Hair severely/tightly drawn back or up. Can it make some people look too serious?

[fanovlonghr]

Or is it just me?

Without fail, every day, my headmistress at school had a severe and tight French Twist and not a single hair was out of place.

She was a really nice lady, but I thought it made her look too harsh.

[Tabitha]

She was probably a proud member of the Club (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=6616&highlight=bunned) :wink: I am an enthusiastic member myself, there is even photographic evidence out there somewhere.

[Arctic]

It's a personal opinion. I don't feel that way of tighly pulled back hair dos. And some people even want to make that impression, read the thread Tightly bunned mean ladies ;)

[fanovlonghr]

lol!

That is funny!

[spidermom]

I think some people look good like that, but I'm not one of them, which is just as well. My slippy-slidey hair won't stay contained for long, and I can't tolerate having it pulled back tightly anyway.

[RavenDream]

When up or back my hair is always held tightly. If it isn't tight my hair starts to part at my cowlicks. I don't think it makes me look mean, just put together.

[Chromis]

I think it very much depends more on what you are wearing. If you pair a severe hairstyle with an austere outfit, then yes, you will likely look severe! Put it with an elegant outfit and it will likely just look dressy. With something wild, the hair isn't going to suddenly make you look stern. In any case, I would assume looking severe would be a very good attribute for a headmistress. She probably did it it very much on purpose!

[Carolyn]

Personally I love looking mean and severe at times. I love how my new glasses add to the severe look. :p Maybe your headmistress purposely cultivated that look?

[AJoifulNoise]

You know what? I went through waaaay too many years of being called cute. And, people still like to say that I am. One has to be able to do something to counter-act cuteness when one wants to look more serious (not to mention being actually taken more seriously). That's why I like severe and tight updos.

[Dianyla]

She was a really nice lady, but I thought it made her look too harsh.
Well, think about it. She was there to be a headmistress (and seriously? I didn't know people still use that word anymore outside of Penthouse Letters nowadays!) of your school. Her job was to teach and/or keep the schoolchildren in line. Her job was not to look sexy or pretty for the students. :rolleyes:

[ajr]

Echoing Dianyla. I substitute at high schools to practice for when I'll be a full time teacher. I'm 24 and can easily pass for a teenager on my casual days. I wear heels, glasses, and my hair slicked back as tightly as possible. ANything so that when I walk into a classroom they don't think I'm a new student.

[sahiba]

Often tied back hair can give you a more polished and sophisticated look too.:)

[yogachic]

I have a new photo of me and the kids eating out, and i had really wet hair from the pool and i pulled it back and it was tight and I looked good in the photo. So I don't agree.

[Solange]

It probably depends on facial features. Someone hopelessly cute can probably wear their hair any way they want and still look sweet, but someone with harsher traits should probably soften the effect with a looser bun, a few tendrils...and a smile. :O)

[HalcyonDays]

Well, think about it. She was there to be a headmistress (and seriously? I didn't know people still use that word anymore outside of Penthouse Letters nowadays!) of your school. Her job was to teach and/or keep the schoolchildren in line. Her job was not to look sexy or pretty for the students.

What's wrong with the word headmistress? What else are you supposed to call the female version of a headmaster? Perhaps it's a Brit thing...
We had a headmistress who always wore a tight bun, and she always made me think of Miss Trunchbull. It was terrifying!

[DesertRat]

I support the goals and objectives of the women who have posted in this forum who are justly proud of their bun. A tight, neat bun, with every hair in place, is truly a work of art, an achievement worthy of the highest commendation!:)

[sneakybea]

I'm in grad school, and one of my favorite professors often wears her hair in a perfect French twist. Granted, a twist tends to seem less matronly/intimidating than a bun, but hers is so perfect that it has a similar effect, and I'm sure that's deliberate. She's very petite and on the young side for a professor, plus she tends to dress casually; I think the updo is an attempt to balance all that and help her be taken more seriously.
I'm actually quite in awe of her French twisting skill; my hair is too long to do it easily, and too wavy to look so smooth.

[burns_erin]

Echoing Dianyla. I substitute at high schools to practice for when I'll be a full time teacher. I'm 24 and can easily pass for a teenager on my casual days. I wear heels, glasses, and my hair slicked back as tightly as possible. ANything so that when I walk into a classroom they don't think I'm a new student.

Me too, not as a teacher, but so my patients don't ask me "I did not know it was take your daughter to school day, where is your mother?"

[kunibob]

People often think I'm much younger than I am, and given that I'm trying to fight my way up a corporate ladder in management, I don't mind looking a little severe now and then! Probably don't pull it off, though...I smile too often. :p

[midnighttrain]

I was never able to get my hair pulled back tightly, just don't have the skill I suppose. ;p But I don't really think anything if someone has their hair up tightly, it's just a hairstyle.

[Soniasonia]

Or is it just me?

Without fail, every day, my headmistress at school had a severe and tight French Twist and not a single hair was out of place.

She was a really nice lady, but I thought it made her look too harsh.
And curious.

[Beatnik Guy]

What's wrong with the word headmistress? What else are you supposed to call the female version of a headmaster? Perhaps it's a Brit thing...
Umm, Headteacher? You'll find that term is very common here in the UK. :confused:

[florenonite]

Umm, Headteacher? You'll find that term is very common here in the UK. :confused:

When I was at a private school (in Canada), we had a Headmaster, and I'd imagine he'd've been a Headmistress if he had been a woman. Headteacher I've heard from friends in Scotland, though.

[Dianyla]

Umm, Headteacher? You'll find that term is very common here in the UK. :confused:
We don't use that term over in the US. It sounds like some word out of a cheesy pr0nographic story. :uhh:

[theanti]

I've always thought it looked really severe, but thats just me, I love a soft, flowy, romantic pulled back 'do.