Butch Attire & Fashion

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