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?

It shouldn't be deemed unprofessional but I think in a lot of professions it actually is. It makes people start thinking about being punctual and organised in addition to thinking abouting tring effort in. I've never done it out of fear of being judged. I'm a teacher, I worry that if a parent wants to meet me before classes start they might think I'm unprepared or something. I know this is daft because if I had to meet my child's teacher early and she had wet hair I wouldn't give it a second thought.

I think having to wash and dry my hair every morning is exhausting, if I could leave it I would. I look ridiculous with my hair tied back so it would probably be that which made people comment rather than having wet hair!

You don't get a child from having wet hair.

I also interviewed for my current job with wet hair!

A child or a cold!

It might look as if they weren't bothered about their hair (I suppose, if you notice that kind of thing). Unless they are a hairdresser; how does that impact on the rest of their job?

Fut, what is your colleague's role? You say the manager objects because she is visiting people in their homes. I wondered whether that means she is something like a carer or nurse which often means very early starts. I also wonder whether any of the clients have actually complained?

What does your manager think of women who gel their hair until it is soaking and tie it back? Isn't that the same look.

Sounds as if manager is looking for reasons to push out your colleague

As an NQT I was sent home from school after arriving with wet hair. I was pretty furious at the time but I can kind of see the head's point now and I have never done it again!

Sent home from school? Massive overreaction.

I often go to work with wet hair. I have very long, curly thick hair. This really is news to me that this something else people are judgemental about . I do my job just the same with wet hair as I do with dry hair.

I don't think the issue about having wet hair is sexist or anything to do with make up. For me the idea of going to work with wet hair is unacceptable whether you are male or female.

I don't have any feelings about whether make up is worn or not. It really doesn't matter. But having wet hair is a bit like having scruffy shoes or a very smart suit on and chucking a pair of trainers on at the bottom.... it just doesn't really give off the right impression. But having said that it does completely depend on the industry someone works in.

I always find it strange when people seem to have almost a reverse snobbery about being image aware at work... a lot of people seem to think their skills and expertise exclude them from any need to make an effort. Unfortunately people do judge on image and there is nothing wrong with making an effort, and again this has nothing to do with what sex you are or if you wear make up or not.

Depends on the job. In my line of work as long as I am clothed in some way and have correct PPE no one gives a shiney shite.

I do it all the time and I am certainly a professional
thick, curly unmanageable long hair
takes about 40 mins to blowdry with any degree of success, and if I do it regularly gets very frizzzzzzy
needs to be tied up and back at work anyway, then hidden under my hat which will flatten it out all day
I would rather spend 40 extra minutes on family, study, exercise, or just in bed so I leave it wet, tie it into a low bun, wear my hat all day

at leaving time it will be dry, and in natural curls, tidy up the roots a bit or do a loose knot and it looks lovely
Never had a complaint or comment

My hair goes wild if blow dried, so gets towel dried and thrown up with a hair stick. The loose hairs at the front are dry within a few minutes, and it's up; it's not like I'm walking around with it dripping down my shirt.

I don't think it's unprofessional.

I'm a public-facing professional. I turn up to work every other day with damp hair. I'm far too busy reading

posted too soon! - far too busy reading mumsnet in a morning to have time to blow dry my hair Nobody has ever told me it looks unprofessional - not that I would care if they did tbf.

I rarely blow dry my hair and generally go into work with it wet. I wear minimal make up if any. I never iron my clothes. I wear scruffy shoes. I have a professional qualification. I am a senior manager in a very large organisation. I have had a good career and am well respected. I have managed and interviewed many people and have never judged someone on having wet hair or any of the other ridiculous perception stuff mentioned upthread.

I leave the house ith wet hair (and a hairbrush) and by the time I drop dd at the bus stop; dS at school and drive onto work it's nicely dry, flicking up and gets a squirt of Elnet as I park. V fine hair though :(. I can dry it erfectly in five minutes though.

Would prefer wet and clean than dry and dirty tbh.

I cycle. I shower at work. I have wet hair.

I don't care and the patient's don't seem to either.

It is almost anti-social not to cycle so most of my colleagues are in the same boat . As an example one of the local peripheral hospitals includes instructions about the best way to cycle the 15 miles there from the place most junior doctors live in their induction pack.

Personally I find 15miles each way to much. 5 is my limit.

I've got ridiculously thick and long hair that I love, but if I tried to blowdry it ALL I'd be there for hours with one of those circular brushes and clips and all sorts.

I generally blowdry the majority of it, and then leave it down whilst I'm heading to work/flapping about/on the bus/whatever. Then when I arrive I brush and tie it back. It normally ends up looking great.

I'd rather wet hair than greasy, lanky, overgelled and disgusting hair.

Well, not quite sure if you were asking on the 'IABU' or 'IANBU' side with regards to wet hair in work, but while it might, on occasion, look slightly unpolished, it wouldn't, in my book, denote unprofessional (I'm fairly high-up in a City type environment and arriving in the office with wet hair didn't seem to have any negative impact on my career trajectory and I wouldn't have used it as a black mark against others).

I'm a corporate insolvency solicitor. I turn up to work with wet hair all the time. It's thick and curly and goes berserk if a hairdryer goes near it. I'm always dressed smartly with my face on. By the time I've done my commute into the office the bits of hair you see are mostly dry. Who cares anyway?