Wet hair at work

[FutTheShuckUp]

When working in a professional role which involves working with people do you think it looks unprofessional to turn up to work with tied up but obviously wet hair?

Totally unprofessional. Something I would never do.

I regularly go to work with wet hair but never deal face to face with customers so don't see the problem

Eh? Retail isn't a proper profession?

That's news to the many senior retail managers I've trained before.

You can be professional or "a" professional in any working environment.

I used retail as having worked in luxury brands there is absolutely no way having wet hair would be acceptable.

However, I can see that in roles where image is not so important then maybe it wouldn't matter so much.

you can but traditionally "profession" refers to doctors, lawyers, teachers

My retail work was more demanding than my teaching post - even now that I am a senior manager - on the whole people had similar if not more qualifications.

I'm sure.

Professional as a description can be relevant even when you are not in one of the traditional professions.

Problem is at first glance it could be wet or just really really greasy.

Depends how professional the role is but generally I think hair should be clean and dry at work.

Mind you ask me in November which is harder and I will say teaching, being a teacher always feels easy when you haven't lifted a finger for a month.

Unprofessional.

Someone came to my wedding with wet hair, I was kind of shocked. My sister and I giggle about it to this day.

I think there is a difference between someone going to a wedding with wet hair and someone arriving at work straight from the gym or pool with wet hair.

Giggling at someone with wet hair at your wedding?? How on earth did you notice someones wet hair on your wedding day!!! I am so startled to find wet hair to be an issue! I cant believe how much appearance matters to some people! Or understand why wet hair is a bad thing!

I have very thick curly hair. I wash it every morning because I can only properly comb it when it is wet. I cannot blow dry it because it gets horribly frizzy and unmanageable if I do. Therefore, I go to work every day with wet hair (usually tied back). I can tell you I look a damn sight more polished and professional with my neatly tied back but still damp bun or twist than I would with a dry but a frizzy mess of a hairdo slathered in gel.

Some of us who had babies the same year would visit the leisure centre at lunch for a swim instead of lunching with coffee and cake. We would return to work with wet hair not having time to dry it. It was always tied back.

I wish we had showers at work! Dead jealous of you :)

People notice this stuff?

It is funny.... I am alternating between mumsnet and my masters dissertation on professional responsibility.....at no point have we ever considered that hair plays a part in professionalism! or that it is the responsibility of the professional to ensure dry hair at all times! Theres just soo much more important things in life!

Panzee there is not much to be jealous of, they are in the PE changing rooms.

Completely unprofessional.

Depends on the workplace, no?
Smart retail, Sales - Bad
Hippy grocery shop, most teaching, coaching - fine, who cares?

I worked in the City for ten years and perfect blow drys was for receptionists and shop workers.

The lawyers, accountants and bankers (PR and creatives too) I worked with (male and female) all went to the gym or arrived insanely early or cycled in - they all had wet hair. And the ones who went to the gym at lunch returned with wet hair.

In fact I think that the further you get in a high level career the less this shit matters and you can look how you want.

Those lower down it matters more.

I'm not agreeing that the above is right btw.

Of course it's ok. Every other day I have wet hair first thing at work. To all the people saying they should dry it, well I never dry my hair. Workday or day off.

I never use a hair dryer and quite often go to work with wet hair (I'm a secondary school teacher) but it is often dry enough by the time the students arrive. It's usually tied up and out of the way. No one has ever commented on it.

where are all these places where you can shower at work? excellent idea but had no idea it was so commonplace now?

but am really surprised that wet hair at work seems to be so frowned upon - would make no difference at all to how I viewed someone - but dirty hair would!

can someone tell me where on the scale it fits in with middle lane hoggers and mole murderers, just so I know.....