I think buns look nice and elegant but hair donuts look preposterous.

OP here. Thanks all for your advice. Sounds like most are like me & have mixed feelings on whether shorter hair is necessary to "look the part".

I decided not to take the plunge & go for the shorter bob.....yet. My hair is two inches above my bra strap, so pretty long still. I think it looks good though, and I got a long side bang and some additional layers cut into it last night, which will assist in styling when I wear it down (or up). I do appreciate all of the comments & suggestions for how to wear it up. Right now I typically just do a ponytail, which I think looks pretty crappy for work (I'm sure there's a sleeker, more professional ponytail look out there, I just don't know how to do it).

But now I have some additional "hair up" options to try and even found some online tutorials for help! I think I'm still going to eventually go towards the long bob for a more professional look, maybe within the year. I actually really love the bob - I used to have it & it's probably my favorite haircut on other people, but for some reason I'm having a lot of trouble going back to it. I guess I'll enjoy this long hair for awhile longer!

Anonymous wrote:It's ridiculous that long hair on a woman should be associated with unprofessional.

+1

I have long hair and wear it up 90% at work. Usually a ballerina style bun. Mid 30's professional in a very male dominated industry. I don't want to cut it as short hair for me takes way more time in the morning (its wavy and frizzy).

OP, how long are we talking? For me (and as other PPs have mentioned) it is much more time-consuming to have a bob because it has to be styled properly or it will look unkempt. I loved it when I had it and got tons of compliments, but I am not one to spend time styling when I could be sleeping!

My long hair is wash and go. I wear it up in a high bun/"topknot" a lot of days and I think that looks pretty professional and chic. It takes maybe 5 minutes in the morning - just flip your head over, gather into high pony, twist, and bobby pin in place. I've tried the hair donuts but they look too big and fussy to me.

Can you do the hair donut as a bun at the nape of your neck? Could that be what PP meant?

I have long hair which I wear neat but down. I have a very high position in a Fortune 200 company. I would never think of cutting it. Screw the people who think you're better at what you do if you have short hair. Uggh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's easy enough to fake shorter hair that a drastic trim is unwarranted unless you really want to lose the length. Get yourself a couple of hair donuts (use a matching thread to shape one into a more cylindrical form), lots of hair pins (spin pins rock!) and then find yourself some tutorials on Sock buns, Gibson tucks, Gibson rolls and fake bobs.

http://www.amazon.com/Chignon-Brown-Medium-Hair-Donut/dp/B003TRVTBA

http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Goody-Simple-Styles-Blonde/dp/B004IDJ5E2

http://www.amazon.com/Diane-Bobby-Pins-Bronze-300-pack/dp/B001A38Q52

Wow, this would be really fun to do every single morning while getting ready work. I'm looking for ways to add time to my morning routine, so I can get even less sleep. You delivered!

Just for you, I took my hair down from a french twist, gave it a quick brush and threw it back up in a Gibson roll. It took me less than two minutes, much of which was spent rooting in my purse for my spare rat (see hair donut above), and a couple extra bobby pins. Brush hair until it's sleek, secure just under earlobe with a bobby pin on each side, place rat at bottom of hair length and roll up to nape of neck, securing with more bobby pins through the mesh.

I used to spend ten times that on styling when I had chin length hair.

I'm not sure what a rat is and a donut that seems to have fake hair on it? I am mystified that putting up long hair requires more... hair?

Anonymous wrote:Well, as someone who has had long hair (bra strap length+) almost her entire professional life (I'm 38), I chopped it six months ago to above chin-length and have never gotten so many compliments in my life (particularly in the professional setting). In part, this might be because I have to do a fair amount of public speaking/events, so it might be more important to "look the part" than in other lines of work. So reluctantly I've concluded that short(er) hair is probably the better look - though I'm still planning to grow mine out to about 2" past shoulders as a compromise.

Does it take you longer to do now? I think chin length would be high maintenance on me since my hair is so straight. I imagine it needs to be blow dried and really blown out.

Well, as someone who has had long hair (bra strap length+) almost her entire professional life (I'm 38), I chopped it six months ago to above chin-length and have never gotten so many compliments in my life (particularly in the professional setting). In part, this might be because I have to do a fair amount of public speaking/events, so it might be more important to "look the part" than in other lines of work. So reluctantly I've concluded that short(er) hair is probably the better look - though I'm still planning to grow mine out to about 2" past shoulders as a compromise.

I agree that a stylish bob would look more professional, but I have a suggestion for you OP.

If you really want to keep your long locks, then why not opt to wear your hair up while at work, then you can wear it down during your days off?

No, not at all. You have every right to wear your hair long. You should be judged on your performance and not on the length of your hair. BTW, I was wondering if you have nice legs?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's easy enough to fake shorter hair that a drastic trim is unwarranted unless you really want to lose the length. Get yourself a couple of hair donuts (use a matching thread to shape one into a more cylindrical form), lots of hair pins (spin pins rock!) and then find yourself some tutorials on Sock buns, Gibson tucks, Gibson rolls and fake bobs.

http://www.amazon.com/Chignon-Brown-Medium-Hair-Donut/dp/B003TRVTBA

http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Goody-Simple-Styles-Blonde/dp/B004IDJ5E2

http://www.amazon.com/Diane-Bobby-Pins-Bronze-300-pack/dp/B001A38Q52

Wow, this would be really fun to do every single morning while getting ready work. I'm looking for ways to add time to my morning routine, so I can get even less sleep. You delivered!

Just for you, I took my hair down from a french twist, gave it a quick brush and threw it back up in a Gibson roll. It took me less than two minutes, much of which was spent rooting in my purse for my spare rat (see hair donut above), and a couple extra bobby pins. Brush hair until it's sleek, secure just under earlobe with a bobby pin on each side, place rat at bottom of hair length and roll up to nape of neck, securing with more bobby pins through the mesh.

I used to spend ten times that on styling when I had chin length hair.

It's easy enough to fake shorter hair that a drastic trim is unwarranted unless you really want to lose the length. Get yourself a couple of hair donuts (use a matching thread to shape one into a more cylindrical form), lots of hair pins (spin pins rock!) and then find yourself some tutorials on Sock buns, Gibson tucks, Gibson rolls and fake bobs.

Ohhh, i get it now. THis is a way to emulate the 21 and 24 year old females on HBO's 'Girls', none of whom has a job. In fact the 21 yr old with the hair donut is a college student.

This is a great plan for the 37 yr old OP with a professional/managerial job.