Are 'lemonade Braids' Appropriate For The Corporate World?

[LiftedUp]

I may be asking answers but are they?

I'm considering these for 2 weeks max:

 

[crlsweetie912]

How corporate? Banking?
I work for the state department of transportation and I had mine for about a week before I went out for surgery.

 

[Keen]

It really depend on your corporate environment. Try putting them up in a bun while at work

 

[LiftedUp]

I work in a very stuffy environment owing to the type of business of the overall org. I thought about side bunning as well.

I'm not in banking, however, I saw a lady in a nearby bank with some and that's when my light bulb went off.

 

[DarkJoy]

cornrows are not for my super conservative environment. Singles yes.

Check what the other bw are getting away with in your office.

 

[LiftedUp]

cornrows are not for my super conservative environment. Singles yes.

Check what the other bw are getting away with in your office.

Single braids, twa and puffs. However, none are at the managerial level except for one with braids. That's part of my concern.

 

[DarkJoy]

Single braids, twa and puffs. However, none are at the managerial level except for one with braids. That's part of my concern.

Then don't bother. The higher up you go, the less versatile the hair can be. It's a sad fact.

Most management (including myself) are twa, short singles, or short Senegalese twists or straightened somehow (whether weave, relaxed or flat iron).

The few bw directors I've seen in my industry stay in either CBL or shorter weave, relaxed or twa--no braids or braid extensions neither cornrows or singles. it's just off the menu.

 

[LiftedUp]

Then don't bother. The higher up you go, the less versatile the hair can be. It's a sad fact.

Most management (including myself) are twa, short singles, or short Senegalese twists or straightened somehow (whether weave, relaxed or flat iron).

I'm new and may not be able to take vacation for at least 2 years and by then lemonade braids would be but a memory. Sighhhhhh

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

Depends on your environment. For a very conservative environment the color and length may not be considered ______(insert pc word here).

 

[DarkJoy]

I'm new and may not be able to take vacation for at least 2 years and by then lemonade braids would be but a memory. Sighhhhhh

I'm sorry.

I even stopped with the crochet braids because I got tired of the "oh-your-hair-always-looks-so-dofferent"! comments! even though I matched my 4c with Marley and parted it the same but gave it a TOUCH more volume than my normal Twistout. One change would literally get comments for 3 weeks... from the same people every other day and then then I'd put it back in my tuck and roll or wng for the 3-week cycle to begin again. It was a major distraction. Always white women and Southeast indian men.

 

[GreenEyedJen]

I get worried too--I will say I've had big ass Senegalese twists (added hair) and Ghana braids (added hair) and got nothing but compliments. I don't think it affected me with the white folk--I do think our folk were a bit irked. I'm in a legal/HR function.

 

[TLC1020]

It depends, you have to know your environment, you know "they" look at what we wear, our hair, and who with! I just got mine on Saturday, I was debating if I should get and my employer is not corporate but government, it is a little bit relaxed. If I was at a different location or different part of government I probably wouldn't.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

I've done marley twists a few times but I don't think I'd wear these to work. I'm in IT. Heck I'm on the fence about faux locs for an upcoming vacation.

 

[LiftedUp]

I'm in a legal/HR function.

I work in a legal org

I'm back to considering it again now

 

[bebezazueta]

But when some folks "compliment" your ethnic styles, they are not being authentic!!! I know this first hand. I've heard them say hey so and so love the hair and then behind her back say it's totally unprofessional! So do not go by that please. I say no as well. Black women have enough hardships in the workplace, I refuse to let them make my hair an issue. I'm natural by the way and rock it in puffs for the most part.

 

[GreenEyedJen]

I work in a legal org

I'm back to considering it again now

As an attorney, I will say the things I've heard commented on the most are inappropriate clothing choices. I was natural all though law school and interned for an appellate judge and was the first in my school to be awarded an awesome co-op. My professor told me he loved my hair (short, round white man...he gives me glowing recommendations to this day). I haven't received any push back from hair choice. When I was interviewing right out of school, I made it a point to straighten my hair, until an attorney from the second largest employment law firm in the country sat on one of my panel interviews with a big-ass puff. Might be because Title VII is my jam, though.

In all honesty, I tow the line like **** when it comes to my personal work style. I know I push it anyway--that's probably why I get nervous when I do braid up. You know best. Really.

 

[gn1g]

yes.

 

[DarkJoy]

But when some folks "compliment" your ethnic styles, they are not being authentic!!! I know this first hand. I've heard them say hey so and so love the hair and then behind her back say it's totally unprofessional! So do not go by that please. I say no as well. Black women have enough hardships in the workplace, I refuse to let them make my hair an issue. I'm natural by the way and rock it in puffs for the most part.

Agreed. They talk so much smack behind your back.

Next thing you know you look up and haven't seen a promotion or raise more than 2% for COL increase in 3 years.

It's shitty but until BW own these practices, corporations etc we either play their game, get our own game, or sue left and right.

It's sad but I said goodbye to those styles 2 years ago and now I'm finally management... after a disgusting amount of time

 

[Atthatday]

Are you an employee at will?

 

[LiftedUp]

Are you an employee at will?

Nope.

 

[SweetNic_JA]

I think you can get away with it if you're fresh back from vacation, or about to go on a (falsified) up-coming weekend get-away.

 

[Bunnyhaslonghair]

I'm going to go with yes more so because of my own morality. I hate when people label traditional African styles as unprofessional. It's racist.

 

[Dee-Licious]

As an attorney, I will say the things I've heard commented on the most are inappropriate clothing choices. I was natural all though law school and interned for an appellate judge and was the first in my school to be awarded an awesome co-op. My professor told me he loved my hair (short, round white man...he gives me glowing recommendations to this day). I haven't received any push back from hair choice. When I was interviewing right out of school, I made it a point to straighten my hair, until an attorney from the second largest employment law firm in the country sat on one of my panel interviews with a big-ass puff. Might be because Title VII is my jam, though.

In all honesty, I tow the line like **** when it comes to my personal work style. I know I push it anyway--that's probably why I get nervous when I do braid up. You know best. Really.

Interviewing to get in and being at the org long enough to be on the hiring panel influences hairstyle choice for me. My interview/"meeting with higher ups who don't know me as well" straightened hair is different that I've gotten comfortable enjoy this twistout hair.

I toe the line towards conservative since my career is still on the move up. There is a black director who wears her hair like ummmmmmm, but she's close to retirement and cares less about moving up anymore.

 

[LiftedUp]

Now that I think about it properly, given the advice in this thread, lemonade braids, though cute, are not that important. My goal is to either move up or move out of the company in the next 5 years. Unfortunately, I'll have to let the lemonade braids go for now...

 

[Atthatday]

@LiftedUp: Shall I assume you're in a union or have a contract?

 

[Dee-Licious]

I'm going to go with yes more so because of my own morality. I hate when people label traditional African styles as unprofessional. It's racist.

Yes, it's racist. Definitely!

I express myself with my hair and my clothing choices outside of the work place.

Have I went in there with an old twist-out or shrunken 4c hair forced into a bun? Yes, but that was going to be a day I was going to be locked away in my office not really interacting. :shrugs:

 

[LiftedUp]

@LiftedUp: Shall I assume you're in a union or have a contract?

I have a contract

 

[Dee-Licious]

Now that I think about it properly, given the advice in this thread, lemonade braids, though cute, are not that important. My goal is to either move up or move out of the company in the next 5 years. Unfortunately, I'll have to let the lemonade braids go for now...

There it is!!! What's more important... moving up or temporary hairstyle choice that you have no way of knowing how it'll affect their perception which does affect your mobility in that company?

 

[Dee-Licious]

Mind you I'm the person that argues with my mama when she says I need to do something with my hair meaning straighten it... I've told her there are different types of professional styles besides straight hair, and I certainly do more than wear my hair straightened.

 

[Atthatday]

@Dee-Licious: Excellent advice.