Hairstyles: Long Hair On Men, For Or Against?

Long hair on men doesn't seem to generate the same response it does when it comes to women. Another double standard? Of course. But just as men have reasons for being less attracted to our bobs and pixie cuts, we have our reasons, too.

Let's preface this by saying we don't completely hate long hair—a brief poll of YourTango staffers revealed that, if well-kept, it can be sexy (see Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall and Interview With A Vampire).

On the other hand, long hair on a man can go terribly awry; per our informal office poll, a long locks-wearer runs the risk of seeming tacky or like he's "trying too hard." And, to be completely honest, it can be unsettling to date someone who has nicer hair than we do. (This is up there with the mild depression that comes with dating a man whose arms and/or jeans size are smaller than our own.) And further still, there's the fact that nothing ruins the mood of a hot make-out session more than mouthfuls of hair. Dreadlocks are a whole other story, as keeping them groomed can be high-maintenance and, well, that's never #1 on our list of traits we want in a man. Poll: Is Your Man Higher-Maintenance Than You?

So, what do we prefer instead? 'Round the office, if a man's going to have long hair, we vote for it to fall just past the chin; the "shaggy" look (a la Zac Efron) got a thumbs-up, too. If that's not enough scientific proof for you (what do you want from us—a pie chart?), our buds over at AskMen.com compiled a list of the hottest hairstyles for men in 2010. Consensus? Short and medium cuts are what's hot and what tend to peak a lady's interest. 

Of course, men, wear your hair however you'd like: short, long, spiked, slicked-back, frosted, etc. We may express distaste but what it comes down to, just as it does for women, is attitude. Hairstyles can tell us a lot about a man's personality. If a dude has the confidence to complement his hairdo, we're hooked. Men Have Insecurities, Just Like Women

What do you think? Do you prefer your man to have long or short hair?

Long hair on men doesn't seem to generate the same response it does when it comes to women. Another double standard? Of course. But just as men have reasons for being less attracted to our bobs and pixie cuts, we have our reasons, too.

Let's preface this by saying we don't completely hate long hair—a brief poll of YourTango staffers revealed that, if well-kept, it can be sexy (see Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall and Interview With A Vampire).

On the other hand, long hair on a man can go terribly awry; per our informal office poll, a long locks-wearer runs the risk of seeming tacky or like he's "trying too hard." And, to be completely honest, it can be unsettling to date someone who has nicer hair than we do. (This is up there with the mild depression that comes with dating a man whose arms and/or jeans size are smaller than our own.) And further still, there's the fact that nothing ruins the mood of a hot make-out session more than mouthfuls of hair. Dreadlocks are a whole other story, as keeping them groomed can be high-maintenance and, well, that's never #1 on our list of traits we want in a man. Poll: Is Your Man Higher-Maintenance Than You?

So, what do we prefer instead? 'Round the office, if a man's going to have long hair, we vote for it to fall just past the chin; the "shaggy" look (a la Zac Efron) got a thumbs-up, too. If that's not enough scientific proof for you (what do you want from us—a pie chart?), our buds over at AskMen.com compiled a list of the hottest hairstyles for men in 2010. Consensus? Short and medium cuts are what's hot and what tend to peak a lady's interest. 

Of course, men, wear your hair however you'd like: short, long, spiked, slicked-back, frosted, etc. We may express distaste but what it comes down to, just as it does for women, is attitude. Hairstyles can tell us a lot about a man's personality. If a dude has the confidence to complement his hairdo, we're hooked. Men Have Insecurities, Just Like Women

What do you think? Do you prefer your man to have long or short hair?