I decided to stop cutting my hair for a variety of reasons, so it's going to get really long again eventually. (Though I might get a bit of a trim once it reaches a bob length just to even things up) Does anyone have any good tips on looking manly during the awkward growing out phase? Luckily, my hair grows really fast, and I expect to be at bob length by November if not sooner.

I haven't found any articles for FTMs growing out their hair besides them saying "don't do it!!!"  and the ones I mainly find for men growing their hair "long" is from a crew cut to shorter than my hair is now lol.

Here's my length currently:



It's already too long to do something like spike it or like sweep it back or something. I have a good way of styling my hair for "girl mode" at work, but am at a loss for what to do in "guy mode" and it'll only get uglier once it's at the midway down the cheek length.

Ladies, please comment with any suggestions, or tell what you did when you started to grow your hair long. 

Maybe look into scene or other alternative styles? Slick it back like a nice photo of Tom Hiddleston?

In the picture, I like it a lot. I'm not attracted to men with long hair but your facial structure suits it without being fem. There are just some people who naturally look great with longer hair.

As far as what to do, you can always clip it back or use bobby pins. Bobby pins aren't as noticeable as hair clips.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdnZqo3KzMiuIhBkfpAXC02M6IGd3_uvb4JWYtbf9ArHIKtdwXhw

Those are the clips I'm talking about. You can get them painted black or dark brown.

Don't use bobby pins in male mode.

I've been growing my hair out from a super short fade cut. I got it cut a day before top surgery so it's been 9 months and change since I got a haircut. Never even got it trimmed since then. And I don't ever put product in it. I guess I just kind of ride out all the awkward stages. Hats help. I don't know if this would work for you but all I do every day is wash my hair, towel-dry it, brush it and then mess it up (a little bit/within reason) with my hands and let it air-dry. Now that my hair is longer people say I have a fro. Since being on T my hair's gotten big and curly. I think having the back of my hair long makes me look more masculine but it was slow to catch up to the rest of my hair. I had hair past my ears that made me look like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music because there was no serious volume towards the back to balance it out. Some guys can pull that off, but not all of us are fortunate enough. But seriously, if you want long hair, don't ever cut it, even just for a trim. Cutting your hair makes it shorter. Not longer. (And it doesn't speed up hair growth either, that's a myth.) All you would be doing is delaying the process. Get it over with as quick as mother nature will allow.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Musique3579/ This guy used to make VERY positive and encouraging videos about men with long hair or who wanted to grow long hair. They're still on his channel, so if you're in need of inspiration check them out.

Try combing the sides back behind your ears and go for a grown out DA look .That's what i did until it got longer

A bit like Kim said.

Use product to hold it and comb back above the ears and comb down the back of your head.

It a slick look that looks good on guys and your face is strong so it will look really masculine IMO.

Don't wear pins or anything that is very un-guyish.

Also take a look at images of the soccer player David Beckham. He is a very good looking guy who has worn his hair in many different ways.

Cindy

Quote from: randomroads on July 06, 2013, 02:14:48 AM
As far as what to do, you can always clip it back or use bobby pins. Bobby pins aren't as noticeable as hair clips.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdnZqo3KzMiuIhBkfpAXC02M6IGd3_uvb4JWYtbf9ArHIKtdwXhw
Those are the clips I'm talking about. You can get them painted black or dark brown.

I have a few of those clips for "girl mode" but have lots most of them or they're holding closed bags of rice. I currently use bobby pins and do kind of this typical lesbian look, it's kind of like a mini-pompadour.

Quote from: tvc15 on July 06, 2013, 02:54:34 AM
I don't know if this would work for you but all I do every day is wash my hair, towel-dry it, brush it and then mess it up (a little bit/within reason) with my hands and let it air-dry.

But seriously, if you want long hair, don't ever cut it, even just for a trim. Cutting your hair makes it shorter. Not longer. (And it doesn't speed up hair growth either, that's a myth.) All you would be doing is delaying the process. Get it over with as quick as mother nature will allow.

I'll have to see how messing it up a bit would work for me. I certainly like the sound of it, I don't really like putting products in my hair. I'd only cut my hair to even it out once it gets to a much longer length--I just don't like how sometimes the back of the head has longer looking hair so it forms a weird triangle thing. I'll check out that channel you linked.

Thanks ladies, I'll check out the DA look. I do have some pomade and some old school Groom &Clean lol I'll fool around with to see if I can get that look.

Trimming is a lot different than cutting. When a professional trims, they should be taking maybe an 8th of an inch off. They will be able to look at your hair and target the specific areas that need to be trimmed off. Leaving damaged ends will encourage the entire hair shaft to become unhealthy and can make your hair brittle, frizzy, and ultimately fall out. If you've got a fro, chances are you've got damaged hair shafts that need some help and a bit of a trim on the ends. There are a ton of conditioners that target dry/damaged hair but coconut oil applied in the shower after shampoo, and then rinsed out with luke warm water also helps a lot. You can find coconut oil in the baking section with all the other cooking oils. It's fairly cheap, and a little in your hair goes a long way.

Not much I can say that hasn't been said already, but I also grew out my hair from basically a buzzcut. It's about shoulder length now so its been a while! But like someone else stated, hats do help a lot. I wear those beanies that have a lot of "sag" in the back, and imo I think they look nice with your hair hanging down from them. And really, you just have to play with your hair because nobody knows it better than you. I found that, when it was around medium length, straightening it didn't work anymore as the cut was gone so I let it go natural and it was just wavy. Whereas when it was around your length or shorter I had to straighten it. So yeah, be prepared to play with it and possibly having to change up the way you style it. Different cuts will help too, just depends on what you like.

Quote from: ForWantOf on July 06, 2013, 08:27:54 PM
. I wear those beanies that have a lot of "sag" in the back, and imo I think they look nice with your hair hanging down from them.

Just make sure they don't sag too much, I've only seen cis females in the really slouchy ones

I have been growing my hair for 5 months and use a stiff hold gel and use a stiff bristle brush to comb my hair behind my ears after the shower. I am coming from a # 2 clipper cut so it will be a few more months till I have hair your length.

I have received 6 compliments ( one just Wednesday) on my hair, all from guys.

Are you going for having your hair all one length eventually? If you are, then having the choppy rocker/scene hair might be counter productive because it puts a ton of layers/texture in your hair.

To me, most guys with mid-length hair just seem to run their hands through it and let it air dry. Here's some visual examples I think explain that look ...












For longer hair ... here's some other visual examples:









Now, the issue you'll have most often is that even in guy mode, people may still peg you as "female". I speak from experience here. The no beard/stubble/visible evidence of shaving I think is one of the main factors. I don't exactly have uber feminine features but get ma'am'd consistently - even when I go out of my way to achieve that "unkempt" hair look and operate in guy mode. What you just have to get beyond in that scenario is that someone using a particular gender pronoun doesn't change who you are and if you like your hair a certain way for whatever reason, do it for you, not for everyone else. 

Maybe not style it at all? Just hop out of the shower, towel dry and go. Thgats what the guys i know with long hair do. I mean obviously johnny depp doesn't do that, but we aren't all celebrities. I'm sorry I can't be of much help, the last time I had passable long hair was in middle school and I looked native american so it worked.

Quote from: insideontheoutside on July 07, 2013, 01:03:24 PM
Are you going for having your hair all one length eventually? If you are, then having the choppy rocker/scene hair might be counter productive because it puts a ton of layers/texture in your hair.

Now, the issue you'll have most often is that even in guy mode, people may still peg you as "female". I speak from experience here. The no beard/stubble/visible evidence of shaving I think is one of the main factors. I don't exactly have uber feminine features but get ma'am'd consistently - even when I go out of my way to achieve that "unkempt" hair look and operate in guy mode. What you just have to get beyond in that scenario is that someone using a particular gender pronoun doesn't change who you are and if you like your hair a certain way for whatever reason, do it for you, not for everyone else.

It'll all be one length eventually (I hate long hair that's uneven). It'll be out for awhile, but I think eventually I'll take amrit so I'd end up looking like a beardless version of this dude:

  That's partly why I am just going to grow out my hair, the other is because my hair just grows so fast that it's too expensive and time consuming to go get it cut every two weeks. I don't enjoy the unisex salon that much to keep giving them my money.

I am not too concerned about not passing, since maybe I'll just look like a young boy, and if not *shrug*. It's nice to pass, but it doesn't bother me if I don't. I am really not too concerned with what other people think I am.

Quote from: mangoslayer on July 07, 2013, 03:39:02 PM
I'm sorry I can't be of much help, the last time I had passable long hair was in middle school and I looked native american so it worked.

Lol, luckily I am Native American, I am just awfully pale.