Do people ever pet your hair?

[Mishi]

I've had the belly-stroking while pregnant with Jazzy, but by the time I started showing with Kaylee I'd perfected my glare. People comment on their hair all the time but no one has tried to touch it for a while. The thing that bothered me the most was when they were small enough to fit in the carrier on my chest (seperate times, obviously) and random strangers thought it perfectly okay to pat their heads or try to hold their hands or even try to kiss them on the head! I have even had one oblivious person pat Jazzy on the head under the cover while I was discreetly breastfeeding her.

Oh! When Jazzy was two, we had a woman freak out on seeing her because "OMFG!!! Your daughter is a changeling! She's a fairy, you are so blessed to have been chosen to care for her!" She was not happy when I said it was impossible because Jazzy sneezed a moment after being born and that there wasn't enough time for her to have been swapped.

[BlaqueKatt]

How on earth did orange hair ever come to be called ginger???

nothing to do with color, ginger is hot, or fiery, and red hair was associated with being a hothead or having a fiery temper.

[MoonCat]

I used to have very long hair, it was down to my backside. Some annoying twit who used to work in the cafeteria at work used to try to play with it. I was still too shy at the time to protest much. Finally this little 20 year old girl who worked with him told him to stop it, it was rude. He actually looked embarrassed. And I was embarrassed at not speaking up for myself. Now I do, if needed.

[AnaKhouri]

I have naturally thick, shiny hair with lots of red highlights (I'm not bragging- it's the only part of my body I like). I used to wear it to my waist and you'd be shocked how many people would just touch it without asking. Little kids would reach up and grab it, but adults too who should know better. I kept it in a braid much of the time but then people would lift the end of my braid to see how heavy it was. It always bothered me because I am not a fan of being touched by strangers AND I don't know where their hands have been. Ick.

[Seshat]

I have one co-worker who wants to braid my hair. Um...weeeeeeird!

That, I do understand. Braiding can be an art form, the act of braiding can be soothing, and - if braider and braidee are friends - it can be a bonding sort of thing.

That said, a co-worker is not a friend.

I'll braid my best friend's hair. She'll try to braid mine (she's not got the knack yet). We have other friends whose hair is long enough to braid and has the right characteristics to braid well, who I can sometimes braid for.

But I wouldn't dream of offering to braid for a stranger/co-worker unless I genuinely thought it might be welcomed for some reason.

(Note re the art form: I can do most of the braids in the examples, if the braidee's hair is long enough and the right texture for that particular braid type.)

[telecom_goddess]

Speaking of braids and extremely long hair I saw a woman with the longest thickest braid I've ever seen at the state fair a couple weekends ago. I didn't touch it though

Just a weird fact...I've been able to do a basic french braid on my own hair since I was 17. Just taught myself. People are amazed I can do it.

[Not Lillith]

I wish I could braid my hair. I still try now and then, but I never got the knack of it. I wish someone would offer to braid it for me.

When I colored my hair red (for many years) no one seemed that fascinated by it.

About 8 years ago I shaved it all off and just let it grow. Now it's just grey with bits of light brown. It's a combination of frizzy, curly, straight bits. Pretty much always looks like I just woke up after a hard night of drinking in OZ.

I don't understand the fascination. I think people just want to know what it feels like.

Thanks all for sharing! I knew it couldn't just be me!

[Kitten in the box]

Only close friends and family touch my hair. If someone I don't know touches my hair I take it as creepy stalker behavior. However if they ask I might let them. One time I was talking to my brother after I got off work when this older woman started to "pet" me. I said a bit sharply "DON'T!" this angered the woman and she responded " I never...!" (complete with catbutt face) I responded "yea you probably never have! I am NOT a pet!!" my brother burst out laughing and the woman stormed off.

[LillFilly]

Whenever I get my hair cut like this people think it's a wig, because I dye my hair black/dark cherry and it lays perfectly flat because I have no volume. They don't believe me until I tug on it!

[MoonCat]

Whenever I get my hair cut like this people think it's a wig, because I dye my hair black/dark cherry and it lays perfectly flat because I have no volume. They don't believe me until I tug on it!

I love that! I'd do that except it would make my face look too round

I always wanted to be able to French braid my hair, too, but I can't. I just can't feel what I'm doing and keep messing it up. I can do plain braids and that's all.

[Seshat]

Just a weird fact...I've been able to do a basic french braid on my own hair since I was 17. Just taught myself. People are amazed I can do it.

I also have that knack - I can do most (not all) braids - simple or complex - in my own hair. The first few examples are always 'off' in some way, of course, but after about ten or fifteen tries, it's ready to be shown off.

Here's a cool variation of a french braid for you, T-Goddess: braid up from the nape of the neck, finish the french-braiding at the crown of the head. Continue braiding till the end of the hair, then finish it off in whichever way appeals to you. A bun, or a twist, or a crown or whatever.

(Note: yes, that's advanced braiding.)

Edit: Note that a lot of advanced braiding involves hairpins of one sort or another. And depending on the texture of your hair, it may need to be moussed or even gelled to stay in position.

Most 'crown' braids - where the hair is braided then wrapped around the head to form a crown - has both an end elastic on the braid, and pins holding the braid to the head. 'Bun' braids are also done with pins - anywhere where there is a 'tail' of a braid that is then reconnected to the head, rather than left free.

And sometimes it's all to do with the texture of the hair: My hair, for instance, will NOT naturally cornrow. I have very anglo-saxon hair, and Brunhilde Braids or Milkmaid Braids or French Country Girl braids are all natural to it. Cornrows? HA! It'll cornrow only if you practically glue it into place.
Similarly, most hair that naturally cornrows (not all!) is not likely to easily go into a Brunhilde or Heidi braid.

There are reasons for cultural variation in braiding; and often those reasons have to do with the type of hair natural to that culture. If you're having trouble trying a particular type of braid, it may be that your hair is the wrong texture for that type. Look into which braids are most common among your hair's ethnic heritage, and try those instead. Treat other culture's braids as 'advanced' for you.

I wish I could braid my hair. I still try now and then, but I never got the knack of it. I wish someone would offer to braid it for me.

Try that site I linked to earlier in the thread (Both you and MoonCat). They have good instructions for both braiding one's own hair, and braiding someone else's.

You may find a good friend or a partner who starts to enjoy braiding if you encourage them to try. Or if you ask around your circle of friends, you might find an existing braider who's looking for new heads to work her art on.




And to answer the original thread question:

Yes. Especially if I have it in a fancy braid.

[fireheart]

Milkmaid braids *snort*

I can't even braid my own hair

[ozcatbug]

About a month ago I had a trim and colour so my hair went from super long (about midway between my hips and knees) to extra long (just below my hips). It feels so short now. I have had at least waist length hair for about 20 years. I have had close friends pet my hair, but they usually ask first. The couple of times they didn't, the look I gave them caused them to pull their hands back and next time they asked first.

I have had occasion when a child would reach out and yank on my hair if it is plaited down my back. It would usually bring me to a halt as my head was yanked back. If the child was young enough I would get their parents to explain it wasn't nice to pull someones hair. If they were older, a yelp and the look would get them to let go.

The only time I had real trouble was when I was walking through the shops with my mother. All of a sudden my head was pulled backwards. Not a kid, but a woman probably in her 40's. I reached out to grab my hair out of her hands when she yanked it again, hard enough to bring tears to my eyes. My mother, noticing I'd stopped, looked back and before I could say anything to this stupid bitch, yelled out "What the f*ck do you think you are doing to my daughter's hair?"

The SB just looked and said "it feels so natural. Where did you buy it?"

My response that it was natural, that it was mine, and she needed to let go. She then tried to argue with me. Basically she wouldn't believe that someone could possibly have hair as long as mine, as it doesn't grow that long, and I must have bought it somewhere, and since I wouldn't tell her where I bought it she was going to take it off me and ask at the nearby hairdressers where she could get a hairpiece just like that. As she is saying all this she is trying to rip the plait off my head. My mother is yelling and swearing at her to leave me alone. I am in tears from the pain of this idiot pulling me hair. We were attracting attention, and then finally I yelled out to the woman "Let me go you f*cking bitch. That is my hair you are trying to rip out. Someone call the police."

The SB looked at me with disgust, let my hair go (finally) then said "I can't believe how rude you are being." I then grabbed my mother as she tried to attack the SB and walked her away, as the crowd berated the SB, who still refused to believe that hair could naturally grow that long. I know I should have contacted security, but by then I had a huge headache and just wanted to go home.

[RootedPhoenix]

ozcatbug, that lady does not compute! My own hair is hip-length, so I know it can grow as long as yours and longer. Where she got the nerve to do that, I do not know.

edit: I've not had anyone but family/friends touch my hair. I will be sure to be greatly thankful for that!

[fireheart]

I reckon that lady needs to watch an old episode of America's Next Top Model. one of the contestants had waist-length hair, grown naturally. It was cut short during a makeover and donated to locks of love. (which she was happy about )