Trendy Tresses for the Professional Woman

Big bangs?: Still stuck in the 80s. A hold only aerosol can handle?: O-zone hater. Messy?: Messy. Your hair says a lot about you, but what exactly is it saying? You need to know what those tresses are saying if you want to make a statement in the workplace as a professional woman.

Master Stylist Robin Howard from Ruckus Glamour Studio, located at 9797 Montgomery Road, offers some insight into what can make an office-appropriate style stand out in the cubicle crowd.

Straight and Sleek

Most women own a flat iron and know that straight hair is in, but when you already have to get up early to scarf down breakfast and battle the commuter traffic, straightening your hair can take too much time. But no time is no excuse to not display your professional side, so invest in a Japanese straightening treatment.

Also known as thermal reconditioning and available at Ruckus Glamour Studio, this chemical treatment results in chic, shiny hair that doesn’t wash out for about six months. This process is useful particularly for women with coarse or curly hair. “Curls tend to frizz up and become overly bushy sometimes, and the Japanese straightener gives you a more sleek look,” Howard says. “You can maintain your hair much more easily.”

The process involves applying straightening chemicals and then flat-ironing your locks, strand by strand. Unfortunately, this strand-by-strand process can take anywhere from two to eight hours, depending on the hair’s length and texture. But if you spend just 15 minutes straightening your hair five days a week, that adds up to more than 30 hours over the course of six months.

Sophisticated, Yet Edgy

Another trendy look comes from the cut, a razor cut. This style is exactly what it sounds like, a cut with a razor instead of a pair of scissors. The difference? “Shears are more blunt and straight,” Howard says, while a razor provides “more texture.” Howard particularly recommends this style for women with shorter hair who want to maintain professionalism but bring something new to the table. “It gives you an edgy look, but you look sophisticated at the same time,” Howard says.

Highlight up Your Life

Some highlights and lowlights can give your hair a different dynamic and give your do that pop to make you stand out. Professional women need to be cautious, however, because highlights can range from pop to explosion, and you don’t want to get your tresses in trouble like one of Howard’s clients whose purple highlights weren’t acceptable in the professional world. Howard recommends staying close to your natural color when determining the color for your highlights, and two shades away is still appropriate in the workplace.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Put Up Your Hair!

Whether your hair is straight and sleek or sophisticated and edgy, the workplace is not a fairy tale when it comes to hair length. Hair about two inches below the shoulder is appropriate to wear down, but anything longer should be pulled up or pinned back. One popular way to fix this dilemma, however, is with a classic bob. Recently, more women have been asking for bobs, Howard says. From long bobs to layer bobs, your hair can have a classic cut with some modern flair.

PHOTO CREDITS
First Photo: Neysa Ruhl Photography
Location: The McAlpin
Models (left to right): Kristina Lopez and Laura Hudson of New View Management Group, Inc.
Makeup Artistry: Chenese Bean Makeup Artistry
Hair Styling: Robin Howard, Ruckus Glamour Studios