A few years back I shaved my head for giggles. It was something I’d always wanted to try, so I said what the hell. Some folks liked it, and my mom said I looked like an escaped convict. It was a rainy and cold season, so it wasn’t a whole lot of fun, and I gradually let it grow back in, but it felt normal and right shaved for some reason. These days I’m sadly unemployed, but I’m still tempted to cut it all off again, but I don’t want interviewers to think I’m a neo-nazi (and yes, I know not everyone who is hairless is a racist skinhead). So what do you think? Is the “risk” too great, or would most people not bat an eye? Is a shaved head “extreme” if you’re clearly not already balding?
Not any more. In the 90s I used to think such people looked like neo-nazi skinheads, but it has become so common I don’t even notice anymore.
Tattoos, now those I notice, and judge you on.
Up until very recently I kept my head, not shaved, but very very short. I would get the ‘escaped convict’ comment from time to time, but I don’t think I was ever called a skin head or a neo-nazi. I will agree with you, that’s it’s very cold in winter. I don’t think people understand how warm their hair keeps them. I always wanted to totally shave it, but never quite had the nerve to do that. Someday, maybe. There seemed to be a mental hurdle between having some hair and having no hair.
Nope. I see one in the mirror every day and I think he is just swell.
This will vary between individuals. Ask your friends what your best look is.
A shaved head per se is no problem, I think. The details could matter, though.
I always shave my head (although, since I’m balding, I don’t have a real choice these days anyway, if I want to look half-decent). However, in my case, it turns out that what takes me from cancer patient to badass is having one or two days’ worth of growth for the hair I have left, and some stubble on my face. Immediately after I shave my head, I look like a plucked chicken, but after two days, I’m an action hero.
(That’s what people tell me, anyway, and I’m pretty sure that they’re right. Of course, most of the time I don’t give a rat’s ass what people think, but since we’re talking about looking your best…)
YMMV. In your case, maybe, say, a polished bowling ball style is the way to go. With/without facial hair could make a difference.
The shaved head = Neo Nazi Skinhead association no longer holds true - it has long since simply become another fashion. Assuming of course you don’t have swastikas tattooed on your pate.
The real issue is whether your particular head looks good shaved. Mine is oddly lumpy looking, so I don’t shave it.
i’d think that you’re a clean person.
Hmm. I’m a big plump pale guy, so that might make a difference. Used to have a goatee with it. One thing I learned about a shaved head was the rain feels really weird. I generally kept it shaved down while I had it because I have tough stubble I’ve found, and also it was pretty easy-it’s not like you were gonna mess anything up. I don’t remember if my head is lumpy or not. Of course, now that Daredevil is out, people might think I’m trying to cosplay.
My SO clippers his head without a guard. Up until recently, I’ve liked it.
Now, I kind of hate it. Why? Because as my bald spot has gotten bigger and bigger, my hair overall has gotten shorter and shorter. Now, I am using a clippers with a 1 guard on it.
Just this past Friday night we went out for Greek food and the hostess and waitress came over after we’d been served and wanted to settle a bet that we were both brothers. This stuff didn’t happen back when I had hair and now the “brothers” thing is not an isolated comment.
Hey, me too. It was an interesting experience. I got very cold inside air conditioned buildings. People thought it was interesting and that I looked decent with a clippered head. However, once I shaved it fully with a razor, I ended up getting a lot of irritation that didn’t look so good. I’d have put in more effort in making that work if I’d intended it to be a permanent thing.
I think as with any hair style, my reaction was largely predicated on how well they wear it. I don’t have a knee-jerk bad reaction to white guys with shaved heads, but if they have a ton of shaving irritation (like I did), then it might not look great. Facial hair and general build probably also play into it.
I surely don’t look at someone with a shaved head and assume they’re a neo-Nazi or something.
I think a shaved head on a white guy with no patterns of baldness could have a negative impression on a job interview, but I recently binged watched Banshee.
It’s very normal now.
I don’t personally like the look, but a shaved head wouldn’t influence my decision to hire or not hire someone.
One benefit to doing it now is that it’ll have some time to develop a tan in the more gently light of Spring rather than immediately subjecting it to the harsh burn of Summer.
Nope, I look at one every morning in the mirror.
Maybe it depends on where you are, but in my world it is so common as to go unnoticed.
Now I will say, as an opinion, I am rather more eye-rolly about seeing sooooooo many beefy white guys with a shaved head and goatee - it’s just such a cookie cutter look. (But I suppose, so is every other look, when you get right down to it.)
I’m in the USA. And I got rid of the goatee-just got too itchy and hot.
I often get asked if I “used to be in the military”.
Another vote for “common, innocuous look”.
I go back and forth: sometimes I shave; sometimes I have it clipped to a #1. My wife prefers the #1, but I kind of like it shaved.
I know that some day, when I’m sporting a little stubble like this, my wife will tell me how much I look like Jason Statham. Hasn’t happened yet. Someday I’m sure it will, though.
I don’t care for the totally shaved look. It ranks just above cornrows for the worst look on a white man (or woman).
Nah, not unless it’s accompanied by several other hints that you might be a Neo-Nazi. Until then, I’d assume you don’t like hair, or are more advanced on the bald route than I am.
And there’s really no sure fire way to make a good first impression. I was once asked if I was a skinhead, when my hair was grown way past my shoulder blades (seriously, no exaggeration).