Haircuts!

[Guest Eric6]

I was wondering whether there's anybody here from Perth (Australia) who knows a good hairdresser or barber who wouldn't give me a hard time! I'm sick of my current salon giving me soft and feminine cuts. Partly it's my fault, I'm not definite enough, and also I wear glasses, so on a practical level I can't *see* what they're doing till I get the specs back on! I say "short" and then I'm at their mercy :-)

Last time I got home and they still hadn't cut the hair in front the way I wanted, so I did it myself and luckily it's okay.

Geez. I never think this much about my hair! ;-) I guess if there's nobody from my city, then could somebody tell me generally about their experiences?

Thanks

Alex

[JJ]

It's funny that hair stylists think they know what is good for you better than you do but when I plopped myself in the chair last week and showed the woman the cut I wanted from the men's pages in the style book I knew there was no way to get what I wanted without outing myself. So I did. In public for the first time to someone who didn't know the word androgynous when I tried to trot it out and hadn't been aware transgendered people even existed.

I did get the cut I wanted. I'd suggest finding a pic of the cut you want and printing it out, then insisting on it even if you have to explain why.

[Guest Avery F]

Hey there,

For getting a decent chap's haircut, I think there are a few different options. Firstly, you could try explaining your situation to the hairdresser, as already stated above. Some people have recommended trying to find a gay hairdresser - apparently they tend to be pretty understanding. Another option, particularly if you pass decently well, is to go to a barber shop rather than a hairdresser. Quite frankly, even if you don't pass one hundred percent, it might be worth a try anyway; at the barber shop I went to, I honestly don't think they knew if I was male or female, they just called me 'buddy' the whole time, lol. If you go to a barber shop, look up the names of generic guy's haircuts beforehand, so when they ask you what you want you can just say 'a businessman's cut' or 'an ivy league' or whatever.

The last option is to cut your own hair. If you do decide to give this a try, I'd suggest asking someone else, a friend or family member who is supportive, to do the back. It can be very tricky to cut the back yourself without leaving scrappy bald patches.

Good luck!

Avery

[Guest Bunny]

Stylists think they know what will work better for you because we are taught that we, in fact, do. I'm not joking, it's drilled into us, classes on face shape and cuts that work and. Bleh hours of us being told "And now YOU know what will work BEST". And all the time people just come in and say "whatever you will think looks best on me" and well. We have to use all of this design and face shape knowledge to do just that. Just as a little reasoning on that one.

Pictures tend to work really well. More so if you get someone who isn't scared to just shave off long hair and say to hell with it! Males are also the best for this. It's a stereotype but men are more likely to just do what they're told where as women wanna make you "pretty" or whatever. I only let guys cut my hair, which means there is only one person at my school who cuts my hair. I tell him what to do, he does it. No questions, no "oh but this would be so pretty" nothing. Shave my head, this is the length. He does it, trims my mohawk as much as I want and its done. Quick and simple.

Now they may suggest more length left then you want (say finger length over bald) if you have an oddly shaped head or something but, for the most part you will get what you want that way.

[Guest seanjamie]

I'm in Sydney , so all i can suggest is trying to find a unisex hair place , I go to 'Just Cuts'.

If there is a more arts area where artists , musicians and writers hang out maybe try a shop there as they are sed to people being different and won't worry bout what style they will just do it, most of the time.

Alright well luck on the haircut

~Sean

[Guest Eric6]

Thanks, guys. I know I need to be more definite when saying what I want. I've been trained (by hairdressers) to believe they know best and yeah, they do a lot of the time. My hair's wavy and sometimes I say I want stuff and get, "that won't work with your hair!"

You're right. I've started collecting pics and in a few weeks, when the decision's got to be made, I'll try a barber. Did get up the guts to ask a salon for advice and they put me on to this barber, Mr Snippy :-)

[Guest ShortyT]

First time I had my hair cut the way I wanted, was the time I sat down, she asked what I wanted done, and I replied "just a standard men's cut". I never said anything beyond that regarding my situation, but then i HAD booked the appointment under my new name. She was however the same person who cut my hair before the name change. No questions were asked, which I appreciate.

[Guest Doodlen]

Good luck with your hair cut!

I've had incredibly long hair my entire life (almost down to my waist) so cutting it is gonna be really hard for me. I'm gonna have to go in stages I think, cut it to my shoulders, then later shorter, then sorter, etc. My main problem is my mother though. She's completely against me even cutting it to halfway down my back! She said that if I ever cut my hair to my shoulders, she'd cry. I'm not out to her AT ALL yet, so I think that's what terrifies me the most. Sorry, ranting.

[Guest seanjamie]

I can relate to that Doodlen, my mum never let me cut my hair short - so until the start of last year when I decided that was it I had had long hair all my life ...

I went by myself to get it cut short and when I turned up that arvo at her work she didn't recognise me at first .

I am not out to her either despite numerous attempts at getting her to realise I'm a guy.

[Guest Doodlen]

I can relate to that Doodlen, my mum never let me cut my hair short - so until the start of last year when I decided that was it I had had long hair all my life ...

I went by myself to get it cut short and when I turned up that arvo at her work she didn't recognise me at first .

I am not out to her either despite numerous attempts at getting her to realise I'm a guy.

How did she take it? Was she angry or anything after?

I wanna cut my hair, I'm so tired of it and there's NO way I can even attempt to pass with it. It's even too long to tuck under a hat or anything. I know my mom would honestly cry, and probably not talk to me for awhile. Things between me and my mom have always been...tense. Just the usual I'm never good enough for her stuff, I'm such a disappointment, etc. (her own words) and I think that getting my hair cut would be the straw that broke the camel's back.

[Guest seanjamie]

That sucks .

She took it alright she didn't yell or scream or cry ... which is good for my mum. I asked her if she liked my new haircut , she was like yeah...but I liked it when you had long hair , me being a pain... but don't you like it now , yes but I liked it better when it was long. I just said at that point well I like it better this way. She has been like: are you going to let it grow out and I'm like nope not gonna happen . I can be pretty stubborn which I think tends to help in this situation.

Well I actually did some stuff to prepair her a little, mainly I started making more comments on how I would prefer my hair shorter, I feel like getting a shorter haircut... didn't tell her how short just short, then after a bit more I'm going to get my haircut shorter soon just picking a style, yep gonna get my haircut I've found what I want.

About a week or two later I finally got up the courage and went and did it . Best decision ...I felt on top of the world , one step closer. I even told her about the hairdresser bringing out a book full of female short hairstyles and me telling her that I would like to look at the male styles please, she laughed about it probably due to the cheeky grin on my face at the time.

So yeah.

I wanna cut my hair, I'm so tired of it and there's NO way I can even attempt to pass with it. It's even too long to tuck under a hat or anything. I know my mom would honestly cry, and probably not talk to me for awhile.

I can understand that it's a really sucky place to be in , I'm sorry.

Truthfully I think if you want to do this your really just going to have to set your mind on it and do it if you do what she wants everytime you won't be able to do anything. I hope it works out I really do feel free to msg me if you need to talk .

My hair was too long for that too, thats one other thing I have found since having shorter hair my head seems smaller in my baseball caps and also it looks right when it is under my cap - sorry just thought I'd share .

[Guest seanjamie]

just wanted to apologise I don't know how I ended up with laughing smiley there at the beginning Sorry man . Sorry Doodlen

[Guest Doodlen]

just wanted to apologise I don't know how I ended up with laughing smiley there at the beginning Sorry man . Sorry Doodlen

Haha I was reading it and I was kinda wondering why that face was there

I'm glad that she took it well, and I think I'll try easing my mom into it a bit first too like you did. I really wanna donate my hair to cancer patient wigs or something like that, so I could bring that up and mention it. It's worth a try!

Thank you

[Guest Eric6]

Hi - original poster here! Well, I did the deed :-)

Found Just Cuts - thanks, Jamie - and took along a couple of pics cut from a newspaper that were about the style I wanted. Showed the hairdresser the pics and voila, that's what I got :-) So I am now a Matt Damon clone, since one of the pics happened to be of him :-) She was cool, didn't ask any questions about why they were pics of guys. I gave "Alex" as my name and had gone along in binder, baggy pants and t-shirt, plus baseball cap, so it's possible they got the message.

It's funny how good the right cut can make you feel. Also not being scalped financially for a really quick and simple job. Just Cuts charge the same for everybody.

Alex

[Guest Doodlen]

That's great to hear! Congrats on the new haircut

[Guest Lelouch]

Personally...I just trim my own hair. I style it however I like.

[Guest harvester52]

On the topic of hair... when I lived with my dad, I went to a Supercuts, which does both mens and womens hair. When I moved out, I got my own shaver and have been shaved just about bald ever since.

[Guest Aaron T.]

I got a new haricut (surfer style) about six weeks ago. My hair grows really fast so am afraid I gotta get another cut again real soon.

Maybe I am gonna go for a shorter style this time.

[Guest Aaron T.]

Since I am not on T yet I have to exhaust any other option to look more male.

What do you guys think about these haircuts?

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[Guest ranse]

Oddly enough, I get seen as male when my hair is longer more often than when it is short. When it's a little shaggy, I just give off that hippie dude vibe, I guess.

Super short hair can emphasize the feminine features rather than making one look more masculine. I take cues from men with softer features like Johnny Depp.

I second the recommendations to bring pictures along to show the person what you want or to just go to a barber shop.

[Guest ShortyT]

Oddly enough, I get seen as male when my hair is longer more often than when it is short. When it's a little shaggy, I just give off that hippie dude vibe, I guess.

Super short hair can emphasize the feminine features rather than making one look more masculine. I take cues from men with softer features like Johnny Depp.

I second the recommendations to bring pictures along to show the person what you want or to just go to a barber shop.

I have seen others mention this too, and while I don't know how well I pass freshly cut or more "shaggy" (I don't get much feedback from others on it), I can say I definitely like my own looks more when my hair is starting to approach the "gonna need a hair cut soon"-stage.

[Guest Chiv]

From someone who got a GI Joe haircut for years; longer hair does make you pass more as a male. In my case, it was just letting it grow out on the top and not shaving it so close on the sides. The difference and reaction from both men and women is amazing. For years I thought I had to shave my head to "pass". I used to go to a barber but now I go to a stylist. Pics are great but if you don't have them,"I want a men's cut" does work. Ultimately it is whatever style that makes you feel confident that matters.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Former playacting 'MALE" here. {Translation? MTF}

PLEASE!

I see all the FTM people here showing photographs of "GUY" haircuts and I shudder.

THOSE ARE MODELS! Natal men looking at them, 90% just say dammn, way too girly (not feminine, not effeminate - FEMALE). 'Metrosexual' is a mystery to most dudes.

Forget those type of haircuts, they out you as either a gay male or as a woman-wannabee.

All-male macho guys just don't care that much for fluff or flare - they might gel-the-hell or spike-like-crazy, but men want QUICK RESULTS in the morning. Shower and pass a comb (or just fingers) across and get on with life.

Spending over 20 seconds a day on hair is too much for a man. WHOA!

SO if you want to transition and be like 90% of the male world, just go get a cheap haircut. No part of the hair length should be over 1 1/8 inches long when done, and NO FRILLS. Buzz cuts work too.

Hair is for women to worry over.

Just a heads up! {WOW - that's a pun!]

So stop it - get real - chop it off and worry about cars, beer, or something important!

FYI

Lizzy of the luxurious locks!

[Guest Chiv]

Taking Lizzy's advice and focusing on women and beer and women and women. And women liking my haircut. Best part about my haircut it it wash and go. Iam happy,can you tell?

John

[Guest ranse]

Former playacting 'MALE" here. {Translation? MTF}

PLEASE!

I see all the FTM people here showing photographs of "GUY" haircuts and I shudder.

THOSE ARE MODELS! Natal men looking at them, 90% just say dammn, way too girly (not feminine, not effeminate - FEMALE). 'Metrosexual' is a mystery to most dudes.

Forget those type of haircuts, they out you as either a gay male or as a woman-wannabee.

All-male macho guys just don't care that much for fluff or flare - they might gel-the-hell or spike-like-crazy, but men want QUICK RESULTS in the morning. Shower and pass a comb (or just fingers) across and get on with life.

Spending over 20 seconds a day on hair is too much for a man. WHOA!

SO if you want to transition and be like 90% of the male world, just go get a cheap haircut. No part of the hair length should be over 1 1/8 inches long when done, and NO FRILLS. Buzz cuts work too.

Hair is for women to worry over.

Just a heads up! {WOW - that's a pun!]

So stop it - get real - chop it off and worry about cars, beer, or something important!

FYI

Lizzy of the luxurious locks!

True enough. Most of the men around me get "seasonal shearings." They go get a cheap basic haircut and then let it grow until it gets annoying or too hot.