Surrounding culture aka peer influence
I went out to lunch last week with 4 other women colleagues - two Americans, one from Lebanon and one from Bosnia with a German heart. All are accomplished, competent, capable & hard working professionals. On the walk back, one commented on the warm weather and another said that the reason she did not wear open toed sandals was because she hadn't had her nails done for a while.
The conversation spun into a discussion of their schedules for manicures, pedicures and hair. I listened quietly because I don't "do" my hair or nails. I do indulge in the luxury of a pedicure once or twice a year, as a grooming exercise, but I certainly don't see it as a monthly necessity. My husband cuts my hair and I am perfectly content to maintain a hair"do" that is capable of self / home maintenance like this.
I wonder if my obvious difference in this regard is noticed in the workplace. I wonder if I am oblivious about "looking unkempt" or by comparison "ungroomed". And if so, does that hurt my career path in some manner that I am not even aware of.
Not just in the work place, but in other settings as well. The women on my street, for example, all have coiffed nails and hair. Indeed, because it is not within my sphere of interest, it is possible that the whole world of women always has their nails done, and I've never noticed it. If I don't notice other people's nails because it doesn't interest me, is it safe to assume that the men who control the work-world I am in ALSO don't notice my "under"kempt nails and hair ?
The even harder questions is one of values. I don't know whether I have come to view nail care as a luxury as a result of my upbringing, cultural context, tomboyish youth, laziness, or parsimony (It seems that these activities consume, on average, $80 to $100 monthly). But on the list of my regular activities and priorities, it certainly does NOT rank high enough to occur more than once or twice a year. I wonder if I spent more time in the company of women like these (either while I grew up or now), would I automatically have these on my radar ?
Should I be pushing these things up the priority ladder for any reason ? If not for myself, I should at least have a good grasp of the relative importance my world places on such coiffing, so that I can pass on the perspective correctly to my daughter.
Help. Tell me your thoughts about manicures, pedicures and hair maintenance.
The conversation spun into a discussion of their schedules for manicures, pedicures and hair. I listened quietly because I don't "do" my hair or nails. I do indulge in the luxury of a pedicure once or twice a year, as a grooming exercise, but I certainly don't see it as a monthly necessity. My husband cuts my hair and I am perfectly content to maintain a hair"do" that is capable of self / home maintenance like this.
I wonder if my obvious difference in this regard is noticed in the workplace. I wonder if I am oblivious about "looking unkempt" or by comparison "ungroomed". And if so, does that hurt my career path in some manner that I am not even aware of.
Not just in the work place, but in other settings as well. The women on my street, for example, all have coiffed nails and hair. Indeed, because it is not within my sphere of interest, it is possible that the whole world of women always has their nails done, and I've never noticed it. If I don't notice other people's nails because it doesn't interest me, is it safe to assume that the men who control the work-world I am in ALSO don't notice my "under"kempt nails and hair ?
The even harder questions is one of values. I don't know whether I have come to view nail care as a luxury as a result of my upbringing, cultural context, tomboyish youth, laziness, or parsimony (It seems that these activities consume, on average, $80 to $100 monthly). But on the list of my regular activities and priorities, it certainly does NOT rank high enough to occur more than once or twice a year. I wonder if I spent more time in the company of women like these (either while I grew up or now), would I automatically have these on my radar ?
Should I be pushing these things up the priority ladder for any reason ? If not for myself, I should at least have a good grasp of the relative importance my world places on such coiffing, so that I can pass on the perspective correctly to my daughter.
Help. Tell me your thoughts about manicures, pedicures and hair maintenance.