SPINOFF: Too long for your profession?

[blueabyss333]

This is for women with BSL and longer. If you don't mind me asking, what is your profession? What is the culture/environment of your workplace? What objective conclusions do your bosses have to say about looooong hair? How do you maintain and feel about your long hair in your workplace? TIA.

 

[blueabyss333]

bumping...

 

[Neroli]

This is for women with BSL and longer. If you don't mind me asking, what is your profession? What is the culture/environment of your workplace? What objective conclusions do your bosses have to say about looooong hair? How do you maintain and feel about your long hair in your workplace? TIA.

I am below BSL, approaching WL and I am an attorney, working in corporate America. My work culture is extremely conservative legal department of a very large corporation where I am the only black and only female attorney. My boss and colleagues haven't said a thang about my loooong hair (except 'how beautiful') cuz they don't care about that. They care about my professionalism, how well I do my job and the results I get on matters assigned to me. Period. I mean, I don't THINK about my hair relative to my workplace. What does that have to do with it. Nobody else gives a hoot so long as it is clean and well groomed.

I have other professional black women in my office, one lady is a geologist and she rocks dreads down to there, and she manages a department full of whites and is pretty high up the company food chain. Before doing in-house counsel, I worked for years in a very large, very conservative law firm right out of law school and I interviewed in braids and was hired by a white lady -- and I wore my braids for like year there, neva a problem. Corporate america, in my experience for the last 20 years, is waaayy ova how we wear our hair (they don't want no lawsuit ). Plus, they into this DIVERSITY thing and I think it helps their image to have sisters in braids, or dreads or whatever. But that's just me.

I feel I can wear my hair any way I want, the key is it MUST be clean and well-groomed, just like any one else.

 

[blueabyss333]

I am below BSL, approaching WL and I am an attorney, working in corporate America. My work culture is extremely conservative legal department of a very large corporation where I am the only black and only female attorney. My boss and colleagues haven't said a thang about my loooong hair (except 'how beautiful') cuz they don't care about that. They care about my professionalism, how well I do my job and the results I get on matters assigned to me. Period. I mean, I don't THINK about my hair relative to my workplace. What does that have to do with it. Nobody else gives a hoot so long as it is clean and well groomed.

I have other professional black women in my office, one lady is a geologist and she rocks dreads down to there, and she manages a department full of whites and is pretty high up the company food chain. Before doing in-house counsel, I worked for years in a very large, very conservative law firm right out of law school and I interviewed in braids and was hired by a white lady -- and I wore my braids for like year there, neva a problem. Corporate america, in my experience for the last 20 years, is waaayy ova how we wear our hair (they don't want no lawsuit ). Plus, they into this DIVERSITY thing and I think it helps their image to have sisters in braids, or dreads or whatever. But that's just me.

I feel I can wear my hair any way I want, the key is it MUST be clean and well-groomed, just like any one else.

That's true!

I'm glad to hear it. You sound like a grand example for all of us. I appreciate you.

 

[Neroli]

That's true!

I'm glad to hear it. You sound like a grand example for all of us. I appreciate you.

Thanks Blue. I just been around a while and have learned not to project my stereotypes and bias unto others. What I see when I look at someone is not what another person sees, you know what I mean?

Plus, it helps to be comfortable in your own skin (and hair) and people will be comfortable around you. For the office, I frequently wear my hair in one cornrow down the middle or in buns with decorated combs and hairsticks, etc. and I sometimes wear it all out -- and I can guarantee you, that no one, NO ONE, could mistake me for a striper, cuz I don't carry myself like that.

My DH just loves me wearing it all out and he's a believer now I've actually heard him trying to give some of his lady friends hair growing advice and telling them all about how I wuz bald headed when we met and my "regimen" and about this board. It's a riot.

Class and style is not all about clothes and hair, it's about how you carry yourself, IMHO.

 

[FlowerHair]

I wear my hair in a neat pony tail or a bun most days so no one really understands how long my hair is with the shrinkage and all.
Even if they did, well then I guess I would have to be that one weird lady that every work place has "The weird woman with the long hair".

I think to wear long hair down every day is very impractical and can be dangerous. I always watch that my hair is not caught in the elevator door etc. I don't want to be scalped!

 

[Softresses]

I am in healthcare and I have to wear it up when I work.

Softresses

 

[curlycraze]

Thanks Blue. I just been around a while and have learned not to project my stereotypes and bias unto others. What I see when I look at someone is not what another person sees, you know what I mean?

Plus, it helps to be comfortable in your own skin (and hair) and people will be comfortable around you. For the office, I frequently wear my hair in one cornrow down the middle or in buns with decorated combs and hairsticks, etc. and I sometimes wear it all out -- and I can guarantee you, that no one, NO ONE, could mistake me for a striper, cuz I don't carry myself like that.

My DH just loves me wearing it all out and he's a believer now I've actually heard him trying to give some of his lady friends hair growing advice and telling them all about how I wuz bald headed when we met and my "regimen" and about this board. It's a riot.

Class and style is not all about clothes and hair, it's about how you carry yourself, IMHO.

And no amount of money can buy class...you either have it or you don't. I agree with everything you have said.

 

[PinkSkates]

No such thing...as long as there are bobby pins to put your hair in a pin-up style, your hair can be as long as you want it to be. I am sel-employed; so my hair length is not an issue. As long as your hair is neat and clean, then you are safe with your employer. Like one poster stated, they don't want the lawsuits.

 

[meaganita]

@Neroli, You GO GIRL!!!

I'm a finance professional. In my office, casual fridays = polos and khakis (if that). It's almost a misdemeanor to come thru in anything less
than a suit on a daily basis. Men have to wear jackets and women have to wear hose w/skirts or dresses, and no open-toed shoes. I don't ever wear my hair down at work. This is mostly due to protective styling and me trying to grow my hair out. Instead, I rock a shoulder or armpit length wig that is very neat, natural, and professional looking. Once I grow my hair to my goal length, I plan on bunning it, wearing a french braid, and low ponytails. I prefer to be conservative at work. I don't want my beauty and infinte sex appeal to be a distraction.

 

[blueabyss333]

BUMPING for those who missed it. I know there's more of yall out there.

 

[tthreat08]

I work in a conservative environment. I've never had a problem. I have colleagues with very long hair (African American) and they are very well groomed and professional. Never a problem for them either. The key is to have class. If you've got that, you can't go wrong.