budd@arizona.UUCP (09/12/83)
This was inspired by a message from Dave Mason on hairstyles
in net.women.only, but it didn't seem to belong there, so i will put it
here.
I read an interesting statistic once, which a small amount of
personal observation seems to have borne out. It seems that an
extremely large percentage of women who have long hair at the time of
their marriage get their hair cut short within a very small period of time,
say within a year. I have heard various sexist arguments as to why this
might be so (a subconcious attempt to be less attractive, since they have
already attracted a mate - note I'm only repeating here, not suggesting
I believe this explaination), but I have never heard a good rational
explaination.
Has anybody else observed this? Can anybody guess why this might
be so?stanwyck@ihuxr.UUCP (09/13/83)
I don't know where your figures are from, or if they are accurate. The only data point I have is my own marriage of 6+ years and still going strong. my wife has had long hair ever since we met, and it is still long. When we first met it was down to about her bra-strap in back, and now it is below her belt-line. we both like long hair alot, even though it is considerably more trouble than short hair. we now have a child (11 months), and it is a little more difficult, because he likes to pull it. but he pulls my beard too, and since we both like that i wont be cutting it off just because it gets pulled. (that == my beard, we == wife+me) i have noticed that as women age the average length of hair seems to get shorter. this may be due to effort required, or the fact that most mature womens hairstyles call for shorter hair or some other reason. my mother had long hair, but started slowly shortening it after she reached 40. now she beyond 50, and it is just collar length.
pvl@houxh.UUCP (09/14/83)
My wife is one of the ones who cut her long hair (waist-length) after we got married 2 years ago. I asked her why last night and she said she didn't know why she chose that time to cut it. We both had readily voiced our preference for her long hair before we were married, but we both agreed it was time for a change and we both like the result better than the uncut version (from both an appearance and a maintainance point of view). I have no theories, just the statistic. By the way, my wife's sister cut her long hair two years *before* she was married. Pete LaMaster NJ ihnp4!houxh!pvl
madrid@auvax (09/16/83)
In some cases, it's a lot easier to maintain short hair than long hair.
And, in a lot of cases, marriage increases the workload on the woman.
(Interesting to see how stepping into marriage can result in stepping
into different patterns of behavior.)
In my case, I used to have long hair which looked good if it were
put up in any of a number of ways, all of which required some time and
concentration. Because even five uninterrupted minutes is a precious
commodity for a new momma, I'm now shorn.
R.
!alberta!auvax!madridfeatures@ihuxf.UUCP (09/16/83)
It used to be the sign of maidenhood to have long, flowing hair. After a woman was married, she was expected to do something (cutting, wearing a cap, etc.) to signify the change in status. Perhaps that's why most women in the workforce have shorter hair...to show they are adults.
trb@floyd.UUCP (Andy Tannenbaum) (09/19/83)
ihuxf!features mentions that it used to be a sign of maidenhood to have long hair. In Judaism, married women never show their hair in public, it is always covered by a kerchief or wig. Often, it is cut very short beneath this covering (so I hear). Single women do not cover their hair. Of course, these rules are only practiced by observant Jews. This also seems to be true in other cultures, I'm not sure of exactly which. Andy Tannenbaum Bell Labs Whippany, NJ (201) 386-6491