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YouLookFab Forum » Topic: . https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:32:06 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602982 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:44:29 +0000 Anonymous 1602982@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I live in North Carolina.   When we were interviewing for engineer positions, one woman came in dressed as professionally you can imagine.  Everything was on par with what we expected of an engineer.  We hired her.   When she started work, on the very first day, she showed up with TONS of piercings/tattoos all over her body.  Piercings that looked terribly painful.  No one said a thing.  We might have stared, but overall, we were speechless.  Wait.  I know we stared.   As it turns out she was the absolute best engineer we had.  We were lucky to have her and when she moved to New York City, we were genuinely saddened.   Would we have hired her if we had seen the piercings and tattoos?  No.  Would it have been our loss?  Yes.   My life is enriched just by having known her for a couple of years.   I would suggest your friend dye her hair.  My two cents..... Gaylene on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602976 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:27:25 +0000 Gaylene 1602976@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Most employers hire people they can visualize in the position. Figuring out the "look" an employer has in his/her mind--and re-constructing one's personal style to fit that image--gives an applicant a definite advantage in an interview. If permanently altering her personal style for a minimum wage position is not appealing, then your friend might be better off applying for positions where her personal style choices will more closely align with an employer's vision--or, at minimum, won't distract from her qualifications and performance. To my mind, signicantly altering your personal style just for an interview, with the intention of changing it back once you've been hired, is a disservice to both the applicant and the employer. LaPed on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602954 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:19:21 +0000 LaPed 1602954@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ If she's mainly looking in the service sector, she can visit stores and venues first to get a sense of how other employees style their hair, make-up, clothes -- it will also give her a better idea of what those places will be like to work at and whether she'll be comfortable there. In some locales and for some companies, having an slightly "edgier" look may actually help you land a job.  Colette on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602945 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:04:06 +0000 Colette 1602945@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I would not have a problem hiring a well groomed person with black and white hair, but I agree with others that location and the job market in the area are both big factors to consider. Nebraskim on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602917 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 16:13:35 +0000 Nebraskim 1602917@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ For the jobs she is hunting for, at least here in Lincoln, NE, where our employment level is 3 percent and people are having difficulty finding  applicants for jobs, I do not think an edgy hairstyle would be a problem. Considering how unkempt many people look now days, having a crisp if edgy hairstyle paired with a fairly polished, or at least CLEAN outfit, worn to the interview would be refreshing for hiring managers in my town. My friend owns a high end nail salon here and she is having difficulty find reliable front-desk/receptionist help. Key word meaning reliable. She's hired several younger women over the past two years and they just eventually quit showing up. They'll get a different job and not even bother to tell my friend they have quit. They just stop coming to work. So amazing. My friend understands that jobs that pay $11/hour are not stellar, nor does she expect lifetime commitment. But she does expect them to show up when scheduled or at least tell her they are not coming in or that they have in fact quit. kkards on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602914 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 16:05:35 +0000 kkards 1602914@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ as others have said. location matters- and i'd think that in the larger cities in NC or in Asheville it wouldn't matter much (but if you where in Asheville, i don't think you'd be asking), in the smaller towns, yeah i think it may matter…but i also think that the rest of the "package" matters as well, so your friend could try balancing it out, i.e. dress more conservatively when she goes to allow/interview for these jobs.  approprio on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602903 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 15:36:10 +0000 approprio 1602903@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think it depends very much on the work environment. Creative organisations tend to be very tolerant of strong style statements and I can imagine in some shops or bars it would be an advantage. One employer's deal breaker is another's unique selling point.  I'd say keep the hairstyle and test the waters because at the right place it could work in her favour. She'll definitely be remembered at interview stage. unfrumped on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602900 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 15:31:52 +0000 unfrumped 1602900@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Another way to look at it is, if it is not an advantage ( which I tend to think it is not) and if she knows whether her job market is tight( lots of friends having trouble finding a job that pays enough to make ends meet and/ of has potential to get there) then she may want to think how much time she wants to spend " learning" whether she's being passed over. ma on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602838 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 11:02:37 +0000 ma 1602838@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I've actually worked somewhere in the tourism industry (either a hotel or a river cruise, I can't remember which it was) that actually put "no two toned hair" in the employee handbook. I think her hair sounds cool especially if it goes with her style, but I think she'd have to decide based on the type of jobs/companies/position she applies for.  Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602783 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 04:03:31 +0000 Anonymous 1602783@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think things have changed so much in recent years as to what's acceptable in the workplace , and white bangs with black hair wouldn't bother me in the least . If she looks well groomed and clean , hair colour shouldn't be an issue . If One can conduct themselves with class and professionalism , different hair colours and piercings aren't a problem . Especially in the sectors she's looking at . A good personality and professional attitude trumps anything . Windchime on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602780 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 03:51:24 +0000 Windchime 1602780@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Agreeing with Rachylou that it depends on location but also on the individual company. I'm in a fairly conservative midwest city. Some people here would raise their eyebrows about a hairstyle like your friend's; but others would admire it. I personally think it sounds awesome! I think she should try for a few jobs and see how it goes before deciding she needs to change her style. Amaranthine on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602777 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 03:34:57 +0000 Amaranthine 1602777@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ We live in North Carolina...not exactly New York City...so yeah. rachylou on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602774 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 03:29:45 +0000 rachylou 1602774@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You know, I think that depends on location... Amaranthine on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-black-and-white-hair-unprofessional#post-1602769 Sat, 16 Jan 2016 03:12:25 +0000 Amaranthine 1602769@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ .