Crowning Glories?

Hair is usually referred to as “a woman’s crowning glory” and I would agree with that. I have to admit I’ve been fascinated by long hair ever since I read the fairy tale of Rapunzel, when I was struck with serious hair envy. But what about for men?

When I tried looking up that saying on Google, I found the following quote from the Bible instead – “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is dishonour to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is glory to her?” (1 Corinthians 11: 14-15). Well, I would totally disagree with that!

Long hair on men seems to be one of those things that you either love or hate – like Marmite or anchovies. I hate both of those, but I LOVE long hair on men. I’m not sure why, but I always have and it has nothing to do with my age or fashion – to me it just adds to the overall impression. It seems right somehow.

The other week I was dragged along to a rock concert, the kind where hairy biker types predominate and you can’t move an inch without seeing leather and tattoos. I hardly noticed, however, because all around me were men with glorious long hair – I was in seventh heaven! For instance, walking past me, two guys with dark, wavy hair halfway down their backs. Seated in the row in front of me a Viking lookalike with strawberry blond, straight hair all the way to his waist. And everywhere else shoulder-length tresses or longer, some beautifully kept, some not so much.

So why don’t more men have long hair? If you look at the animal kingdoms, the males of the species are meant to be more flamboyant, with manes like lions. It would make sense for this to be the case with humans too, but although occasionally this becomes the fashion, the majority of men stick to having it shorn. A case of laziness perhaps? (Long hair is hard work if you want to keep it looking good). Or a general sense of feeling more groomed that way? I don’t know, but I often wish myself back to the mid 1600s when the Cavaliers (and others) flaunted their locks unashamedly. I mean, just look at the picture of Prince Rupert of the Rhine – gorgeous or what?

Or what about the Vikings, who seem to have plaited theirs to keep it out of their eyes, but otherwise let it grow long? Yes, those were the days ...

So do you love it or hate it? And do you like Marmite and anchovies? I wonder if these things go together ...

Please come back on Sunday to hear from Liz