I had a feeling you were not sure about cutting it off and that's why I went on about cutting hair a little a time to not be so drastic that you grieve over the hair loss. I certainly can understand that. AND I can also relate to living in redneck towns.
Thing is, cutting your hair for a job will depend on the job you're going after. If you are going for a white collar job, and you know your stuff, have your resume in order and know you're stuff, your presence should just be clean cut. Long hair can be banded into a ponytail and successive bands down the length will keep it in tact. Some jobs could care less about your appearance, (blue collar work) so long as you keep hair out of any machinery and you do your work.
As for the color, at the risk of anytime sounding biased, color should always be left to a professional. And dude, you're going to have to get the new growth done from time to time to keep it looking fresh. If you're up to all that, then go to a uni*** shop and go for it.
Or...there IS something else you can try. In the haircolor section of any drugstore and I think at least some Walmarts and definitely in beauty supply stores, there's this product called
"Fanci-Ful" (website for you to see what I'm talking about) and you could use the Black Rage. All you do is after shampooing and rinsing, you hold your head over a sink and squirt this stuff all over your hair...rubbing into good to the scalp. It does nothing to hurt your hair, and it is "TEMPORARY" color meaning it will wash out when you shampoo. It may take a couple of shampoos for this black to come out, however, if you try the Black Rage, you can see how well you like your hair black WITHOUT doing anything permanent. A bottle can be used multiple times, yet with your long, thick mane, you won't get such an economical deal I'm afraid. Yet, you'll have fun checking out what darker hair will look like.
Word of warning though, it's not going to make your hair as black as you'd like it since it's just a temporary rinse that coats the hair and doesn't penetrate it. If you happen to have really porous hair, it may look pretty black though and therefore will take more shampoos to completely wash it all out.
As for the humidity. I know that feeling too. Think a lot of us have some degree of problems with it, just some more than others. I would try a lttle of the hair wax that comes in tubes. Rub a little between your palms and run it down the top layer of your hair. Just a LITTLE though. Too much will make it too dirty looking.
I tell guys about electric hot combs. They like them much better than flatirons. A hot comb is as easy as using a comb. You comb your hair with them and pressing the length of your hair against the back of the comb helps really straighten out. It's quick, easy and they can be found in just about any department store where flatirons and curling irons are sold.
Good luck and let me know what all you decide. If you decide to get it cut, take steps to bring it up no shorter than just past your shoulders for a while. Then take it from there!
