How to Make Long Hair Look Professional, Chic, and Office-Worthy
Written by Charlene Latreuille
Updated on
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Long hair gives you more freedom to experiment with daring hairstyles.
However, with all the creative options available, most of us struggle with that elusive office-approved trés chic style that never seems to stay in place throughout the day!
So how can you make your long hair look professional, sophisticated, totally appropriate, and last all day long at the office?
Look:
I can understand why people think long hair down to your butt is unprofessional. That’s because, in general, you don’t see older people with hair that long. Most people tend to keep their hair short because it looks neat and is far easier to manage.
But the problem is not to do with how long your hair is. The real problem is that long hair tends to look more scraggly and messy.
So remember this:
Long hair is not unprofessional. Unkept hair is unprofessional.
So if you want to keep your hair casual yet cute in the workplace, you’ve got to give it some TLC.
Keep it neat, well-moisturized, frizz-free, and you’ll be a rocking long-haired fashionista at the office.
To keep your long hair looking fresh and healthy, you have to take good care of it and always make sure it’s getting enough nutrition and pampering.
Without further ado, let me show you how to look like a polished, poised, and fashionable Rapunzel no matter where you work.
1. Try a Keratin Treatment
One of the most effective methods to take care of long hair is to do a keratin smoothing treatment. This helps fill up any thin or broken areas, giving your hair a shiny and lustrous look.
I highly recommend the GK Hair treatment because it does not contain any toxic chemicals.
Infused with collagen and caviar, it gives you fuller hair for a more accomplished professional look. It also repairs and strengthens the hair fibers, besides eliminating frizz.
And the best part about it is that it doesn’t leave you with itchy eyes. It produces no fumes or bad smell. It also suits damaged or dry hair, curly hair, thick or coarse hair, chemically-treated hair, and colored hair.
Nutree Amazonliss Keratin Smoothing Treatment
2. Use the Rigth Hairbrush
If you have long hair, you must own a wet brush or a bristle one.
This also applies if you have medium-length hair or short hair, as these brushes maintain the smoothness of your hair to the shaft and leave no room for breakage.
The natural fibers on these brushes reduce friction during brushing; consequently, minimizing the chance of hair getting caught on any knots.
Denman Boar Bristle Brush
3. Use a Hydrating Treatment for Hair
No matter what hair length you have, if you style it with heat, you’ll definitely need to hydrate it to compensate for the loss of moisture.
That’s especially true for long hair as it takes longer to straighten or style, so it suffers more damage.
Of course, to style your hair professionally, you can’t forswear heat.
The best hydrating treatment is an avocado hair mask that you can apply twice per week for optimum results.
Alternatively, you can use a deep conditioning ready-made avocado hair mask like this:
MAJESTIC PURE Avocado and Coconut Hair Mask
4. Use a Microfiber Towel
This is a simple yet super effective trick to reduce frizz and keep your long hair looking healthy and professional.
Instead of using a waffle-brushed cotton towel, use one that’s made from a smooth fabric like linen to dry your hair before you style it. This helps in preventing your hair from fraying and gives you sleeker strands.
Aquis Microfiber Towel
How to Style Long Hair With Professional Hairstyles
As I’ve mentioned, there aren’t any rules or standards regarding what professional hairstyles are.
Still, there are a couple of unspoken rules and specific ways to style your hair to look more professional and be prepared for a job interview or an important meeting.
Medium-length hair and short hair are considered professional by nature, but it’s a totally different story for women with long hair.
So, let’s check out some of the best long-length professional hairstyles.
1. Straight With a Middle Part or Side Part
One of the most simple and effective ways to look professional with long hair is to straighten it, apply a tiny amount of hair gel to keep it in place, and part it from the middle or use a side part.
2. Updo With Bangs
If you’re preparing for a job interview and don’t have all the time in the world to straighten your long hair or style it, you could opt for an updo with your bangs flowing down.
3. Marley Braids
Blessed with afro hair? You should definitely opt for Marley braids. When you mix those with accessory hair bands, you get a beautiful and professional look that allows you to enjoy your long hair in a professional environment.
4. Half Updo or Mini Top Knot Nun
Both of these styles involve tying up some part of your hair and leaving the rest to flow freely. The half updo gives your hair more volume and style, while the mini top knot bun gives you a cuter look. The latter would be great for a meeting, while the former would be excellent for a job interview.
Caring for Long Hair: Useful Tips
1. Never Leave Your Hair Wet
If you’re used to taking showers in the morning before you leave your house, take the time to blow dry it after, brush it, and apply your product of preference.
This is especially true if you’re going for a job interview as wet hair is definitely not one of the professional hairstyles you can opt for.
2. Keep Your Hair Moisturized
It’s always best to use a product that nourishes your hair and keeps it sitting in place.
Avoid products that make hair greasy as they don’t make long hair look professional.
3. Tie Your Hair Back and Away from Your Face
While leaving some locks from your bang hanging around your face certainly looks attractive, it’s not a professional hairstyle.
Style your hair loose and low, and use a hairband that’s close to your natural hair color.
4. Trim Your Hair Regularly
Always go for a trim every four to six weeks; growing your hair out doesn’t mean not getting it cut or maintained.
You can ask your hairstylist for a reshape or trim instead of a cut. This helps maintain clean ends and flatter the shape of your hair, making it look more professional.
A frequent trim also gets rid of scraggly ends that make your hair look untidy.
Is It Unprofessional to Keep Your Hair Long?
It’s a bit of an unspoken rule that long locks aren’t as professional as short hair.
The reason is that most people are aware of the time and effort you have to spend on long hair to keep it looking tamed and healthy.
So, you’re left with having to spend a lot of time taking care of it or having it look unkempt.
On the other hand, short hair is pretty low-maintenance, so it won’t occupy your time or stop you from concentrating on other business affairs, especially if you’re a supervisor or senior.
Naturally, the higher your position is, the more it’s expected of you to prioritize work over other things, and that’s why it gets harder and harder to keep up with the maintenance of long hair.
Long story short, short hair gives you more space to be practical and pragmatic and perform better on a professional level.
If you’re on a quest to grow long hair instead of keeping short hair or medium-length hair, then you’ll have to make sure you’re putting enough effort to keep it looking sleek and professional.
It’s definitely not an impossible mission.
All you have to do is stick to a routine and take good care of your hair to ace those professional hairstyles.
About the Author
Charlene LatreuilleCharlene Latreuille has been blogging for over 10 years and has a background in digital marketing.
Specializing in women's hair health, she blends scientific insight with practical advice, crafting easy-to-follow guides.