Can curly/wavy hair ever look groomed ?

[Mosman]

I'm struggling a big to look smart in the heat, 32 here today and my hair has gone mental.
I'm currently mousey brown, just past shoulders and deep waves that end in curls from time to time. I don't have a fringe, oval face, late thirties and just feel a bit scruffy/hippy even in smart clothes.
I look best IMO with a collar length highlighted bob that I wore in 2006. I felt smart and tidy but I had more time then.
Not sure what to do.

I alternate 'sammy' leave in for curly hair, you can find at super drug and morocon oil.

Does that Keratase Oleo Curl work on fine curly hair? The product description says it is for thick curls.

SavoyCabbage, please tell me if you can straighten wavy hair with babyliss big hair brush. DD has lovely, wavy hair but being 13 she thinks that only straight hair is beautiful. I'm tired of blow drying her long hair, so a solution could be babyliss big hair.

I reckon it would straighten it so it would liik lke straight hair that has not been straightened. I don't use any product or anything.

My dd's hair is curly like this (obviously that's not her!!!!!) and it ends up like this

No, curly hair can never look as boring groomed as straight hair.

An up do, or very short looks sharper than letting it hang loose. I know that when I have my hair blow dried straight I suddenly look more professional. But then I think we have to challenge that perception by being professional and curly

People tend to make snap judgements about people based on age, race, accent etc... None of it is relevant. Be curly and proud!

I look older with straight hair but more authoritarian apparently. Like a fun mum with curls though arghhh

I look terrible with straight hair - it's so fine!! the curl/wave is the only thing that gives it any body :(

I agree with Himalaya that we should challenge the whole "straight is better" perception - where in hell did that come from anyway?! almost certainly hair product sales/advertising I reckon

Thanks SavoyCabbage.

Savoy Cabbage - my hair looks like your daughter hair but shorter. I can't believe (in a goood way) that I can achieve that result at home with baby liss big hair only! Obviously I will have to do it myself...is it hard work, how long does it take and does the product come with instructions??

I have also found that washing it every other day helps, it's much calmer and easier to style on the non-wash day.
Have alo started using Aussie leave-on conitioning spray, which I use then blast with hairdryer before styling. Gets me closer to where I 'd like it to be (ie what it looks like when I leave the hairdressers).

I couldn't believe it either! Especially as I bought it for myself and o my used it on my dds as an afterthought, I wanted to see if it would make it any less knotty in the mornings as it is a nightmare sometimes. I thought if it was smoother it would be easier to manage.

I dry it a bit first with the hair dryer to save time and then I use it. I don't put in any effort or use any products. The big big hair is really easy to use. There are videos on YouTube but it really is easy. It rotates both ways and you slide a switch to change it from one direction to the other.

Thanks so much I will have to try