Growing Out "Professional" Hair?

[LawyerGirl]

I need opinions...

I have a job interview on Monday, which made me wonder if the scraggly "growing out from pixie" look is appropriate in a professional setting. I do feel that not trimming is my best option for length, however... is it worth the sacrifice in length to avoid the awkwardness?

How much do you think people really notice things like hair (assuming that they aren't on this forum LOL)? If I continued my non-trimming regimen, is there a way I could gracefully grow out a pixie so that it would be appropriate for a place like a bankruptcy/tax law firm?

I really want to grow out my hair...and from the beginning I figured I had several options:

1. no trimming
2. trim ends only to even up length, growing out the awkward layers
3. transition from pixie to bob to long bob and beyond...trimming as needed to achieve/maintain styles

Which option is the most "professional"? I think I would go with #1 if you guys don't think it would be too noticeable!!

TIA!

[CestMadeleine]

I'd use some aloe gel to style it so there's no weird ends sticking out. I had total 70's flippy things going on when I was growing out my pixie. There's no pretty way to grow it out honestly if you don't style it lol.

[LawyerGirl]

Ha if I comb it into place when it's damp, it will usually stay. It's just an awkward look for me at this stage... sort of longish on the ends and fluffy on top. The only semi-doable look for me now is to have it sort of slicked back and flipped out on the ends. But I still feel like I look strange.

[Bene]

please don't trim. there are ways to get around the growing in stage. i've been there more than once.


are you anti-cones?


because if you're not, there's an option. a small dab of smoothing hair serum/cream/goo on slightly damp hair. comb all the way back, then slightly off center part to give a tiny bit of height in the front. if long enough, you can tuck the rest behind your ears. it's a clean look that can carry you till you grow some more.

also, you can find pins that are close to your hair color and fasten hair towards the lower back of your head (also with smoothing goo in use) from the front it looks like a low bun. from the back, as long as you don't use too many pins, it looks fine.


if you are anti-cone, i think there are natural cone-free ways to do this, but i'm not too sure of which ones (my pixie days are long before finding this site). the idea is to have the hair looking smooth (i.e. neat). if you can manage that, the growing in should be relatively awkward-free. :)

[LawyerGirl]

please don't trim. there are ways to get around the growing in stage. i've been there more than once.


are you anti-cones?


because if you're not, there's an option. a small dab of smoothing hair serum/cream/goo on slightly damp hair. comb all the way back, then slightly off center part to give a tiny bit of height in the front. if long enough, you can tuck the rest behind your ears. it's a clean look that can carry you till you grow some more.

also, you can find pins that are close to your hair color and fasten hair towards the lower back of your head (also with smoothing goo in use) from the front it looks like a low bun. from the back, as long as you don't use too many pins, it looks fine.


if you are anti-cone, i think there are natural cone-free ways to do this, but i'm not too sure of which ones (my pixie days are long before finding this site). the idea is to have the hair looking smooth (i.e. neat). if you can manage that, the growing in should be relatively awkward-free. :)

Although I prefer all-natural, I will use what I need to in order to enjoy my hair, especially if it is not on a regular basis. I have been using AVG as a gel lately, but it does tend to make my hair look a little crunchy. I will try a smoothing serum and the fake-bun look for my interview. Either way, isn't there a 2 week rule? ;)

[jojo]

I made a pact with myself not to cut until I could tie it all up and I am glad I did now even though it did look messy.

[Bene]

oh... and good luck on your interview :)

[Rae~]

When I grew out from pixie (in a professional setting) I went with option 3, and if I was doing it again I'd do it the same way. It might feel like you are going backwards/losing length when you trim, and it might add a little time to your overall growing time, but for me the benefit was that I avoided the majority of the "in between" periods and felt comfortable that my hair was appropriate and looked "nice enough" for me.

One thing that might help regardless of which path you take is, even when your hair is in a particularly difficult phase, to just find ONE style that is professional-looking and suitable. It could be a low pony stub, or a french twist, or all-back with a headband (I looked in your album and thought this style would suit you at the moment...). Once you find that style, you can wear it every freaking day if you need to! :D Doing that helped me to just push the growing phase to the back of my mind and almost forget about it for extended periods, rather than obsessing over every little bit of growth. (And not saying you or anyone here does that - just saying it helped me to not! :D)

Best of luck! :flower:

[serabelle]

When I grew out from pixie (in a professional setting) I went with option 3, and if I was doing it again I'd do it the same way. It might feel like you are going backwards/losing length when you trim, and it might add a little time to your overall growing time, but for me the benefit was that I avoided the majority of the "in between" periods and felt comfortable that my hair was appropriate and looked "nice enough" for me.

One thing that might help regardless of which path you take is, even when your hair is in a particularly difficult phase, to just find ONE style that is professional-looking and suitable. It could be a low pony stub, or a french twist, or all-back with a headband (I looked in your album and thought this style would suit you at the moment...). Once you find that style, you can wear it every freaking day if you need to! :D Doing that helped me to just push the growing phase to the back of my mind and almost forget about it for extended periods, rather than obsessing over every little bit of growth. (And not saying you or anyone here does that - just saying it helped me to not! :D)

Best of luck! :flower:

I agree with this! It's no fun to go through the really awkward phases. There's no reason that you can't get a simple and tiny trim to allow your hair to grow out gracefully ;)

Plus, from my own experience, short hair requires quite a bit of styling, which can cause damage, so a trim certainly won't hurt.

I wasn't at the pixie stage when I started growing (see signature!), but I was pretty short. For the first four months I got trims regularly, although more stretched out than I had been used to. I'd add a couple more weeks between trims, and now I'm up to two months between them - and I'm almost at 18 inches now :)

[chrissy-b]

First, good luck on your interview! I think as long as you look presentable, no one is going to think your hair looks bad. If anything, they'll probably think you're uber stylish.

When I was growing out my pixie I used everything and anything I could get to hold my hair so I wouldn't cut. Cones, gel, whatever worked.

At that time I was working at a law firm and my hair was always slicked and pinned back in one way or another. My slick do combined with my attire got me compliments about how "professional" I looked. I also got "serious" a bit too but it was better than I what I was feeling like inside, which was "My hair is a mess and I need to cut it NOW!"

Don't cut it. Get some cute clips, maybe a satin scarf. You'll be glad you waited it out.

[inspiral]

I grew my hair out from a pixie cut, i knew i wanted to grow out long, but i also still wanted my hair to look cute, so i kept cutting the bottom until the top layers caught up. when your hair is long, you are going to want it evened out anyway, and if you dont cut anything at all, you will end up with a mullet stage. scary... i say trim.

[inspiral]

oh and i also did a bob thing when i was able to, i did the short in the back, long in the front, not too dramatic of a difference tho, and it was really cute and fun, and im glad i did it then, because now im growing my hair long and im not cutting it anymore, so im glad i took the chance to play with different styles when i did. you dont have to sacrifice very much length to try out some cute styles before you go long. Its so much nicer to feel confident and comfortable with your hair than feeling akward about it.....

[serabelle]

...and if you dont cut anything at all, you will end up with a mullet stage. scary... i say trim.

Hahaha. Very fun, but true! Avoid the mullet stage.

[RocketDog]

I went for option three when I started growing my hair from 'scratch' since I felt uncomfortable with the growing-out stage. It took an extra year to hit shoulder-length, due to all of the trimming that went on, but it was worth it for me. When you're working in a competitive advertising environment, personal appearance is VERY important if you want to make a good impression, and I did what I needed to do to present myself well.

[Chanterelle]

I went for option 3 when I was growing my hair from a multi-layered short cut. I had a trim every three months but I don't regret it at all. Yes, it took me a longer time to reach shoulder length and I'm still fighting with layers but I'm already to sacrifice length for stylish look.

Oh, and good luck with the interview!

[Katze]

I grew out from a Grace Jones flattop originally (in 1999) grew the top longer and longer into a bob. For several years I grew the top/front longer while shaving the back, then I went "more professional" and just had an angled bob. I would clip the sides with barettes in different ways, wear headbands, or do pin curls/fake marcel waves. This was actually a pretty low maintenance hairdo.

The problem was growing it out - letting the originally shaved bits (where my nape hair is unruly and poofy anyway) catch up. THAT was an ugly, awkward phase, and between there and shoulder length I was pretty unhappy with my hair. However, that had a lot to do with my very round face, and the fact that my hair "flipped" at that length (where the waves started) which just made that length unattractive on me.

Because my hair is so fine and was also so "unruly" - I was going to salons where they would brush/blowdry my hair straight, and I would do the same - I got a "shag cut" at some point which I then just eventually let grow out - the end result kept more "professional" by regular trims (which also meant it didn't grow).

It is really hard to say how a particular haircut or in-between-stage will be recieved. I find things much easier here in Germany or similar in Seattle (if you are dressed professional-casual, and look tidy) than they were in New York City (where I could not seem to meet the standards no matter what I did!). Cultural differences, differences in particular fields, age/race/gender etc. all affect the standard for what is seen as "professional" etc.

Maybe this helps you at least think about what options you have?

[vampodrama]

I grew my hair out from a buzzcut so yeah, I went through several odd stages to say the least.... I looked like a manga character for a while because my hair has this not-quite-curl thing going on where the ends flip up all over the place at shorter lenghts. and then there was the mullet thing. to avoid that, I went the emo-fringe way. haha.

so if you say that if you comb your hair wet and it stays, you are very lucky indeed :D I believe you could easily get away with a a little bit of styling. good luck!

[suicides_eve]

myself i had to cut the wispy away couldn't stand them. hair clips and bobby pins were my friends during that stage.

[smilinjenn71]

I can sympathize because I'm doing the same right now. For me, choosing to trim up the back while the top and front are growing out is the best option. I'm going for the bob, then onward for length. Being a professional *does* put some pressure for me to look put together. Essentially I have to trim the back or I end up with a mullet. It's the pattern my hair grows and there's just no way around that.

IMHO, when interviewing, you should look as professional and "with it" as possible. Whether we want to face it or not, we live in a society that judges us by how we look, perhaps more than what we are actually capable of. You see this everywhere you turn, from fashion to hair and makeup. I have a g/f in Human Resources and she says dressing and looking professional when interviewing can make the difference in whom they choose or don't choose for the position. They've already taken account of your qualifications on your resume; now they are calling you in to see if you 'wow' them. My advice is, do what you need to do for this stage of life.... your hair WILL grow whether you trim it now or not.

Best of luck during your job hunt and interviewing process!
Jenn

[LawyerGirl]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! As always, everyone is so helpful!

[LutraLutra]

For the first four months I got trims regularly, although more stretched out than I had been used to. I'd add a couple more weeks between trims, and now I'm up to two months between them - and I'm almost at 18 inches now :)
This is what I did too, it made life less painful for me. I'm now at trims every 3 months. The 'awful' stage of growing out a pixie is actually pretty short (no pun intended), getting the longest layers from pixie to jaw lenght was the worst bit for me, once you get to jaw you've almost got a bob, which makes you feel like someone who chose to look like that, rather that someone who looks like they need a haircut.
To be honest, as long as you're good at your job and are professional to your colleagues I doubt anyone will really notice your hair. Honest.

[Mebo]

I agree with what's been said above - sleek looks more professional than fluffy! That said, I normally wear my hair in a cinnamon bun to court, and whatever I feel like to the office (I'm a government lawyer). As long as you don't look like you're airheaded, you'll be fine. Lots of women lawyers do the headband look, some do a pageboy, and lots of us do French twists. Messy is out, especially for court.

Good luck, hope you get what you want! Don't be afraid to negotiate for extra benefits! Let us know, okay?

[spidermom]

I got my hair trimmed quite frequently as it grew out. Thin, straggly ends used to bother me too much to leave them.

[lawyermom]

Hi lawyergirl (my ebay name by the way..... that was a long time ago!)

Don't stress the hair. As long as you don't look like a complete disheveled mess, it's not what they'll focus on. Dress appropriately and be confident - especially the latter - because that's what will be remembered after an interview. No one will be able to even recall what your hair looked like.

Cut or not - do whichever makes YOU feel the best because that's what's going to come across and that's what will make the difference in how you present yourself.

[Delila]

Basically as I was growing out, I just spaced out my haircuts longer and longer, working with my stylist to get my bangs and short layers caught up with the hemline.

As others have said, styling gel (or whatever product you like) can be a big help getting over the awkward stages, as are little clips to hold your bangs off your face.

[Caldonia Sun]

I haven't read through all the responses, but I have been in that same boat and chose to trim. I think it may depend on the type of job you are interviewing for, but by and large, if it's a professional office, you need to "look" the part.

Good luck!

[relizabeth]

I've grown out a pixie 5 times. (This time will hopefully be the last.) I use Murray's--just the tiniest bit. It's less than 2 bucks, comes in a bright orange tin, and you can find it in the ethnic hair care area of your local grocery store, Walmart, etc. It's just wax and petrolatum and a slight, pleasant fragrance. It holds down the fluffies, gives a little shine, gives lots of control, and keeps my hair manageable during the growing out phase (and adorable during the pixie phase). And it lasts forever. I've had 2 tins in 13 years. You have to kind of swipe the product out and warm it up on your fingertips before you apply it to your hair. I've never had a problem with build-up or a greasy look or feeling with it despite the ingredients. Maybe because I use so little. HTH! :)

[atlantaz3]

I didn't grow out from pixie but had a very long time growing out bangs - very slow grower here. I felt like I was in an awkward stage for two years. I trimmed as necessary to get to one layer and spaced out the trims as far apart as possible. Good luck on the interview and I agree with another poster what ever you chose make sure you are comfortable with it. I personally would go for a head band look. When my bangs got unmanageable I used little claw clips to keep hair out of my face. I was a style really too young for me (imho) but the office I was in at the time was a younger crowd so I could get away with it. My only other though is some tiny combs (maybe an inch wide) to hold some of the fly aways at bag?

[LawyerGirl]

Great advice... I like the look of a headband, but on me it makes me look SO young. When I was visiting my mom for Christmas someone selling something downtown asked me what GRADE I was in. I responded with.... "what?" I'm 26!

[Tangles]

If you're REALLY concerned, you could heat style just this once ;) or blow dry your bangs, that makes them the focus of your hairstyle rather than the ends.

BTW, I saw your photos--your hair is growing pretty quickly. But I don't think it looks awk at all!

[Anje]

I haven't been there (pixie or professional setting), but I would go with option #3, just to keep it from looking mullet-y. A growing-out pixie with the back kept trimmed might look like a shag cut for a while, but you'll eventually get it to a bob, and once it's one length the growing will be easier and cleaner-looking.

In addition to some product, maybe you'll be able to find some cute clips to keep the hair out of your face and keep it a bit sleek-looking in the growing process. Some might disagree with me, but I don't think that hair ornamentation is totally off-limits in a professional environment, so long as it's understated and you can make it look sophisticated.

[talecon]

My hair looked awful while growing out my short cut and I spent most the winter wearing a hat but its better not to cut it, just grow it out. Within a few months, depending on how fast ur hair grows, it'll be shoulder length again and look much better I knw its bad for hair but things like gel and mousse helped tame my awkwardness a bit

[Demetrue]

What about a very thin black or silver or gold metal headband. I would gel the top layers a little, blow them back with a blow dryer on low and then use the skinny headband to hold them in place.