Blue hair

[Myleftfoot39]

I know a lot of people mid forties dyeing their hair blue or pink, I don’t get it. Why? It looks awful growing out and their natural colour is better.

What about late 20s? Is that ok? Dd has bright blue hair and is 27.
She s a support worker for adults with mental health issues and has to take part in meetings with the council/doctors etc as an advocate for her clients.
No one has ever complained shes unprofessional.
Or is it just mid 40s up?

If it was your GP, solicitor, etc with blue/purple hair. How would you feel?

I'd think they have blue hair and concentrate on their effectiveness.

In fact, I don’t know many professionals with blue hair.

because people like you find it necessary to hoik the judgypants right up their bum-crack

@Myleftfoot39

I wouldn’t say I’m bigoted or feel superior I just think that having blue hair in a professional capacity is not something I see as right.

In fact, I don’t know many professionals with blue hair.

I'm sure you'll get used to it.

My main thought (having had it myself for a number of years) would be to wince at the amount of maintenance, and if it was a new thing, if they knew what they have got themselves into. I would have happily done it again at various points if it wasn't for this, but I don't have time to do all of the essential stuff these days let alone re-dying my hair every week. If it was my solicitor or person from a similarly stuffy 'traditional' industry, I would think it unusual and that it must be an incredibly progressive firm. That's about it TBH.

My doctor has loads of tattoos and pink hair. She's a great doctor. I think you need to get back to the 1960s OP.

Ah yes, high court judges - those folks that wear big red cloaks and long white curly wigs, sitting up front and centre in the high court. They must be really unstable to demand so much attention from others...

You are being really daft here OP, bless you.

You sound like my father 😆. He’s 78. Are you quite old, OP? I wonder if there is a generational difference in attitude to things like this.

Wow you sound lovely if you go round basing your opinion on how people look you'll end up missing out on a lot of profession, competent and interesting people.

I have friends who have had dyed hair (bright colours, mohicans) all their lives. They look great, lovely people and run an arts business.

I’ve been a barrister for decades. I wear a horsehair wig and gown and starched bands ffs. It’s the ‘uniform’ for the Criminal Bar. There are (mostly) women at the bar with very dyed blonde hair. I’m of a vintage where if we wore anything green a judge would say he (and it was mostly male judges) could not hear you. ‘Improper’ dress was and still is seen an unprofessional. What constitutes ‘improper’ is changing but in court perhaps more slowly than anywhere else.
Honestly if an opponent walked in with blue hair I would think - ‘bloody hell, is this judge going to be in touch with their head of Chambers for unprofessional behaviour’ ‘very odd attention seeking given the circs -court’ ‘what will the jury think about this?’ ‘What will their client think?’
It would be so far out of professional norms that it would be a huge statement by that person which is at odds with our code of conduct - not drawing attention to ourselves.
I would also think how bizarre that we’ve got to (or are still in) this situation where blue hair is so transgressive here.

Out of court I’ve seen beautiful blues - I always link it with youth, attention not quite seeking but someone for whom attention is key/important.

You could extend this to piercings, dreads, tattoos, undercuts, an eclectic clothes sense. Basically anything that doesn't encompass the classic business style.
What does any of it mean really? It's just a weird notion that your looks dictate your ability. And surely we all realise by now that's a load of bollocks.

I’m not laying down rules! I’m just having a discussion.

I’m not saying I’m right about it, this is just my opinion.

I’m in my early 30s in and my hair is currently pink. I’m no less capable than when my hair was brown about 3 weeks ago, and the brown wasn’t natural either. In fact my natural hair colour hasn’t seen the light of day for many years because it really doesn’t suit me and instead of feeling rubbish about it, I just dye it. I do it for me, not to get attention and I’m perfectly stable thanks

Hmmm. I dye my hair an array of colours regularly and I don't mention it to anyone (obviously this thread is a bit different!), nor do I think about it anymore, after a decade and a half of doing so! It's just what I do/who I am, I think. I've certainly never been seen as unprofessional, but I work in the arts where I regularly see people with brightly coloured hair.

It makes me a bit sad to think that it's seen as unprofessional in many sectors. It shouldn't be! It's just hair! What's the big deal?

I agree OP.

I think it looks ridiculous personally. And I know workplaces which don't employ people with this type or hair, the same with face tattoos and excessive piercings.

@Myleftfoot39

I just think dyeing your hair bright colours says ‘I need a lot of attention’

Great if you’re at a festival, great if you are on holiday but not so great if you are a high court judge.

I think it says 'I like bright colours '

It's because of people like you OP that I only dyed the underside of my hair blue. It meant I could put it into a bun and you couldn't really see the blue, so that folk who can't see past appearance through to talent would still listen to me. I don't wear high heels or suits though, even though I'm a Head of Strategy. Am I professional enough?

I wouldn’t say I’m bigoted

but I have decided all people with blue hair seek attention.

@Myleftfoot39

I see it as very unprofessional, I wouldn’t trust someone’s judgement if they had very brightly coloured hair. I would see at as attention seeking/instability

Woah.

How incredibly judgemental. Do you think the same about people with tattoos?

I couldn't give a shit as long as they do their job properly.

If a paramedic had blue hair would you say don't treat me as I think your hair makes you look attention seeking..

It’s an interesting topic OP, although I don’t agree with your opinion on it.

I would much rather see more bright hair colours and tattoos/piercings in some of the more “traditional” professionals as I think it shows more personality and I’d think they were a bit more like me, but I know some people still think as you do and find it off-putting or distracting to an extent.

End of the day we’re all different and have different rules and concepts in our heads for what’s normal and what isn’t. It’s a shame really as we should all just accept everyone on their merits alone, but that’s not the world we live in.

I’ve had my hair all sorts of different colours throughout my career, but I work in marketing so it’s somewhat accepted. I know a lady who runs her own legal firm who is covered in tattoos, but has certainly had to prove herself (to some people) more than she would have without them.

I’d would be nice to get to a stage where we’re not saying mean things about people/judging them based on their looks wouldn’t it?

I wouldn't give a shit what colour someone's hair was, and as you mentioned GP, solicitor... I really don't understand how their colour of their hair effects their cognitive ability to do their job?

@Myleftfoot39

If it was your GP, solicitor, etc with blue/purple hair. How would you feel?

Same as if they were a bottle blonde.

I love the fact people have the confidence to do what they want with their hair. Because it's their hair!

I don't think a judge having pink hair will lessen their ability to do what they do.

My old work (dentistry) in our contract you could only have 'normal' coloured hair and no tattoos. It made no difference in our job except the MD was a complete bitch in many other ways. No piercings which was understandable unless you are part of another culture.

I only stuck to the rule of no piercings as I get that but I already had tattoos and always had my hair a deep burgundy or dark purple.

You are entitled to your opinion OP but I struggle to see why blue hair would affect your confidence in someone's ability to do their job

Would you feel the same about a blue dress? Blue shoes? Blue eyeliner?

I would rather deal with a professional whim had rainbow coloured hair, was covered in piercings and tattoos than someone who came across as judgmental- especially judgmental of looks.

I think people who dye their hair bright colours, wear their piercings and tattoos with pride show confidence.