Men's perception if certain hairstyles

Soquin

Member
I recently discovered how much hair affected men's perception of women. Up until a week ago, several men have approached me while wearing a bun, hat, or banana clip. However, this week, I wore cornrows (braided with a design in two layers) and men have looked the other way. While I've gotten a few compliments on
my hair, others have verbalized that I should take my hair down.

Usually I get approached all the time, but this week, people barely even look my way. This was very surprising.

What are your thoughts?
 

Saga

The Generous Queen
Ever one has their own taste, their own preference. I have an album up on facebook of different hairstyles i've done, and I know some people prefer one over another. I've had people tell me they like my hair straight, while another guy told me he preferred my shrunken fro when I worse a braid out to work one day. Now, he doesn't know the effort that goes into wearing a shrunken fro. How it's hell to detangle ad creates SSK's galore. People also don't realize that my hair doesn't like to be pressed. After one day it'll quickly begin to revert back to it's poofy self. I'd like to straighten more often but don't because my maximum effort produces minimal results.

This goes for men as well. Personally, I find that no matter what hair style I have as long as my hair is neat and my overall appearance is aesthetically pleasing I get approached regardless.

I've learned that i can't really include people's opinions in my hair journey aside form my own and the ppl of LHCF. No one else knows what they're talking about. They don't understand that I have a goal, and in order to accomplish it I have to wear braids and twists and other styles where my hair is "up."
 

Sianna

New Member
Do you have a picture of how your hair was braided? Maybe that would give us a little more to go on.

At any rate, (and please don't be offended) but I feel like some men probably associate cornrows on women with lesbianism. :perplexed
That might explain the lack of attention from them.
 

Soquin

Member
Ever one has their own taste, their own preference. I have an album up on facebook of different hairstyles i've done, and I know some people prefer one over another. I've had people tell me they like my hair straight, while another guy told me he preferred my shrunken fro when I worse a braid out to work one day. Now, he doesn't know the effort that goes into wearing a shrunken fro. How it's hell to detangle ad creates SSK's galore. People also don't realize that my hair doesn't like to be pressed. After one day it'll quickly begin to revert back to it's poofy self. I'd like to straighten more often but don't because my maximum effort produces minimal results.

This goes for men as well. Personally, I find that no matter what hair style I have as long as my hair is neat and my overall appearance is aesthetically pleasing I get approached regardless.

I've learned that i can't really include people's opinions in my hair journey aside form my own and the ppl of LHCF. No one else knows what they're talking about. They don't understand that I have a goal, and in order to accomplish it I have to wear braids and twists and other styles where my hair is "up."

That's true. I need to remember that. I have a goal in mind. I don't just apply this to hair, but life in general. Sometimes we can let little things distract us, and every once in awhile it's good to be reminded to focus! Thanks
 

Soquin

Member
Do you have a picture of how your hair was braided? Maybe that would give us a little more to go on.

At any rate, (and please don't be offended) but I feel like some men probably associate cornrows on women with lesbianism. :perplexed
That might explain the lack of attention from them.

I do not, and I just took it down. For some reason my hair frizzes quickly and does not last long in braids (even if I wrap it). And that's true, many men probably think that.
 

Je Ne Sais Quoi

Well-Known Member
Cornrows likely weren't fem looking enough to catch and hold the attention of the men you encountered. I'm not saying they are ugly/unnactractive/what have you but i think men tend to really be drawn to styles that are loose, long, curly, big, etc. Braids are fine too but i think that SOME times cornrows are too mannish looking and may make a woman look hardened. I'm not saying that this is how you looked so please don't take this as an insult. just my observance.

Do you have a pic/example by chance?
 

rainbowknots

New Member
Do you have a picture of how your hair was braided? Maybe that would give us a little more to go on.

At any rate, (and please don't be offended) but I feel like some men probably associate cornrows on women with lesbianism. :perplexed
That might explain the lack of attention from them.
I have a buddy that calls my braids lesbo-braids all the time because he said only lesbians wear them. Another guy told me he didn't like my hair in box braids either. :ohwell:
 

Bublin

Well-Known Member
I don't care what other people think, i do care what i think and i know i look either juvenille or a bit street/unprofessional if i wear cornrows. Its not me or the image i want to portray. Besides they really don't look good on my big head - especially with short hair.
However i know i should be cornrowing my hair up to give it a break but i just won't do it anymore.
 
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lesedi

All is well with me
I have gotten positive male feedback when i have worn cornrows and braids but ...hands down men love it most when women's hair is out, they like to imagine running their fingers through it
 

Ivonnovi

Well-Known Member
This might also apply to the we women feel about men. Though I like (no homo) cornrows on a female, and often admire the artistic designs included; I do feel some kinda way about men wearing corn rows.

It has taken me wearing locks (sisterlocks) myself to beable to appreciate locks on men, and still, they have to be very well groomed for my "taste".
 

Bublin

Well-Known Member
This might also apply to the we women feel about men. Though I like (no homo) cornrows on a female, and often admire the artistic designs included; I do feel some kinda way about men wearing corn rows.

It has taken me wearing locks (sisterlocks) myself to beable to appreciate locks on men, and still, they have to be very well groomed for my "taste".

I agree. I don't like cornrows or locs on men for various reason so i'm hardly going to really like them on myself.

Yeah - i have large cornrows at the front of my hair in my avi :grin: but that was a one off that i did actually like but my hair didn't last more than 2 days before it fuzzed - another reason why i doubt i'll be doing them again.
 
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Harina

Well-Known Member
I recently discovered how much hair affected men's perception of women. Up until a week ago, several men have approached me while wearing a bun, hat, or banana clip. However, this week, I wore cornrows (braided with a design in two layers) and men have looked the other way. While I've gotten a few compliments on
my hair, others have verbalized that I should take my hair down.

Usually I get approached all the time, but this week, people barely even look my way. This was very surprising.

What are your thoughts?

How long is your hair?
 

bluediamond0829

Well-Known Member
My girlfriends was talking about this same subject the other day. She was saying that men don't approach her when her hair is worn in the natural state.(which I thought her hair was pretty). I told her that men like to be able to run their hands thru a womans hair.
 

Soquin

Member
I agree. I don't like cornrows or locs on men for various reason so i'm hardly going to really like them on myself.

Yeah - i have large cornrows at the front of my hair in my avi :grin: but that was a one off that i did actually like but my hair didn't last more than 2 days before it fuzzed - another reason why i doubt i'll be doing them again.

I don't really like them on myself either. I was just so surprised about how many guys on campus disowned me or didn't even look my way.

Also I took mine down a week later because I had so much fuzz, it looked horrible
 

Soquin

Member
I don't care what other people think, i do care what i think and i know i look either juvenille or a bit street/unprofessional if i wear cornrows. Its not me or the image i want to portray. Besides they really don't look good on my big head - especially with short hair.
However i know i should be cornrowing my hair up to give it a break but i just won't do it anymore.

I definitely agree that cornrows can portray specific images- ones that we might necessarily want, but I just wore them for convenience purposes. I probably won't try that again unless I'm wearing a wig. And u don't even care to much for fake hair on myself
 

silenttullip

Well-Known Member
I think it has a lot to do with location aswell...
In atl I stuck with uniquely styled cornrows and I was pulling them HARD
from CEO's to cops, drs, to bus drivers....
In TX lol I don't get anything but white guys coming at me and I usually wear a wig and my ring lol
In NC I'd get guys coming when I had updos or buns
For TN it was all about my short 2 strand twists lol
Location, your confidence, and your attitude.
Some men do think cornrows make you seem "hood"
 

Esthi777

Well-Known Member
Interesting. I always felt as if buns were boring. DH hates them but I don't care. I will continue to wear my bun throughout winter. I never draw attention with buns but recently, I wore a high bun on the top of my head like I do when I go to sleep and men were coming out of the woodwork. Why would placement even matter? :perplexed:
 

kupenda

Well-Known Member
For me, braidouts etc: no play. Straight, even with ng showing and no swang: heyyy, can I buy you a drink??


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF
 

LoveLiLi

Well-Known Member
Interesting. I always felt as if buns were boring. DH hates them but I don't care. I will continue to wear my bun throughout winter. I never draw attention with buns but recently, I wore a high bun on the top of my head like I do when I go to sleep and men were coming out of the woodwork. Why would placement even matter? :perplexed:

Placement of the bun is serious business. :yep: You give people a different vibe depending on how you wear your bun (I wear them very frequently, so I change it up based on the image I'm going for).

Low placed bun = professional, conservative. It comes off as stern and stuffy to some people. A somewhat loose low bun with waves or an ornament can be elegant though.

Mid placed bun = still comes off as professional, but gives a more relaxed feel.

High bun = fun and flirty. I'll still wear the high placed bun to work but I can tell from people's reactions that they see the higher placed bun as more stylish and I get lots of compliments on the high bun. It's just more youthful and I really feel like my face looks more like a 'baby face' when I wear it.

It seems like it shouldn't matter, it is just a bun, but the placement makes a big difference.
 
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