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I am currently thinking of growing my hair long but as a man of ethnic heritage, my hair not only grows long but it grows out. I get curly bangs that often fall in my face and I just end up with a lot of hair. I work in an office that is fairly liberal and has allowed men with long hair to work there without cutting it as long as it looks presentable. What can I do with long, bushy,curly hair to keep it presentable and professional? When it starts getting even remotely long, I have had people feel my hair because they can't believe there is so much of it and that's only after I don't cut it for under a year. I love the feeling of long hair and would like to keep it, but keep it manageable. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
J.J.
First off man, nobody should be stroking your curls without your permission. I mean it is your crown! And you are nobody's pet. As for styles, you've got alot of acceptable choices. But as it's growin out a lot of bros of late have been doin neatly woven cornrows, whcich you can have braided - one guy I know does his own in two hours! They not only look cool and hip, but you can set for a month or two as you're growin your head. Then you can either go into braids or dreds. I've done both and the dreds are less work once you establish your locs. As a manager of quality assurance I do a lot of customer service on the phone, so I am able to twist and otherwise groom my locs on the job, so to speak. If your employer is cool with long hair, locs seem like they might be the right thing. A side benefit i have found is that colleagues and superiors take a dreadloced man alot more seriously, so I feel much more empowered both professionally and personally. For the African American Male I feel the multitude of hairstyles I see in the urban workplace makes it akind of golden age. Good luck JJ.
Hey you know how lucky you are to have a job where your able to do your hair? My boss in the bookstore barely tolerates my dreads and she always frowns when I twist my locs on the job (tho I can't say it stops me).
As for styles, you've got alot of acceptable choices. But as it's growin out a lot of bros of late have been doin neatly woven cornrows, whcich you can have braided - one guy I know does his own in two hours! They not only look cool and hip, but you can set for a month or two as you're growin your head. Then you can either go into braids or dreds. I've done both and the dreds are less work once you establish your locs.
Do you have to be African American to wear these styles? Will they work with straight Europeon hair?
I have seen quite a few Pakeha people (i.e. European descent) with lots of dreds; seems to work.
Good luck, Stephen