Let your hair down (literal) (2025)

Hello everyone,

I just came across this definition ''to let your hair down literally means to release it from the hairstyle that is holding it up and allow it to fall. Figuratively, this is also an idiom meaning to relax and have fun'' (Wordreference, Sparky Malarky, USA)''. I already know that 'let your hair down' is a phrase that requires context as it has two meanings. And I'm wondering if ''let your hair down'' (literal meaning) is natural in the examples below.

: Does ''let your hair down'' sound natural/correct in the examples that I created below?

a. She tied back her hair before going to the gym, and let it down when she was back home.
b. After wearing it tied up all day, she lets her hair down before taking a shower every day.

Thank you in advance!

Thank you all very much.

b. After wearing it tied up all day, she lets her hair down before taking a shower every day.

In sentence (b) it seems an entirely unnecessary thing to say. It isn't a common expression, not in its literal meaning.

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I found it hard to find an example to describe the action (let hair down) in a literal meaning. It is something that actually happens, though I agree that it's not really common to say it. But if you're trying to teach the 'equivalent expression from Portuguese to English', you have no choice but try to find examples.

I wouldn’t say this is idiomatic as I’ve never talked about taking a ponytail out as ”letting my hair down”. To me, that meaning is too connected with the idea of relaxing and having fun, not literally connected with hairstyle. I would talk about putting hair in a ponytail and then pulling it (the ponytail) out.

a. She put her hair up before going to the gym, and took it down when she got back home.

Considerably more common is referring to the hairstyle used:

a. She put her hair in a ponytail before going to the gym, and pulled it out when she got back home.

a. She put her hair in a bun before going to the gym, and took it out when she got back home.

Xavier da Silva said:

b. After

wearing it tied up all day,

she lets her hair down before taking a shower

every day.

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This I would rephrase because the combination of the two underlined parts is odd.

b. She wears her hair up every day and takes it down before taking a shower.

abluter said:

You could say "She lets it fall"

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This works ok in the Rapunzel fairytale but that’s the only context I’d use it in - Rapunzel let fall her golden tresses / let down her golden tresses.

Ordinary women do not “let fall” their hair

Thank you very much.

I wouldn’t say this is idiomatic as I’ve never talked about taking a ponytail out as ”letting my hair down”. To me, that meaning is too connected with the idea of relaxing and having fun, not literally connected with hairstyle.

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Yes, that's what Google (on its occurrences) told me after I searched it.

She wears her hair up every day and takes it down before taking a shower.

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That example is really helpful.

Question: Can I use ''She takes down her hair before taking a shower''?

Thank you in advance!

Xavier da Silva said:

Can I use ''She takes down her hair before taking a shower''?

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No. You put (your/her) hair up and take (your/her) hair down. So the word order is put/take + hair + up/down. Not put up/take down + hair.

She takes her hair down.

Xavier da Silva said:

It is something that actually happens, though I agree that it's not really common to say it.

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According to the website etymonline.com, the phrase let one's hair down (meaning "become familiar") was first recorded 1850.

Back in 1850, a respectable women in public (in some places) would always wear their hair pinned up -- and a hat, probably. So "let your hair down" was literal back then. It wasn't done in public. It was only in private, around very close friends. It was relaxing, getting out of your public "proper" outfit.

The figurative meaning still exists today. But the social customs have changed so that the literal meaning is gone.

My grandmother always wore a hat (and her hair up) when in public, even in the 1960s. She was born before 1900, so she had many years during which this was proper behavior where she lived, for women in her social class.

At least in American English, having your hair up in a position where you can let it down is not necessarily an everyday situation. A ponytail is not having your hair up. Having your hair up often involves some serious hairdressing time that you do for special occasions - like weddings and fancy events and other special outings. Most women don't wear their hair up regularly.

This hair is up:

This hair is not:

And neither is this. It's just in a ponytail.

It might be back, but it's not up. She might put it in a ponytail to go to the gym but she can undo the ponytail in seconds. The first style can't be done or undone in seconds.

Here's a more casual hair-up style.

It looks like she might be able to go to the gym in that one.

The opposite of 'put hair up' is 'take hair down'. What is the opposite of 'tie hair back' (in my O.P context)?

From Yahoo - USA: ''If you’re into skincare and beauty products, then odds are you’ve tied back your hair, put on an old t-shirt, and slathered a disgusting-looking mud mask on your face at least once in your life (and if you’re us, then it’s been many, many more times than that).''

What would the opposite action be in this case? ''...you've untied your hair...''?

Thank you in advance!

Xavier da Silva said:

One last question:

The opposite of 'put hair up' is 'take hair down'. What is the opposite of 'tie hair back' (in my O.P context)?

From Yahoo - USA: ''If you’re into skincare and beauty products, then odds are you’ve tied back your hair, put on an old t-shirt, and slathered a disgusting-looking mud mask on your face at least once in your life (and if you’re us, then it’s been many, many more times than that).''

What would the opposite action be in this case? ''...you've untied your hair...''?

Thank you in advance!

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.......... you have your hair loose/down ............ .

Xavier da Silva said:

Thank you very much.

Yes, that's what Google (on its occurrences) told me after I searched it.

That example is really helpful.

Question: Can I use ''She takes down her hair before taking a shower''?

Thank you in advance!

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For clarity, the answer is yes, sure. Tegs as I read her is simply talking about where we usually place the adverb {usually, here, 'after hair'}.

kentix said:

Having your hair up often involves some serious hairdressing time that you do for special occasions

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Interesting! In BE that’s an updo. I’m getting an updo for my friend’s wedding. Do you have a stylist in the salon that does updoes? The stylist gave me an updo. You just wouldn’t use “put hair up” for this over here.

Xavier da Silva said:

you've untied your hair...''?

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No, definitely not - use taken your hair down

Keep in mind I'm a guy so I'm not the expert on women's hair. I'm doing my best.

Tegs said:

You just wouldn’t use “put hair up” for this over here.

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I'm fairly certain updo exists as a descriptive word here but I'm not sure this sentence would be said:

"The stylist gave me an updo."

For a wedding, something like "I'm planning to wear my hair up" might be said. In that fancy context it would be a major production. "Put my hair up" I think is used in much more casual circumstances where not a lot of time might be spent and getting it just right is a lot less important.