Long hair in the work place

[Wherecanitbe]

I am in my forties and growing up, I was always told by my mum and teachers/lectures that long hair should always be neatly tied up in the work place. Especially if it was an office or business environment.

The thinking was, that it looked professional and women were taken more seriously than if there hair was worn down and flowing.

Is this now considered an out dated view? Having watched the apprentice, most of the female candidates wear their hair down and blow dried.

Yes it is considered outdated now but depends how long your hair is. Even female Indian CEOs / self made billionaires only really go up to shoulder length (or just past it) if they’re leaving it out.

I'm 31 and I think it's outdated. Hairdo has no bearing on how well you do a job. Men don't have that issue.

Of course it’s outdated nonsense.

@Waxonwaxoff0

I'm 31 and I think it's outdated. Hairdo has no bearing on how well you do a job. Men don't have that issue.

They do, my exH was told on numerous occasions to tie his waist length hair up or put it in a plait and didn't get a few jobs because of his hair.

I’m 50 and when I was 20 I thought views like this were ridiculous and outdated. Unless you’re working with food.

I work in the city in a very corporate environment and I actually can’t think of any women who routinely wear their hair up.

Smart blow dries are the way to go

But what about the nits?

Men absolutely do have hair issues in the workplace. There aren’t many jobs in which they can have long hair, neatly tied back or otherwise. In the city they can’t have it too short, to trendy or too long. There’s just one acceptable haircut.

I think when everyone was wearing suits with lapels and blouses with collars long hair worn down could make you look cluttered around the neck and shoulders and looked better up. Now with more casual dress codes and/or simpler necklines long is totally appropriate as long as there are no safety or hygiene issues.

The Apprentice isn’t exactly the best place to look for what passes for professional dress.

Well obviously it depends on what ‘the workplace’ is. In some workplaces it will be inappropriate (or even dangerous) to have long hair flowing all around rather than neatly tied. In others it won’t matter much, so as long as it’s clean then don’t see why it would be a problem.

Either way if it violates company policy in some way or is affecting someone’s work I’m sure their supervisor would let them know.

I remember being told no woman with any dignity would hit her 40’s with anything other than a short hairstyle (my chin length bob was definitely outrageous). That applied to all women regardless of corporate environment. Funnily enough I am surviving this decade despite ignoring such outrage.

Doesn't it depend on the workplace?

I mean, if you work (for example) with children, patients, food, prisoners or animals, it makes sense to wear your hair tied up and out of the way.

But if you're in an office all day, does it really matter whether it's worn up or down?

I think the age is irrelevant. The only consideration is the safety aspect in food, science or manufacturing environments. I do wonder about nits when I see school kids with long hair flapping about.

I'm a teacher. My hair is down to my elbows and I usually have it down; I only tend to fasten it back when I'm working with the infants. A lot of other teachers I've worked with who have long hair are the same.

@Shehasadiamondinthesky to be fair though most men don't have waist length hair.

In my previous job, long hair not tied back would be dangerous. I hold the very old fashioned view that wearing your hair down looks unprofessional. I can’t really explain but it looks like your more interested in looking good rather than cracking on and getting the job done.
There is no valid reason I feel this way and women should be able to present how they want.

I think long hair always looks more professional when it's tied back or put up (women and men) It can look lovely either way - but for me personally - much more serious and professional if it's not loose

I have long hair, and I rarely wear it down for work. I find it irritates me after a while so even if I start the day with it down, it's invariably up in a ponytail by lunchtime

When my DS had long hair he had to tie it back for cooking, games, DT, science labs, and so on, exactly the same as a girl would.

@Waxonwaxoff0

I'm 31 and I think it's outdated. Hairdo has no bearing on how well you do a job. Men don't have that issue.

Sorry, quote fail. It's about hair length, nothing to do with sex. I have short hair, my DS's is now collar length.

I’m late 40s and have long hair which I pretty much always wear down. I like it and that’s all that matters.

Outdated claptrap.

The only time it's an issue where its safety critical or hygiene related. Police, prisons, medical roles, some manufacturing work, food preparation etc.

I have long hair (contemplating a big chop tho!) and generally wear it loose as I hate the feeling of hair bands. I plait it before doing food related activities tho as I work with small children and no one needs my hair in their dinner!

I have mine up so I don't catch nits! (TA in a primary).

When I worked in an office I wore it however I wanted. But I've always been rubbish at blow drying.