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Style & Beauty

Perceptions of curly hair

60 replies

greenteawithlemon · 20/04/2013 16:58

Feeling a bit bummed about my naturally curly mop.

Every time I go for an interview, I straighten it. I "tame" it with straighteners every day.

Every boyfriend I've had prefers it straight.

Sigh. Wish curly hair could be seen as sexy and professional in the same way as straight hair.

OP posts:
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Leedscatgirl · 20/04/2013 17:00

My dh loves my curly hair and hates it been straightened

But I'm with u on the professional thing - I always straighten it for interviews or big meetings why?? Cause I feel it looks like I'm more in control??
But I hope I'm wrong

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GoingToBedfordshire · 20/04/2013 17:04

I have curly hair and have not found this. Maybe that's your perception, but I don't think that everyone thinks that way.

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SherbetVodka · 20/04/2013 17:11

I think curly hair looks lovely and have envied people with natural curls ever since I was little.

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dexter73 · 20/04/2013 17:15

I have curly hair and have never felt I needed to straighten it to feel professional. My dh loves it curly too, so I have to disagree with you!

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HilaryM · 20/04/2013 17:18

I have curly hair and don't straighten it but I agree with you. It is hard to look professional when your hair is so wild. It's lovely when it looks nice (about 20% of the time) but mostly it just looks scruffy.

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VelvetSpoon · 20/04/2013 17:20

When I was at university I had very long naturally curly hair (it is a bit shorter now). I was told by several 'friends' that it was common and that was why none of the public school types were interested in me Hmm

I was so paranoid about it back then I tied it into a tight bun for all my graduate interviews in case employers were put off by my common curls!

In my 20s, I had several BF's who referred to my hair as 'frizzy' (it's not) and said it looked better straight. My ExP used to call it a mop and always be on at me to straighten it.

Despite this, I love my hair. I do wear it up for interviews (in a loose bun, you can still see the curls) but never straighten it (haven't done so for years)

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AlwaysOneMissing · 20/04/2013 17:37

Velvet good for you!! Your hair sounds beautiful. I have straight hair and have always been so jealous of my curly haired friends.
IME most people love curly hair GreenTea.

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Lolapink · 20/04/2013 17:41

I have curly hair, and love it. I never straighten it.

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BettyandDon · 20/04/2013 17:44

The one thing I like about my curly hair is that you can get away with doing very little with it.

No hair dryers, no straightening, just a bit of balm/serum and you're off.

I think it is harder to make it look smart though

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louisianablue2000 · 20/04/2013 17:48

I now have curly hair (pregnancy made it curl and each child made it curlier), my hairdresser always straightens it (I can't be bothered) but thankfully cuts it in a short style that looks OK with nothing much done to it.

Still miss my sleek bob from prechild days though!

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minniedriver · 20/04/2013 19:34

Straighten my curls for work ....prefer my curly look to be honest but think it makes me look a bit mad.

Also as I have got older more unkempt...wild curls looked fab at 25 but a bit ungroomed at 45 maybe?

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bishboschone · 20/04/2013 19:37

I never straighten my hair but I agree I feel much smarter when it is straight. I have been told many many times over the years my hair is sexy so I disagree. I think curly rocks !

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Fillyjonk75 · 20/04/2013 19:41

I have never thought of curly hair as any less professional or smart. But a friend with very curly hair had adverse comments about her hair in her appraisal once Shock.

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dexter73 · 20/04/2013 19:45

Shock Discrimination against curly hair!!!!

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chanie44 · 20/04/2013 21:15

I think straight hair is perceived to be a more groomed look, which is why it looks more professional.

Most women don't have poker straight hair and it is time consuming to get it, hence it looking groomed.

I'm a curly girl and think my curls are one of the first thing people notice about me, I think I might straighten it as I haven't do so in ages, but I do love my curls.

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LaFataTurchina · 20/04/2013 23:04

I love my curly hair, I think its my best feature.
But I'm Italian and lots of people have curly hair there so I don't think it's unusual!

My English friends always try to persuade me to let them straighten it - it takes sooo long and is so boring to do I've only let them do it a couple of times.

In Italy I don't feel like my hair is 'unprofessional' but in England I do worry people will find it a bit wild/frizzy in interviews. I did it in a braid with I nice hairclip for my last interview.

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BriansBrain · 20/04/2013 23:09

I'm curly and never straighten it, I feel it's part of me and wild suits me.

Don't really care if others don't agree.

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intheshed · 20/04/2013 23:16

My 5yo DD has a gorgeous mop of curly hair. She wants nothing more than long straight hair like her friends.

The other night it was soaking wet from the bath so I used the hairdryer on it and stupidly used the brush etc to blowdry it 'straight' so she could see what it looked like (still pretty wavy but loads longer). She cried when she woke up and it was curly again Sad

I for one would love her hair and she constantly gets complimented on it by strangers!

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alwayslateforwork · 20/04/2013 23:16

Didn't we have a weather girl who was criticised for her curly hair not being professional a few years back?

Anyway, yes. I'm v curly - I spent 16 years dragging my hair back into a bun wet, so that it was under control for work. I had very close colleagues who didn't recognise me when my hair was down.

Two years ago I had it cut short. Long and curly is great, and sexy, but it is virtually impossible to cut the 'honestly I am a professional' mustard, when you inevitably look like you have been dragged through a hedge backwards if you so much as walk out of the door into a slight breeze, or the humidity in the air changes.

If you are a creative type, it's just about possible. But any other work situation, they expect 'grooming'. Pah.

Having it short (pixie short) makes it tolerable. I don't feel inadequate every morning when I look in the mirror, and have to spend time trying to change the curl to make it look less scary.

I love curly hair. But the rest of the world hates it (except old ladies) so in order to appear as competent as other workers, you end up trying to conform.

It's all bollocks, really, of course. I mean, the state of my hair doesn't reflect on my ability to use my brain. But it does rather seem that a lot of supposedly intelligent folk think that it does... Those born poker straight have no idea how easy they have it. ;-)

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Iggi101 · 20/04/2013 23:19

Had no idea people felt this way. Confused
Hair looks suitable for professional roles if it is clean, styled a bit and shows signs of the odd visit to a hairdresser (ie nice ends rather than straggly ones).
Nowt to do with curly/straight.

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HandsofaCrone · 20/04/2013 23:20

I know lots of men who love their gf/wife's very curly hair - its one of their favourite things about their appearance. My hair is wavy verging on curly but my dh, dad, fil and uncle all really like it when I make it properly curly. I think you just have a complex op!

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Iggi101 · 20/04/2013 23:25

Alwayslateforwork - I'm sorry but I just can't agree that 'everyone hates' curly hair. There is a fashion currently for straight hair, but real jobs have a wide variety of people of different ages, sizes, hairstyles and colour. Bosses I have known have had loads of different hair types. Not suggesting you look like this lovely shot from [http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&source=mog&hl=en&gl=us&client=ms-rim&tab=wi&q=working%20girl%20melanie&sa=N# Working Girl] but think there are more important things to worry about professionally.

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Iggi101 · 20/04/2013 23:26

Try that again: Working Girl

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Startail · 20/04/2013 23:27

The lady I know with very wild curly hair is a doctor. You can't get much more professional than that.

My hair is dead straight and never looks neat or groomed.

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squoosh · 20/04/2013 23:29

I'm Grin at the idea that curly hair is off putting to public school types. Is it only busty serving wenches or scullery maids that have curly hair?

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