Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => Advantages and Disadvantages to being Bald => Topic started by: IrishSly on June 03, 2009, 04:09:29 PM
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Howdy folks, my first topic being posted, big moment for me ;)
I read a post on here earlier from a guy who said that one thing he has noticed since going sly are the increased number of looks from people in the street! Is this something anyone else has noticed? And do these looks seem positive? I dont exactly crave additional attention but will still be going sly. As you can see from my pic, Im badly receded at the front so the time is nigh!!
As an aside, anyone think my head the right shape to go sly :-\?!
Peace! 8)
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I haven't had any negative looks really, but what I do occasionally get are looks of unease from people when I'm out. Those however, are from people who are closed minded and place everyone into stereotypes. Who really cares what they think?
On whether or not you have the 'right shaped' head to go sly, well, in reality, there is NO bad shape. The key thing is to just be comfortable. As long as you're comfortable and enjoy the SLY look, any shape will fit!
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I think most guys think that people are staring at them when they first go sly because it's such a huge change to them. Strangers have no idea that newly sly guys just shaved, so I believe it's just sly paranoia. It definitely looks like your hair has receded in a big way, so when you shave, the receding disappears. Good luck, and get to it.
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I agree with Stu on the looks thing.
Any head shape is the right shape for SLYness if that's what you want. Get rid of those little wisps of hair my friend..... it will be an improvement.
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Never had any funny looks. But I can tell you, people will remember you and your name like they never did before--you stand out in a very positive way. I discovered that the first time I picked up shirts at the laundry, same girl had done it a couple of years since Katrina and I always had to tell and spell my name so she could look it up in the computer. After shaving, I walked in the door, she was headed to the shirt rack, and said here you are Mr. _____! Same at the drug store the pharmacist grabed my meds without asking how I spelled my name, what my first name was, the address. Nope, after shaving, she looked at me coming got my meds, and smiled and asked how I had been. It's great--you become sort of a mini-celebrity and it saves a whole lot of time, too.
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Jer and Saintc have it to a T!! Those were two fantastic posts! I could not put it any better even if I tried!!
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;D Its true, all very well put!!
And I can't help but laugh to myself when reading these responses and other posts because you all put up such convincing agruments for going sly that its very difficult to even imagine not doing it!! It definitely seems to have worked for you guys!!
And I agree, it does make people stand out in a good way. Anyone who sees sly lads as intimidating is probably the same person that thinks all Irish are drunks, all French are arrogant and all Italiens are bad drivers....and they are not someone I want as a friend anyway :)
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Anyone who sees sly lads as intimidating is probably the same person that thinks all Irish are drunks, all French are arrogant ....
:*)) So then I'm an intimidating arrogant drunk!!!
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;D Its true, all very well put!!
= Italiens are bad drivers.
Being partly Italian by heritage, I'm not a bad driver, and just think it through a bit--who makes Ferraris, Masseratis, Alfa Romeros, and who just bought Chrysler???? Not to mention the Renaissance and we won't even discuss lasagne, tira misu, or capaccino! :/O :/O :/O
;D ;D ;D
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Exactly, I can't stand people who try to pigeon-hole people and live by stereotypes based on how they look and where they are from! As an Irishman I sometimes get the impression people think I'm ALWAYS drunk! Which obviously isn't true :)
So I am very glad to hear that when I do go sly people won't think I am more intimidating than if I had hair!!
By the way saintc, I wasn't saying Italien's are bad drivers, exactly the opposite!! Although my friend Alessio from Rome did run over my foot on his bike before....but I know that was on purpose ;D
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So I am very glad to hear that when I do go sly people won't think I am more intimidating than if I had hair!!
Why not tonight, a few pints of the good stuff, maybe a dram of the really good stuff--and then slick and smooth as can be. Not intimidating--just more memorable. It's a great night to go sly! Do it.
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Saintc I have never been more tempted too!! Just worried that because the weather has been so good in Ireland lately I got quite tanned on my face! My scalp wont be the same though! So was going to wait a couple of weeks until st before I go to Barcelona so when I get back I will have a good tan allover!!
Did you shave your head yourself first or did you go to the barber to get it done first time?
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Saintc I have never been more tempted too!! Just worried that because the weather has been so good in Ireland lately I got quite tanned on my face! My scalp wont be the same though! So was going to wait a couple of weeks until st before I go to Barcelona so when I get back I will have a good tan allover!!
Did you shave your head yourself first or did you go to the barber to get it done first time?
I had it buzzed to a #4 by the barber, then took it down to #1 and no guard myself. That day, a Friday, I buzzed w/o a guard, went to the gym--effectively sly to everyone who looked at me--no comments, just a thumbs up from a sly guy--then got home showered, lathered, no Headslick yet, and w/ ordinary shaving gel took a fresh fusion blade to the scalp. It felt SO GOOD, that's a constant, SO LIBERATING, another constant, I was sort of high on this when I finished. First time wasn't fast, but it was SO EXCITING, a feeling unlike anything I'd had in years. I dried off, put some moisturizer on that we had in the bathroom and went outside. It was October in New Orleans, not hot, not cold--and it just felt so F'ing good, a numbness that I treasure the memory of.
Yeh, do it tonight--don't worry about the skin color--that evens out in days. Don't have a barber handy, I got a clipper at Wal-Mart, a US discount store you may have heard of for $10--It's not going to be used a whole lot is it--cheapest of the lot.
Man, you are going to feel so great, so free--DO IT FOR YOURSELF, you'll just wonder why you waited so long. ENJOY, and lift a pint for this Bald Brother and all the others here when you're done.
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Quite a few guys in my area have gone sly, so people on the street don't think anything of it. Even here, though, it's true that people will have an easier time remembering you if they know you as "the sly one."
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Wow saintc that sounds like one hell of an experience, very well put!!! Sounds like you adjusted to the change very quickly!! I think if I have even half the experience you have had I will be very happy!! I guess a feeling so liberating will do that! And at the moment because my hairline is receding I am very conscious of it at all times so to not have to worry about that at all and to ave everything out in the open will be brilliant! There are a few sly guys in my gym, I bet they are all members/lurkers on this site! Seems the sly guy army is gradually taking over the world!!
Would love to hear other peoples experiences about the first time they went sly....any similar to saintc's?!
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My experience is similar to Saint. My hair line has been receeding for a number of years. My hair slowly began to form what I have defined as the "David Letterman Island". Now, those that remember Dave before he sold out with those hair plugs will remember that he had that patch (island) on the top of his forehead. I always said once I had the Letterman Island I would shave it off. Well, four years later it was still there. I remember the moment I decided to go sly. It was Easter this year. The family was all together and my cousin's first words to me were, "dude, the island's parted...you have a river that has parted your islant"! That was it for me. The next weekend I went for a haircut & had it cut down with a #1 guard. Over the next several weeks I cut my hair myself gradually getting closer. Eventually I had no guard and the blades adjusted as close as possible. I gave my scalp a break for a couple days and finally decided to take the plunge. My first shave was using the headblade and shaved WITH the grain. I absolutely loved it! The only thing I wanted to change was that damn stubble! Two days later I lathered up & shaved it SMOOTHE! Just like Saint said, as soon as I was finished I questioned why I hadn't done this long ago. I couldn't imagine myself anything other than sly. Don't worry about the difference in scalp color. Just be sure to use some sunscreen & get out in the sun. Going to the pool or working in the yard a few times & you'll be all leveled out.
Sorry for the rant, but I thought this might help. I have to give SBG a lot of credit. While doing a google search for headblade I came across SBG. This site has offered so much information to help me form a routine & search for products. Again, I think once you decide to go sly you will be extremely happy with your decision.
Keep us posted!
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I was living in Singapore (with short hair) before I moved back to the US (sly after a few weeks back). I would say being sly in the SF Bay Area is only about 40%-50% as memorable/attention-getting as being a tall white guy in Singapore, at least away from the touristy/foreigner areas. So I sort of got used to standing out in the crowd before getting rid of the rest of my hair.
In Japan (away from Tokyo), I remember people, especially kids, staring at me just for having blue eyes, which is kind of understandable. In that context, blue eyes are a bit creepy and alien, even I admit.
Not judging people by how they look is something humans have to learn to do and teach our kids to do because our instinct is to stare at, and even fear, people who are different from us. Replacing our primitive prejudices with giving people a fair chance is something American culture values (by necessity), and we need to work at it. President Obama wasn't exaggerating too much to say that his story could only happen in America.
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Everything Saintc and the others have said. It is almost a religious experience right after the first shave. That initial feeling is gone for now but fresh in my memory. I still like the feeling of the wind over the smooth scalp while in the car or on my bike. There is nothing like it. I hope you experience the feeling very soon. The odds that you will grow your hair back are slim to none. The feeling of being free of worry about the receding hairline will be fantastic. My advise is to do it now. Our prodding for you to do so will be appreciated. Best of luck on a new life style.
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Wow saintc that sounds like one hell of an experience, very well put!!! Sounds like you adjusted to the change very quickly!! I think if I have even half the experience you have had I will be very happy!! I guess a feeling so liberating will do that! And at the moment because my hairline is receding I am very conscious of it at all times so to not have to worry about that at all and to ave everything out in the open will be brilliant! There are a few sly guys in my gym, I bet they are all members/lurkers on this site! Seems the sly guy army is gradually taking over the world!!
Would love to hear other peoples experiences about the first time they went sly....any similar to saintc's?!
If I'm not mistaken, it's after work on Friday in Ireland. Are you Sly yet, Irish Sly?? :/O
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Anyone who sees sly lads as intimidating is probably the same person that thinks all Irish are drunks, all French are arrogant ....
:*)) So then I'm an intimidating arrogant drunk!!!
About the French........ :-X