OTMA - 'look'

[clockworkgirl21]

As usual Clockworkgirl21, you did not read my post and at least understand it. I commented on the impact of the girl's regular haircuts and their effect on the grain harvests. As you well know, regular haircuts have far reaching consequences which effect not only grain harvests but also the formation of rain clouds and the reproductive rates of migratory waterfowl in eastern Siberia. Far from making fun of you, as easy as that maybe, I take this to be a very serious discussion worthy of extensive reseach and scholarship

I didn't think your post worth rereading, David. Especially since you weren't seriously trying to discuss it, and all you seem to do is mock people.

By the way, I have noticed that Rent sign in red under all of your posts. Should we, your dear friends, be taking up a collection on the forum to keep you out of the street?[/

...I rest my case.

[Holly]

That's my point, David isn't being respectful. This thread would be on topic if he wouldn't have come here just to make fun of people. Some people actually come here to LEARN and shouldn't be ridiculed for their questions, no matter how invalid they may seem to others.

[Romanov_fan]

I think, it is true, that if we are personally interested in otma, it is valid and informative to know about haircuts.I had always been curious before this thread, about that.

[David_Pritchard]

I think, it is true, that if we are personally interested in otma, it is valid and informative to know about haircuts.I had always been curious before this thread, about that.

And so have I. Do you think they, the beloved and adored OTMA, were trimmed using scissors, a straight razor or some early form of an electric razor?

[Guinastasia]

I think girls get heircut, not just beacuse their hair would be very long but also beacuse cuting hair, even a little, makes hair grew up faster and in better condition.

That's actually just an old wives tale. You're just more aware of the growth right after a cut.

http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/hairgrow.asp

Well, yes, it is an urban legend, but at the same time, if you don't get regular trims, your hair will just be a mass of split ends.  Not attractive at all.

[Janet_W.]

Perhaps some of us should consider getting our heads shaved as penance for one or more of the following:

1) Playing mind games on a thread where we don't belong;

2) Judging one topic more worthy than the other;

3) Posting before thinking;

4) Posting before considering a PM might be more appropriate; and/or

5) Taking on the role of an FA--and yes, guilty as charged.

I've never been bald, not even at birth . . .  so whoo hoo and race you to the barbershop!

[David_Pritchard]

You can still love OTMA and not discuss such banal topics as haircuts. Frankly I think this is up there with the thread about Alexei's favorite subject and the ones asking if they fought a lot. 

Now Ortino you know very well that we both really want to know who would win a Olga-Maria vs. Tatiana-Anastasia-Aleksei match up. As I fondly look back, one of my favourite banal threads was one of my own creation, in which the mysteries of maintaining Aleksandra's most august feet were discussed. Unfortunately the FA did not find this thread as fascinating as I and deleted it.

Back to the topic, does anyone know a single documented historical fact about the grand duchesses regular haircuts?

David

[Sarushka]

Back to the topic, does anyone know a single documented historical fact about the grand duchesses regular haircuts?

Not a one, I'm afraid! But I can state with certainty that according to Gilliard's diary, the imperial children had their heads shaved on or before June 22, 1917. You're free to speculate on whether razors or clippers were used, as Gilliard himself doesn't specify....

[Holly]

I think David's point was that such trivial topics such as these contribute absolutely nothing to the ongoing study of who these girls were as people or their roles in history. And for once, I agree with him. You can still love OTMA and not discuss such banal topics as haircuts. Frankly I think this is up there with the thread about Alexei's favorite subject and the ones asking if they fought a lot. 

But that's just your opinion. Maybe you don't care about personal things like this but some people are interested in it. Haircuts are just as "banal" as bathing and make-up and I don't remember seeing people having fits on those threads. If you don't like it why don't you just not post? By mocking people and trying to make others feel stupid is only making it worse. It's as simple as that.

Anyways...I think they probably used a combination of razors and scissors to shave OTMAA's heads in 1917. With the girls they probably had to cut it really short with scissors first and then use the razor to get it REALLY REALLY short. As for regular haircuts they probably just trimmed it with scissors.

[David_Pritchard]

trying to make others feel stupid is only making it worse.

Holly,

I have not tried to make people feel stupid. I have been having great fun. If in the process some people come to the conclusion that they may not be as brilliant as they may have thought that they were, then I have merely provided a theraputic vehicle that led to an important self-realisation.

Why have I not commented on the other threads such as OTMA's favourite lip gloss or OTMA's favourite ice cream flavour? Because I simply have not gotten around to it but since I have had so much fun on this thread I will make an effort to comment the next time that OTMA's method for ear wax removal is discussed or other such related topics.

All the best wishes from your dear friend,

David

[Taren]

I LOVE this site. An argument in a thread about the grand duchesses' haircuts (or lack thereof)? Priceless! It's not the most educational question one could ask, but how many educational questions are there to ask about four young ladies, none of whom reached her 25th birthday? There are of course plenty of educational questions that one could ask about the period and the people that lived when they did, but those would of course be better suited in their own sub-forums. Afterall, they never ruled and had no influence over the politics of their time. Had they married into other dynasties, then perhaps they would have, but that's speculation and pointless. They had no power and no political influence and their main purpose (like that of countless other royal women before and since) was to look pretty and be respectable. *Now comes the on topic part*

Yes, I think they had regular haircuts, like I mentioned before, so that their hair looked neat (ergo the looking pretty part). They would not have chopped it off (except for reasons like illness) short, however, because "good girls" didn't have "bobbed" hair (ergo the respectable part). Superficial questions about haircuts might irk some people now, but I would imagine that these were important (not the most important of course) issues in the lives of young women whose purposes as Grand Duchesses and unmarried women were to attract perspective suitors. Appearance and superficiality mattered -look at Alexandra's reaction when the girls purposely got sunburned as a sign of solidarity when they were trying to match up Olga and Carol.

I've been lurking on this site for over a year now. I've learned things both superficial and educational. I like the fact that it doesn't just cater to the scholars that know everything already. It's a place for people to learn information about historical figures. So what if someone only cares about the educational side? So what if they only care about the superficial side? Either way, we're learning something. It's keeping us off the streets.

[Raegan]

I don't mind the young children on this forum asking questions or creating threads that I personally find somewhat, well, ridiculous (such as "Tatiana as a 1920's beauty" or "Guess who I think Maria looks like"). I understand these are, for the most part, just little girls and I am glad they are showing an interest in history. However, I wish that questions about haircuts and such would be placed in the "Having Fun" section of this forum. I haven't posted a lot on the threads dedicated to the Grand Duchesses and Alexei because I feel like a lot of the threads posted and the questions asked are extremely silly and pointless to respond to. I feel that questions about haircuts and sunburns are cluttering up threads that could be used for serious, academic discussions. I thought that is why a" Having Fun" section was created to begin with.

[clockworkgirl21]

I didn't put it in Having Fun because I really don't think it was a silly question. Talking about someone's hair cut isn't really all that "fun." It's actually sort of a boring topic I just happened to be wondering about.

[Taren]

I don't mind the young children on this forum asking questions or creating threads that I personally find somewhat, well, ridiculous (such as "Tatiana as a 1920's beauty" or "Guess who I think Maria looks like"). I understand these are, for the most part, just little girls and I am glad they are showing an interest in history. However, I wish that questions about haircuts and such would be placed in the "Having Fun" section of this forum. I haven't posted a lot on the threads dedicated to the Grand Duchesses and Alexei because I feel like a lot of the threads posted and the questions asked are extremely silly and pointless to respond to. I feel that questions about haircuts and sunburns are cluttering up threads that could be used for serious, academic discussions. I thought that is why a" Having Fun" section was created to begin with.

They only clutter up threads because there aren't many academic threads about them. Like I said, there's not much in the way of academics you could discuss about these girls. If someone wants to give me an educational topic about the third daughter of the last Tsar, I'd be glad to start a thread. If anyone else wanted to start a thread about an academic subject they're allowed. No one's stopping anyone from starting anything educational. To be honest, if everything in OTMA's threads that belonged in having fun went to having fun, they'd each have about three threads each.

There are all kinds of threads here that bug me as well -and not just about the Romanovs and not just started by young people. I just choose not to read them.

[Sarushka]

You know what bugs me more than a so-called silly question? Launching into the banal vs. academic discussion EVERY TIME something like this comes up.

The debate rages on, but Bob & FA's policy remains -- like it or not, trifling questions *will* be tolerated. IMO, both sides of the issue need to just get used to it.

If you tend to ask trivial questions, be prepared for a bit of teasing from time to time. As long as it doesn't get personal, try not to take offense. There *is* a difference between spoofing a question and actually putting down the person who asks it.