Ponytails becoming a trend among some Singapore men
Straits Times, 31 January 1990

SOME Singapore men are sporting a hairdo which is making some other men - and women - cringe.

The trend: Ponytails. It is unbecoming, say the critics. It is "stylo-mylo", say the ponytailed pack.

These men, who regard themselves as part of the trendy set, have locks which range from slick ones to wild bunchy ones that run down the backs of their heads.

Ponytails are often the tell-tale signs of people in the hairdressing or entertainment business, said hairstylist Richard Ng, 24, who has slicked straight hair caught with a black ribbon at the nape of his neck.

Stroking his curl of hair, he said: "A hairstylist has to look unique and make a fashion statement. How you carry off a ponytail depends on the clothes you wear.

"I usually wear pants and a blazer. People looking at me know I am probably a hairstylist and not an Ah Beng."

What does his wife, Judy, who has shorter hair than his, have to say? "Initially I could not accept it. I tried to persuade him to cut his hair. People stare at us. I try to understand that a hair stylist has to try out different hairstyles."

A 17-year-old self-proclaimed "Mat Rok" (Malay rock fan), who wanted to be known only as Yeh, had a fringe which covered his eyes and a ponytail down his back. Yeh, a cleaner, said: "I've had this tail for five months now. I follow trend lah. A Mat Rok without long hair is not a true Mat Rok.

"Yes, people say long hair bad, short hair good. But I think that some people with short hair may be even worse people than us. If people stare hard at me, I just stare back as hard," he said.

One person who frowns on long-haired men is Mr Chia Gu See, 53, an office assistant. "Even if their hair is neat, these men don't look right. They give the impression that they are pai-kia (bad boys). It's actually worse if they have ponytails. They don't look like men or women!"

Madam Irina Lui, 55, a retired music teacher, said: "I think men should look like men and not like women. I can't help feeling that there might be something bad about long-haired people, even if their hair is neat."

A reveller and hang-loose sort is how hairdresser Mr Jerry Tan, 21, wants to project himself and he does this by having a ponytail.

Speaking about customers who ask him to style their hair long, Mr Tan said they are mostly young men who have just completed national service. They usually choose hairstyles of the male models in magazines.

"I think this is probably the result of having their individuality contained too long while they were in NS," he said.

But many young people think long hair is acceptable.

Lawyer Mr S. Pillai, 26, said: "If a person feels good with a ponytail, then he should go ahead and have it. I agree that some people think only short hair is decent, especially in the working world.

"But I would say, give the long-haired guy a chance. Appearances can be deceptive."