Corporate America Found Me Attractive. Just Not Too Attractive.

I recently wrote about my nightly victory V for "alive" as a caretaker for my mother — we had kept expectations manageable.

Apparently I have always believed in this approach, because when I launched my legal career, I had exactly one aesthetic objective:

I will not cut my hair.

I am pleased to report that I achieved that goal.

Which may not sound like much, until you ask yourself a question: How many female corporate executives have you seen with long hair?

Not because there is a rule against it. There isn't. But women in corporations often navigate a high wire act when deciding what to wear each day. And I will digress here for a moment to note that women are generally engaged in a bit more multitasking than their male counterparts at the time.

The Unwritten Rules

Polished, but not fashionable. Certainly not glamorous.

Feminine — but not the sort of feminine that includes pink or lace cuffs.

Authoritative, but not intimidating (particularly to men — maybe only to men).

As I was writing this, I realized I could summarize the entire requirement in a single sentence:

Be attractive. Just not too attractive or attractive in the wrong way.

Given all that, perhaps keeping my long hair all the way to SVP was more of an accomplishment than I realized.

I can't claim that I was making an ideological point or fighting the system. I simply look terrible in short hair.

Still, I kept it.

And now that I no longer work in corporate America, I have to admit:

I am enjoying my long hair immensely.

pursueyourpink · By Paula