Trying to figure out how to dress and how to do your hair for a job interview or important meeting can be stressful for everybody, but if you have very curly hair, there is a whole added level of worry. Melanie Harper, a vice president at a major publishing house, admits that when she has an important meeting, she pulls her curly hair back. "I'm afraid that when my hair is down, it can look unruly or messy. It just doesn't feel pulled together." Sadly, sometimes the world agrees, says New York City hair stylist Christo. "Unfortunately," he says, "the corporate world thinks you have to have straight hair or you have to pull your curls back to be professional," said Christo, who opened Christo Fifth Avenue last year. "It's discrimination."

No one wants to have her hairstyle dictated by her employer, but the fact is, according to John T. Molloy, author of Dress for Success, hair should be off your face in a business environment to provide a "more honest" appearance.

On the other hand, why deny your curls if you're lucky enough to have them? Is it possible to break through the straight hair barrier? Yes, says Christo, because of newer treatments and products. Christo recalled a TV personality who came to him in desperation. Her producers didn't like her long, kinky hair and had requested she get a straighter look. Yet she didn't want to lose all her curls. Christo didn't straighten them, but used a biosoftener to give her looser, sleeker curls ‑- a look her producers could live with.

You don't necessarily need a salon treatment to tame hair that has a mind of its own. Products can also help eliminate the halo effect when frizz takes over.

Your desk-drawer survival kit should include a silicone shine spray, some elastic bands, a barrette and a curl revitalizer or a water bottle that sprays to revitalize curls as the day progresses. Some good curl revitalizers include Devacurl Mist-er Right, Curl Friends Rejuvenate and Jessicurl Awe Inspiring Spray.

Jason Yates, creative director for Farouk Systems, says lots of clients have a conservative job but a wild nightlife, in which case they need to have options. "During the day, hair needs to be under control," Yates says. "For evening, you can go a little crazy." For day, Yates likes parting long hair low on the side and pulling it back in a low ponytail, letting the curls go wild in the back. A few tendrils can be pulled out around the face for a softer look. By using panels of color, different hues are visible depending on how the hair is styled.

Laurent D., a stylist with salons in New York City and Los Angeles, says the key to looking professional with curls is to have a great cut. Laurent says hair that's too long can look "hippie-ish." He likes the curly bob, large loose curls and a loose ponytail for work. When diffusing the hair, he notes, don't touch or move it, or the curls will become smaller and tighter.

Lorraine Massey, author of Curly Girl and owner of the Devachan salon in New York City, says if you keep hair flat and frizz-free, you look more groomed. Once you allow the curls to dry, don't scrunch them. Another style she recommends is to pull two strands of damp hair from either side of the head and tie them loosely at the neck. Then keep a scarf on the hair for five minutes. When you remove the scarf, allow the curls to dry naturally, or use a diffuser for a softer look.

But ultimately Massey believes it's not the hairstyle that determines whether someone is good at her job. "Knowing that you are professional is what makes you professional, no matter whether your hair is curly or straight," Massey says. "Curly hair is not a disability."

Most curl experts believe that women with curly hair have the power to change attitudes about curls in the workplace by accepting rather than fighting their curls. And it's changing already ‑- more women with curls are showing up on fashion runways and in magazines.

"Sometimes, you just have to wear your hair the way you want to rather than following trends," Yates said. "It's refreshing to the eye, and soon everyone else starts to follow. I personally like wild hair rather than hair that's too perfect."

"If we continue to embrace curly hair, and we show people how to create different styles, then curly hair will be more accepted," Christo said. "Then, hopefully, the corporate world will view curly hair differently. We can all help change attitudes, one curl at a time."