Appearance???

[Clay]

One thing I think about now that I am bald, is the perception others have of me.  Not that I am overly concerned about opinions but I feel a shaved head gives off a 'hard' appearance.   I don't know if it's just a stereotype I am thinking about, but I would  like to look like the approachable and nice guy that I am.  )     

Also in the work world.  Are you perceived differently?  Or treated differently?

What are your experiences and thoughts?


Thanks,

Clay   

[Tyler]

My friends tell me I look mean now that I shave my head, so I make a point to give people a smile if they make eye contact with me.

In regards to the work world, I get much more respect now than I did when I had hair.  Except for one instance in Texas I've had really positive reactions in the workforce.

What about you other guys?

[David]

My friends tell me I look mean now that I shave my head, so I make a point to give people a smile if they make eye contact with me.

In regards to the work world, I get much more respect now than I did when I had hair.  Except for one instance in Texas I've had really positive reactions in the workforce.

What about you other guys?

I think the stern look with a shaved head definitely gives off the vibe you mean business, but in the work world that is a good thing.   

However, if you smile and let your eyes shine through, your natural kindness will shine through.   Furthermore, it is so much easier to smile/take pictures with a shaved head.   I have never smiled as good as that picture in my avatar in my life.      Part of that is confidence but the other is it just looks good.    I swear I have never been good at smiling or taking pictures in my life.   But in my avatar pic(taken last week at a place in a local mall) I look young but mature and the smile is the best it's ever been in my opinion.   

At first when I saw the pic in the avatar I thought my face was a bit wider than it usually looked at home, but by the next day when I went back to get my pics, I realized how good it looked, and that I looked young, hip and mature at the same time.  And the whole reason my face looked "wider" was because of how big a smile I had.   Which opens up my cheeks, which widens my face, and is a great thing.

Here's the ultimate beauty of being bald.   You transcend age gaps.    When I smile I still look like my young 23 year old self in a mature way.   But I when have the stern look going, I look like i'm older than my age, and someone who commands respect, imho.

[happyharry]

That is a nice smile, David.

Anyway, regarding your question, Clay:

yes, reactions change when you go bald. People usually are a tiny bit intimidated.
But as David noted, you should just smile and let the fact that you're a nice guy shine through.

The contrast between a bald man looking intimidating, and that same bald man then smiling - that's
what makes an impression. At first, they (the others) are intimidated, then you smile, and they go like "phew, I'm so glad he's a nice guy. Yeah...he's nice! I like him". And people are usually grateful to get that comfort, that you're not a bad guy, after all. And the affinity they have for you then, that couldn't be achieved if you had hair - not through such a simple gesture such as smiling, anyway. A bald man can win a lot of points when he smiles - an advantage over people with hair...

Use it well, and use it only to aid the forces of good....

[ar3inc]

I always had people say I look mean or anger with or without hair.  I like Tyler, force myself (when I want to be inviting) to smile when I catch people looking at me, or just approach others and hoefully show that I'm not as mean as  they thought I would be.

[Robmeister]

I had the exact same concerns when I first joined this forum.  Luckily, with these fine dudes on here you don't have to wallow in your own uncertainty.  My picture here ain't "me" at all.  I'm not the bouncer, wrestler, Hell's Angel type at all.  I had to borrow these shades from my wife.  I have prescription glasses and have these big ol' unstylish shades I wear over them.

I'm more like the attached pic (see the big ol' shades)

Here are the highpoints of my bald bruddas that are key.

if you smile and let your eyes shine through, your natural kindness will shine through.....Here's the ultimate beauty of being bald.   You transcend age gaps.

you smile, and they go like "phew, I'm so glad he's a nice guy. Yeah...he's nice! I like him"....the affinity they have for you...that couldn't be achieved if you had hair...A bald man can win a lot of points when he smiles - an advantage over people with hair...

[happyharry]

Amen to that, brother.

[BaldRob]

I don't know if people put me in the "bald stereotype"...  because I'm always smiling!   

[Professor Melon]

  Welcome, Clay. Harry's insight, as usual, is right on the mark. My own six-week experience of being bald is overwhelmingly positive. Among academics, especially women academics, there is a generally admiring perception because I had the gumption to do such a decisive and unconventional thing. Smiling is vital if you're in a profession/position that depends on interaction with others, as teaching certainly does. But I would not put down the rhetorical usefulness of a scowl coming from an intimidating bald guy, when it's needed. Since Christmas is fast upon us, I have been doing more shopping than usual: I've noticed better service and more respect as a bald customer than I had with hair. Even snotty, bored teenage clerks  address me as "sir" more often than before. Being hairless, forces others to look into your face; if that face is smiling and animated, it will inspire a positive, accepting response. Welcome aboard. Professor Melon

[Noner]

I do the smile thing as well.

When I'm pissed off at work in my suit, I look like lex luthor about to launch a missle against superman. People that see me avoid eye contact when I am "in a hurry" so I make it a point to smile to let them know that no missles will be launced today.

[Noner]

I know not everyone here wears a suit to work, but I always get a different reaction when I wear one. With my shaved head they look at me like I'm in secret service. Happen when anyone else wears suits?

[Tyler]

I know not everyone here wears a suit to work, but I always get a different reaction when I wear one. With my shaved head they look at me like I'm in secret service. Happen when anyone else wears suits?

Yeah, especially if I wear my black suit.  The first Christmas party I went to bald I was wearing a black suit, white collard shirt, no tie.  A couple people accused me of dressing like the guy on Transporter.  Luckily I don't have to wear a suit very often, but I will be wearing one tonight.

An interesting story along the lines of your comment.  I was in NYC during UN week and was staying at the Roosevelt along with a couple of foreign dignitaries.  The place was crawling with secret service and other security folk.  They would stop everyone comiing in the door to search them and their bags to make sure there weren't any weapons on them.  Though, I would never get stopped; they'd just wave me through.  I was talking to one of the main secret service guys a couple days later and it turns out they thought I was one of the undercover guys  .  I guess they thought this because I was always talking to hotel security, but I was just friends with the guys after practically living in the hotel for 4 months.  This happens to be the same week I had my head shaved at the Art of Shaving barbershop.

[chadoweasel]

I think it actually gives people one LESS thing to make assumptions on, and that is the thing that bothers some people. They find it harder to put you in a stereotype. I mean...all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors of people can can go with the bald head. Think of all the hair looks that actually DO get you stereotyped: Mullets, comb-overs, mohawks, long, short, parted in the middle, parted on the side, straight, curly, clean, neat, messy, greasy.....these are looks that people see and with them try to assume your age, lifestyle, job, music taste, intelligence, marital status, sexual preference, and on and on. Take those "haired" folks and shave it all off, and people no longer know how to read them or what category to put them in.

[Tyler]

I think it actually gives people one LESS thing to make assumptions on, and that is the thing that bothers some people. They find it harder to put you in a stereotype. I mean...all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors of people can can go with the bald head. Think of all the hair looks that actually DO get you stereotyped: Mullets, comb-overs, mohawks, long, short, parted in the middle, parted on the side, straight, curly, clean, neat, messy, greasy.....these are looks that people see and with them try to assume your age, lifestyle, job, music taste, intelligence, marital status, sexual preference, and on and on. Take those "haired" folks and shave it all off, and people no longer know how to read them or what category to put them in.

It's interesting you make that point.  In the Stanford Prison Experiment they shaved the "prisoners'" heads to take away their individuality.  http://www.prisonexp.org/slide-11.htm

Do you think shaving your head makes you more or less of an individual?

[chadoweasel]

I don't think it changes individuality. I know I am not defined by my hair or lack thereof.

I do believe it takes quite a strong individual to initially shave it off  So I may say it takes MORE of an individual when its his first time. After shaving it though, its pretty easy to keep it that way...haha.