sly as a state of mind

[HoodooMan]

i'm intrigued by some of the recent discussions i've seen on here. some of the fellas (whom i admire for doing so) have said that "sly" is more a confidence and self image thing, rather than just "shaved." i can certainly relate to this, as i've become more and more acquainted with my #1 or #2 setting on my electric razor, and saving the mach III for my face. to each his own, shaved smooth, shaved low, or proudly demonstrating his mpb to the world with a "tuft" up front and a horseshoe, what i've gotten from this site is that sly is certainly a state of mind. and not "just" shaved as i've mentioned. i've realized that i often like my #1 or #2 shave look better for my face. and also that it takes less time to maintain. that's just MY personal perference though, which is neither right nor wrong for any of us. for me, it's about what hairstyle i like, and what my attitude about myself is that really matters.  so how about it fellas? what are your thoughts on the subject of sly as a state of mind?

[Rob]

I agree 100% that 'Sly' is a state of mind, but I also tend to think that to be ultimately 'sly' you should be shaved as well.

I know a few people will disagree with me here, but at the end of the day this website was surely set up to promote shaving the head as an alternative to rugs, plugs and drugs.  A short haircut might help, but to me its all about having the confidence to actually make your baldness (or lack of it!) a hairstyle in its own right.

I certainly DON'T think 'sly' can be used for someone proudly displaying their mpb with a tuft at the front: I wouldn't like to think 'sly' had such a wide meaning as all that - that's just being 'proud of you mpb' and NOT being 'Sly'! 

Yes, it's definitely an attitude thing, and guys can have that 'sly attitude' without actually being shaved, but the definition of sly, to me anyways, is to be smooth and shining and shaved bald and confident all at the same time.

[vampire]

Hello, I agree it should be smooth amd shinning that is what I find atractive, If you have hair no matter how short you are not bald.

[BALDANDRE]

Well, I've gotta say it's funny how views have changed and modified what "sly" is these days..

DO NOT get me wrong...I dig that dudes are finding their inner confidence with their baldness and just having a buzz or whatever...

but nothing beats the feeling , confidence, piece of mind and killer look like having a totally slick bald head...

a buzzcut is fine, but to me that is "kinda SLY"...they have the confidence but don't sport the look that screams the confidence across the room...

and after 15 years slick bald ,by my choice, I gotta say...

no compares to it!

But it's all cool if dudes don't do it(shave their heads clean)...nothin' worse than forcing dudes to do what they don't want to

[Tyler]

When I first created this site, to me Sly was the person that embraced their baldness and wore it proudly, shaved or not.  Though, as the site progressed and I started to see how guys dealt with MPB and I've come to alter what Sly means to me.  I think that embracing your baldness, shaved or not, is one of the pieces to being Sly, and is probably the most important piece.  Though, I've come to find that if a guy never completely shaves his head smooth then he will never truly realize what it truly means to be Sly. 

There is something that truly transforms a guy after he's shaved his head.  Many of us here have discussed this and have tried to pinpoint what actually causes the transformation, yet I am not aware of what it actually is that causes this.  While I agree with both sides that you don't have to be shaved to be Sly, in my opinion you need to have shaved and stayed shaved for 30 days or more to really understand what it is to be Sly. 

[BALDANDRE]

When I first created this site, to me Sly was the person that embraced their baldness and wore it proudly, shaved or not.  Though, as the site progressed and I started to see how guys dealt with MPB and I've come to alter what Sly means to me.  I think that embracing your baldness, shaved or not, is one of the pieces to being Sly, and is probably the most important piece.  Though, I've come to find that if a guy never completely shaves his head smooth then he will never truly realize what it truly means to be Sly. 

There is something that truly transforms a guy after he's shaved his head.  Many of us here have discussed this and have tried to pinpoint what actually causes the transformation, yet I am not aware of what it actually is that causes this.  While I agree with both sides that you don't have to be shaved to be Sly, in my opinion you need to have shaved and stayed shaved for 30 days or more to really understand what it is to be Sly. 

Perfect!

Although why grow it back when you've felt what it is too be truly SLY!

[time2shine]

Sly for me, personally, is confidence in MPB.  Everyone may have a slightly different opinion, but the constant in those opinion's is confidence.

I choose to shave, but doing that was more than a haircut for me.  It was about ridding my young, vain mind of any worry.  If you sport a balding afro, and it makes you feel like you're on top of the world - keep sailing.

I'm not trying to press my opinion on ANYBODY, or re-write the definition of sly, that is just how I choose to view SBG.

[HoodooMan]

i'd like to point out what the Godfather said (Tyler) that when he created the site it was about confidence. yes it may have changed to include the act of shaving smooth because so many of us were doing it, but initially (and continually) his definition of sly meant a higher percentage of confidence and lesser importance on the shaving aspect. i was completely shaved for 8 months. it was certainly liberating. but now that i've experienced that, i'm fine with having my hair at a #1 or #2 now. my confidence is back (only because in my opinion i "showed my hair who's boss) by shaving it all off. it was not because of the shaved look whatsoever. it was my saying to my hair that it no longer rules my life.  what i'm saying is that i KNEW that no matter what the current definition is among us here, i realized what Tyler was ultimately going for from the beginning, and what he's still going for: helping those of us with insecurities about balding heads get our confidence back. if a guy shaves for a long time and goes back to a #1, does that mean he's not welcome among the brethren that helped him on his path of struggle?

props to Tyler for helping hundreds of us fellas with this issue

[Robmeister]

...I've come to find that if a guy never completely shaves his head smooth then he will never truly realize what it truly means to be Sly. 

There is something that truly transforms a guy after he's shaved his head.  Many of us here have discussed this and have tried to pinpoint what actually causes the transformation, yet I am not aware of what it actually is that causes this.  While I agree with both sides that you don't have to be shaved to be Sly, in my opinion you need to have shaved and stayed shaved for 30 days or more to really understand what it is to be Sly. 

This is an important distinction that I failed to include in my ramblings on the subject. 

http://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/index.php?topic=8179.0

Good point, Tyler !!

[Razor X]

There is something that truly transforms a guy after he's shaved his head.  Many of us here have discussed this and have tried to pinpoint what actually causes the transformation, yet I am not aware of what it actually is that causes this.  While I agree with both sides that you don't have to be shaved to be Sly, in my opinion you need to have shaved and stayed shaved for 30 days or more to really understand what it is to be Sly. 

I agree wholeheartedly.  If you've never lathered up your scalp and taken a blade to it, then you haven't closed the deal.  You have to take it to the ultimate level to be truly sly.  You may, at some point, decide it's not for you and go back to a fringe, or a buzzcut or whatever  for a variety of reasons.  That's fine and doesn't result in a loss of sly status.   But you have to take off the training wheels sometime.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

But you have to take off the training wheels sometime.

LMAO

I really like a good point made w/ wry humor!

[Papa Don]

From these comentaries, I am not sure if I AM SLY.  As you know from previous post, my problem with hair was the hair itself.  I never could get it to do anything.  One day I had it shaved by the barber.  Now I truly love the feeling and look.  I have received a few negative comments which I have overlooked.  I am truly confident in my new look and plan to stay this way.  I love the freedom from gel, hairspray, hot irons etc.  Had I had the confidence in myself years ago I would have shaved then.  Does it attitude about my look make me Sly or not?

[DuffRyder17]

From these comentaries, I am not sure if I AM SLY.  As you know from previous post, my problem with hair was the hair itself.  I never could get it to do anything.  One day I had it shaved by the barber.  Now I truly love the feeling and look.  I have received a few negative comments which I have overlooked.  I am truly confident in my new look and plan to stay this way.  I love the freedom from gel, hairspray, hot irons etc.  Had I had the confidence in myself years ago I would have shaved then.  Does it attitude about my look make me Sly or not?

Papa Don, I think you're one Sly dude.

4 me sly is about being comfortable and confident with who you are. it really preserves my entire persona.at first I thought MPB was going to destroy my entire life... but not so fast I can still shave my head and restore confidence... thats for me

for others sly can be something very different, what gives them a mental confidence and positive attitude about themselves, its about being comfortable being yourself

[Robmeister]

....Now I truly love the feeling and look

....negative comments which I have overlooked. 

....I am truly confident in my new look and plan to stay this way. 

....I love the freedom from gel, hairspray, hot irons etc. 

Sorry Papa, but exibits a, b, c and d above are irrefutable evidence that you are indeed SLY....

[Robmeister]

4 me sly is about being comfortable and confident with who you are......for others sly can be something very different, what gives them a mental confidence and positive attitude about themselves, its about being comfortable being yourself...

Don't mean to split hairs here, Duff, but I'm afraid that--while that sounds nice and "PC"--that sorta departs into a relativism that kinda blurs a lot of distinctions, bro.....at least as far as this SLY site is concerned.

If what gives me TRUE mental confidence and a positive attitude is to have a 2-foot high, bright pink, spiked mohawk, full facial tribal tattooing and nipple piercings connected by hypo-alergenic platinum chains to my lower lip.....I don't think I would be SLY..

Rebellious, individualistic, limited to a small pool of employment opportunities....YES......

SLY?  NO

I think we need to keep SLYness connected to headshaving.