Air Force eases restrictions on women’s hairstyles

The Air Force is relaxing its rules on how Air Force women are allowed to style their hair.

The Air Force says the changes came after thousands of women in the service provided comments on hair standards.

From February 2021, “female aviators” will be allowed to wear up to two braids, or a single ponytail depending on the US Air Force website.

The width of the ponytail cannot be greater than the width of the head and the hair cannot exceed a horizontal line passing between the top of the inside seams of the sleeve under the arms.

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Additionally, women’s bangs can now touch their eyebrows but not cover their eyes.

The change came following an Air Force Uniforms Board meeting in November, which examined the results of a crowdsourcing campaign designed to provide feedback to the Air Force’s initiative team. women of the Air Force.

The Air Force cited women’s concerns that previous hairstyling stresses could damage hair and migraines.

This decision was also an effort to “ensure a more inclusive culture in services”.

According to the Grooming and Appearance Standards section of the Air Force Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel memo, male and female hair “shall be clean, well groomed, present a professional appearance, allow the proper wearing of a headgear, helmet or chemical mask and comply with safety requirements”.

Current standards for women’s hair require the hair to end above the bottom edge of the collar, although pinned hair, updos, and simple ponytails are allowed.

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