Bald with... attitude?

[Kevlar]

Hey there, first let me say I've been looking around and the forum looks great, really supportive to guys concerned with the issue of losing their hair.


Ok, here's my [short] story...


I like things which are cool... of course we all do, but I think 'coolness' is on my mind moreso than others. Growing up I've hung around people who to me were cool, listened to music I thought was cool, I've tried to act cool, look cool... you get the idea!


I have a very laid back attitude, and don't take anything seriously... however, that's been because I was confident in my beliefs, and my 'attitude' or style. Part of that package is obviously the way I look... but since losing a lot of my hair I worry that when I shave, that 'attitude' won't be there.


It's hard to describe, but the way I am, the cheeky smiles and sarcastic nature... it feels like that will have to change. Why? I'm not the biggest guy, but I look ok, without hair though I'll look thin and odd in the clothes I currently wear. That makes me think I'll need to change how I dress, but what about the way I speak?


I'm 23 but act younger, I can't imagine fooling around without hair. I feel like I will need to harden up... grow up. People I see with bald heads either seem like a typical hard working guy, a tough guy, or... sad. I fear I'll fall into the latter category because I'm not at all 'hard'.


What I guess I'm asking is... did anyone change when they decided to go sly? I really feel like getting rid of my receeding hair will also get rid of some other part in me. Like I said it's hard to describe, hope someone understands.

 

[Mikekoz13]

Welcome to the Forum Kevlar!

Dude... you can't "try to act cool"..... you're either cool or you're not...........

[The Noggin]

Welcome Kevlar!

Of course you change. In fact, you already have. Otherwise you wouldn't be here, would you?
 Going sly is not the reason but part of a changing process.

It's all in your mind. The look is secondary. Being cool is about being aware and confident of who you are.

Live is change. In most cases we are only noticing it in retrospective.

[Kevlar]

Thanks 

On reading that back it doesn't represent what I'm trying to say very well, it's not about being cool, which sounds so conceited, I guess what I mean is... comfortable. I'll try an example...

If I was doing something, that with hair somehow felt ok... I worry it won't with a bald head. I know that will sound insane! But similar to say, gaining a lot of weight or losing a lot, I feel in certain situations I might not act like me... ie, will I lose the attitude I have now. I'm finding it really hard to describe and it sounds like a vain thing, when it's really not.

When you all went sly, did you continue as you were or did you find your attitudes change slightly, maybe you refrained from doing things or acting a certain way?

Gah! Explaning is hard!

[sellitman]

Welcome to the group. When I first came here I noticed all the folks who were Bald by choice, not by Genealogy like myself. I figured Head Shaving had most definitely become cool or why were all these dudes removing what they had in abundance? Now that it's been close to a year it amazes me how many guys sport the same look.  (The cool look) 

[buddha]

You mentioned that you don't take anything seriously but I think that is a misstatement. I think that one of the things that you take seriously is losing your hair.

I didn't have to deal with the idea of shaving my head until after I was 45 and up until that point I really never noticed it. I don't know how I would have reacted to losing my hair in the manner you describe if it had happened when I was 23. When I was 23 it was 1975 and we did not live in a "sly-friendly" culture. Guys who shaved their heads in '75 were either Yul Brenner/Telly Savalas or they were nuts. There was no in between and it was most definitely NOT in style.

I wouldn't worry too much about being cool. Like Koz said "you're either cool or you're not". Try to remember that hair is only one of the things that has a timeline and it's far from being the most important. I'm 57 years old, I have no hair other than that which I allow, and I can still make my grandkids laugh with my goofiness. And I don't preoccupy my mind over what other people think about any of it.

[omegapd]

If it's your actual "look" you're worried about- as you mentioned in the original post- go through some of these threads here and take a look at all of our pictures/avatars. We're a hodge-podge of differences, but I'm sure you'll find someone who has the same build/facial features, etc. as you do....and are rocking that sly look with no worries! 

 Do some of us change in attitude? Probably. I love the new look on me and it probably shows to my friends and family. Maybe it comes across as more self-confident or self-assured. I don't know, really. I hadn't asked. But, change is good sometimes and taking the chance goes with that.

Good luck, buddy! Glad you made it here.

[Bald Kahuna]

Aloha Kevlar,

Buddha was right on... we are fortunate to be in a "Sly friendly" culture, not he old skin head association with shaved heads. Since shaving my shiny melon two years ago I have gained a higher degree of confidence which is great for a guy of 68 years. I wasn't necessarily trying to be cool but wife said she thought I'd look alot younger so I went for the blade. There are so many young guys ages 20-30 on this forum, who have MPB and have made the decision to go Sly. There are so many celebrities, sports figures and other famous people who have chose the Sly way of life... thinking of it that way, you may consider it cool.

[mangosink12572]

Kevlar - -

It changed my life completely - - -I now act cool  - - -go to cool places  - -do cool things that I never did before - -and infact the slick "cool" melon that I have  - -stays "cool" all the time  - - -I talk to more cool guys who have the same "cool" chrome dome  and think it is real "COOL" to  be  SLY   BALD - - - - -

So as you can tell my attitude is just "COOL BALD"

Join us in being BALD - -it will be the greatest thing you will ever do and you will be real "COOL"

Welcome to the group -
Richard

Oh - I hope you can tell  - - - I love being "COOL SLY BALD"   and you will tooooo

[Kevlar]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words! 

It's true I'm carefree except since thinking about a change in appearance, but, like you all said... it's about the confidence and if you go back through my posts you could replace the silly word 'cool' with 'confident'. I actually hate my inital post now, I know what I was getting at really was... will I be confident to do the things. It's all confidence, confidence, confidence.

I'm really considering just going for it, but I'm not sure if it should be right now or a little later. I'll maybe create a thread and put up some pictures.

Thanks again everyone, this is a great community. 

[TheSlyBear]

Now is just as good as later. In the highly unlikely event that you don't like it, it grows back!

[mangosink12572]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words! 

It's true I'm carefree except since thinking about a change in appearance, but, like you all said... it's about the confidence and if you go back through my posts you could replace the silly word 'cool' with 'confident'. I actually hate my inital post now, I know what I was getting at really was... will I be confident to do the things. It's all confidence, confidence, confidence.

I'm really considering just going for it, but I'm not sure if it should be right now or a little later. I'll maybe create a thread and put up some pictures.

Thanks again everyone, this is a great community. 

You got it  - - - - -replace "cool" with the word confident - - - -you hit right on

[CraftyGuy]

Welcome Kevlar!

I will second (and third) what every one else is saying - it's all about attitude and confidence more than "coolness".

[Rob]

when I read the first half of your post, I actually thought you wanted to BE cool, by shaving your dome, then I realised you thought that shaving might make you LESS cool!

How can you be less cool when you shave your head?  It's way cool!!  What bald bro on this site hasnt got 'attitude'?

Like the guys above say, though, cool is just a matter of confidence

[PowerOfCheese]

I've changed. I'm much cooler since shaving off all my bad hair.