Men, Braids, and Professionalism

[AKA2D '91]

WHAT ABOUT GOLD TEETH?

Let's add that to the discussion. Excluding music artists and professional athelets, is the appearance of a "slugged out" grill "appropriate" as well?

[Discogoddess]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91:
WHAT ABOUT GOLD TEETH?

Let's add that to the discussion. Excluding music artists and professional athelets, is the appearance of a "slugged out" grill "appropriate" as well?

Uhh, that would be a no.

Has anyone seen a corporate brother or sister rockin' the gold/platinum mouth? If so, do tell!

[LadyAKA]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91:
WHAT ABOUT GOLD TEETH?

Let's add that to the discussion. Excluding music artists and professional athelets, is the appearance of a "slugged out" grill "appropriate" as well?

I think it is Ghetto/unprofessional and NOT needed in the workplace ... that is a real different question then Braided hair in the workplace, come on Soror come with something better.

[AKA2D '91]

What do you mean, come with something better?

Why not add THAT to the equation? MANY PEOPLE, are getting their grills slugged out. They are in college classes and all. So, one day, they will apply for jobs, just like someone who has braids OR dreads. IT IS AN ISSUE!

[LadyAKA]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91:
Why not add THAT to the equation? MANY PEOPLE, are getting their grills slugged out. They are in college classes and all. So, one day, they will apply for jobs, just like someone who has braids OR dreads. IT IS AN ISSUE!

I guess it can be considered an issue, but I (me personally) don't value it or worry about it as much as the braids thing. See one part of this debate it Braids are okay for some (women) and not for others (men), but GOLD TEETH. Well like doggystyle said about male braids (hope I am not mis quoting) ... gold teeth are for the streets.

I feel it is ghetto/unprofessional ... now my mom has a cold crown in the back of her mouth, but that is really different then popping a gold cap over your tooth. In that case let's talk about all this ear/body PIERCING ... I see the males and females come to work with tongue rings and eye brow rings ...is that for the work place - I SAY NO TO ALL.

All this is very unprofessional. It may be chic, and hip but it is for the streets, or those creative positions some hold. If my lawyer was in the court with any of the above (NOT TALKING ABOUT BRAIDS) then I would think s/he was crazy. And that is simply because I hired him and he represents me ...I would not do/ bring those things to work.

ADDED-> I am not trying to OFFEND any in how you wear your braids, your ear rings or anything, or in where you work ... I am stating my personal opinion.

[This message has been edited by LadyAKA (edited May 08, 2001).]

[AKAtude]

Soror AKA2D has a point. I don't want to get off the subject of this topic, but what about people who get tattoes? For example, I know of a soror who got an ivy leaf tattoed around her wrist.

[AKA2D '91]

Gold teeth maybe for the "screets", but there are many members of OUR BGLOs who are.. "slugged" at the top and "slugged" at the bottom (Exquizit, I know you know where that came from, you too Soror Wonderful )

I have SKEEN it with my own eyes and it ain't cute!

[LadyAKA]

Originally posted by AKAtude:
Soror AKA2D has a point. I don't want to get off the subject of this topic, but what about people who get tattoes? For example, I know of a soror who got an ivy leaf tattoed around her wrist.

I have a tattoo but in the clothes I wear to work, you would be NONE the wiser ...so again it may be an issue, but in answering the question I say NO it is not for the workplace. I think in terms of myself or my job and then I think about people I may hire to represent me. My lawyer, my doctor NO I DON'T want to see it, the man that cuts my grass, paints my house, maybe even the guy that comes in to redecorate my house fine do as you please, but not in the corporate light.

[Poplife]

Originally posted by LadyAKA:

I wear cornrows sometimes, it pulls your hair less then flowing braids. I hope mines are not dated ;-)[/B]

Girl, I bet you are stylin'! I'm sure you are quite in with the times.


Besides, cornrows are really good for giving hair a rest. The also can ne used to create some nice styles. I don't wear them too often, but I really like when women get thin cornrows that all run into the crown and then twist them all up in a fancy up-do. Ethnic and classy!

[LadyAKA]

Originally posted by Poplife:

Girl, I bet you are stylin'! I'm sure you are quite in with the times.


Besides, cornrows are really good for giving hair a rest. The also can ne used to create some nice styles. I don't wear them too often, but I really like when women get thin cornrows that all run into the crown and then twist them all up in a fancy up-do. Ethnic and classy!

Thanks Poplife, I am about to get my braid on for Puerto Rico .... I can't wait!!!

[Poplife]

Originally posted by DoggyStyle82:
Maybe you can tell me which African tribes that we descend from wore them. I know that the Masai people of East Africa wear them, but I am unaware of any males of West or West-Central Africa that wear braids and/or locks/dreads

Actually yes. I read about them during my transtion from perm to nappy. I will give you exact refrences if I can find them but honestly I read so much during that time it might be impossible. I remember them saying there was a tribe in West Africa where the head priest wore his hair in locs. If a baby's hair 'locs naturally' then the parents were instructed to leave it alone because it had great spiritaul meaning.

[Discogoddess]

Doggystyle82: I'm unaware of any particular West African cultures in which men wore braids, but I wouldn't rule it out, simply because I don't know about it. As evidenced by our people's use of chemical/heat means to straighten our hair, we don't HAVE to have a historic or cultural tie to a hairstyle, but since it is well documented that women in cultures all over Africa wore braids, I would hazard to guess that perhaps men may have worn them in some form or fashion as well, outside of the Masai culture you mentioned (thanks for that info, btw).

If I recall correctly, the prominent men in academia, politics, music and such who wore afros in the early 60s were considered radical. You didn't see MLK and company rockin' the 'fro. But by the 70s, the hairstyle gained more mainstream acceptance and was considered a fashion statement. Even whites were using blowout kits and low- to mid-size 'fros were not uncommon for brothers in corporate America (such as there were brothers in Corp. Am.). There was a gradual cultural shift from what was once considered radical to its acceptance as "normal."

I say that to say that if it was considered radical to simply wear your hair in its natural state and allow it to grow in the 60s, I'm thinking that braids or locks wouldn't have even been on the radar screen of most brothers, radical or not. Now, these styles are almost mainstream and may wind up being as common in corporate life as the low 'fro was. Just because we didn't do it before doesn't mean it can't or won't be done.

After all that, I will say that my personal opinion is that we all have to decide how much we're willing to conform and judge that against how much we think we're being asked/forced to conform in order to be in certain fields. If we want to be investment bankers and wear our hair in locks, then we're going to either have to conform until we get in a powerful enough position to do so or find an investment bank/firm that's edgy enough to be okay with that. On the flip, like Doggystyle82 stated, the more creative/individual the field, the more creative the dress, hair and other grooming.

[VctoriasSecrt3]

if the look is well kept...then i see no problem with it...now of course in certain levels of corporate america, there is the expectation that you conform to a certain protocol set forth by the respective company...if you are aware of that and choose to work for that particuar company...then you should conform to that protocol within certain limits...for example, in the military women used to not be able to wear braids...now they can...but the braids have to conform to regular standards everyone else has to meet (i.e., be lifted above the collar in uniform, have a "natural" appearance, and fit neatly under the uniform hat without interfering with properly wearing it...) certain industries of course are more lenient when it comes to a set protocol...entertainment for instance versus walstreet...so if a man chooses to wear his hair in braids, twists, or the like he should keep that in mind...not change his look to fit protocol...but just keep that in mind when seeking employment in certain industries...


[This message has been edited by VctoriasSecrt3 (edited May 09, 2001).]

[LadyAKA]

Originally posted by Poplife:
Actually yes. I read about them during my transtion from perm to nappy. I will give you exact refrences if I can find them but honestly I read so much during that time it might be impossible.

I don't want to jump around the fence, BUT I spoke to a friend at work whom is from Nigeria and he stated that braids were not worn by men in Nigeria/Africa ... as far as he is concerned - He is 30. He said something interesting, his mom used to braid his hair on the weekends because she was bored but on Monday his head was neatly fro'ed out or combed back (it wasn't long, just braidable). Now this is just from one guy. He said when he came here he thought it was weird to see people going to school and work with braids.

Like I said I love braids and think both men and women can wear them professionally to work!

[tickledpink]

Originally posted by Discogoddess:
Has anyone seen a corporate brother or sister rockin' the gold/platinum mouth? If so, do tell!

I have only seen one and it still looks ghettofabulous!



[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited May 09, 2001).]