Why do people say Thank you when you say "oh your hair is long"

[tocktick]

I think long hair is seen as desirable and something that can often take dedication/hard work. Thus many people find it impressive when someone has it. I believe when people say, "you have long hair" they are often being nice and complimenting that person. Hence why some people feel the need to say thank you.

I don't see the confusion as to why "you have short hair" is not viewed as a compliment - it's simply not seen a desirable attribute (that's not to say it's ugly though) in many cultures. When someone has short hair, it seems people specifically compliment another quality about the hair (thickness, shine, the layers etc).

 

[AfroKink]

I say "yah, it's getting there" or "yah, I'm trying to grow it out a little"

 

[Fine 4s]

I think people just assume you’re complimenting them and a natural reaction when you receive a compliment is to say thank you. I can't wait for someone to say that to me so I can thank them

Watch out, I might just kiss them

 

[isabella09]

Watch out, I might just kiss them

.... I’m going to have my regimen with a full list of products I use along with the LHCF website address printed on handy little leaflets, I shall place them in my handbag in anticipation of the day when I get my long hair compliment

*runs to go and apply more OCT*

 

[*Michelle*]

when people say that to me, I do say thanks just becasue I'm caught off guard with it and i don't know what else to say.
I mean what do you say?

THIS!

I also believe people think they are complimenting you and it feels rude not to say anything. Thank you may not be correct but it feels right

 

[Highly Favored8]

I think long hair is seen as desirable and something that can often take dedication/hard work. Thus many people find it impressive when someone has it. I believe when people say, "you have long hair" they are often being nice and complimenting that person. Hence why some people feel the need to say thank you.

I don't see the confusion as to why "you have short hair" is not viewed as a compliment - it's simply not seen a desirable attribute (that's not to say it's ugly though) in many cultures. When someone has short hair, it seems people specifically compliment another quality about the hair (thickness, shine, the layers etc).

ITA... Co-signing.

 

[Saida]

LOL @ some of the posts, you guys are funny..

When someone says I have long hair I say.. Yeah it grew.. If they say " wow your hair is long and nice" I would say thank you.

I think long hair is beautiful too, but there are a lot of people with long hair who dont have beautiful hair.

I don't think thats beautiful long hair

Beautiful long hair

 

[GoingBack]

^^^ The first pic is an extreme example though.

 

[Child0fGod]

What are you supposed to say?

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

[Child0fGod]

Is it an automatically compliment to have long hair or what???

and,

yes...................

 

[Child0fGod]

What would you say if someone said "You're so slim!"

Same kind of thing. It's almost always meant to be a compliment.

OT:

not in everyone's case.
i've known all my life that not everyone is trying to lose weight.
i'd always get the "ohh you're so skinny, what are you size zero???" i'd take offense to that!

... NO, how about size 6????

"skinny compliments" to women who've always been skinny are not compliments a lot of times, some times people are just poking fun/making fun. BLAAh.

 

[Child0fGod]

I've said this to people, and really, many times their hair wasn't pretty.
It was just long.
No big deal.
Not lustrous.
Not enviable hair.
Just - long-.
And they say "Thank you." And I'm looking around, like, I didn't say your hair was pretty, I just said it was "long."
If I think your hair is pretty, I'll say so.

so if they didn't say "thank you" but instead gave you a fake grin or kept silent, what would you think of them then?

 

[Saida]

^^^ The first pic is an extreme example though.

Okay kind of LOL, but there are other examples as well

 

[Child0fGod]

WHOA this has got to be BEYOND ironic!!!
look what i found when i clicked the link in my signature!! (posted 9/15/09 @ 10:15 A.M!)

What's Hair Got to Do With It?
http://www.boundlessline.org/2009/09/whats-hair-got-to-do-with-it.html

One quote from the article:
"The point is that women with short haircuts are affirmed almost exclusively by ... other women. Ask their husbands or boyfriends, and most will admit -- though rarely to the woman's face -- that they kinda liked it better when her hair wasn't so short."

 

[SvelteVelvet]

My usual reaction is "Yeah" with a half-smile really just acknowledging the acknowledgment. BUT I see nothing wrong with people who do respond with Thank-You..for them you may be paying them a compliment..I mean you did notice it enough to vocalize an obvious fact. Why even say to a person your hair is long if you aren't complimenting? It's like saying to someone "Your eyes are brown". It's no news flash.

 

[Celestial]

I think if someone says you're hair is long that person is giving a compliment. I never heard of having long hair as an insult.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

If I ever made this comment - which would be a rare event (I'd probably just keep silent) - I'd be okay with that. I wouldn't feel slighted.

I just think that many times it's simply a comment/statement of fact ~ not necessarily a compliment. The person may take it as such, and that's okay if they do.

If I say pretty, I mean pretty. If I say long, I mean long. It is what it is, so to speak.

I'm very particular about word choice.

I don't think saying your hair is long is meant to be an insult, either. It's a neutral statement. It's like saying, "You're slim." That doesn't mean it's a compliment or an insult. It's just a statement.
~You can take it as a compliment - if you want to.~

so if they didn't say "thank you" but instead gave you a fake grin or kept silent, what would you think of them then?

 

[Fine 4s]

OT:

not in everyone's case.
i've known all my life that not everyone is trying to lose weight.
i'd always get the "ohh you're so skinny, what are you size zero???" i'd take offense to that!

... NO, how about size 6????

"skinny compliments" to women who've always been skinny are not compliments a lot of times, some times people are just poking fun/making fun. BLAAh.

That used to be me cuz I really wanted to gain weight!
Then it came on naturally.....lol

 

[vivEz daNs lamouR]

If you don't mean it as a compliment, then why even bother saying it out loud?

Observations can be made mentally without voicing them. I wish someone would tell me every single observation they noticed about me. "Your hair is long... your thighs are wide, your shoes are black, you're Black." WTF?

 

[NikStarrr]

If you don't mean it as a compliment, then why even bother saying it out loud?

Observations can be made mentally without voicing them. I wish someone would tell me every single observation they noticed about me. "Your hair is long... your thighs are wide, your shoes are black, you're Black." WTF?

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking. Color me confused. If an ADULT says to me "your hair is long", I'm just going to assume they are giving me a compliment as opposed to stating an observation like 4 yr old would do. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

 

[LightEyedMami]

If you don't mean it as a compliment, then why even bother saying it out loud?

Observations can be made mentally without voicing them. I wish someone would tell me every single observation they noticed about me. "Your hair is long... your thighs are wide, your shoes are black, you're Black." WTF?

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking. Color me confused. If an ADULT says to me "your hair is long", I'm just going to assume they are giving me a compliment as opposed to stating an observation like 4 yr old would do. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

EXACTLY!!.... Who makes observations without a clear point?? ...I have always seen "your hair is Long" and "you eyes are light" as compliments when they have been said to me.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

If I made the statment, it was probably worth noting.
"Wow. Your hair is long." (The person probably had really long hair). That's it. Period.
"Wow. Your hair is long and beautiful." (The person probably had long, beautiful hair).
There's a difference in my book.
I'm accustomed to the "you've got long hair" comments - got them my whole life.
I'm more impressed/touched/honored with the, "You've got beautiful hair comments," that's all.

....I think it goes down to this, i've seen really long hair that's thin, lifeless and see-through being commented on about being l-o-n-g, and the person will say, "Thank you" in response.
Sure, the hair is l-o-n-g, but is it pretty?

If you don't mean it as a compliment, then why even bother saying it out loud?

Observations can be made mentally without voicing them. I wish someone would tell me every single observation they noticed about me. "Your hair is long... your thighs are wide, your shoes are black, you're Black." WTF?

 

[winnettag]

If I made the statment, it was probably worth noting.
"Wow. Your hair is long." (The person probably had really long hair). That's it. Period.
"Wow. Your hair is long and beautiful." (The person probably had long, beautiful hair).
There's a difference in my book. I've always found this quite amusing. I'm accustomed to the
"long hair comments" - got them my whole life. I'm more impressed/touched/honored with the, "You've got beautiful hair comments," that's all.

lol. You big meanie!
How many times have you told someone they had long hair but we're thinking "it's tore up though!"
...and there they were thinking it was a compliment.

I definitely see the difference in your examples but do you really go around telling people with ugly long hair that their hair is long? (Like the say something nice threads in OT )

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

Winnettag, ~ Oh no no no, I would never do that! Gosh no. That's awful. I promise I wouldn't. But I've seen it happen so many times, that's why I had to respond - I had to. This has always perplexed me.

I'm shocked that not many see this the way I do.
I think that's why people hate cutting their hair.
I mean, hey, I can hold on to some thin endz like the rest of 'em. I even made a thread about it, but, really, I've seen it happen - too many times to count. That's all. I'm a sweetie at heart. Please believe me.

lol. You big meanie!
How many times have you told someone they had long hair but we're thinking "it's tore up though!"
...and there they were thinking it was a compliment.

I definitely see the difference in your examples but do you really go around telling people with ugly long hair that their hair is long? (Like the say something nice threads in OT )

 

[winnettag]

Winnettag, ~ Oh no no no, I would never do that! Gosh no. That's awful. I promise I wouldn't. But I've seen it happen so many times, that's why I had to respond - I had to. This has always perplexed me.

I'm shocked that not many see this the way I do.
I think that's why people hate cutting their hair.
I mean, hey, I can hold on to some thin endz like the rest of 'em. I even made a thread about it, but, really, I've seen it happen - too many times to count. That's all. I'm a sweetie at heart. Please believe me.

lol, well okay then.
Yea, I hate to cut or trim my hair
You do seem like a sweetie!

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

.

lol, well okay then.
Yea, I hate to cut or trim my hair
You do seem like a sweetie!

.

 

[Yellowflowers]

Sometimes I would prefer that random females not make references to my hair at all. Some are very insecure toxic people and you never know what they really mean.

As if I need thier observation on what my hair looks like. I look at myself every day.

If it is a genuine compliment, I usually say thank-you and keep it moving.

I don't feel like I need to go up to females and give unsolicited comments to them about thier hair unless I mean it as a genuine compliment. What's the point.

I'm not the type to get any type of satisfaction out of trying to offend other women about thier hair.

My motto: If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all.

 

[CurlyMoo]

It's mainly a statement of fact as they are admiring it. I usually don't say anything but sometimes I'll just say, "Yeah it's growing." I've had co-workers look at my hair and say WOW it's getting so long. I like when they say that.

 

[anon123]

here's another thread about it:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=293735

 

[hillytmj]

I take that statement to mean it's a compliment, so when you say "thank you," you're basically thanking them for noticing your length (at least that's how I feel).