In the spirit of getting rid of the old and busted 2011 and ringing in the new possibilities of 2012, I find my clients wanting to take a plunge into a new hairstyle. It might also have to do with the season, grey and still. Everyone is really missing sunny weather and wanting their hair to perk up, even if the weather won't for a few more months. But change like that is only awesome when you get what you want out of it. It has the possibility built in that you might come out really unhappy because you and your hairdresser miscommunicated. I get this question a lot from friends, so here are my tips on how to get the haircut you want the first time.
It is so fun to do something drastic with your hair. I love the moment of awe and amazement followed quickly by the excitement on a client's face when it dawns on her that she gets to take it home with her. It sounds silly, but it's usually kind of a nice ceremony, getting a really great new haircut. But often I get ladies in my chair who have already been to that appointment, and it didn't go that way at all, and I have to fix what the last person did. Where is the breakdown in communication happening? Barring someone just being bent on unhappiness (I have to speak on behalf of my fellow stylists out there: sometimes the issue runs deeper than a new haircut, and as a result the client's dissatisfaction is not about the cut. It's about their own personal dissatisfaction. So that's what I mean when I say "bent on unhappiness"), it is more often than not a case of the stylist starting to cut before having a real game plan. YOU as the client can alleviate this. Here's how:
1. Choosing a stylist. If you don't already have a stylist you trust, ask people whose hair you like who they see. Often they'll tell you all about them, and if it sounds up your alley, then great. Ask what the style the salon is, so you can get a better idea of whether you'll feel at ease there, and you can look up the prices online. Asking that to someone you just met might be tacky. If they volunteer it, there yah go! Often a salon will have either a lot of seasoned stylists or one lead stylist and several newer stylists under his or her wing. Always go to the person you heard about, not just their salon. You might learn later that the whole salon is great, but the referral was to the stylist, and you just never know.
2. Choosing a cut. I always say, make sure you're excited about the cut. If you're going into an appointment hoping to get encouragement from your stylist, understand that can be hit or miss. A stylist's reputation is on the line at all times, so while aiding you in taking a calculated plunge is really exciting, asking the stylist to take responsibility for your drastic change -- and possibly be stuck with the sticky aftermath of it if it goes wrong -- is a lot to ask. Make sure you know what you want to do and more importantly why you want to do it, because you're going to want to think of all those lovely reasons why when you're trying new makeup and clothes on with your new cut, getting adjusted.
3. Communicating with your stylist. Girl, bring pictures. I cannot stress this enough. Stylists work well from pictures as a rule much better than descriptions of length and thickness. The stylist should look at your pictures with you and dissect the parts you want for your style. Make sure you talk about anything that might emerge from cutting a new spot shorter than usual. For example, if you're plunging into short bangs, think if you've got a cowlick there. It might make things difficult. A prominent whorl at your crown might prove problematic when cut too short. Talk with the stylist about how much styling you're willing to commit to, how often you'll have to be in to get it trimmed, and what styling possibilities will open up with the new cut. You might end up finding that a high contrast cut with shorter layers is a better option for you than a short layered bob, or that a pixie is a better option than a choppy A-line for styling convenience. With your stylist, establish what the hair is going to feel like when it's cut, what the compromises and rewards will be, and how it fits into your lifestyle. Only then should she start cutting.
Voila! Hopefully you'd end up with your cut of choice at this juncture. If you've got a stylist you trust and all the right tools, you're on the road to not just one but many fantastic hairstyles down the line. And that's how it should be. I hope this even takes a tiny crack at the slew of crestfallen girls I get in my chair for their secondhair appointment of the day, or just reinforces the good practices you already knew about.
How do you go about a new hairstyle? Do you have a stylist you trust? Do you change your hair often?
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