How To Wear Stylish Hairstyles Without Compromising Professionalism

Trying to have it all can sometimes lead to trouble. We have all been warned of the dangers of doing too much. Doing the most is a line of thinking that doesn’t stop at wanting the perfect family and professional life. Sometimes we have to examine how to balance our desires with our needs on a less massive scale.

Take, for instance, working in a corporate environment and longing to slay everyone’s life you come into contact with. This sounds funny, but struggling with how to remain true to your inner stylish diva while climbing the corporate ladder is an issue black women face more than others.

Is it possible to be stylish without compromising your professionalism?

First things first, earning a living is the main priority. Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you likely have to go to work to afford the type of life you deem comfortable for yourself and your family.

With that, comes a level of conformity that must be adhered to. Whether you work as a waitress or an architect, you will have to appeal to someone else’s definition of what is appropriate for the workplace.

Knowing what you find stylish and comparing that against what is seen as appropriate in your given field, is a good way to begin to analyze what hair styles you can and cannot wear to work. If you are so much of a free spirit that a purple Mohawk with orange tips is something your soul can’t survive without expressing, then traditional avenues of earning a living are probably not good options for you.

Aside from the extremes, there are 3 easy steps to take when trying to figure out how much self-expression you can exert without losing your job.

STEP 1 – PRE HIRE

Let’s say you already have a particular profession chosen or one which you are trained in. One of the first things you want to do when looking for a job is to research the companies who will potentially hire you. By scouring a company’s website, you can get a pretty good idea of what type of environment you would be working in.

If every bio shows someone in a black suit, white collared button down, and red tie, then they probably will not be too open to you rocking 3 tiered, donut styled, top knot that grazes the ceiling as you sashay down the halls. Just saying.

However, if you see that their company motto is one that leans toward the liberal side, you will probably be ok wearing a super short pixie with some highlights thrown in over the summer months.

STEP 2 – TAKE IT SLOW

I know how it is at times when you get the urge to do something with your hair. We all get a wild hair, excuse the pun, every now and then. If you’re at a job where you haven’t yet pushed the limits, this may be a time to temper your own craving for something crazy. Instead of bleaching your hair platinum and shaving it down to a light fade, how about just go a little lighter with your highlights and then, sit back and watch.

Each working environment, office or otherwise, has a pulse. Carefully observe the reactions of your co-workers and superiors. A very good gage is often the employees who have been with the company the longest. They tend to be very familiar with what the limits of the workplace are. If the secretary who has been there for 18 years lowers her glasses and gives you the judgmental once-over, you’ve probably gone too far. So dial it back a notch and add a warm, rich brown over those highlights to tone them down a bit.

STEP 3 – ASK

Companies spend lots of money, time and energy staffing their HR departments. They are there for a reason. Before wearing a particularly edgy style or prior to setting your appointment for that dope new haircut, take a brief meeting with HR and ask that they clarify the company policies on appropriate attire. Make sure you stress that you are mainly concerned about your hair and explain what you want to do to your hair.

I have done this on more than one occasion, and I can say that it saves both you and your employer headaches in the end. HR staff are trained to handle situations that may not be the most comfortable, so if what you want to do is something that conflicts with the office vibe, they should be able to let you know beforehand.

These tips will help you express your inner Sasha Fierce while keeping you out of the unemployment line because your hairstyle was inappropriate. Keep these tips in mind while you slay…professionally.

Comment below and let us know how you slay your hair professionally!