Butch Attire & Fashion

[Kelt]

Tis true, a true gentleman or gentleperson is always well groomed for whatever the occasion.

Lightening

Think of what you could buy with nearly SIX hundred dollars a year hair lightening cash.

Finally found time to visit the fabbo young barber dude I've found...he's at the local indoor (Abingdon Street) market as it happens. I love that he takes his time, does a really great job and is still the cheapest in town.
I got bitten to billy-o by midges at the wedding on Saturday...seems they chewed my head good and proper...the bites were revealed [and the tops painfully shaved off all of them] by the clippers.

<<<clickable
Taken just a few minutes ago, this is the 'morning' or 'daily casual' can't-be-bothered quiff with no product. M'hair is so thick it does what I want it to do pretty much on it's own




Note the two b.c.r [ball closure ring] ear-rings.
I took all my piercings out years ago, bar four of them, 3 of which can't be seen by the general public I took out yet another in the last couple of years and now there's only 2 that cannot be seen.
Recently, upon hitting two years clean I decided to mark it in a small way with two small, purple bcrs in my ear...just the one, the left ear.

Any other chaps wear stuff in the ear-lug/s?

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Kelt

Tis true, a true gentleman or gentleperson is always well groomed for whatever the occasion.

Yeah, yeah....

Originally Posted by Daktari

Lightening

Think of what you could buy with nearly SIX hundred dollars a year hair lightening cash.

Finally found time to visit the fabbo young barber dude I've found...he's at the local indoor (Abingdon Street) market as it happens. I love that he takes his time, does a really great job and is still the cheapest in town.
I got bitten to billy-o by midges at the wedding on Saturday...seems they chewed my head good and proper...the bites were revealed [and the tops painfully shaved off all of them] by the clippers.

<<<clickable
Taken just a few minutes ago, this is the 'morning' or 'daily casual' can't-be-bothered quiff with no product. M'hair is so thick it does what I want it to do pretty much on it's own




Note the two b.c.r [ball closure ring] ear-rings.
I took all my piercings out years ago, bar four of them, 3 of which can't be seen by the general public I took out yet another in the last couple of years and now there's only 2 that cannot be seen.
Recently, upon hitting two years clean I decided to mark it in a small way with two small, purple bcrs in my ear...just the one, the left ear.

Any other chaps wear stuff in the ear-lug/s?

Daktari, if I had thick fabulous hair I might not bother, but what I actually like the best about the product is that it thickens the shaft (no pun intended) of the hair follicle (mine are very thin). It isn't something a hair product or a different hair cut can fix....wait...why am I explaining this to you?

When it comes to ears I had some piercings, pretty thick in the ears (the upside down horse shoe type, ball closure type). I wanted to move towards lugs, but alas, there is no place for them in my professional world. I am limited in the same way I can be when it comes to hair styles.

That's ok, though.

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Yeah, yeah....



Daktari, if I had thick fabulous hair I might not bother, but what I actually like the best about the product is that it thickens the shaft (no pun intended) of the hair follicle (mine are very thin). It isn't something a hair product or a different hair cut can fix....wait...why am I explaining this to you?

When it comes to ears I had some piercings, pretty thick in the ears (the upside down horse shoe type, ball closure type). I wanted to move towards lugs, but alas, there is no place for them in my professional world. I am limited in the same way I can be when it comes to hair styles.

That's ok, though.

Sorry you thought I was inviting you to give an explanation of why you do the hair thing you do. I was trying to tease and it seems it didn't work.

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by Daktari

Lightening

Think of what you could buy with nearly SIX hundred dollars a year hair lightening cash.

Finally found time to visit the fabbo young barber dude I've found...he's at the local indoor (Abingdon Street) market as it happens. I love that he takes his time, does a really great job and is still the cheapest in town.
I got bitten to billy-o by midges at the wedding on Saturday...seems they chewed my head good and proper...the bites were revealed [and the tops painfully shaved off all of them] by the clippers.

<<<clickable
Taken just a few minutes ago, this is the 'morning' or 'daily casual' can't-be-bothered quiff with no product. M'hair is so thick it does what I want it to do pretty much on it's own

This looks great! Are you going to keep up with the sides and back on your own or let it grow out to a length?

I have thick hair also, regrettably it does not seem to be entirely compliant with my wishes. I've got about 1-1/2" on top and getting around1/2-3/4" on the sides and back. Since this is new to me it's a learning process. Seems like I'm getting one heck of a cowlick about and inch over from the main swirl. Makes it look like I'm signaling a right turn.

I am experimenting with 'product' and having mostly good luck. I have for years used American Crew shampoo and a little dab of their Palmade to knock the fuzz and keep it looking like hair. I got the next two levels of stuff to try; a Forming cream and some stuff called Fiber. I like them both and it is sort of length progressive.

I went with a rogue brand of stuff called 'moldable rubber' for exactly one day. I got it because it is a Japanese product specifically for asian hair which is what mine seems to be like. I'm of Scottish decent, so go figure. I turned my hair into concrete and I smelled like a 14 year old Japanese schoolgirl for the day (at least the hello kitty stereotype). Yeah, not so much for me. My AC stuff smells very little and the palmade and fiber both I actually like and it dissipates in maybe an hour.Bonus points for being able to still run my fingers through it and it isn't weird feeling. The fiber however has a consistency like refrigerated butter in the jar and has a learning curve.

I can't believe I'm doing all this but it still takes less than 2 minutes flat, so I'll hang in there.

Originally Posted by Daktari

Note the two b.c.r [ball closure ring] ear-rings.
I took all my piercings out years ago, bar four of them, 3 of which can't be seen by the general public I took out yet another in the last couple of years and now there's only 2 that cannot be seen.
Recently, upon hitting two years clean I decided to mark it in a small way with two small, purple bcrs in my ear...just the one, the left ear.

Any other chaps wear stuff in the ear-lug/s?

When I was 11 my ears were pierced standard one per side. When I was 17 I was 'adopted' by my butch mentor 10 years my senior and in learning the signals to present it was decided to double pierce my left ear per code. It wasn't common in 1978 so it was actually noticed. Also the left pinky ring, although I did not get the left back of wrist pentagon tattoo. Those are my only piercings ever and I still have them. I have thought to take them out from time to time, maybe someday I will.

I like your commemorative bars, maybe I'll hang onto mine because they were also commemorative of a time and a history for me.

Originally Posted by Kelt

This looks great! Are you going to keep up with the sides and back on your own or let it grow out to a length?

I have thick hair also, regrettably it does not seem to be entirely compliant with my wishes. I've got about 1-1/2" on top and getting around1/2-3/4" on the sides and back. Since this is new to me it's a learning process. Seems like I'm getting one heck of a cowlick about and inch over from the main swirl. Makes it look like I'm signaling a right turn.

I am experimenting with 'product' and having mostly good luck. I have for years used American Crew shampoo and a little dab of their Palmade to knock the fuzz and keep it looking like hair. I got the next two levels of stuff to try; a Forming cream and some stuff called Fiber. I like them both and it is sort of length progressive.

I went with a rogue brand of stuff called 'moldable rubber' for exactly one day. I got it because it is a Japanese product specifically for asian hair which is what mine seems to be like. I'm of Scottish decent, so go figure. I turned my hair into concrete and I smelled like a 14 year old Japanese schoolgirl for the day (at least the hello kitty stereotype). Yeah, not so much for me. My AC stuff smells very little and the palmade and fiber both I actually like and it dissipates in maybe an hour.Bonus points for being able to still run my fingers through it and it isn't weird feeling. The fiber however has a consistency like refrigerated butter in the jar and has a learning curve.

I can't believe I'm doing all this but it still takes less than 2 minutes flat, so I'll hang in there.

Cheers mate!
I'll be letting the shaved back and sides grow in for a month-6 weeks before having it all done again...leaving the quiff long so that it eventually can be brushed back proper 50s stylee.
I think it looks best after 2 or 3 weeks growth.
The shaved sides are done with a detailer, so it's even shorter than regular clippers with no comb guard, this gives me a good week extra of it looking good before it all goes 'over'.
Still mulling on having the back/sides done with a straight razor

I'm having similar travail finding a product that I like and does what I want.
I don't like wax, clay or putty, they make the hair feel horrible to me.
I've got one that a friend-with-benefits left, L'oreal SomethingorOther which doesn't set everything like concrete, gotta keep a bit of bounce or 'swing' to that quiff. I think it looks best once I've run my fingers through it when the product has fully dried and set.
Like ya say, it's all a bit of a learning curve, esp. for a chap who's not had hair since Adam were a lad

Originally Posted by Kelt

When I was 11 my ears were pierced standard one per side. When I was 17 I was 'adopted' by my butch mentor 10 years my senior and in learning the signals to present it was decided to double pierce my left ear per code. It wasn't common in 1978 so it was actually noticed. Also the left pinky ring, although I did not get the left back of wrist pentagon tattoo. Those are my only piercings ever and I still have them. I have thought to take them out from time to time, maybe someday I will.

I like your commemorative bars, maybe I'll hang onto mine because they were also commemorative of a time and a history for me.

Hah! Butch Badges! I don't remember if we had a specific tattoo, apart from a double womyn's (sic) symbol, to denote such though....I wasn't yet 'out' in the 70s sadly.
Shoulda been, but wasn't!
So glad I left my utterly fabbalus skin unmarked.
There was 5 piercings in m'left ear and 4 in the right...I did have both done as a youngster of course. I just kept adding more holes as I got older.
It's cute the things we do to fit into our tribe, especially when we're new to said tribe.
I see the same happening in fellowship circles. It makes me smile when the lads get clean and start looking after themselves properly and wanting to look good, they get their brand new B/pool Fellowship boy badges...Adidas trainers (sneakers)! Fitting into the tribe.

Piercings were a very conscious option when I started them in my late 20s; I knew I could take them out if I got bored or life decreed a more conservative appearance. Bored was always the most likely of the two options

All I need now is to win the Lotto so that I can have hand-made Church's brogues, Saville Row suits and Jermyn Street shirts.

In the meantime I guess I'll continue to develop the smart slob look

[DapperButch]

Kelt, where I get my haircut I can bring back products I don't like after trying them. I don't know if they do this with people who don't get their hair cut there, but it is possible. All of the products they sell, they use on their customers. So, if someone brings a product back, they will just use it. I never need a receipt or anything. I believe this is standard for all customers.

Every once in a while I try a different product, but always find myself coming back to my old faithful.

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Kelt, where I get my haircut I can bring back products I don't like after trying them. I don't know if they do this with people who don't get their hair cut there, but it is possible. All of the products they sell, they use on their customers. So, if someone brings a product back, they will just use it. I never need a receipt or anything. I believe this is standard for all customers.

Every once in a while I try a different product, but always find myself coming back to my old faithful.

Well, I don't go to a salon kind of place. I used to go to a Supercuts chain store which may be where I first got the Pomade, ever since I just order online from Amazon. I go to an old school blue collar barber. It isn't "Neo" or "retro" and may be the last one in town that hasn't gone the way of the hipsters. I like the vibe for some reason.

This is on the wall and it's older than I am:



They don't sell products or wash your hair or anything other than cut it and give a great quick neck and temple massage at the end. If I needed to shave I'd love to get a hot one there.

I have thought of going to one of the hipster queer barbers just for fun but haven't made it yet. I'm holding that option in reserve though, I could probably get a ton of great advice and information. They are very popular and so you need an appt, it would require driving, and I can't even imagine what they charge. It's easier for me to walk a couple of blocks, no appt needed, and get out in 10 minutes.

Btw, I'm not disparaging the salon experience. It's nice to go get pampered and get the full treatment, I've had that in the past. I might do it as a couple of times a year treat but I'd rather keep the bucks in my pocket and be quick most of the time.

When I do a pamper it's going in for full body deep tissue massage every few months and that is pricey so I really feel like it should be one or the other and not both.

This is my product 'group' and I am happy with the variety of options with them so I'm probably done with trials. (I can't believe I have three things for hair)

[DapperButch]

I have to tell you, I am jealous of Kelt and Daktari. You guys have the freedom to cut your hair however you want, try different styles, etc.

Sometimes I hate corporate America (ok, so I'm not in corporate America, but you get the point). I have pushed the envelope as far as it can go and then some in terms of gender presentation, but I can't go "out there" with the hair (Daktari) or masculine to the point of a flat top (Kelt).

Kelt, you have no idea how much I would like the option to just hit the barbershop. Salon is by necessity, not choice.