I didn't stop laughing at that Steve Tyler pic with that caption for some 10 minutes!

I am very non-judgmental when it comes to other people's hairstyles. I am not going to tell anyone else how to wear their hair, and I don't want anyone telling me how to wear mine. My father did that to me when I was growing up, and I very much resented it

A lot of people, especially men, are very sensitive about their hair, and a lot of people are very insensitive when criticizing them.

I'm also fine with people wearing hairpieces and wigs. I see little difference between wearing a toupé and having weaves or extensions. Both are artificial - so what?

I also like man buns, and I would occasionally wear one in the early 70s when my hair was very long.

I compliment people for what I like about their hair and refrain from criticizing them for what is not my personal taste - it's their hair, not mine.

Have fun with your hair! Wear what you want. I just saw a tweet or whatever it's called on X from someone I follow who is an MD PhD and her mother is criticizing her hair that she wore as a wedding guest. Really! But the comments were all very much in line that professional people have parents who criticize their hair (or their weight or their clothing choices) and how hurtful it still is. I remember one time visiting my mother and she was like "You wear your hair like THAT?" I had literally just gotten off the plane.

Wouldn't it be a lovely world if everybody was thoughtful and kind to each other?

The only hair cut I really didn't like, (when working as a school nurse), is the louse cut. Some parents did not want to take the the time to remove the nits when their child got head lice and would instead give the child a buzz cut. It was sad to see how embarrassed the girls were who got their hair cut off.

Agree, Lars, as long as it's not DH. LOL He is good about getting haircuts in a timely manner. But I remind him when it's going back to Covid hair.

"You wear your hair like THAT?" I had literally just gotten off the plane.

This sent me back to after the delivery of our first baby. I had been in labor for 14 hours, with a fever and throwing up every time they added more drugs to my epidural line. I felt horrible. They wheeled me to the double doors, opened them and standing there were my parents, both sets of my grandparents, his parents and an aunt and cousin (we had not seen since the wedding, or since, and I still wonder WTH they were doing there!) and my sister. My sister says "you look awful." I am positive my hair looked awful too (staying on topic).

I had a friend who looked great with an 80s perm. I thought, I want that. What I didn’t realize was that she had very fine, thin hair and the perm gave her body and fullness. Whereas I had thicker and less fine hair. It ballooned with a perm. Looked like a bowl of dogfood. It took me a few more disastrous perms to learn my lesson. Never again.

I'm giving this topic more thought than it surely deserves, but after having a discussion yesterday with someone who is adamantly opposed to what they refer to as a "Duck Dynasty beard", I think it's a subject worth exploring deeper - at least for me. (FWIW, I have a lovely friend sporting one of those long, scruffy, graying beards who is one of the most delightful people I know; kind of the polar opposite of some of the negative aspects I found the DD guys to represent.) It's funny to me how we can have such a visceral response to hair. I certainly do; when I see certain styles that I have known people that I didn't especially like to wear, it's hard not to immediately jump to size up the person wearing it. And that's just plain stupid and oftentimes incorrect - although at times, I do find myself seeing someone and thinking, "Ah, they are my people." (And maybe they are, and maybe they aren't - but the physical appearance might make me inclined to find out.) We are certainly entitled to find hairstyles and other bodily modifications unattractive, but seeing the comeback of something we don't care for doesn't mean we're "doomed." ;-) I think particularly about how women of color are too often judged by their hairstyles, and I know with certainty that if this thread were about 70s afros making a comeback, the general response would be supportive. (At least I like to thing so.) Then again, we're veering into cultural aspects in that regard; but in a way, aren't we when we discuss pretty much anything of this nature?

Just thinking out loud here, without necessarily implying judgment towards this discussion ... perhaps some food for thought, that's all. Someone very dear to me has lost most of their hair this year due to chemo treatments. Their response to the absolutely trivial matter of hairstyles has caused me to think about this a lot, I suppose.

ETA: I was hunting for a photo I had made at Glamour Shots in the 80s to show what enormous permed hair I once had. Probably for the best that I can't find it. I wonder if that will ever make a comeback. I remember how damaging perming and coloring was to my hair, and am thankful to have lived through that phase of my life already. For many who are opting for mullets, it seems that they've never "been there, done that" before - or find value in the gender fluidity of the style, which I think is cool.

I work in an overall conservative environment, but for the most part hair, as long as it can be kept out of the way procedurally, has been pretty off limits as a topic for a long time. (Currently in the clinical setting we cover it, although that may be relaxed again post-Covid. I won't go back to uncovered head, personally).

Way back I had an instructor (who was lab based, not clinically based) who had a beard that went at least to his waist. He wore rubber bands around the bottom of it and rolled it up and tucked it in so it was generally around collarbone level.

In one clinical setting there was one instructor who made a big deal about exposed tattoos and while she was there the female students, who had to wear their hair up, ended up with their back of neck tattoos exposed. So they had to wear BandAids to cover their tattoos. Tattoos would have made no difference to our patient population. I said "I would be more concerned about why my treating clinician had to wear a bandaid for six months more than I would a tattoo.

One woman, who had a very dark full sleeve ended up wearing a compression bandage on her arm because it showed through the disposable gowns.

This particular instructor also told them they would never get hired in a decent practice, because patients would make negative value judgements. I happened to know from working in decent private practices that no one ever said anything about it for the previous decade, at least, and if anybody actually did it was one of those sorts of patients everybody considered a PITA anyway.

I work with someone who was severely disciplined and almost fired because of repeated negative comments she made about hair, hair coverings and tattoos which were culturally related.

I think I learned the lesson of not assessing people by how they dressed or looked back when I was in fashion school in NY - so many people there looked like punk rebels, when in reality, they were mostly straightlaced suburban kids.

Interesting, Pal. I've spent entirely too much time over the past 18 months in various hospital and medical office settings due to loved ones' health issues. Just about all of the personnel we've encountered have had tattoos - from the staff at the cardiologist's office to ER and ICU personnel. Their ink has made for some interesting conversations and stories told during otherwise tense and uncertain circumstances. The idea that ink is somehow "offensive" is from a bygone era, and those who persist in trying to make that notion stick are dinosaurs, whether they want to admit it or not. I agree with your take on the band-aid coverup!

I've worked at chief-of-staff level for a prominent global organization, and I have a full sleeve. The times have absolutely changed, and I for one am glad of that. That said, I do know a couple of elderly people who still hold onto the view that "people with tattoos are dirty", and I just have to smile and shake my head. That says everything about them and nothing about people with tattoos. ;-) There is also the person who rushes to tell me why they would never get tattooed when they learn that I am. Newsflash: Nobody cares.

Just a note about judgment; I feel compelled to point out that it is entirely possible to react to—-and judge—— hair alone without judging or transferring those negative or positive feelings to the person’s character. In fact, it’s a pretty shallow person who judges the value or fitness or likability or trustworthiness of another based on their hair. I don’t, and in fact I don’t know anyone who does that, so maybe we can just get over the finger wagging and accept that some hairstyles, top of head and facial, provoke responses in some of us that may seem irrational (or maybe just funny?) to others.

And I don’t really think we are doomed because the mullet is making a comeback, but we may be doomed if everything becomes a life or death challenge of “values” instead of a lighthearted look at our likes and dislikes.

I'm a dinosaur, and proud of it then. I like the more sophisticated, classy look. I put some "edge" in my clothing, seems to do the trick for me. I do think first impressions are still so important. I don't care if anyone else has them, just not for me-or my husband or son (hopefully).

Besides, I get tired of wearing the same color of nail polish for two weeks-so I know I'd grow tired of looking at the same tattoo year after year after year.

I'm a dinosaur

I don't get the reference. I don't think dinosaurs had either tattoos or mullets, but then a lot of other critters don't either. Conversely, I have a tat and I am not a dinosaur, but I still don't get your point.

I was raised by a mom who was brought up as a devout Catholic, and even pierced ears were something she disapproved, but my sisters and I wore her down on that one when we were teens.

Tattoos were for sailors and hoodlums when I was growing up. I don't object to them, or get offended by them (even when they're really, really bad art) but I don't think I'll ever have any. I don't even care for clothing or accessories with logos.

Funny - this just reminded me of the trend for brightly colored hair, which I recall being discussed and displayed here - not something I'm interested in for myself either.

I get it, dinosaurs are extinct.

^^^Not yet! I'm still here! And, MANY of my friends-and their young adult kids, so far!

As someone who has met Ida in person, and sees pictures of her regularly — including in a very professional corporate atmosphere — I can assure you, OJ, she is the epitome of sophisticated and tasteful (and, I’ll add, beautiful). I find it very rude and patronizing to insinuate otherwise because she has tattoos.

We don’t all agree about everything, and have debates at times, but I can’t even comprehend coming on this board and insulting another member’s personal appearance.

Ollie Jane, my point was that we may react differently to outward ornamentation in dress, hair and body modification, but I do not know anyone who judges the content of a person’s character based on those individual traits. Everyone I know evaluates others based on what they say and do, how they live their lives and their impact (if any) on society.

Are you saying that you feel competent to judge a person’s worth based on outward signs you may or may not like?

I like someone who acts classy. Insults are not classy. I don't have a need to look classy or sophisticated. Of course I want to look my best, but I live a mostly low-key, casual lifestyle.

Judging someone's character by their looks is just plain wrong. I am thankful I had parents who were open-minded and taught their children to do the same. We lived near an area where a railroad came through and occasionally we would have "hobos" walking through the area after they'd jump a train. There were a few times one would come through our little neighborhood and ask for something to eat. My mom always fed them, and she'd talk to us about WHY we should behave towards others like that. I don't remember our parents ever saying anything about tattoos that would make us feel like they were dirty or wrong. In fact, my dad had one tattoo from when he served in the US ARMY. They are not for me, for is green hair, a nose ring, etc. etc. etc. but how I look/dress, etc. I'm quite sure is not for some. The world would be a pretty boring place if we were all the same. Perhaps dinosaurs are not extinct to some, but that attitude certainly is.

The idea that ink is somehow "offensive" is from a bygone era, and those who persist in trying to make that notion stick are dinosaurs

Lucille, that was my reference to dinosaurs. Anyone can dislike ink without finding it offensive; it's a small mind indeed that conflates personal appearance preference with offense.

Jilly, I adore you! But you already know that, I'm quite sure. ;-)

The point of my rambling post (if missed by some) is that it behooves us to cast aside our preconceived ideas of appearance and get to know someone based upon who they are as a human being. That said, there are some who show you who they are in word alone, and I don't even need to lay eyes on them to know that I have zero interest in cultivating anything further.

Jilly, I'm sorry-but tattoos are not sophisticated. Cool-maybe, but not sophisticated. I'm sure most with tattoos in the corporate world, can cover them and can "look" sophisticated.

Pics I've seen of Ida-she is very pretty, btw.

I'm talking first impressions here. Of course you can "look" sophisticated and not be character-wise. I still think professional people in most corporate settings-do not want to see you covered in tattoos. They look unprofessional. That is my opinion. And, I think people steering younger people to think that it won't hurt them professionally, is wrong. Again, my opinion.

Well I grew up in an era where one of my friends got a new job at an accounting firm (out of financial services in a retail corporate environment) and was told that his ties were not appropriate, they were too flashy. (He had a couple that were not black, dark maroon, or navy--they weren't anything crazy) and to stop wearing anything but plain black socks. And this was 1990, not 1960. He ended up CFO of several design-oriented businesses and ended up making a lot more money than if he had stayed in that restrictive atmosphere.

Pal, I think those who have experienced these things firsthand know exactly what the 'temperature' is like in today's corporate environment, as your friend experienced. Having worked side-by-side with many in the most senior leadership positions of a global Fortune 500, I can attest that the old ways of doing and being and thinking are indeed the OLD ways. There may be little pockets of holdouts here and there, but the world has revealed itself to be a place of vast human contrasts, and organizations have stepped up to recognize this fact, with policies of inclusion reflecting this. It would be foolish to do otherwise. There are countless scientists, engineers, and other professionals who are on the cutting edge of progress who don't "look like" what was expected at organizations a decade or more ago. Gratefully, I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from some amazing individuals because of this.

Ida, people who think you can’t be professional or a professional with tattoos tend to live in socially isolated or homogenous groups. They really do not know any better as their opinions are only as good as their knowledge and experience. But, civilization eventually spreads to even the farthest corners.

Interesting take on hair codes in Texas

It is a bit difficult to believe that this is going on in the 21st Century, but then this is Texas.

Lars, your link took me to "X", but here's a link to the story:

Black student in Texas suspended twice for hairstyle despite state ban on racial discrimination | PBS NewsHour

The school previously clashed with another Black male student over the dress code. Barbers Hill officials told a student he had to cut his dreadlocks to return to school or participate in graduation in 2020, which garnered national attention.

Greg Poole, who has been district superintendent since 2006, said the policy is legal and teaches students to conform as a sacrifice benefitting everyone.

“When you are asked to conform … and give up something for the betterment of the whole, there is a psychological benefit,” Poole said. “We need more teaching (of) sacrifice.”

This is backward ignorance on full display and is indicative of a narrow - quite likely racist - mindset that certainly not all Texans share.

The problem is, that back when there were strict uniform codes, the conformity was conformity for everyone. My HS in the early 1960s had a strict dress code of uniform (the classic catholic school uniform) and girls were not allowed to wear their hair even touching their shoulders--it had to be short, or up, and boys were not allow to have hair that touched their collar, came over their ears or have bangs that came down to their eyebrows. It was very restrictive, but it was restrictive for everybody. And when these were relaxed, if felt like the rules were applied or not depending upon who you were.

So often these stories you read now, is that the restrictions are only applied along racial and cultural lines. If you meet some Aryan ideal, you can have blond straight hair down to your waist, but you can't have a long weave or dreadlocks,, even short ones that otherwise fit the criteria, for example.

I work with someone who was fired because of singling out issues with hair almost exclusively along racial/cultural lines, and also about religious head coverings and "asepsis". She ended up being hired back because the penalty was considered too severe, but honestly I know she has definite anti-religious biases (across the board)

Thanks for sharing that, Lars. The link took me to the comments, but when I scrolled up, the news item is at the top.

It reminded me that my son had hair down to the middle of his back in HS - and he wasn't alone either.

Thank you for sharing, Lars. I mentioned it as well, Texas is sadly backward in some things.

Dare I launch into the realm of people's creativity being judged by the quality of their tattoos? I've seen some really fine ink work, and then there are the people who choose to walk around with Donald Duck emblazoned on their calves. I watch Naked and Afraid and I bet 95 percent of people who go on that show have tattoos, some really fine and some not.

My fave NaA tattoo was on the center back of a woman who was gay, with autism, and an immigrant. It was similar to this:

Yeah, but sometimes the Donald Ducks have a back-story that is meaningful to the person who chose the piece. I know a guy who has a toilet with wings inked on his forearm. There's a meaning there to him, although I understand that most people would just look at it and think, "Oh. Flying toilet." I don't think a design necessarily indicates a person's creativity. I've seen some very naive-looking ink that represents the artwork of children, and I think that's especially sweet. People can judge on whatever basis they see fit, but they don't always have the full story.

Actually besides cultural and highly artistic work my favorite style of tattooing is Sailor Jerry.

A complete counterpoint to the tattooed look that I am seeing is the completely pristine untouched look, skin as pale and untanned as possible, hair closely clipped and body hair either closely clipped, manicured or entirely removed. Male and female, making some assumptions about the complete removal of body hair in some cases of course.

The word "etiolated" comes to mind

There are sites that catalog bad tattoos - some are pretty funny. And I recall there was one that tracked tattoos of of Chinese character tats with awkward translations - or no translation, meaning they're gibberish.

I wonder if mall bangs will come back?

No, that is not me! I don’t laugh at these ’dos, I think this family is adorable. :)

The "No Regerts" tattoo is pretty well known. ;-)

I too have a great fondness for Sailor Jerry and neo-traditional design. I have a fairly large neo-trad tattoo that I got at a well-known studio in London, done by a lovely female artist from Spain. Because it was a "one shot" opportunity (not like I'm in London frequently), I sat for 6 hours for the piece. Let's just say I probably wouldn't do that again, but I do love the work she did.

I think of hair, makeup, clothing, jewelry, and tattoos as some form of on-body art. In my opinion it is ok to have a personal reaction (like / dislike, shock, jealousy) to that art, but it is prudent not to judge the individual as a person based on that reaction. We all get to choose some aspects of our appearance but others we cannot control. Sometimes we use our appearance to communicate something (show personality or opinions, etc) and other times we are just doing the best we can to look "good" (which is generally subjective).

Personally, I can't help but have a little bit of an emotional response to a mullet because it does hearken back to a specific era in my youth. In my opinion, there are some people who can pull off the look and look "good" (to my subjective eye) and others maybe not so much. I suspect I'd be in that "not so much" category. But also, as I sit here long overdue for a haircut, I really shouldn't be casting any haircut judgement on anyone. Personally I find myself giving a little giggle when I see a mullet because it feels like such a throwback to me. But it doesn't mean I can't take someone with a mullet seriously.

On a side note, I think I started to see mullets probably 7 years ago. I distinctly recall seeing some people at the gym with a mullet haircut and I remember being a little shocked (and giving a little internal giggle) and then I moved on with my workout and didn't think too much about it. I'm fairly certain around the same time I also started seeing what I always called "rat tails" (little braids usually on otherwise short hair) which was another throwback for me.

Olliejane, my radio doesn't have pictures of country singers with mullets. Tell me where I can buy one. Sorry but that was the most ridiculous response I've ever read.

BTW, the reason people hated the mullet was because Billy Ray's was so bad and guys copied his type of mullet which gave it a bad name. Looking at the current mullets, they're much better.

I have had only one friend / associate who wore a mullet, and that was around 1990, a woman who lived in the same apartment building we did. We were friendly in the elevator and both had kids so we ran into each other in our building’s playroom. One day she sported a cut that was short in the front, almost like a boy’s cut, and kept the length in the back. I didn’t even know what it was called at the time, only that it was easily the least attractive haircut I had ever seen on a human. Years later when the mullet was ubituitous, I still had no friends with mullets and don’t remember seeing any among my kids’ classmates, either. And since I don’t listen to country music (nothing wrong with it, I happen to dislike it) I could not pick out any singer in a lineup— mullet or not— except Keith Urban.

The femullet has a long history as a haircut/hairstyle but typically it was not worn in its "deconstructed" or down permutation, the back was usually rolled up, and you can only really see it when the woman "lets her hair down". But lots of women in 1950s movies had what was really a mullet. Short and styled in the front, because "mature" women did not wear their hair down, but sometimes it was actually pretty long in the back, but it wasn't worn loose. And the 1950s pony tail was often a mullet haircut, with short bits around front. The all one length ponytail did not come into vogue until the beatniks and hippies started growing their hair out. It's hard to find pictures without going through scenes of movies

The Helen Chao character in Flower Drum Song wears her hair up, but lets it down when she is coming on, more or less to Wang Ta, and in the "Love, Look Away" sequence (1961)

And Suzanne Charny had a major mullet with a shorter style around the face that she was growing out in the Hullaballoo period. (1965) She became famous for the "Aloof" dance in Sweet Charity, where she had a full on high pony tail.

But the actual Cut to create a mullet has been around forever, it just wasn't worn loose until the later 20th c.

I looked up pictures of the kid from Texas and what I want to know is what the F*** is wrong with his hair? Looks great to me! UGH! Now I'm angry! I grew up in this part of the Texas and it is not by any means an all white area, not in the least bit, so I wonder why they would be so racist? Weird!

Palimpsest, I had no idea that in the 1950s "mature women did not wear their hair down". It makes so much sense now that you say it as to the hairstyles we saw during that era, and the hair styles that those women continued to wear in later decades. I'm thinking of both of my grandmas who generally had their hair shorter and quite styled and/or pinned up. I sort of assumed it was something they transitioned to as they aged, but I wonder if it was more about a perception of what was "mature" and "appropriate" for women. I wonder what they would think of my very long hair that is nearly always down.

For Halloween.....gonna do my hair like my KISS idol, ACE Frehley, circa 1978. That's when their solo albums were out. Ace's was my favorite! Thought that look & hair of his was so damn stud!!!

At 62 now, having longer hair tickles me no end!! 6'2" still, & down to about 260lbs now. What a Rock-Star I am!!!! 🤓🤪🎸🎧🎤🕶️

What an interesting conversation. . .

I grew up as a non-Amish family in an Amish community, with many Amish friends and relatives.

But I wasn't Amish. Born in 61 with 5 older siblings I was immersed in the music and cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s. By the time I was graduating from High School we were deep into the "Disco" era. I had big hair and really wanted to know where the working girls on 3rd street in Harrisburg got their clothes - these women knew how to dress!

By the time I was grown I had come into my own, learned to be comfortable in my own skin and landed in a place where my comfort was far more important than what anyone thought about what I was wearing.

I don't care how people style their hair or what they wear. We may say we don't judge people on their appearance, but we do. Everyone has bias. You may be well aware of your biases or they may be subconscious, but no one is completely free of bias. Don't be surprised when you don't get the promotion at work even when you produce the best work and the boss picks someone who does lower quality work, but reflects his/her vision of the best person for the job.

I do worry that people who get tattooed don't always think about the future. That design on your six pack when you are 20 may be not so attractive when you are 40 with a baby or beer gut. That lover's name on your bicep is great until you get divorced and by the time you are 70 the wrinkled bat wings hanging from your arms are not more attractive when adorned by a faded, wrinkled mermaid. Permanence of tattoos on an ever changing canvas may lead to unintended results.

I like the convivence of zippers and buttons and other flashy fasteners on my clothes. I like to be able to get a perm in my thin, straight hair, color my hair any color I want, cut it and not cover it with a bonnet. I like to sit at my desk in my pajamas while I work and sometimes run to the convenience store in my PJs late at night when I have already showered and gotten ready for bed.

During Covid, my company decided to get cameras for all the telecommuters and have us do video conferencing instead of just audio.

Ugghhh - no more PJs and uncombed hair! I used my age and age discrimination as my argument against video conferencing, but also brought up how people of color, people who are overweight may also face discrimination if we mandated video conferencing. The policy was changed and allows everyone the option to do video or straight audio conferencing.

One of the rules in the Amish community that I think the non-Amish community may benefit from is the rule where men shave until they are married. Once married the men grow a beard. It is really easy to take off a wedding ring and put it back on the next day, but it is hard to convince your wife, neighbors and fellow community members that you had some compelling reason to shave off your beard.

Re: video conferencing - it's still so much easier than having to be there in person. I just neaten up my face with a little blush and shadow, pull back my hair and put on a decent blouse - takes less than 10 minutes, tops, and no need for a whole outfit or uncomfortable shoes, along with uncomfortable conference room chairs - and best of all, no driving 😀

One of the rules in the Amish community that I think the non-Amish community may benefit from is the rule where men shave until they are married. Once married the men grow a beard. It is really easy to take off a wedding ring and put it back on the next day, but it is hard to convince your wife, neighbors and fellow community members that you had some compelling reason to shave off your beard.

What corresponding publicly visible mark should women wear, then?

I kinda miss "Charlie's Angels" back in the 70's!! In 1977, I was 16.....just sayin'. KISS was big, AC/DC, Zeppelin, etc.

Jaclyn Smith's long wavy hair made me swoon! The "Farah Hair" of course made quite the impression on me too! And yes.....I had the Farah poster.

Man-buns.....oh GOD no.

Tatoo's.....neutral on them. For ME, No.

Male pony-tails.....oh H*LL no.

Rat-tails.....no way in this world or any other.

Men (or me) with earrings.....only if you kill me first. 😈

Faron

I've actually never seen anyone with a Rat-tail??