect since almost no one’s hair grows at the same pace uniformly on all parts of their head.
There Will Be Some Awkward Moments
Take it from someone who’s currently in month 16 of hair growth, you’re going to experience some awkward moments during this process. Your hair is going to go through various stages between looking like an actual overgrown hair cut to hitting the length you actually desire and it’ll be best to just be at peace with these experiences as they come at you.
Ranging from the moment you realize your bangs are now too long to simply let them rest as they please to that first time you think you can successfully pull your hair back, only to realize that it’s not quite long enough to avoid random strands of hair hanging down in no particular order or consistency. Keep your eyes on the prize and just remember that even the most epic heads of hair had to pass through these same very stages.
You’ll Look Very Different By The End
It can be easy to forget how distinct our hairstyles make us look, especially guys who tend to keep their hair the same length for years on end. Think about how different specific women look when they chop their hair off and opt for a pixie cut or something of the like. The same goes for guys when they really grow their hair out for the first time.
If you’re on the younger end of the adult spectrum, you’ll probably be told you look older, while if you’re a bit more mature, longer hair might make you look more youthful. Everyone is different, but on top of this is the fact that having long hair allows you to change your own style up regularly. Letting your hair down and tying it back both present very different looks and personalities and, lucky for you, once you’ve put in the work, you’ve got nothing but time to experiment with which works best for you.
Learning To Deal With Long Hair Takes Time
It might not seem like it, but long hair requires just as much maintenance as short hair does, if not more occasionally. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan (so 99.9% of you reading this), you or your significant other have probably pointed out Jon Snow’s killer head of hair. Long, wavy, and always resting in place, that bastard’s hair is always stellar and it’s a great look to strive for. The kicker? That shit takes a LOT of time and effort to nail down.
Long hair doesn’t like to stay organized and neat, it likes to run wild. Water, wind, and humidity all play a part in how your hair ends up looking for the day and for guys who’ve never grown their hair out this will require some serious patience at first in order to set yourself up for success. In the meantime, there’s always another option.
Embracing The Man Bun
Androgynous hairstyles always have their fans and haters, but the man bun has picked up a lot of support in recent years as countless celebrities have opted for the look. Frankly, if you have long hair and you don’t feel like fussing with it a lot, the man bun is the best choice you and your luscious locks can make.
Just recently I was travelling with two friends of mine, both of whom were female and both of whom rocked the bun or top knot daily. Did I resist copying their style in order to instill my masculinity? Hell no, I was right there with them, opting for the bun in order to skip having to deal with the blustery winds of Cusco and the sandy beaches of Rio doing experiments on my hair (and yes, if you were wondering, this trip was super rad).
Especially if you’ve also got a beard, which you most likely do, the man bun plays perfectly with longer facial hair, providing a contrast in styles and helping to open your face up somewhat. Let the sun shine in fellas, you just climbed the Mt. Everest of hair journeys. Now, let everyone else enjoy the view.
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