Has the standard been raised?..

[genesislocks]

I don't know if it's just me, but when I first started my HHJ my benchmark for supremely long hair was bsl. Now, since becoming active on LHCF...and Youtube stalking...I mean observing I find that my standard for long hair is at about Waist length and above. This includes natural hair, relaxed, texlaxed etc.

I also kind of see this day to day. I feel like beforehand APL was the holy grail of ethnic hair standards, but now it's like APL isn't even given all that much attention anymore.

Have you noticed any difference of hair standards in the ethnic hair community?

 

[lamaria211]

Anything below apl is long to me

 

[Solitude]

I think the standard has heightened in the online hair community, but not in real life. I get told in real life that my APL-length hair is long, so I just go with my daily reality instead of the online standard.

I do think WL hair would be awesome and undeniably long.

 

[havilland]

APL did used to be the standard and BSL used to be hella long....NOT ANYMORE.

now apl gurus don't even get "paid no mind" LOL

i remember when apl was my holy grail....by the time i hit it i was all about mid back length and waist length.

now midback length seems to be the starting point for long. or at least FULL BSL.

but i agree it's only online...irl apl is still really long to most people.

i see way more long hair online than i do in real life. i have probably seen one person with waistlength hair IRL that was african american. i see indian ladies all the time with buttcrack length hair, but that's about it.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

It's definitely an hair forum thing. I told my dad I was going to grow my hair down to my bra strap and he asked me why would I do that? He said my hair is long enough now. He don't know LHCF

 

[sheanu]

Yeah SL used to be my standard. I live in Miami and thick, SL hair is good but some full, shiny BSL hair = unicorn status depending on where you are in the city.

 

[RegaLady]

I think the standard has heightened in the online hair community, but not in real life. I get told in real life that my APL-length hair is long, so I just go with my daily reality instead of the online standard.

I do think WL hair would be awesome and undeniably long.

This

I base my reality on real life instead of on online. IRL, longish hair is still about APL especially for black women. I do think I am more desensitized to APL on women in real life because of this forum. Even having your hair in a big bun, people assume you have long hair.

 

[genesislocks]

I think the standard has heightened in the online hair community, but not in real life. I get told in real life that my APL-length hair is long, so I just go with my daily reality instead of the online standard.

I do think WL hair would be awesome and undeniably long.

I wonder how long it's going to take until we see the LHCF standards start to leak into the real world. Here you're a small fish in a big pond if you're anywhere near APL. IRL you're a celebrity w/ APL

 

[genesislocks]

It's definitely an hair forum thing. I told my dad I was going to grow my hair down to my bra strap and he asked me why would I do that? He said my hair is long enough now. He don't know LHCF

Lol oh jeez, that is too funny!

Btw, thanks for the Vitacost hookup I needed some xylitol badly and I couldn't find it at the right price, till now.

 

[tenderheaded]

In 2005 when I joined APL and BSL were the goals to reach. Personally, now I'm all about the waist. My relaxed hair, when wet, has a few hairs tickling "the valley". IRL blacks, whites, hispanics think I have a "whole lot of hair". All they see is a braided bun.

On LHCF we did use to gush about someone attaining BSL, I mean upwards of 80-100 comments. Now not anywhere near as much.

 

[D.Lisha]

I would definitely agree with the other posters in saying that the raise of standards mainly exist within the online world.
Where I'm from, IRL if your hair is at least SL, you're sitting on Rapunzel status. For example, right after I got my relaxer earlier this month people were all like "Is that your hair? Omg it's so long! Girl why do you wear wigs if you have that much hair?" And I'm like "Hair? You call THIS HAIR? Let me introduce you to *insert long WL and Beyond YT Hair-Guru* now THAT'S HAIR! lol.
Although I admit that I love the "hair attention" that my hair gets in RL....but when I'm here? I just blend into the shadows

 

[SunRai Naturals]

Before my healthy hair journey, long hair was hair that touched the shoulders and REALLY long hair was APL. That was the standard in life outside of the internet. When I first started HHJ, I never even had a goal except I want it to grow!! I truly thought that my hair just didn't grow-lol. Then as I started looking online and seeing others and learning more about hair, I set my goal for APL and then waist length. Now my whole idea about long (FOR MY HAIR ONLY) has changed. I've now set my goal for hip and then tailbone. For me, I'll describe my hair as long when I am at full MBL which because my hair grows in layers, is probably waist length. I definitely think it is just an internet thing.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Nope, I still think apl is long and fly hair of any length turns my head and gets my approval.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

Lol oh jeez, that is too funny!

Btw, thanks for the Vitacost hookup I needed some xylitol badly and I couldn't find it at the right price, till now.

That's awesome, I get my xylitol and most of my supps and beauty staples from Vitacost. I don't like to shop in the store unless I have to!

 

[MzSwift]

Yup, my standards have totally changed. Not even just length-wise but also what I consider "healthy" hair. Girls used to rock long, thin ponytails and I would consider them to have long, healthy hair. Not anymore.

When I started, APL was my goal length. That's why it's the only length ID'd on my makeshift length check t-shirt. But I caught up to it so fast and it still didn't "seem" long so I'm still growing until I'm satisfied.

Like someone else said, I still admire fly/healthy hair at any length. But WL and beyond is what I consider "long".

 

[sylver2]

i still think full sl is long to me.

 

[Perfexion]

Shoulder length hair to me is short. APL is medium length. MBL is long. Waist length is really long. Hip length is stupid long. Anything below that is ridiculously long. That's always been my standard. I've never seen so many black women striving for stupid long hair before. That's new to me.

 

[Angel of the North]

I don't know if it's the affect of YT and the hair boards, but I see more and more ladies/girls with APL hair than what I used to. I used to see APL as long but now that post has moved to BSL for me IRL, for a lot of people APL will still be considered long IRL but then it depends on where you are as a PP said. I think with all the good products that are readily available and people taking an interest in and better care of their hair, I believe APL is a realistic goal and a little easier for us to achieve. I also think there are many ladies who wear their hair short or above APL for style and/or convenience.

 

[nemi95]

What is IRL?

 

[Perfexion]

What is IRL?

In real life

 

[LexiDior]

I think shoulder lenght is long. Im still at ear lenght to its one of my goal to get there.

 

[halee_J]

The definition of "long" is changing, I agree. The healthy hair movement has contributed to that, as more people realize than growing hair longer is achievable. Another big factor I think, is this era of the super mega long hair. The 22-24" weaves and wigs, that look soo good nowadays, with amazingly realistic textures and amazing application... we are seeing more women IRL with super lengths. Whether or not be from their scalp, it has become more commonplace. SL and APL would no longer seem long in comparison.

 

[ChocolatePie777]

In high school apl was considered long(i guess in the black community in general) to people and people would always t,alk about my long hair which was always kept between apl and bsl sometimes mbl.............however i dont think apl is long......bsl is like medium long to me....waist is long....and anything lower is really long

 

[Angelicus]

Really? My opinion is different: I started with neck length hair and never cared much for APL length. Long hair to me was always been BSL or longer. Which is why I think my hair is extremely short, lol

 

[naturalmanenyc]

No, it's just on the hair boards. APL is still considered long in real world.

DH has waist length hair and people gush over it, even men with locks. That is not the norm though, even for locks.

 

[aniyashair]

Shoulder length hair to me is short. APL is medium length. MBL is long. Waist length is really long. Hip length is stupid long. Anything below that is ridiculously long. That's always been my standard. I've never seen so many black women striving for stupid long hair before. That's new to me.

Now I agree with this. Shoulder length is not long and that's sad that people think that is long on black people lol. Mbl is long, but waist length is where its at . Tailbone is unicorn hair. My husband use to say if a black girls hair touched her neck she was doing thangs. I know, he ain't sh*t for that comment!!!! Lmao

 

[Blessedwithabundance14]

I used to think APL was it, but now HL and TBL are long to me. WL is pretty long too, but IRL APL puts you at "all that status"

 

[LexiDior]

all of you who are past SL must be Hollywood status IRL then lol

 

[genesislocks]

Now I agree with this. Shoulder length is not long and that's sad that people think that is long on black people lol. Mbl is long, but waist length is where its at . Tailbone is unicorn hair. My husband use to say if a black girls hair touched her neck she was doing thangs. I know, he ain't sh*t for that comment!!!! Lmao

Lmbo @ "unicorn hair"

 

[genesislocks]

all of you who are past SL must be Hollywood status IRL then lol

Any length you haven't reached yet seems really long, you'll see when you reach SL. In no time you'll be grazing APL, then you'll set your sights on BSL. They all feel really long until you reach them.

If you're anything like me, the length will never seem like "enough". In my head I have a milestone, but when I reach it I'm like...hmmm just two more inches and I'll be happy, I'm for sure this time lol