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Long hair and drum corps


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I have been watching a lot of older fan network videos the last couple days, and I noticed that in the late eighties there were several corps that had members with long hair sticking out of the back of their headgear (lots of guys with mullets). I don't know that I have seen any corps with that look in more recent times. Is this purely a function of more modern hair styles being short, or do corps require members to keep short hair or put it up in their hats? I imagine most corps (if not all) have rules about how to wear your hair when in uniform these days.

Also, are there any corps that have rules about facial hair for guys?

Or what about glasses, for that matter? I don't know that I have ever noticed a recent show with a member wearing glasses. I'm guessing that corps don't require members to get contact lenses or march without glasses, but it is a difference. That is probably the result of contact lenses becoming much more ubiquitous in more recent times.

Edited by jasgre2000
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I remember that some corps in the 1970s required members with long hair to wear hairnets and have their hair placed securely inside the shakos. This may have been a combination of feeling long hair and shakos didn't go together and concerns about receiving demerits during inspections at the veterans' organization contests.

When Cavaliers went to the swashbuckling-style hats from the shakos in 1976, (also changing the look of the uniform), members were allowed to grow their hair out and sport mustaches if they so wished, because it fit with the look.

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Or what about glasses, for that matter? I don't know that I have ever noticed a recent show with a member wearing glasses.

The Cavaliers had all their members wearing glasses this year in their show.

Edited by BRASSO
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I have been watching a lot of older fan network videos the last couple days, and I noticed that in the late eighties there were several corps that had members with long hair sticking out of the back of their headgear (lots of guys with mullets). I don't know that I have seen any corps with that look in more recent times. Is this purely a function of more modern hair styles being short, or do corps require members to keep short hair or put it up in their hats? I imagine most corps (if not all) have rules about how to wear your hair when in uniform these days.

Also, are there any corps that have rules about facial hair for guys?

Or what about glasses, for that matter? I don't know that I have ever noticed a recent show with a member wearing glasses. I'm guessing that corps don't require members to get contact lenses or march without glasses, but it is a difference. That is probably the result of contact lenses becoming much more ubiquitous in more recent times.

Glassmen and Cadets both have no facial hair rules. I think it is safe to say they also require hair to be within the shako and probably have rules around no jewelry as well.

I'm sure other corps have those same rules.

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my corps had a short hair only rule when I marched (females had to fix their hair to go under the hat)

facial hair rules probably vary. Some corps are all clean shaven, and some very clearly allow facial hair (but perhaps, requirements for maintenance)

I'm pretty sure a corps wouldn't tell someone they couldn't march with glasses, but I think you are right that contacts are becoming much more popular.

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I don't recall the guys having any limitations on their hair (mid-70s). Girls hair was not permitted to touch the collar of our blouses. My hair (which was to my butt while I was marching) was required to be braided and secured on top of my head.

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Or what about glasses, for that matter? I don't know that I have ever noticed a recent show with a member wearing glasses. I'm guessing that corps don't require members to get contact lenses or march without glasses, but it is a difference. That is probably the result of contact lenses becoming much more ubiquitous in more recent times.

We are out there! I wore glasses all year and I know other members in Crown who did (including those who actually march, unlike me). I doubt any corps forbid their members from wearing glasses, it's probably just that contacts are more popular. There could also be people who just choose to wear contacts instead because they're worried about their glasses breaking on tour.

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When I marched Cavies in the '80's the rule was a clean shaven face and hair above the nape and clean cut. From what I see today, it seems to be pretty much the same rule!

later,

Mike

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Boston's rule for decades has been no facial hair, no visible piercings, hair must not touch the collar of the uniform, and glasses are fine as long as they're not sunglasses. But, most kids favor contacts anyway because they're just easier on tour----they don't fog up when you get off the airconditioned bus and step into the 100 degree heat.

It seems to me that the no facial hair thing might be more of an East Coast, old school thing.

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