Related Posts
More Posts
Best pdf to excel converter?
How is CG Invent?
Additional Posts in Women In Consulting
Has anyone taken the sphr exam?
Ladies, take note: Corona pick up lines are here.
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
I have never thought about it being unprofessional. Why are women in the workplace scrutinized over appearances so much
I agree!! I think society puts a lot of pressure on women to have their hair a certain way.
Conversation Starter
It’s not unprofessional as long as it’s not dripping over your shirt. For that, dry it with a soft towel or t-shirt and it should completely air dry within an hour.
Those turban style hair towels are also incredibly helpful. I have thick long hair and I can’t handle a 30 minute blowout in 100 degree heat. If I use a hair towel after the shower my hair will air dry in 20 minutes instead of 60+.
Conversation Starter
Girl, live your life. Everyone suggesting to not wash your hair or wash it and style it at night or whatever are just playing into the historical biases around "professionalism" aka white men. We spend enough time, energy, and money on our appearance already. Enough.
Pro
Agreed and we’re the only ones who can change the standards of what is considered professional.
Pro
I disagree. I have very naturally curly hair (am half black). I can’t brush my hair dry and always have to let it air dry in the morning. I have never had anyone suggest it was unprofessional and actually get compliments on my hair all the time. I do think you still have to style it though. I can see how just stringy wet hair is not the best look.
Conversation Starter
It should be fine. You do you. People get used to it. My hair is think and curly and takes forever to dry (1+ hour) because my locks hold massive amount of water as they come out of shower. Plus I hate using too much heat on it. My options are to shower at night and let it air dry overnight (which makes me sick with flu most days) or go with wet hair. Covid helped me rethink a lot of things, this was one. I shouldn’t be more bothered about getting ready because of my hair type or ethnicity.
I guess this is news to me - lol. I just show up with wet hair. It dries up in an hour or so..
Conversation Starter
I honestly don’t get it. In a world where we are constantly fighting for gender equality, why are we the ones advocating additional burden on women as a price of being female. As a South Asian women, I was always taught women need to be high maintenance to look ‘presentable’. Waxing, blow drying / smoothing curly hair, having concealer and makeup to mask natural pigmentation, you name it.
I thought that was last generation but I am surprised to see women advocating that it is okay to expect their gender to spend additional 60 mins or so appear ‘presentable’. Men are never expected to do so. When I was in consulting, I’d travel with four outfits or pairs for a Monday to Thursday trip. My male colleague would come with 1 or max 2 white and blue button down shirts, 1 jeans, 1 shoes. They probably repeat that multiple times in a month and I would think how much mental bandwidth they save because the expectations are so low from them.
Who decides what makes a women ‘professional’ / ‘presentable’? Can we not change the narrative to be what is comfortable for us?
And no, I am not asking anyone to wear shorts or come with messy head so don’t start a debate on that route. I am talking about rethinking a set criteria of professional look for women from a time where women were judged more on looks than their calibre.
Exactly 🙌🏼
To everyone saying ‘not professional’ - in 2022, why is a woman being judged on how professional she is by the wetness of her hair? I mean, seriously. It’s not even like it’s a permanent condition… it’ll air dry before you even know it?! You expect women to invest in keratin treatments / other expensive tools just for this? Would you hold a male colleague to the same standard?
Chief
Wet hair and gym shorts aren’t comparable, you’re right. I was simply pointing out there are expectations for a professional environment, and dry hair can be one of them. I would expect anyone, man or woman, ensure their hair isn’t wet before heading into the office, if their office is a professional environment (not all are!)
Yes. Which is part of the reason I don’t wash my hair every day and rarely in the mornings.
I show up with wet hair, and I just don’t care what people think. It’s fairly dry by 9 when the majority of the office comes in and I get there at 7:30. If I try to dry my hair straight I have to subsequently straighten it, which is a 3 hour process (using a Dyson air wrap to dry), and I haven’t found a dryer with a diffuser than takes less than an hour.
Chief
Yes - I shower at night and then style in the morning which helps. Or, I got the revlon dry brush which shortens my dry/style time from 45-60 minutes to 20!
Chief
Interesting! I haven’t had any issues with hair damage.. I let my hair air dry for a bit while I do my makeup/other getting ready things, and then using the low heat setting I do a 15 minute blow dry/style
I do a slicked bun when my hair is wet so it looks ~intentional~
Enthusiast
Yes, it is not professional. Blow dry hair the night before and sleep with it up so you can easily go in the AM.
I let mine dry in the subway. I have a very short bob.
This is also my strategy. Thankfully, NYC subways are hot enough that air drying my shoulder-length hair only takes my entire 20-min commute.
Chief
Eh it depends; if I did with my hair, it would look unprofessional because my hair dries naturally and looks terrible. That's not true of a lot of other women (my sister air dries her hair, runs her fingers through it, and it looks great - one of my college roommates did the same thing and her hair was beautiful); if your hair looks nice while drying and after, go for it. If it doesn't, like mine, strategize a way around it.
Chief
That's exactly my issue BAH1 - I have extremely fine, wavy hair that tangles so easily my sister jokes that it tangles if you look at it wrong. I air dry my hair, often overnight, and straighten it in the morning. I only wash my hair twice a week, so I only actually straighten it twice a week also, which helps minimize damage because my hair is extremely dry (just like my skin).
I don’t think slightly damp hair is unprofessional, but if it’s dripping water everywhere then yeah
Yes. Have you tried a keratin treatment? Makes styling so much faster.
I blow dry the front around my face, let the back of my hair air dry
It’s fine. I give you kuddos for even showering. You’re fine
I would never but I’ve seen other women who do and I don’t personally care or judge. I would just not feel confident and it would bother me all day and never get dry.
For people saying wet hair is okay, what’s the excuse for having wet hair? You couldn’t wake up 10 minutes earlier to give it a quick dry? Just manage your time better. I once worked for the federal government, and the Chief of Staff would come in with wet hair most morning meetings, and SO many people would talk sh*t behind her back for it. If you want to come in with wet hair, be my guest 😊 but I wouldn’t be caught dead having wet hair at work.
I think you are veeeery confused on who is in the wrong here. Really? Of all the things you can use your time for, criticizing someone for wet hair? Seems like a very toxic place to work