Scandalous Man Buns

Man buns are today's trendiest AND most controversial men's hairstyle. So why do these ancient topknots attract so much harried attention?

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[MrThepatrickshow]

As a teenager, I had a ponytail. I worked as a cashier. Old guy, paying for his stuff, gave me grief about it as I counted back his change.  I pointed out to him that there was a guy on the back of his nickel also sporting a ponytail.

He walked away grumbling, but speechless.

[WobblesandBean]

Frankly, I don't know why it's called "man-bun"...it's just, you know, a bun.

[tetsubo]

I'd be thrilled if we would stop policing other people's hair. While we are at it, let's stop policing their clothing choices as well. Hair and clothing has no gender.

[pandemoniumsan]

It's just like when people say "Girl Gamer" and the like. It just shows that people associate "Gamers" with men and masculinity so a girl "gaming" is like some kind of exception that needs a title to further reinforce gender roles and stereotypes. I hate the term "girl gamer." You wouldn't call a guy "boy gamer" so please people can we just agree to stop with the whole adding sexist prefixes to every damn word in the dictionary? Please and thanks.

[IncogPollywog]

God men are weird at times: man bun, manscaping, mankini, man purse, *insert whatever body care product* FOR MEN, etc. Come on guys, are we really that concerned that someone is going to think you're a woman if ya don't add man to whatever "traditionally feminine" thing you're doing or wearing? Except manicure. You can keep that one. That one is alright (don't tell them, ladies. shush).

[SeeroBoarder]

I am a male in my late-teens, and I have shoulder length wavy hair. I often put it in a pony tail to keep it out of my face, and people are upset over that, or just the fact that I have long hair. It seems the only acceptable hairstyle society accepts for men is the 'crew cut' or 'Ivy League'. I like all unique male hairstyles, including the "manbun", but I can't say that without at least 54 people calling me a hipster.

[marialeal]

I love man buns, some guys can really pull it off

[neeneko]

I am a male who has been wearing my hair up in buns (not man-bun, just bun) for years, and have only ever gotten positive comments in public, esp when I do more elaborate ones.  So at minimal the displeasure over them seems to be pretty quiet.

Now, if I paint my nails, then I start getting blowback.

[Wikiwi_]

Jared Leto didn't invent the man bun, but he kills it with the sass HAHAHAHAH

[YourBuddyDidi]

To me a "man bun" just proves one more time that femininity and masculinity are not hair related (so the same would go with clothes). I find men with buns (specially Jared Leto, of course) very attractive and masculine. I myself got my hair cut really short over a year ago.  It was weird at first and it took time to realize it, but at some point I found out that I don't feel any less feminine than I felt before. It is all about perception and attitude isn't it? I don't know.. gender is such a social concept that it's hard to see when is it personal and when is it social. And for me, it sometimes makes me feel torn that I feel very feminine and I like it and at the same time I know that most of these "feminine" things is what so many people want to deconstruct, including myself sometimes.

[EasterWitch]

I prefer men with their hair in pony-tales, but I guess buns are alright too. I think men with long hair looks nice.

[marystestkitchen]

I did not expect that word pomade at the end there. I expected a different one. I'm not sure what word...and why...but there it is.

[autumnakins]

I like manbuns as long as they're done well. Like any hairstyle for anyone. I dont see it as feminine, it really looks good on a lot of guyish guys.

[curiousdoodler]

My boyfriend wears a bun everyday. I was unaware that it was controversial. He grew out his hair last year because he wanted to. His hair is very curly, like ringlets, and he doesn't like his curls, but he does like the long hair, so he pulls it back. When the pony-tail started curling, he started wearing a bun. I don't see how a bun constitutes 'grooming'. No product is required and it's only a couple twists of a rubber band beyond just combing the hair.

[rainepanda]

Hey men want to be creative too dang it lol i think the problem comes from the idea where "men are simple creatures" and doing something that is not "standard man" in a deliberate way is frightening to those who can't compute deviations from the status quo

[ourpensareourlips]

I'm on the side where I think people are so anti-man buns are actually anti-femininity in dudes.

Most of the "cool" hair dos for dudes for most of my life have been somewhere in the realm of "oh, yeah, just got out of bed" to "oh, yeah, I just got out of bed ;) " Mussy, maybe a little less clean than is ideal, just "meh." Most of the kewl kidz I grew up with seemed to put a lot of effort into looking like they weren't putting any effort in.

More recently, there's been a branching off to include the man bun and, for lack of a better word, grandpa hair. Neatly parted, slicked back just right. I think the word they're aiming for is "dapper."
But the dapper grandpa look (cardigans optional) is still really masculine. It's familiar. It's a throwback.

Long hair on dudes, especially when pulled into buns (which, frankly, is usually an A+ in my book. Have you seen Hozier? Good Lord. I mean, ahem) isn't in line with our ridiculous expectations of what masculinity is. Stars forbid you also care about your clothes, too.
(Side note: I think that the current trend of stubble face is also tied into the "men don't care about their appearances because they're too busy bench pressing lions or fixin' trucks" attitude. All of the examples of lads with buns that I can think of also have scruff/stubble/beard going on *coughHoziercough* and it kind of reassures people that yes, this gentleman has long hair and it's in a bun, but he is still A Man!)

[koreanpopified]

Ok so 3 years ago I moved from California to Germany and I must say, men are not told that taking care of their hair is girly. I know plenty of guys with super short hair that blow dry and style their hair. One of my sisters friends uses hairspray everyday.

I find it a shame that in the States men feel so obliged to be as 'manly man' as they can get. Let them do what they want!

[Smilesss]

It's because buns are associated with women and women < people. Men = people. So when men women, men end up < people and we can't have that. Being < people is reserved for women.

[thinkingofreality]

I have been rocking the "man bun" for many, many years now and it has nothing to do with fashion. I like it because my hair length tends to be at least past my shoulder blades and the regular ponytail just doesn't keep it up and out of the away the way I want it sometimes. The "man bun", for me at least, is a tool to deal with long hair when I need it out of the way. I don't understand why people are so sensitive to this. Like you said, it's not like it's new and it's not like they have to wear it or even look at it. It seems fashionistas have far too much time on their hands and far too much ego in their brains.

[AviajaAnna]

The man bun is sexy! Especially on a tall dude with broad shoulders 😂😇