How short is too short in a conservative office?

Many men contemplating an extremely short new buzzcut worry that it will not be acceptable in their conservative office. So how can you decide if the radical buzz that you've always wanted will work in your office.

This isn't a problem in all offices. Most businesses and most jobs don't have written or unwritten hair standards. But in some very conservative offices (such as some legal practices and accounting firms) there are limits.

Is this office too conservative to be cool?

Just because nobody in your office has ever had a horseshoe flattop before, doesn't necessarily mean that you can't. In many cases, the restrictions that you perceive may be entirely self-imposed. You may be worrying about a problem that isn't there. Your concern may just be the natural worrying that most people go through before making a big change to their image. But there are some very conservative offices out there. Some even have rules regarding men's facial hair and hairstyles. If you are considering a radical new do, consider the following factors:

• How conservative is your office and how conservative are your employer's customers? If your employer is a stuffy old firm of chartered accountants with conservative clients, then proceed cautiously. If your employer is a progressive organization, pushing a cutting edge image, the buzzcut is less likely to be a problem.
• How much customer contact does your job involve? If you are dealing directly with very conservative customers and clients, your employer may be more likely to have a problem with a radically short cut.
• How good is your standing in the office? If you are attending an interview for a new job with a conservative organization, you will probably want to have a more conservative cut. If you are a well-liked and indispensable employee in your office, you should have more flexibility.
• Does anyone else in your office have a radical haircut? How does the office culture regard that radical cut? If someone has just been reprimanded for having a buzzcut that would be a good sign to beware. Comments made by the boss without humor like "have you just joined the Marines" or "are you having chemotherapy" are always good tell-tale signs.

Proceeding with caution

If you decide to try to the radical new cut of a lifetime despite your super-conservative office, it is probably a good idea to proceed with caution. Move to your very short cut over a series of haircuts. If you have the cuts two to three weeks apart, it won't take too long to get to the style you want, and you will give others a chance to get used to your new image.

You may also offset the radical new cut by being conservative in other ways. Wear your more conservative clothes. If you wear an earring, maybe you could take it out when you are at work. Certainly avoid less traditional body piercing (noses, eyelids, tongues, etc.), leather and chains.

Throwing caution to the clippers

You may have read this and decided that your office does qualify as a very conservative, stuff office, but that you are still going to proceed with that radical cut. It's your hair and you have a right to wear the way you like it. Well that's true. But before you make the cut, at least consider the consequences. Is this something you really want to take a stand on?

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