Thursday, March 12, 2009

Bizzaro World At Your Local Cut And Curl

The 6 weeks period has long passed. It's time for me to make the call, carve out a few hours of my time, write it in red Sharpie on the calendar, and make sure I have the checkbook.

Time for highlights.

There's this problem. I am not exactly sure I want to go with my regular hairdresser. I've been to her several times, long enough for her to "get to know" my hair and my quirks. The hair probation period is over.

Her work has been ehhhh acceptable, sometimes even cute. Enough to justify that entry in the checkbook?

Notsomuch.

There is another stylist I know who does amazing things with hair. I've witnessed the mastery of her cosmetology training firsthand. Her cuts are sublime! Her highlights are spectacular!

The problem is her location. She's in the next station.

Yep. The Switch.

No woman has ever successfully made The Switch from her regular stylist to another stylist in the same salon.

Maybe we've had a cut or color done by someone else when our stylist was unavailable or on vacation. Maybe. Even that is cutting it close. We've claimed a hair emergency while our stylist was out. A wedding. A class reunion. A funeral. (ours)

Yet, not one woman has ever walked into a salon, said "hello," to her old stylist, and boldly sat in the chair next to them.

It is not possible.

Urban legends speak of women who have tried to make The Switch. Somewhere in the story a woman runs out of a salon crying hysterically with unprocessed hair and a trail of foils in the parking lot. It's a switch beyond George Costanza's evil devices.

So, here is my dilemma. Keep going to my stylist? Try another salon? Or become part of an unimaginable paradox and make The Switch?

George, if you're reading, I am open to any advice.

10 comments:

Stacy White said...

Your hair, your choice. Be bold. Make the switch. (And when calling for your appointment ask for your current hair dresser's day off)

Anonymous said...

I agree - go on your current stylist's day off.

InnaC said...

I guess I'm a wimp, but I would go to another salon.

Susanne said...

I was going to suggest the same thing as your first commenter. It is darn hard.

TexasRed said...

It is hard. I'd go to another salon for awhile, then come back to the fabulous stylist after a "decent" amount of separation time.

Roxanne said...

I'm am of the find-out-old-stylist's-day-off camp and go then. I also agree that it would be nigh unto impossible to plunk yourself down in a neighboring chair with your old stylist sitting on her "front porch" in the swing.

TRS said...

Agreed. Find out the other's day off. Or ask the new one to meet you in the alley with scissors!

I just switched myself... but to a different salon.
My guy (I prefer, usually, going to men - the gayer the better) just wouldn't give me the layers I was asking for.
When I met a friend with a GREAT haircut - I got the name and called her.

Very happy now.
It's one thing to divorce a stylist... but within the same salon? I hope it works!

Shannon said...

I don't know. That's shaky ground. Are you sure you can afford the alimony?

Hillary @ The Other Mama said...

Ooh, yes. DAy off! Great idea! Or call her and ask to meet at a remote location. That would be safe- as long as you don't think the hair styling mafia could be on your tracks. You never know. This is borderline dangerous.

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Um, the George you're seeking advice from? That could be George Crow, you know. Dangerous. You don't want to go there. Yes, this is a Costanza-level of moral turpitude. I actually "legally separated" from mine once by going to a different salon for a while, which turned out to be years. And then I went back and played dumb.