Dreadlocks and your age.

Hi all, this is my first post.

I am wondering what all your opinions are on age and dreadlocks.
I have noticed many people who have dreads seem to be not much older than 25. I am a white male, 28, nearly 29, and my hair is about 4 or 5 inches long. I am going to grow it and twist it into dreads around the 10-12 inch mark.
The thing is, by the time they have grown to a really nice length, and knotted up nicely and matured, I will be over 30. I will probably be pushing 31 and sporting my first ever nice dreads.

So my question is, can you please post your opinions on this subject. Could you please help me with my personal dilema too, of my age, and give me your opinions on a person around 30 growing dreads for the first time. Thank you.

I'm hoping women find them attractive on men too. I generally see good feedback from women about dreads on men.

 

dreadlocks have nothing to do with age really, well actually there is one thing...the awesome looks, but just because it's more common for young people doesn't change a thing. what you should do is find a deeper reason for getting dreads...just looks, in my opinion, isn't enough of a reason. it's about unchaining yourself from the gray mass, freedom, being closer to everything natural and so on. on the other hand noone can stop you from getting dreads even if the reasons are depthless. ok basically i'm pretty much rambling already and it'd take a longer post to list my thoughts about this, but the general idea is, that even if you're fricken 100 years old and still have some hair, there's no reason for not getting dreads, even for the first time ever, there's just as much reasons for a teenager.

 

Thank you for your reply. I must point out though, before anybody else concludes the same, my reasons are not solely for aesthetic purposes. It goes a lot deeper than that.

 

Alright I see, lets keep the reasons aside then, but I don't understand why do you still have doubts then, is it just because of the fact that it's more common for young people? There're also a lot of people your age and also a lot older with dreads on this forum, and well all over the world. I mentioned freedom in my previous post and this is one of the things I meant by it, don't let other people have such an affect on you on that subject. Dreads are awesome no matter what, not many hairstyles, if any, have such power behind them and age is by any means not a factor, I say go for it!

...oh and don't forget that they don't have to be permanent, alot of people describe their time with dreads as a journey and that's what it is, some people get done with theirs quicker and just cut them/comb them out and move on, some journeys last forever - it doesn't matter.

 

i dont think it should matter what other peoples opinions are,, its not there hair.

 

I guess it is. There are a few things in life which really shouldn't ever happen. We all agree on that. So I guess I'm just a little self conscious. I always have been, but getting hugely better with age. Its just a self conscious thing.

However, I am aware that self consciousness is just ego, and that why am I so important that people will pay special attention to me anyway? Even if it is negative.

But you know how it is, I guess I'm worried that 100% of people will say stuff like "Don't you think you're a little old to be doing that?"
My mothers first reaction was that and it stuck in my mind.

I once saw a 36 year old emo, and it did look a little silly as the emo lifestyle is attributed to teenagers.

And that is what I'm worried about.

 

well if it helps, i'm 31 my dreads are 8 months old (6 months in the picture)
and i think they rock!

 

Don't worry about that, there's ALWAYS people who wont like them...the main reasons would be that they're just misinformed - they think of it as just a fashion element more common for young people. You have to understand that these kind of people are just stupid (might be an ugly word, but in that case, they are) and you can either let them stay stupid (they probably dont care anyway) or try to explain the reasons to them. Either way you can't let people change your mind just because they said the first thing that popped in their head. Some people are just jealous and make themselves feel better by trying to bring you down.

I might've gone too deep with this, but It's just that i deal with these kind of things every day because of my dreads and if anything these people have just made a fool out of theirselves and my dreads have taught me a lot. (yes I know, i'm 17, but I still get a lot of crap, it pretty much depends on your surroundings i guess)

If you're not getting what I'm trying to say (wouldn't blame you at all) just give it a new approach, think of all the possible positive things dreads would result in and think of them every time you start to get these doubts, I'm 100% sure they will destroy the negative thoughts, simply because there's nothing negative about dreads at all, there only is if you take other peoples thoughts which are the result of being misinformed too seriously, you shouldn't bother yourself with them at all.

edit: also if it helps, just keep in mind that there's no reason to link dreads to just young people even because of if anything, it's the young people who "ripped them off" (..don't get me wrong here) in the first place if you look at how things went down in the mainstream society, the best example would probably be Bob Marley. will have to repeat that this is not how people should think though, but it can be used to reply to peoples stupid comments about this subject ("I just work with what you give me").

 

phen,

You haven't gone too deep at all. I thank you for your insight and opinions. I read your responses with much delight. I do agree with what you say.
As dreads are such a rarity I guess I'm just trying to prepare for negative and misinformed ridicule from idiots. I have always been quite conservative in appearance and secretly envied people who have expressive ways. So for me this is quite a brave venture as it is completely against the norm with regards to my past.

You sure you're 17? You write with the maturity and wisdom of somebody much senior.

 

Your apprehension might be a UK thing, but here in Australia, I've seen a lot of guys up to their mid 30's with dreads. Maybe it's because they are associated with surf culture here and a lot of guys take it up as a lifelong hobby - hence they become more acceptable. But as long as they don't get in the way of your work, then it doesn't matter what people think.

Anyway, I think as the generation that is 16-28 gets older, these sort of styles will become more mainstream and acceptable. Don't sweat over it. I say get them done.

 

I'm 33 and I'm just a few months into being dready.

I think the age thing has a lot to do with stigma. When you're younger, it's easier to not give a shit but when you're trying to support a family and are concerned that a prospective employer may look you over because dreads = pot smoking hippy or you don't fit the company image - then people think twice about doing creative things with their hair. Food and shelter come first.

That being said, it's one of the reasons I dreaded - to prevent myself from ever having a job that was too uptight ever again. Of course I'm not feeding a house of kids with my paychecks either.

 

i know a very sexy 30 year old who recently cut off his sweet dreadhawk and ive seen plenty of other people around that age here with dreads. i think dreads look great on older people (not that 30 is old) so just do whatever you want with your hair and fuck what anyone else thinks
heck, my moms sorta considering dreading her hair and shes 46.

 

I'm 33 with my 4th set of locks..... I hope that when I'm a member of the elderly population that I will still have dreadlocks. The only difference being that I will be more mature and wise in my years, and my dreadlocks will probably be white by then.

 

White dreadlocks would be amazing... sorry just had to say it

 

I think they would too....

I want to be a cool dreadlocks granny! I want to have lots of pretty beads in my hair, and I want to be fun and cool when I'm one of the older generation. No granny perms for me!

 

well i'm 40 started mine long ago 17 years about,
i know many dreads in theyre 60s & 70s
we all start em when we start em, theres no timeline
but if your getttin em to attract women, ya might want to think twice, only because just asmany may be tirned off by em as turned on..
now if u wanna atract the right woman tho then your on the right tract...
as for the age question, if you cant picture yourself 30 years from now with dreds draggin on the ground, then maybe yashould waut till your more sure

 

yeah! i can't wait for mine to be really long..

 

Your hair 30 isn't thirty years old...

 

i personally have found that dreading at an older lol age has lots different plusses to it over being young and doing so...I have never once gotten aewwwwwwwwww whatya do that for from folks... I get plenty of looks like i have bats flying out of my ass but never anyone out n out saying something negative. On the other hand most questions are how did ya do that, n that is wicked cool etc,,, almost all questions i get are about ignorance etc and i enjoy telling them that no ya not gotta be a skumbag filth laiden bum to have them etc. People love to touch them n run hands thru them so be ware lol .... Personally i think younger folks do get hassled more with them than us older folks do with them (maturity thing perhaps),,, never once has a person come up to me n asked for pot cuz of my dreads,,, although a few young contractors on job sites will begin pot talkin when they do see us on a job...Often times other older folks(rolls eyes) ask about my locks cuz there kid wants them...and they just not got a clue about them so i become an educator.... tis all good really,,, what it gets down too is this,,, if you are that worried bout bein a geezer with dreads n what people think of you then i would say they aint for you,,, if it is your own reasonings and you can live with them then go for it..

 

I am 42 and a few months into my first dreading experience.

I am loving every minute. I can say for sure that I wouldn't have appreciated it as much when I was younger--my youth was consumed with negativity and selfishness. I do get looks, especially from older strait-laced types, but I cannot control how I am perceived, that's a story going on is someone else's mind. I have also met lots of people who never would have given me a second look before though, so it works both ways.

If you are in a place in your life where you can operate freely, and you have considered all aspects of the decision, than don't give your age a second thought. You are never tool old to do something, only too unsure.