Hello, my name is Nance and I need a haircut.
Like many of you, I have horror stories galore about Bad Haircuts. Many of them reside here, at the Dept. of Nance archives. I suffered through haircuts that my hair absolutely hated. Haircuts that were the result of my own impetuousness (I actually told my stylist once to "Go ahead and do what you think is best"). One haircut actually sent me back for two recuts; that's how awful it was. Sometimes, I recut my own hair, or had Rick do it, pointing to swaths of hair and directing him where and how much to cut.
At one point I broke up with my stylist and found another, but she's 45 minutes away, down the road from the lakehouse. Susie is terrific. She does exactly what I want. She listens to what I say. What's more, she's quick, efficient, and get this: a shampoo, haircut, blowdry, and style costs me $15. Including the tip. And I tip well. Tell me that's not worth it to drive my Prius hybrid 45 minutes each way for that!
However.
You know how you keep meaning to make a hair appointment and then, when you've finally had it with your hair and you say, "That's it! Tomorrow I'm making that appointment!"? What happens the very next day? You have a Tremendously Good Hair Day, and you think, Hey! My hair looks awesome. I can wait a little longer for that haircut. So you do.
Two days later, your hair looks like crap. And no matter what you do, no matter how much product you spray and gel into your damp hair, it's hopeless. But, it's almost the weekend, and you're busy and the salon is already closed. Oh well.
And the next day, your hair rebounds! You look great! "Okay," you say. "Now this is more like it!" And you ride that Good Hair Look for another day or two until WHAM! You've washed your hair, added the volume spray, blown it out, and in five minutes it's flat against your head like you've just take off a hat after a ten-mile hike in 90-degree heat. Great! Because you're actually going someplace Where People Are!
This is where I am right now, today. And Susie is closed tomorrow. I absolutely have to stop procrastinating and Get. A. Haircut. I cannot live like this anymore.
Thanks for letting me share.
Oh my God, Nance. Hair - why is it like this? WHY? I did discover, quite by accident, the other day that apparently I haven't been using enough product. I discovered this after I accidently squirted too much (in my mind) into my hand, didn't know what to do, and just slapped it on my hair. Seriously, the best hair day of my life. I've done the same since and it really does make a difference.
ReplyDeleteNow, since I want to do a big chop after the wedding; I suppose I should start trying to find someone. Even though I'm willing to trim my own, I'm not so trusting of myself for a big chop.
Gigi--I am here for you. Tomorrow, I am going to follow your lead and use a shit ton of product and see how it goes. And then I'm going to call Susie's and leave a damn message. I'm over it.
DeleteI have to ask this: Are you absolutely sure you want to go for The Big Chop? This is Momentous. Been there, done that, and lived to Regret It. Just saying. But I'm with you, no matter what.
So how did using a shit ton of product work out for you?
DeleteAnd by Big Chop, I mean a chin length bob; which I've had before when I wore my hair straight and liked it. But now that I wear it curly (and kind of know how to style it) I think it will give me a lot of volume.
Gigi--So, using a shit ton of product helped a little bit. But I called Susie yesterday and am awaiting her return call this morning. Fingers crossed that she can get me in this week.
DeleteAs a Straight Hair Girl for my entire life, I always wished for curly hair. I even permed in the 80s (like everyone else). Suddenly, my hair has developed a little turn-under at the very ends. Just when I want it super straight so I can wear it in choppy layers. Sigh.
Oh goodness, why does our hair do this? WHY? Do you know when my hair looks the best? When I go in every 6-8 weeks like my hairdresser suggests. Weird, huh?
ReplyDeleteAnd OMG, $15 INCLUDING TIP? Does she do color, because I might drive there from California for prices like that...
J--Our hair does this because, early on, we allowed it. Now we are helpless slaves to our hair. And me, I am always a victim of my own Vanity.
DeleteSusie does do colour. And perms and eyebrow waxing and men's hair as well. She is incredible. Best stylist I've ever had.
How does she make a living at that price? Also, who is this magical person? Maybe it would be worth it for me to drive there!!
ReplyDeleteSusie's salon is attached to her house and is a one-chair, one-dryer affair. I have a strong suspicion that Susie runs her little business off the books. She is constantly booked, has a strong stable of regulars, and whips them in and out of there in record time. She's the best, and she keeps very current although most of her customers are mature women.
DeleteThis is me 100% of the time. Except that I WISH my girl charged $15. What kind of crazy time warp is it that you are crossing into when you drive those 45 minutes. I'm 'bout to put a for sale sign in the yard so I can come live near you. My haircut costs over $100 and my hair is so thin, I hardly have anything to cut. Both Mini and Curly go to her too, and theirs costs like $140. No coloring or highlighting. She's a curly girl specialist. The $100 price tag is why my hair is desperately in need of a cut. I'm trying to make it 6 months between cuts. It is NOT going well.
ReplyDeleteErnie--You nailed it when you said I drive into a crazy time warp. Susie's place is in a little teensy town on the outskirts of Amish farm country. She's not Amish, and she's not country. But she knows what her customer base is. There is a cluster of small towns around her, and she cuts everyone's hair that lives within driving distance.
DeleteAround where I live full-time, prices are comparable to what you pay as you go closer to Cleveland and patronize the posher salons. I'm thrilled to have Susie. AND I drive a hybrid Prius, so it's really economical.
Salon prices are ridiculous anymore. I truly respect the talent of good stylists. A good haircut is a thing of wonder. But that's a lot of cash, and then the tip, too!
Dee--Oh, I've been so tempted. Even just to trim up my bangs and maybe my length. But I resist. As I've so often said, I have a strong streak of Vanity, and most of it resides in my hair.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get your hair back to presentable in short order. It's terribly upsetting to have a Bad Hair Day every day. Been there far too often.
As you know, I'm the Queen of the Chop, and then Growing it Out (including Bang Drama). I'm in a season of just letting it grow until my cousin/BFF tells me to have her daughter fix something. I have an appointment on Wednesday to "do something to the back." I'm sure I will report back later.
ReplyDeleteBug--You have such thick, lovely hair. I've yet to see you get a bad haircut/hairstyle.
DeleteAs far as bangs, I'm resigned to keeping mine now forever. I have zero patience for the Growing Out Phase. And I'm not getting Botox for my forehead.
I do that. Even though my hair is thin and I keep it as short as possible. You can't win, with hair like that. My daughter has wonderful hair and all she does is complain. And she went from Brussels to England to get a haircut from a stylist she trusted. She has you beat, eh?
ReplyDeleteMary--Oh my, yes. She certainly does. But I know she paid plenty more.
DeleteWomen can complain about their hair with impunity. That is their privilege whether others think it is justified or not. No one knows what each woman goes through with her hair.
You are right, and I should shut up.
DeleteI cut my own hair. I have an electric clipper that I can snap different attachments on to get the short length I like. No one is looking at me anymore so if I make a little mistake, it doesn't matter. It grows out! I like to keep it short like Jamie Lee Curtis.
ReplyDeleteEllen--I applaud you and want to be you. Seriously. So much of my life would be different if I had your attitude. Even the time saved would be a boon. You are my hero.
DeleteI desperately need a haircut. My longtime stylist retired and I am without anyone new. It is disheartening, but have nowhere to turn, so my hair grows long.
ReplyDeleteAlly--That's a tough situation, and I do not envy you. Finding a new person to cut your hair is awful. I kept going to the same stylist even after I kept being disappointed only because half the time she gave me a great haircut. I felt as if that was better than venturing out into the Wild World Of The Unknown. Good luck in your search. Or with your new long, long hair.
DeleteI've always been pretty easy going with haircuts, usually looking for the cheapest place I could find. When I was in college, I found a barber school where the students gave $5 haircuts for practice. Every time I went, I ended up with someone who didn't speak English, so it was a bit of a challenge communicating what I wanted, but we made it work. Only on my last visit did I get someone who spoke English, and the first thing they told me was that they were very excited because it was their first day. I was very nervous, but their teacher was very closely watching them, and they stepped in after a few minutes, so I was able to relax.
ReplyDeleteBut lately, I've found a new go-to barbershop purely by coincidence: during my travels over the past few years, I've been in Istanbul at least 15 times, and there's a barbershop near where I stay that does $3 haircuts. The owner is a lovely guy who speaks perfect English, and even though I'm only there sporadically, he always remembers me and knows exactly what I want. It has turned into a nice tradition: I try to time my non-Istanbul haircuts so that if I'm going through Istanbul, I'll need a cut when I get there.
I also have a massage place a few blocks away that I go to every time I visit. I never expected to spend so much time there, but it's oddly turned into a second home.
Mikey--How nice to see you here in Comments. I assume you're commenting Domestically LOL.
DeleteI'm always amused by how Istanbul has become your Home Away From Home. Of course it should be there that you find your favourite barber and he remembers you as well.
Your comment about the barber school makes me wonder about the local "beauty college" that used to be here--do you remember it? The building is still there, but I don't think it's in existence anymore since the vocational school arrived and has such a booming cosmetology program. Regardless, I doubt I'd ever go there for a haircut.
Is this a Supercuts, by any chance? When we were in Ohio, the whole family went to Supercuts and they were awesome. Great Clips (the other chain around here in Michigan) simply does not measure up. I still go to Supercuts and tip almost a 100%. I put the $$ saved towards massages...
ReplyDeletemaya--No, Susie's Salon is a one-chair salon attached to her home. She's been in business for ages, and she cuts the hair of pretty much everyone in her teensy town and all the other small towns around. I tried a Supercuts one time, mainly because my son knew a stylist who worked there and I could specify that I wanted her to cut my hair. She was okay, but she was no Susie.
DeleteI like your idea of putting the saved money in a Massage Fund. Genius!
I gasped at the price that Susie charges. Does she not have people to feed? Does she not eat? You can't even get lunch for fifteen bucks these days.
ReplyDeleteSince I went shorter on my hair, I need an update every six weeks. And a little color. And maybe a highlight.
Don't tell Susie, but I pay Two Hundred bucks every six weeks. :0
It's Wednesday now: MAKE THE CALL. 😜😜
BB Suz--Susie is an empty nester. And her salon, I think, may be an off-the-books operation. I'm entirely speculating here. She's booked solid every day.
DeleteI left a message on Monday, she called back on Tuesday morning, and I got in Tuesday afternoon. My hair is cut!
The upkeep for your hair is staggering. Susie would cut that waaaaay down.