Friday 1 December 2023

Hairdressers and hair styles

 I have had many over the years. My favourite was the one who was psychic. You could feel magic in her hands, and she read people. After high school, I cut my hair from waist length to a shoulder bob, then a short haircut, and had perms from 1974 until around 2005, when I found a hairdresser who cut it short. 


When Caitlin got married in 2005, the bridal party went to her salon. The hairdresser curled and puffed up my hair. When we went home, I had to flatten it with my hands. This is what I looked like after that. Can you believe it?! Caitlin's hair was lovely.

When I was teaching, short, and easily styled was the key. 

After 25 years in Ottawa there was a 2006 move to Muskoka. I found a hairdresser driving around Port Carling who shortened it massively, and I came out of there looking so ugly. Or feeling ugly, and lacking any actual hair style. I cried! It was even worse a few years later, once I went gray.

We were eating in a Bracebridge pub, and found a server with an amazing hairstyle. She said she often got compliments on her edgy style. I found that new stylist who was great. She stopped working to have twins as a single parent, and I found someone else in that salon. I didn't have too many disasters there. Until moving to Perth in 2010, I thought I'd be fine.

 I found one hairdresser who simply worked too fast, and didn't blow it dry. From there, I found another woman who opened her own new salon, having left one where she was employed. I liked her. She hired two employees and I was pawned off on one of them. These two employees were suddenly fired. They found a place to rent, and opened up. That didn't work out. I tried yet another Perth salon, until my hair dresser took maternity leave. They paired me up with another woman. That worked reasonably well, until COVID hit. That salon folded. 

I cut my hair 4 or 5 times during COVID. It worked out pretty well, all things considered. 

I'd taken Isabelle and Josephine to a new salon one summer during Gramma Camp. They had had a kid's summer special, and it worked out well. I thought I'd try there. I tried one stylist. I was kept waiting more than 3/4's of an hour, while they fit in a spouse. I was stressed, and had an anxiety attack. I didn't do too well post-COVID. Next came a new stylist, at that salon, but she reduced her worked days, to only a couple days a week, and that didn't work out for me. She was terrific, as she understood my social anxiety. I randomly tried another stylist there, and found a day of the week when she worked alone. It was lovely and peaceful. No one laughing too loud, stopping to discuss something personal, and delaying the next client. 



Then, there were the colour phases! That began in Perth.

I cut my hair again last month. It wasn't too bad. My bangs were driving me nuts. Sadly, my latest hairdresser has had an injury. They phoned, and I rescheduled. Going in, the receptionist had neglected to cancel my appointment. I had to trim it.


I walked out, with a new appointment, with a replacement stylist. This is where I am at. I've a new lipstick from Cheekbones, and it goes well with my red shirt for Christmas.

17 comments:

Olga said...

That is quite the journey. My thought is that you could do your hair with a hand mixer because what people are going to notice are those incredible eyes!

DrumMajor said...

Wow! You win the prize! I had the same gal for 45 years! She still cut mine even when she retired because we'd blab forever. She had a bad fall with toe surgery and beyond. I went to a new one and she's not as accurate. Good hair folks must be harder to find than good car mechanics. Linda in Kansas

Kathy G said...

Thanks for the photo retrospective.

RedPat said...

What a story. When I think about it we all probably have journeys like that. Love the hair story today.

KarenW said...

I've never been happy with salon cuts. I keep my hair long and trim myself when necessary. When it gets unruly, braids work.

Tom said...

...something that I don't worry about.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
That's very pretty, Jenn! YAM xx

Barbara Rogers said...

I have put my hair on a back burner of care for myself for years. Sometimes I trim bangs, sometimes I go to a wonderful man here who knows I will go 6 months without seeing him. You have gone through a lot of styles, and stylists! Goodness gracious! What a lot of different looks! and yet I've enjoyed seeing the color additions. More and more of the women I know (mainly over 60) have added a bit here or there, or put fairy hair in their locks. I'm just this white haired mushroom over here. I have to remind myself to brush my hair when going out...otherwise it's a finger comb job! You'd think at my age I'd put more effort out, but that's just me.

Elephant's Child said...

I really don't like having my hair cut. My only requirement that it is a wash n wear style. No products and no need to blow dry. I found an excellent hair dresser but sadly she has had a stroke.

DUTA said...

Your haircuts in the various photos look wonderful! You've probably got quality hair, and this is the main reason for a good haircut not necessarily the skill of the hairdresser.

Cloudia said...

Nice to walk down memory lane with you friend! Aloha

Lowcarb team member said...

Over the years I've been very fortunate with hairdressers.
The one I currently go to has been my hairdresser for six years now ...

Lovely to see all of your photographs here.
I do like the colour of your new lipstick.

All the best Jan

Anvilcloud said...

What a list of hairdos and styles and stylists. Sue has had one in the 18 years that we've been here. He's good and not inexpensive, but believe me when I say that she isn't rushed through there. Sadly, his last effort wasn't the best ever. That's what Sue says, but it looks AOK to me.

eileeninmd said...

I do not keep up with styles, I do love your new do at the end.
Have a happy weekend!

Jeanie said...

It's fun seeing all your hairstyles! But the smile and look is the same through the years!

DeniseinVA said...

I enjoyed your journeys in hairstyles. I've had my own. I can remember my son crying - a toddler in arms - when I met him and his dad after one hairstyle, a perm that was so frizzy I looked like a toilet brush! He wouldn't come anywhere near me for a while. Never went back to that place :) I like your pretty red blouse with matching lipstick.

William Kendall said...

I haven't been in a hair cutters in over a decade. More so.