Over a year and a half ago I decided to grow my hair. I came back from a holiday in California and decided that I’d had enough of the crew cut look and I’d go for the Spanish footballer look instead. What I didn’t appreciate was how hard it was or how long it would take. This is my story…
At first it was okay. From being a centimetre long to an inch was alright, it didn’t look too bad and didn’t require any additional care. But it soon became apparent that I’d have to go to a hairdressers for the first time in five years (my girlfriend used the clippers to cut my hair up until then). When all your hair is the same length it’s not long before you start to grow a rather un-fetching mullet – and that’s not a good look. So I got it cut and was shown the wonders of hair wax and how to use it (I was so out of touch).
The other thing I had to do was start using shampoo again. With a crew cut you don’t need anything other than shower gel but as my hair started growing it soon ended up looking and feeling like straw – so shampoo and conditioner it was!
It also started to interfere with my football playing – getting in my eyes and bugging the hell out of me. So I stole one of my girlfriend’s alice bands which did the trick (although I had to put up with a lot of stick from the guys)! Oh how I dreamed of the days when I could use a length of black elastic in true South American footballer style!
As it continued to grow my hairdresser tried in vain to show me how to blow dry my hair – she failed, I just couldn’t be bothered in the mornings. I did, however, get the hang of straightening irons (my girlfriend’s) so I could relive my days when I used to have straight hair!
Anyway, I’d see people in the street or on TV and use them as my motivation to keep growing it, to not give up and get a short back and sides. Every time someone would get theirs cut (like Dave Beckham) I’d feel it was a small victory for me – they were quitting so I’d carry on! And now it’s gotten to the stage where I can look at people I wanted to emulate like Robert Pires, Michel Salgado and Roddy from Idlewild (I have a photo of the band on my fridge I used as both motivation and to scare my girlfriend) and realise that I’ve made it! It was all worth it! Oh, the sense of achievement! And what a contrast!
Okay, I’m not really that bothered, but I’m glad I stuck with it, it’s been a surprisingly hard thing to do – a short haircut is so tempting and easy to live with and in this day and age where every guy has the same short haircut it’s nice to be a bit different. Even if I have to spend a fortune on shampoo and conditioner! 😉
Surely all your hair-related posts (and let’s face it, there are a lot of them) are worthy of their own category by now? That way, we avid readers can easily find them all in one place whenever we need to refer back to a John Conner’s hair moment.
Your wish is my command!
hello i am growing my hair to but not been doin it for long i just need to if i should get my hair evend out because i had it cut 1 on back and short on top so the back is shorter than the top. and should i get my sideburns cut off. please reply i need help
Ha ha, honestly, I’m the last person you should ask for hair advice! However, my good lady assures me that getting it cut regularly helps it to grow faster and look better!
Don’t forget that 50% of men have an awful thing called male pattern baldness, and most of the other 50% wear their hair short anyway, so you do stick out in the crowd! (No MPB either you lucky bastard) I’m doing my best to fight it off with Rogaine, Nizoral and Nioxin, but not Propecia or Avodart, because I want my penis. I’m growing my hair long too, but I also need to get it permed because my hair goes an awful bushy curl when it gets long. Nothing like giving nature two kicks in the teeth! I was never meant to have long straight hair, and I was never meant to have a full head of hair at this stage 🙂
I’m also unsure about the sideburns question, regarding how long they should be when a man wants to grow his hair down to his shoulders like you. How long are your sideburns?
My hair is actually quite a bit shorter than that at the moment but generally I’ve grown them to the bottom of my ears – mainly because I’m too lazy to shave them!