Michael Fremer said :-

[Beobloke]

In terms of long hair, some guys can carry it off really well (in a ponytail).

I always understood that the ‘pony tail’ took its name literally from the appendage of the same name on the animal.

The reason being that, if you lift either one up, there’s an arsehole underneath...

[struth]

the greeks wore them

[AJSki2fly]

the greeks wore them

So do Ponies

[hornucopia]

I had to (pony tail) when doing food prep in my cafe.
I wonder if it affected my listening.... like room dampeners etc.?(When not tied back)

[Pharos]

....and often tend to be single - that's the other crucial factor!

IME, many single men 'of a certain age', regardless of being 'boffins' or not, care little about their appearance, almost as if they've lost their self-esteem/self-respect. You always dressed well and took care of your appearance even when you were single, but I bet you'd agree that Happy has still been influential now in how you look

In terms of long hair, some guys can carry it off really well (in a ponytail) *IF*, and it's a BIG IF, they have thick, clean, shiny hair, and are under the age of 40. If those crucial boxes aren't ticked, however, then they can end up looking as stupid as the 'Friar Tuck' brigade!

Marco.

I don't think it is fair to criticise the personal aesthetic choices of others, and not all seemingly poor presentations are a result of conscious choice, as alluded to re scientists. Surely it is wrong to value judge others' choices when they do not affect us in any way other than by infringing our personal aesthetic.

Dr Malcom Hawksford had a grey pony tail in '97 at the Ramada show, I thought he looked like a drug baron.

It is apparent to me that many people of my age and even younger seem to have lost self esteem and or self respect. I find it hard as a loner now, that I am older, and even more undesirable to the opposite sex, to not fall into the trap of resignation, and resultant relinquishing of control to the inevitable.

I have cut my own hair since '70, and remember well being in pubs in the 70s and having very negative comments about it, one girl saying that she would not be seem dead in it.
(It looked like David Bowie's at the time of 'Z' on the face, and I even said to my girlfriend in '75 that I thought Bowie had copied it.)

It could be argued that a concern with appearance is superficial, and that people are liked for their underlying qualities. However I realise just how superficial many people are now that I'm even less interesting to the opposite sex; they don't seem to care about all the work one may have done developing oneself in many areas to be as good a person as possible. But they do express interest in inheriting my house.

[Pigmy Pony]

I'd rather be completely bald than look like a tool.

Marco.

With the exception of sweeping brushes, most tools are completely bald

[Pigmy Pony]

Maybe they have enough self-esteem/self respect not to care what anyone thinks about their appearance?

Good point, I think I'll use that one

[struth]

Bring liked by either sex is not really about dress/grooming , although it can help a lot. No, it's about personable charisma, charm and enough confidence not to look desparate
Simple

[Pigmy Pony]

I don't think it is fair to criticise the personal aesthetic choices of others, and not all seemingly poor presentations are a result of conscious choice, as alluded to re scientists. Surely it is wrong to value judge others' choices when they do not affect us in any way other than by infringing our personal aesthetic.

Dr Malcom Hawksford had a grey pony tail in '97 at the Ramada show, I thought he looked like a drug baron.

It is apparent to me that many people of my age and even younger seem to have lost self esteem and or self respect. I find it hard as a loner now, that I am older, and even more undesirable to the opposite sex, to not fall into the trap of resignation, and resultant relinquishing of control to the inevitable.

I have cut my own hair since '70, and remember well being in pubs in the 70s and having very negative comments about it, one girl saying that she would not be seem dead in it.
(It looked like David Bowie's at the time of 'Z' on the face, and I even said to my girlfriend in '75 that I thought Bowie had copied it.)

It could be argued that a concern with appearance is superficial, and that people are liked for their underlying qualities. However I realise just how superficial many people are now that I'm even less interesting to the opposite sex; they don't seem to care about all the work one may have done developing oneself in many areas to be as good a person as possible. But they do express interest in inheriting my house.

I wonder what Michael Fremer had to say on the subject?

[walpurgis]

Bring liked by either sex is not really about dress/grooming , although it can help a lot. No, it's about personable charisma, charm and enough confidence not to look desparate
Simple

I just don't seem to get it right with women. Only the other day, I went into the mobile phone shop and asked the nice young lady to show me her Nokias and promptly got thrown out!