THE PROFESSIONAL AFRO

Wearing your hair in an afro is not only a beautiful statement of pride but it is also a look that is professional and elegant. Sadly, the discrimination, judgement and ignorance often faced by black women in the workplace might have you believe otherwise. But the afro is just as elegant as any straight hair or updo that you’ll see on google when searching ‘professional hairstyles’. Accessories can certainly make or break an outfit and your hair is truly your biggest accessory. If you disagree, try dressing your best while having a ‘bad hair day’.

HAIR TODAY, NOT GOING TOMORROW

Despite the growth in society, we’re still sadly in a time when it just isn’t always acceptable to sport an afro as an everyday work look. Just ask the women who have been asked at work or at job interviews, with blatant discrimination, to change their natural afro hair, due to it being viewed as unkempt. If you’ve ever been made to feel that your afro is unprofessional, understand that people often fear what they do not understand.

Honestly, associating the word ‘unkempt’ with hair that often times takes hours to style and treat is ludicrous. It is also obviously an identifier of the very people who know absolutely nothing about afro hair types and textures. We’ve even heard as recently as last year, workplace uniform codes that ban the look as a “professional hairstyle”. The afro is a beautiful hairstyle like any other. It is to be worn with pride, irrespective of your environment, albeit weather permitting of course.

CHALLENGING BEAUTY

Whether you’ve always worn your afro out, are only just embracing your natural hair or are enjoying a huge hair change after a big chop, you’ll understanding the beauty of the look. So, to have the beauty challenged by a society with a warped beauty ideal is not only demoralising but exhausting. Something being different isn’t wrong, but many people sadly need centuries to fully grasped such an ideology.

Regardless, it’s important for black women wishing to embrace natural hair to know that afro’s can also be professional hairstyles. Having ultimate confidence in yourself, is knowing that it doesn’t matter what’s happening outside, if this is what you like. This featured look styles an afro with a statement side parting, a formal black shift dress layered with a grey vest and complete with elegant sling back heels. The complete look is unapologetically fit for any boardroom or simply just any room.