Ask A Woman: What can a guy use to keep his long hair out of his eyes?
If you’ve got a question that needs the female treatment, chances are you’re not the only one who wants to ask it. Beth is our source for the answers. From opinions on men’s style to decoding the sometimes mysterious ways of women, she’ll take on a different question every Thursday. And don’t worry, your identity will be protected too. Click here to get to know Beth, then get in touch with her by sending your question to: askawoman@dappered.com
Hi Beth
I am fairly new to having long hair. I was wondering if you have any opinions about men wearing headbands or hairbands to keep their hair under control. I am not talking about anything with a logo on it or anything patterned, just a plain solid colored headband with some functionality. Any ideas about this? I would send you a pic if you are interested.
– Elliot
Hi Elliot,
Brad Pitt! Keanu Reeves! Colin Farrell! Taylor Kitsch! That one guy who starred in that one movie which no one saw but all women everywhere have seen this red carpet picture and we all swooned! In case you’re wondering, the category was Too Hot to Handle, and the question was who are some hottie totties who’ve successfully pulled off long hair.
The next category is Things that are Obvious Given the Previous Paragraph. I love long hair on a man. Remember that post on scene kids, where I talked about how women are sometimes attracted to outsiders or bad boys because they’re just different than the guy in jeans and a polo? When I want a dose of bad boy, I don’t go out for scene kids; dudes with long hair ring my bell. Long hair and leather. Long hair and leather and scowls. Long hair and leather and scowls on faces that look sort of rearranged by too many fights ring my bell. You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing this information. If it’s any consolation…so am I.
To be honest, Elliot, I don’t like the look of a headband on a man. Despite my promise to be more open about those who cross the gender style divide (a promise I was/am serious about) a headband on a man is still too delicate and feminine for my taste. Even this photo of David Beckham wearing a plain black skinny headband just looks weird to me. And this shot of Ashton Kutcher wearing a scarf headband is…well, self-explanatory to say the least. If you’re playing basketball or working in the yard, that’s different. But on a day-to-day basis, as a style or maintenance choice, I say nay. I much prefer the look of a ponytail to a headband.
From Left: Yes. Yes. That’ll damage your hair. Nope. You’re a cheap one aren’t you? NO. Darling, but not on you.
And actually, in many cases I prefer that long hair be in a ponytail rather than worn loose. If you’re going to wear your hair tied back, choose simple black, brown or clear
Need some ponytail inspiration? In Legends of the Fall, Brad Pitt wears his in a messy ponytail for a casually sexy look, then again here more neatly. Good gravy. Jason Momoa wears his dreads tied back. Holy Hannah. Johnny Depp is king of the tied back hair. Get me a cold compress. Taylor Kitsch might be wearing his hair in a ponytail here, he might not, all I know is that he looks like a gift especially wrapped for me so WHO THE HELL CARES?
Have I embarrassed myself enough here? Super, glad to do what I can.
-Beth
Got a question for Beth? Send them to: askawoman@dappered.com
…And of course, one befit of long hair would be it might distract from the gash on your face after you get clocked by a bird while riding a roller coaster. Or it might not:
I don’t want to be a hater here, but couldn’t we just suggest a haircut? The one benefit all of the men listed by Beth have is that they are: rich, famous, and quite good looking. AKA they can do whatever the hell they want.
Out in the world, and this is just my opinion, the only time I’ve seen long hair that I thought a man was successfully pulling off was natural dreads on a handful of men.
Wow. That was an actual question written in? I’d love to see the questions rejected in order to write up a post on this.
You can go Royal Tenenbaum’s:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7hjvRuBH3ig/TfY7sAbeR3I/AAAAAAAAFBc/Lg6L6EwzIYc/s1600/the_royal_tenenbaums_164.jpg
Beckham get’s to do what Beckham wants to do, I guess, but myself, as a soccer player formerly with long hair, I used that same type headband but I wore it more horizontally across the forehead like a normal hippy. Oh, and that was only when I was on the field. When off the field my hair accessories were non-existant.
I agree, no bands, just put it in a ponytail held together with a flowery scrunchy. Kidding!
You’ve never seen a guy successfully pulling off long hair? I could walk out outside and find a half-dozen in about five minutes.
The mindset of the average Dappered commenter seems to be getting increasingly conservative, which is troublesome for a blog that is supposed to be about style and unique self-expression.
Sounds like somebody’s bitter their question didn’t get answered…
I’m with you on the whole long-hair can be done thing. I’ve seen plenty a guy pull off longer hair. I can’t do it myself, and there are plenty who try and fail miserably, but they’re out there.
Hair cuuuuuuuuuut cuz you prob look like a tool, (sorry).
I can’t pull it off either, as I have naturally curly hair. My options are a short cut or a Lou Reed/Bob Dylan style jewfro (which I did wear a bunch in the past, but alas no more as I’ve started thinning a bit up top).
I was always jealous of guys with straight-wavy hair who could rock the locks. I was once out at a bar with my former roommate who had a perfect long mane, and I was flirting with a cute brunette friend-of-a-friend at the bar. Suddenly my roommate walked by and she said “oooh….he has nice hair”. I tucked my tail between my legs and admitted defeat 🙂
Sorry gentlemen, but a handsome badboy is always going to be more alluring to the average young woman than some guy in pressed chinos and shiny wingtips. Is he the smartest choice? No. But that’s exactly the point.
What happened to that guy that proposed to Beth? He needs to read this article.
Just my opinion. To me, it’s akin to a discussion I was in on the Dappered threads recently about short sleeve button downs. I just don’t like them, thus, I dont know that I have ever seen one successfully “pulled off.” Same with the long hair thing.
But, if someone does it successfully, more power to them. It’s an admitted personal prejudice.
I referred to read this post because the person I know Elliot, I recommended dappered to him and when he shared with me that his question was addressed, I was excited. When I read this response, I had mixed feelings, but mostly disappointment. I enjoy this blog a lot, I recommend to people regularly, but I would suggest to the authors that some people with long hair don’t look like Fabio or Brad Pitt or Beckham. In other words, sometimes I feel like this blog is implicitly, or explicitly, not for me, notwithstanding that style is for everybody. I don’t think this advice applies to Questlove although it could work for Larry Fitzgerald. Not going to write a “race in the media” manifesto, I guess the response is going to be “if you really don’t like it, feel free to stop reading.”
In sum, I don’t think you automatically look like a “tool” for having long hair. And similarly, “long hair” means different things for different people. Disclaimer: these sentiments are mine and mine alone and I do not purport to speak on behalf of all Black people or minorities.
Huh? I also have curly hair (more wavy/curly, it’s weird) and long is the ONLY way it looks good. If it’s short, wither cowlicks all over or it does the jewfro thing (which looks terrible). When I let it grow out, those cowlicks turn into bouncy curls. It took me almost 20 years to discover this, and it was one of those life-changing realizations.
Don’t be a dope.
I had long hair from 13 till about 20, small of my back long. A good friend of mine still has long hair. Beth’s advice is spot on, headband is entirely too feminine. Stick with simple hair ties.
Look no further my man.
I think this is a good question, and there are many examples of long hair pulled off very nicely. Honestly, unless your hair is already absolutely perfect, live a little and try it out. Grow it long, see if it works for you, shave it bald, see if it works for you, etc. Give it a try before passing it off.
Guys with headbands is something I have always disliked seeing. It is just this odd, breezy, unkempt look that is so odd to my eyes. It isn’t the hair itself, it is the effect of a headband on it. Just makes it look like a woman’s wig in a way, But I am a conservative guy, so if James Bond hasn’t done it, it is kind of out of my desired influence range.
While I agree that there are men who pull it off, I have yet to see a single one that I didn’t think would look better with short hair. It is probably coming from the fact that I use the traditional, conservative, professional world to judge what I think are hairstyle looks, and I just don’t see that hairstyle being there amongst the professional working people. I am young so perhaps I just have yet to see enough of the professional world.
Greg, I have to agree with you on the short-sleeved button up thing. I just can’t make it work on myself. Never looks right.
I do, however, have long hair.
And I think I pull it off rather well. 🙂
And so does my wife. 🙂 🙂
I’m with the dread pirate here, I know a few guys with curly hair whose hair looks infinitely better long.
Perpetually bummed out by the terrible questions in the ‘Ask A Woman’ segments.
“I get a lot of bad takes: the worst of which is, saying something sucks: that’s not a take. It’s weak, uninspired and it’s lazy.” – Jim Rome.Yes. You made me quote Jim Rome Jeremy. Cry yourself to sleep tonight.
Haha…well played, Steve.
Had to google “Who the crap is Jim Rome”, so, try again! 😉 I’m just finding the last few ‘Ask A Woman’ segments really odd. They use to be pretty good, but it seems we’re at the bottom of the barrel. Like the very very bottom, where you’re scratching and the bottom of the barrel with a dull spoon.
Finally someone else said it!
Ya sorry, I have to agree with Jeremy here. Love the site, but hes right the last few here in this section have been weak. If you look good with ‘longer’ hair fine. But keep it in control, if not cut it and make it look crisp. Don’t be asking about hair bands cmon….do you want to know about bellbottoms and which type of bubblegum lipgloss is the best too?…
Dude. Don’t be wearin’ a headband. Grow that hair as long as you want, and put it in a ponytail if you want, but don’t wear a headband.
Have some dignity.
What is this… “hair?” …of which you speak?
Then don’t read it? I enjoyed the hell out of this one. Even if the question doesn’t apply to me. You guys are asking us to… what… somehow transmit questions to fellas to write in via ESP that’ll be more to your liking? Ask A Woman gets great numbers, and guys write in quite often saying how much they like Beth’s weekly posts.
So if you don’t like it, you can go to Russia 🙂
So… what kind of questions would you like Beth to answer?
Wait. Don’t answer that. Write it in an email and send it in.
C’mon man, just because you didn’t know who Jim Rome is, doesn’t mean the quote isn’t applicable.
Maybe the questions will pick up in the next few weeks? I myself haven’t noticed a drop off in the quality of questions (I read these more for Beth’s response) but, you’re not the only one here saying it so there’s obviously something there.
But like I said to Niko, there’s not a lot we can do about it. Guys write in questions. Beth answers them. I… don’t know what we can do to improve the questions?
Wouldn’t borrowing someone else’s words be just as “weak, uninspired, and lazy” as my one line remark? 😉
Maybe it has just been an off couple of weeks. Either way, I agree that Beth’s responses are always very good, despite how strange some of the questions may be. Kudos to her.
I dont think its a negative reflection on your site. We’re fans. I think some of us just find the questions peculiar, and.. I mean there is a ‘Add Comment’ box.
I have tried growing my hair long a couple of times which make me wonder if the author is asking about wearing a headband when his hair is long enough for a ponytail or when it is still growing( say about eye level and not everywhere the same length). Then perhaps if you don’t advocate the headband maybe you could suggest an alternative? I found that when my hair is at the level it is particularly difficult to get it into any decent looking shape or style and that the headband helps a lot
i work with a short fellow, with the same name as I, (go figure) and he uses the cut tee shirt sleeve to tame his mane, my hair is a tad keanu reeves’ish at the moment, but when it gets a bit too long I get a nice trim. The inbetweenish phase from long to very long walks tightrope to mulletville, a place which is not a desirable vacation spot or homestead.
I was the one that asked the question and I do have natural dreads.
Yeah I can’t believe that look didn’t get addressed. That’s actually the first thing I thought of when I read the original letter.