How many of you ladies keep your hair longer for this one reason... - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

AmberShimmer · 10-06-2009, 12:10 AM

How many of you keep your hair longer because you feel like it's covering you up?

Note: I'm not saying long hair isn't beautiful. It definitely is. I'm a fan of long hair... just not on myself.

My hair is long enough to skim the part of my body where the hips just begin to curve. I don't like it. It's a frizzy, frazzled mess (thanks to straightening), it's difficult to wash, it keeps me too hot in the summer and is a nuisance in the winter wind and static. It's difficult to style and I have no patience with my hair, and soon might even be a hazard with the chemistry and biology classes I'll take in the spring. I just AM the kind of person who might end up lighting my hair on fire.

But the only reason I keep my hair that long is because it offers some weird sense of protection. It feels like it's somehow hiding the fat... even though that makes no sense. I would love to cut my hair short. I saw cfmama's new look and all I could think of was, "Wow." Her picture definitely inspired this post.

Does anyone else feel that way? That they need to hide behind their hair while overweight? Or is it just me?

TempleBody · 10-06-2009, 12:25 AM

I don't have super long hair, but thats one of the reasons I won't cut my hair off short (even though loads of people say it would look amazing in a sortta PINK hair style). I feel like with some length of hair it helps to balance me out. Also it does make head shots more appealing and slimmer. imo. so i guess yes...

cfmama · 10-06-2009, 12:44 AM

I did babe. For a LONG LONG LONG TIME. It was hiding my back fat (I was SURE of it) it covered my neck fat, my double chin... it was my crowning glory. After all fat people could NOT wear their hair short...

Yah. I got over it. It was weighing me down. It was one more vestige of my "fat attitude" and it had to go.

Let it go my friend. Show us YOU. I'd love to see pictures of you with a spunky style. I approve

lottie63 · 10-06-2009, 01:28 AM

I've had short hair for years, but when it was longer it was too thin and stringy. meh. so it's not like it would've even looked good long.

nooch · 10-06-2009, 01:33 AM

I have long hair, but not because I'm fat - I tried short hair a few times in high school and I always went back to long hair. The last straw for me and short hair was at age 16, it was so horrible that I did not get another haircut until age 20. Last summer it was waist length, but that was too long and it was too hard to take care of so now I keep it at bra-band-length.

Long hair suits me - my hair is long and curly and soft and I get a lot of compliments on it. When I had short hair I never felt like myself.

You, OP, should definitely cut your hair - you will be HOT with shorter hair and it certainly does not sound like your length is doing you any favors!

Onederchic · 10-06-2009, 01:39 AM

I use to. When I was at 330 pounds my hair was almost to my rear but in Feb of this year, I got it cut into a layered bob and I am so much happier with it.

salsa chip · 10-06-2009, 05:33 AM

I have longish hair (bra strap length) but in the past it's been very long (knee-length). Whilst I don't think I'll let it grow that long again, I do think long hair looks better on me. I've had layered shorter cuts (about shoulder length) which did look good, and I enjoyed them, but I really like having longer hair

funnycanadiangirl · 10-06-2009, 05:46 AM

I've not really felt like my this, but one of my closest friends does. She's even acknowledged that she uses her hair as a security blanket.

I can imagine that it's not easy to think about parting with it - what if you tried cutting it in stages? If it's already down to your hips, maybe try a bra strap or shoulder length cut with a new style. And then you can consider going shorter?

losermom · 10-06-2009, 07:50 AM

I've had my thick, and somewhat coarse, hair pretty much every length over the years. When it was long the sides were stringy (yuck) and I always pulled it up or back, so I don't really think it was all that flattering.

Whenever I toyed with shorter hair, my mother's voice would appear in my head, "Short hair will make you look like a pinhead, because your butt is so big." Thanks Mom!

I always go back to chin length, usually some version of a bob, like now. Currently, it's even shorter than in my avatar.

thistoo · 10-06-2009, 07:51 AM

I can't wear my hair too short (cfmama and I have pretty much the same haircut right now, I think!), but for a long time I did grow it as long as I could because I felt like that was my only *good* feature. People would say, "Oh, your hair is so pretty", and I figured maybe it was distracting them from my weight a little? (Fact: It wasn't!)

Cutting it will make you *feel* lighter, at least for awhile, which could help boost your confidence. Be prepared for a lot of people to notice/say something, though.

caryesings · 10-06-2009, 08:53 AM

Recently a friend's husband asked what it was about "fat chicks and long hair", as that describes both his wife and I. My answer was:

1. Because we can. Because we've been getting all our nutrients and not spending time/money on processes that kill hair (we don't want to sit in a chair looking at ourselves in a mirror while someone works on our hair) our hair is really healthy and can grow to great lengths without breaking off.

2. To still feel "girly". Once your weight reaches numbers they broadcast for football players you need something feminizing.

time2lose · 10-06-2009, 09:01 AM

I have not worn my hair long enough to cover my body but I am careful about my hair length. If I wear it at chin length, I feel like it is pointing at my double chin! It is like wearing a sign pointing "Look here!" The double chin is about gone but I have loose skin there. I hope that it will tighten up a little but unless it does, I still don't want to wear the "Look here!" sign.

ladyrider72472 · 10-06-2009, 09:06 AM

I realize it is 2009...... but my hair is about 4 inches above my waist..... and it is natural blonde. I don't keep it that way b/c I WAS fat..... I did it b/c my DH likes long hair. He does not ask me to do much....except keep long hair.

findingfawn · 10-06-2009, 09:17 AM

Hmmm.. my hair is to my bum, but I have always had long hair. Even when I was skinny my hair was long. I have only cut it short a few times... and once was when I weight about 110 pounds!.. and I have hated it every time. I don't think of it as a coverup at all, in fact 99% of the time, it's up in a french twist or a bun or a pony.

I just don't like short hair, in fact once it was soooo long I took off a 14 inch pony tail for Locks of Love and my remaining hair was still past my shoulders. I'm sure I could do the same thing again, but I'm not ready to cut other than a trim now and then.

irishsarah · 10-06-2009, 09:17 AM

I had really long hair until I lost my first 20 pounds. Then I went to extremes and got my hair cut in a pixie! I had it like that once before after my first son was born and loved it! I knew my husband would hate it, but I didn't care. All I was doing was wearing it in a ponytail 99% of the time and I wanted my hair to reflect the new me I was becoming...cute, sassy, sexy!

Well...now my hair is REALLY reflecting me. It is in that wonderful "growing out" phase. Since my weight loss has been on hiatus for...EVER (it seems) it feels appropriate. I did dye it light blond though, a change is always good. I like to play with hair colour.

So, while I was never hiding behind my hair, I was afraid of having short hair and being fat. You just don't see to many really BIG girls with short hair. I was convinced it was going to make my face look fatter. (NO...that would be the stuff you are shoving IN it, not the hairstyle.) The truth was, keeping my VERY VERY thick hair long was just easier then having to take the time to mess with it everyday to make it (and ME) look good. I guess I just didn't feel like I was worth the time and effort.

I plan on growing it to my shoulders; not to hide, but because I think it will look good and I want a change. So, the opposite of a super short pixie is a long bob. What can I say? I am a hair chameleon. LOL!