One of the worst things a stylist hears when a customer sits in their chair is "I want you to do my hair exactly like ______." I only know how to do hair like me, Kate. I have heard so many stories; "my stylist cuts my haie with two pairs of scissors, at the same time. My stylist blowdrys my hair with two blowdryiers. My stylist does my hair while stalding on one hand while holding the brush, comb, and blowdryer with his feet!"
I've heard it all. Many women go to hairdressers because of the way they make them feel. Like Fiona.
Fiona was blonde 50ish. She came in for a haircut. Fiona showed me a picture of the cut she got about 10 years ago by a stylist in California. I watched her eyes as she showed me the picture, she looked dreamy almost catatonic. Oh shit this is not going to turn out well I thought. The picture was that of a simple bob, slightly above the sholder. No sweat. We talked I cut she seemed nice. I call these clients the Jekyll/Hyde clients. They start out fine and snap at the end.
I finished the cut and I showed Fiona the finished product. She looked in the mirror and her eyes filled up with tears. Oh God. "It's ruined!!" she screamed. I calmly asked her what was wrong. "It's too long!!" What? Too long well that's an easy fix. Too short no, too long just cut more. "Ohh that's no problem", I tried to reassure her. I'll just take a little more off." "NOOO!" She screamed Fiona went in to complete hysterics. I could not believe what I was seeing, a 50 year old woman having a breakdown over the favct that her hair was not too short but too long something that could be fixed, easily. She stood up leaped from my chair and told me that I ruined her life and went to the front desk to complain.
In hindsight I was glad that she got out of my chair. I am a hairstylist not a psychologist, and once someone looses their shit in my chair I want them gone. They gave Fiona to another stylist who did exactly what I would have done, cut off more hair. Unbelieveable.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
I Don't Have Time for This Nervous Breakdown
I Don’t Have Time for This Nervous Breakdown
I know some of you are thinking this right now with the Holidays approaching. Some years ago I had the displeasure of watching one of my regular customers have a mental collapse, right before my
my eyes. I have spoken to people who believe that they are too strong for that to happen to them. I believe that we are all three tragedies from losing it. A person can only take so much.
“Barb” has been coming to me for years. She has frizzy brown hair that she refuses to let me cut in to a nice style. Every month she comes in for me to trim her bangs, every two months I trim her ends all around. Dry. No blow out color (she used a box) just a little “trim” here and there. Barb worked for one of the major cell carriers she had a high level position complete with company car. She would always tell me how stressful her job was. Barb was always dressed conservatively; buttoned up blouses and a long skirt which is one of the ways I realized something was very wrong with her. One day she came in very sad, her father had died. She was very close to him, she was heartbroken.
I didn’t see Barb for a while I knew she had to fly out of town for her dad’s funeral. When she came back she looked so haggard, awful like she aged 10 years in the past 3 weeks. Poor thing I felt for her. She said the service went well and when she came back she lost her job. Holy fuck! I asked her what she was going to do and she said she was going to be okay. But still that’s a lot to take.
A week later Barb was back, “HI Kate!!” She was jovial so happy it was kind of weird. Barb was wearing short shorts and a very tight fitting top, very unlike her. “I want a makeover!!” “Okay great” I said. I really didn’t think anything of it, she would be job hunting soon a new look would do her good. Thank the Lord I could finally give her a nice style I hate box color. I cut her hair in to some long layers she had long beautiful hair it just needed some help. I put a few highlights in and covered the grey. The next week Barb was back, again. Too soon for any hair service she wanted to buy product. Her eyes were wild her hair was wild and her arms were covered with bruises. What the hell? “Hi Barb, are you okay?” “Yes! Great!” “I need shampoo and conditioner”. I told her what to buy she ended up buying $200 in product and hair accessories. I thought it was a bit strange since she lost her job, also more bruises. Something was not right I was afraid she was hurting herself. I wasn’t sure if she had a husband or children, but apparently no one was taking care of her. When she came back two days later I was scared. “Do you think I need another trim?” She reeked of alcohol hair not combed. I asked a few of my colleagues what I should do I was told by multiple sources to stay out of it, but I just couldn’t. That’s the problem with this business you form relationships with people and it’s weird. How do you watch someone self-destruct and do nothing?? I had to do something. “Yes Barb, let’s trim.” I got her in my chair and got her talking. She had a brother in Denver who was a partner in a law firm. Gotcha! I went home googled his name and found him. This was the hardest phone call ever what was I going to say? Hey you don’t know me but I know your sister and she’s kind of having a nervous breakdown? Well believe it or not that’s exactly what I did. His name was Alan, I told him I was his sister’s hairdresser and she was in trouble. I told him I knew about his father’s recent passing that got his attention. I explained about the wild spending, bruises, alcohol. He thanked me and said he was coming to take care of her. I hung up and felt that I did the right thing.
I didn’t see Barb for a long time and I thought she was never coming back. Then one day, she did. It was about 6 months later, and she was herself again. Her hair was pulled back in a clip long skirt blouse. She didn’t really tell me what happened except that she went away for a while and now she was better. I don’t think she realized that I called her brother the important thing was she didn’t hurt herself or anyone else she found a new job. I have since left that shop so I don’t see her anymore but I think of her from time to time and I hope she’s still okay, and in case you’re wondering she went back to that damn box color. You can’t win em all.
I know some of you are thinking this right now with the Holidays approaching. Some years ago I had the displeasure of watching one of my regular customers have a mental collapse, right before my
my eyes. I have spoken to people who believe that they are too strong for that to happen to them. I believe that we are all three tragedies from losing it. A person can only take so much.
“Barb” has been coming to me for years. She has frizzy brown hair that she refuses to let me cut in to a nice style. Every month she comes in for me to trim her bangs, every two months I trim her ends all around. Dry. No blow out color (she used a box) just a little “trim” here and there. Barb worked for one of the major cell carriers she had a high level position complete with company car. She would always tell me how stressful her job was. Barb was always dressed conservatively; buttoned up blouses and a long skirt which is one of the ways I realized something was very wrong with her. One day she came in very sad, her father had died. She was very close to him, she was heartbroken.
I didn’t see Barb for a while I knew she had to fly out of town for her dad’s funeral. When she came back she looked so haggard, awful like she aged 10 years in the past 3 weeks. Poor thing I felt for her. She said the service went well and when she came back she lost her job. Holy fuck! I asked her what she was going to do and she said she was going to be okay. But still that’s a lot to take.
A week later Barb was back, “HI Kate!!” She was jovial so happy it was kind of weird. Barb was wearing short shorts and a very tight fitting top, very unlike her. “I want a makeover!!” “Okay great” I said. I really didn’t think anything of it, she would be job hunting soon a new look would do her good. Thank the Lord I could finally give her a nice style I hate box color. I cut her hair in to some long layers she had long beautiful hair it just needed some help. I put a few highlights in and covered the grey. The next week Barb was back, again. Too soon for any hair service she wanted to buy product. Her eyes were wild her hair was wild and her arms were covered with bruises. What the hell? “Hi Barb, are you okay?” “Yes! Great!” “I need shampoo and conditioner”. I told her what to buy she ended up buying $200 in product and hair accessories. I thought it was a bit strange since she lost her job, also more bruises. Something was not right I was afraid she was hurting herself. I wasn’t sure if she had a husband or children, but apparently no one was taking care of her. When she came back two days later I was scared. “Do you think I need another trim?” She reeked of alcohol hair not combed. I asked a few of my colleagues what I should do I was told by multiple sources to stay out of it, but I just couldn’t. That’s the problem with this business you form relationships with people and it’s weird. How do you watch someone self-destruct and do nothing?? I had to do something. “Yes Barb, let’s trim.” I got her in my chair and got her talking. She had a brother in Denver who was a partner in a law firm. Gotcha! I went home googled his name and found him. This was the hardest phone call ever what was I going to say? Hey you don’t know me but I know your sister and she’s kind of having a nervous breakdown? Well believe it or not that’s exactly what I did. His name was Alan, I told him I was his sister’s hairdresser and she was in trouble. I told him I knew about his father’s recent passing that got his attention. I explained about the wild spending, bruises, alcohol. He thanked me and said he was coming to take care of her. I hung up and felt that I did the right thing.
I didn’t see Barb for a long time and I thought she was never coming back. Then one day, she did. It was about 6 months later, and she was herself again. Her hair was pulled back in a clip long skirt blouse. She didn’t really tell me what happened except that she went away for a while and now she was better. I don’t think she realized that I called her brother the important thing was she didn’t hurt herself or anyone else she found a new job. I have since left that shop so I don’t see her anymore but I think of her from time to time and I hope she’s still okay, and in case you’re wondering she went back to that damn box color. You can’t win em all.
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