When I was in Undergrad I wore my hair in various styles such as weaves, braids, cornrows, you name it.
In my Senior year I decided to ditch the braids and get a relaxer because I thought that was the "acceptable" way my hair should be in interviews and work.
I felt like straight hair, free of any weaves or braids, was "professional". Now, that's 20 years old Ms.D and my way of thinking has completely changed.
In the work place our hair should be neat, well groomed and clean(funky smelling hair is just nasty..lol).
What I find "unprofessional":
wild colors
bad weaves(tracks showing, not blending well..u know)
ugly wigs(very obvious, plastic looking, you know what I mean)
messy hair
messy hair
*All of these are subjective to the individual and those around you. But ya'll know jacked up hair when you see it.
Don't be afraid to walk in there with your TWA, rock a big twist/braid-out, wear some corn-rows with not too many designs, wear a cute wig or weave, single braids, twists and locs. Just make sure it's neat, neatness is key!
We as black women were not born with straight hair. We were born with textured hair that requires different technique's to manage and keep it healthy. Don't let Corporate America stop you from maintaining healthy hair and being who you are.
I work in Corporate America and go to work with the same styles you see posted on this blog and I'm consistently greeted with compliments. My manager and co-workers are amazed at how I do my own hair and style it. They find it fascinating. It's always a conversation starter and a small way I stand out from everyone else.
*For interviews I suggest a style that doesn't distract the interviewer. As said, neatness is key. I prefer a bun or if not too far in a stretch, wearing my hair down either straight or curly.
Great to hear, I worked in an office before and never faced any problems rocking even the biggest twist-out.
ReplyDeleteThat's good and how it should be!
DeleteCompletely agree with you. When I purchase wigs I prefer for them to look as much like my real hair as possible. I am really simple when it comes to hairstyles as it is. I think neat and well-groomed is the way to go. I wear my hair in braidouts, twists outs, faux bobs, curly, straight all from week to week and I keep them neat. Like you, my coworkers are amazed want to touch and want to know how I achieve many of my styles. I am not natural, nor aspiring at the moment, but I can definitely say that I've gotten the "oh, I like your hair better straight", normally by older coworkers, the younger girls love my versatility. I worked with a girl who loved the 27 piece which I strongly dislike, but anyway she had red,white and blue pieces to celebrate fourth of july and was mad when management asked her to remove it. Keep in mind we work at a dr's office located within a university. Very unprofessional! Rambling, I said all that to say, as long as it's neat, non-Crayola colors and well-groomed, no styles are off limits.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you input!!! Red, white and blue pieces? LOL, hmm that's creative but I don't think it is professional.
DeleteGreat post! I think we place a lot of limits on ourselves as black women, but like you said, most any style can work in the work-place so long as it is kept neat and is not outlandish.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteYes! Completely agree with you!
thanks!
ReplyDeletei've been wearing this horrible looking wig, feeling so badly about myself, but my family was happy because the wig look is what the corporate world wants. then the wig started to squeeze my head till i got bumps. i was so unhappy and so in pain that i threw it away. my family was so upset ... but i just can't wear it anymore. my plan is wear neat headwraps as i don't want to fuss about my hair everyday.
i know the older generation of black women tell me that i'll never go anywhere in the working world with headwraps or natural hair. but i find that my white colleagues find my natural hair super interesting and have called my headwraps regal.
so yeah, thanks for the post. i needed it.
(and my scalp still hurts from that wig!)
- misha
You are very welcome!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about the issues you had with the wig! I'm glad that ditched it because of the dislike you had and the discomfort it caused!
That's great that your colleagues embrace your natural hair and headwraps!
Thanks for stopping by and give your self a good scalp massage to relieve some pain. I think the more you let your hair breath, the better it will get!
Thanks for stopping by!