Natural and the corporate world

[topsyturvy86]

Naturals in the corporate world, how do you wear your hair to look professional all week?

I'm transitioning, 4 months post. I started transitioning at the tail end of Uni and do lots of casual styles but i'll be going back to work sometime towards the end of the yr and just thought about what I would do to my hair at work while still transitioning or natural.

The last time I worked in a corporate environment which was on my placement about a yr and a half ago, I was relaxed and wore it straight and everyone at work had their hair straight (I was the only black girl in the office erplexed) but im sure they dont all have bone straight hair naturally.

Even if you're not natural, what do you think about styling options for naturals that you could probably do all week/would last all week that'll look professional.

 

[discodumpling]

I wear my hair however I want with no opposition. This was me all week. A nappy bun with twist bangs. Some days my bangs were down but most they were tucked away.
The only thing I haven't worn to work was my Bantu Knots...but corp America will get the privellege before the end of the summer.

 

[topsyturvy86]

I wear my hair however I want with no opposition. This was me all week. A nappy bun with twist bangs. Some days my bangs were down but most they were tucked away.
The only thing I haven't worn to work was my Bantu Knots...but corp America will get the privellege before the end of the summer.

. I like you nappy bun. Did you transition for a while first?

 

[discodumpling]

Thank you!

I transitioned for about 7 months before cutting off my relaxed ends in April 2007.

Oh and my avvie is what my bangs look like when the twists are released.

 

[Jazzmommy]

Hello,

I work in a conservative corporative environment. When my hair was shorter, I wore a lot of wigs and micro braids pulled back in a nice bun. Now that my hair is longer (12 inches), I wear phony ponies, half-wigs, full weaves. I still wear my hair covered or in braids/weaves with low-manipulation because I want to get maximum growth so it works out.

 

[santwon]

I've worn my hair however I liked. Twistouts, twists, cornrows, my twa, knots, box braids, combinaton styles. The works. I say start with "simple" things like 2 strand twists and then as you gauge their level of acceptance try out more styles.

 

[LunadeMiel]

I wear my hair however I want. When I was transitioning, I wore braidouts, twistouts, kinky twist, senegalese twist, buns, down up...whatever.

Now that I'm natural I mostly wear wash and gos (my hair is still wet when I get to work). I've been known to wear the occasional frohawk too...

 

[Miss*Tress]

I wear mainly twist outs, roller sets, and buns to work.

 

[IntelligenceisBeautiful]

I wear my hair in twist outs, coils, wash and gos, and faux-hawks .

 

[Pheonixx]

I would think that braid-outs and twists and neat updo's would be acceptable.

As long as your style looks professional and flatters your features---and you aren't walking around looking and unkept and disheveled mess---I don't see how texture would present itself as a problem...

 

[morehairplease]

Great thread. I remember seeing someone's fotki, corporate nappy or something like that. But she had the styles here in her fotki IIRC. They all looked great. I remember knowing this lady that worked in corporate America for years. She retired recently and shaved her head(liberation I guess). She just said, corporate America was not ready for it or something like that. It has been a while since I saw/spoke with her.

 

[glam-]

I mostly wear wash'n'gos or braidouts. Usually at least once a week (when the curls are a little worse for the wear, but I 'm not ready to cowash again yet) I'll put my hair in a pony-puff or a bun- but honestly I feel I personally look a little too young with the puff.

 

[gmw]

Hey Sis,
I am completely natural 4a/b/c and I wear my hair completely natural, in a cute coil afro.

Here it is..

Just do you!

Naturals in the corporate world, how do you wear your hair to look professional all week?

I'm transitioning, 4 months post. I started transitioning at the tail end of Uni and do lots of casual styles but i'll be going back to work sometime towards the end of the yr and just thought about what I would do to my hair at work while still transitioning or natural.

The last time I worked in a corporate environment which was on my placement about a yr and a half ago, I was relaxed and wore it straight and everyone at work had their hair straight (I was the only black girl in the office erplexed) but im sure they dont all have bone straight hair naturally.

Even if you're not natural, what do you think about styling options for naturals that you could probably do all week/would last all week that'll look professional.

 

[crazydaze911]

i admire all you bold ladies that wear your hair however you like. i USED to do that - go to work with braids and twisties, etc. that was after i was there close to a year and didnt fear being fired - lol. but when i left my last job (commercial real estate), the first thing the other ladies and office manager said to me was "your big time now, no more coming to work in those braids and things" - and they were SERIOUS. Right now i work in the financial realm and i asked the CFO (who i am very personable and comfortable with [he tells me all his personal biz]) if he thought it would be ok if i got some cornrolls and how the big boss would react. he told me "DO NOT DO IT! and that the big boss might freak out and it would be too 'urban'". he is a minority so i didnt consider this racism. So for me - its BUN everyday. since im transitioning and my ends are uneven, straight styles end up looking a mess in minutes, so its just the bun....... but if your hair looks better than mine, i think wash and gos would be fine. discos hair looks cute too with the bangs.

 

[MekyakaKinkerbelle]

I think it depends on where you are...I pretty much wear my hair however I like...from the way it looks in my avi and siggy to buns (which I am rocking today).

For the most part, it's wash and go's. At the end of the day it needs to look neat and groomed.

I would NOT, however, ever wear cornrows in a corporate setting, but I work at a hedge fund where we are visible to high management from very large corporations on a daily basis.

If your hair doesn't look 'neat and groomed', I suggest you find an alternative until you've finished transitioning. I never transitioned, I just did the fade thing - so I can't comment on transitioning alternatives unfortunately.

 

[JustKiya]

I'm usually wearing what's in my avatar, just because that's my usual hair do. I've worn almost everything to work - as long as it's neat and clean, I'm rocking it.

*shrug* My work ethic is SO much more important to my boss (and my whole management team) than my hair. He really couldn't give a damn.

 

[iasade]

I wear the below styles that last for me:

* Two-strand twists like a bob style
* Flat twisted up into a bun or bee-hive type(maybe 8-12 two-strand twists around me head) with some two-strand bangs hanging over to the sides (I wear this style for more professional events/meetings)
* Two Strand twists into a pony tail
*mini -braids like a bob
* Flat twisted in the front and puff ortwo-strand twists in the back

 

[crazydaze911]

I think it depends on where you are...I pretty much wear my hair however I like...from the way it looks in my avi and siggy to buns (which I am rocking today).

For the most part, it's wash and go's. At the end of the day it needs to look neat and groomed.

I would NOT, however, ever wear cornrows in a corporate setting, but I work at a hedge fund where we are visible to high management from very large corporations on a daily basis.

If your hair doesn't look 'neat and groomed', I suggest you find an alternative until you've finished transitioning. I never transitioned, I just did the fade thing - so I can't comment on transitioning alternatives unfortunately.

HI! i work at a hedgefund too! . You never found wash and gos to be too 'wild' for work? i like the curly look in ur siggy alot but wouldnt dare do it myself...... has anyone ever reacted to it?

 

[naturalgurl]

WOW! SO weird. I posted this question on another hair board just today! We have some really good responeses here...

 

[BostonMaria]

I don't do anything crazy, but I do leave it down (wash n' go) once in a while. I also do alot of ponytails. Once in a while I'll straighten it. I'm known in the office as the chameleon LOL but I'm also known for getting the job done and being a workaholic. You can be natural and look very professional. You just have to know how to carry yourself. I have tons of headbands and accessories I use every day.

I've attached 2 pictures taken in Dec. My hair is much longer now, but the wash and go is about the same length even tho its grown about 4 inches LOL And the ponypuff has matured into a ponytail

 

[naturalgurl]

I'm usually wearing what's in my avatar, just because that's my usual hair do. I've worn almost everything to work - as long as it's neat and clean, I'm rocking it.

*shrug* My work ethic is SO much more important to my boss (and my whole management team) than my hair. He really couldn't give a damn.[/quote]

This is the same for me. Just got this promotion and my new boss loves my puffs and what not. She's British and I think they see the whole natural thing differently than people from here, if you get what I mean...

 

[JustKiya]

This is the same for me. Just got this promotion and my new boss loves my puffs and what not. She's British and I think they see the whole natural thing differently than people from here, if you get what I mean...

You say Nappy to a Brit, and they think you are talking about diapers!!!

But yeah, the US's race issues are very much so ours.

Not to say that there aren't issues with race in most countries, it just that we express them in a rather unique manner.....

 

[topsyturvy86]

I wear mainly twist outs, roller sets, and buns to work.

Interesting. How long do your roller sets last Miss Tress?

 

[topsyturvy86]

I wear the below styles that last for me:

* Two-strand twists like a bob style
* Flat twisted up into a bun or bee-hive type(maybe 8-12 two-strand twists around me head) with some two-strand bangs hanging over to the sides (I wear this style for more professional events/meetings)
* Two Strand twists into a pony tail
*mini -braids like a bob
* Flat twisted in the front and puff ortwo-strand twists in the back

Do you have any pictures of two strand twists? I'm trying to imagin what it would look like in a bob style and pony tail.

 

[topsyturvy86]

I don't do anything crazy, but I do leave it down (wash n' go) once in a while. I also do alot of ponytails. Once in a while I'll straighten it. I'm known in the office as the chameleon LOL but I'm also known for getting the job done and being a workaholic. You can be natural and look very professional. You just have to know how to carry yourself. I have tons of headbands and accessories I use every day.

I've attached 2 pictures taken in Dec. My hair is much longer now, but the wash and go is about the same length even tho its grown about 4 inches LOL And the ponypuff has matured into a ponytail

Your hair is very lovely! I'm transitioning so my wash and go's don't look quite as defined unfortunately erplexed.

 

[topsyturvy86]

I'm usually wearing what's in my avatar, just because that's my usual hair do. I've worn almost everything to work - as long as it's neat and clean, I'm rocking it.

*shrug* My work ethic is SO much more important to my boss (and my whole management team) than my hair. He really couldn't give a damn.[/quote]

This is the same for me. Just got this promotion and my new boss loves my puffs and what not. She's British and I think they see the whole natural thing differently than people from here, if you get what I mean...

I don't know how it is in the US but here in England (London) natural hair is seen as something different, sometimes cool but not exactly very acceptable/professional. Straight hair is the preferrence and is considered beautiful and even white girls with waves straighten their hair/get a chemical straightner. I guess its quite similar to the US

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

I'm currently rocking buns for interviews.

After I secure the job, I do whatever I want....twists, twistouts, and afro phony pony's mainly. Thats what I did in my current position and thats what I plan to do with my next. I just keep it looking "groomed" and kinda of a controlled wildness when Im wearing it out....but that bun absolutely disappears unless its a super super super important meeting.