Posted by Ken in SF (other posts) on January 27, 2012 at 09:37:00 Previous Next
In Reply to: Shoulder length-=''Business length'' in 1972-73?? posted by Paul on January 27, 2012 at 04:31:35:
: A couple of days ago I read some messages by Ken from San Francisco and some other posters about Unisex salons in the early 1970s and was in a hurry to get out the door so I did not have a chance to respond...
: I was really surprised that "shoulder length" would have been acceptable for businessmen when it seems we have reverted back to the 1950s ideal of a "businessman's haircut" which is the atypical short above the ears and closely cropped style...
Hi Paul,
I might not have made it all that clear by what I meant in my previous thread that I posted re. my first "Unisex" haircut; so let me do my best at correcting any misconceptions about that:
First of all, the actual unisex haircut I referred to that I had back in the early 1970s was CONSIDERABLY SHORTER than "shoulder-length" -- it covered my ears only about half-way down (didn't even reach over the earlobes), left about an inch at the back of the neck (barely touching the top of my shirt collar), and even the bangs (AKA "fringe") only came down to approximately just below eyebrow-length in front... But this was considered a "modern" look at that time (longer-looking than the long-time traditional businessman's short haircut styles of the 1950s and early '60s).
At that time in my life I had not yet grown my hair out to the extreme length that it is today (although I very much WANTED to grow it out that long "someday" - LOL).... I was happy with that haircut back then, because I viewed it as a "compromise", or mid-way point, between what I USED TO HAVE as a kid under my father's roof (he only allowed military-looking super-short or buzzed hairstyles in his household), and what I secretly wished and yearned for some day (the extremely looooong hair lengths of shoulder-length or longer, which is what I definitely have now!!
Re. the term, "businessman's length" (or whatever similar terminology might be used in the actual business world), that has never, to the best of my memory, EVER been = to shoulder-length... That would be really cool if it did become so someday; but best not to hold your breath over that (LOL)!!
I hope that clarifies things a bit; but it will be interesting to hear from some of the other guys here at MLHH if they feel differently, especially those who are the same age as myself or even older.
Take care -- and thanks for posting this thread, it's fun to talk about this topic!
- Ken in San Francisco (who was born in the summer of '53, in the Chicago, Illinois area)