Monday, July 14, 2008

Cut loose

My hair stylist has retired. Or so his former salon claims. And no, I can't get over it.

People, this is a CRISIS. I have had SO MANY bad haircuts in my life. I didn't even know that my hair was really curly until I was sixteen years old. I only found my current stylist in 2005. I have had great hair for the past three years, and apparently became complacent, because yesterday? When I called the salon to make an appointment for a trim and was told that my stylist is no longer at that salon, and has retired from hair styling, I seriously almost burst into tears while on the phone.

Also, this seems very weird, because I was just there in May, and asked him if he'd be there in November to do wedding hair, and he said yes. And a month later, he was gone? It seems suspicious to me. Which is why I kind of think that the salon is lying about him being retired from styling hair entirely. He's 40 years old--who retires at that age? And he loved hair styling!

But the worst part is that I don't have his contact info! Desperate Googling turned up his last name and, subsequently, his home address, but not his phone number or email address, and no, I will not be making an unannounced visit to his home to beg him to make an exception for me. I suppose I could mail him a letter, but what I really want is to find out if this is for real, or if there's some sort of bad blood between him and that salon that has led them to be unwilling to send his former clients elsewhere.

You guys, it's not just me. My mother and sister go to this guy too. My mother, in fact, only gets her hair cut when she comes to DC. She won't even get a trim anywhere else. Seriously, she hasn't been here since last August? And so she hasn't had her hair cut since then. She was counting on having this stylist fix her hair for her when she came up for the wedding.

After the woman at the salon offered to give me an appointment with someone else, and I distraughtly refused and hung up, I called my mother to break the news, and her wail of despair caused my father to come running from the other room to find out who had died.

As further evidence of this man's greatness, allow me to present you with a brief photographic timeline of my hair:

Age 4 (at the top): natural corkscrews:


Age 15 (on the left): Frizzy, over-brushed non-curls:


Age 18: Excessively short quasi-fro:


Age 21: The way-too-long, shaggy dog look:


At present: Hair that I love, finally:




And now? Now I have been launched onto the mercies of Yelp, and can only hope that my fellow curly-haired DC residents are trustworthy. I'm going to call today to make an appointment with a highly-rated stylist, and cross my fingers that if she butchers it? Three months until the wedding will be enough time to grow it out.

60 comments:

  1. HOW OLD is this guy? I mean, I know in THEORY hair stylists get old too, but I seriously have never SEEN an old one. Weird.

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  2. Dude, you know I love you. But that quasi fro? That was not good news. I really hope your new guy works because you have BEAUTIFUL hair!

    PS this is making me nervous about the big cut.

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  3. As a fellow curly haired lady, I know the pain. Oh, how I know the pain.

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  4. I have very curly hair as well and have had good luck at Fiddleheads and Spalon (w. Garrett). Both are on 17th Street in Dupont. Garrett is very very chatty but knows what he is doing. Fiddleheads specializes in cutting curly hair. I usually see Angela. Good luck!

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  5. Oh no!!! I hope you find him. I'd be calling back that salon and BEGGING for his info.

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  6. Sounds to me like your stylist was either fired or left the salon ... but the salon doesn't want to lose his customers.

    I honestly think I would cry if my stylist up and disappeared. That's not to say I haven't lost stylists in the past. But, I knew they were leaving. I had time to plan my life. And thankfully, my salon is full of fantabulous stylists.

    If it makes you feel better ... my stylist is moving back to Kansas next week. And might not make it back for the wedding. I, too, have been thrown into the dilemma of finding a new stylist mere months before my wedding!

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  7. Jess,

    I would seriously contact that hairstylist. One of my friends worked at a salon and she finally quit because she couldn't handle their stupid politics. She quit to go to another salon, but when I called the old salon, they told me she left to stay home with her kids.

    So if this guy quit, the salon isn't going to tell you that. They don't want to give out the impression that their employees are unhappy. And they don't want to give their competitors any business if he went to another salon.

    P.S. LOVE the current hair style!

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  8. Oh man, I hate finding new hair stylists! I hope the new lady works out okay for you. If not, I think you should try to get in contact with your guy. I'm sure he would do your hair for your wedding if he knew how important it was to you. Also, your hair looks fabulous!

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  9. Oh my God. He didn't retire. I don't believe them. HE DID NOT RETIRE.

    He's no longer with the salon, and they're LYING TO YOU. I would find a way to contact him at home. I would. I would also flip the FUCK out on the salon who continued to lie to me, and I'd play the wedding card wicked heavily. I'd be all, DUDE. THIS IS MY WEDDING. GIVE ME HIS NUMBER.

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  10. I feel your pain. Except for one less than stellar, ill-advised trip to a salon last summer my mom has been the only person who has cut my hair since I was in high school. She used to work as a hair stylist and owned her own salon for several years. She had to quit working as a hair stylist about 10 years ago or so due to carpal tunnel. It *does* happen, but still the whole lack of notice to his clients and then the salon not giving you a referral to another equally reputable stylist seems suspicious. Highly suspicious.

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  11. !!!!!!!!!

    I recently found a new hairstylist, that i plan on using for the wedding...i kept going back to the one that i've used since middle school when i'd go to vermont, unfortunately i can't go 9 months without a haircut anymore :( Good luck <3

    p.s. I LOOOVEEE your hair :)

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  12. I got several recommendations from this post: http://freckledk.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/do-me/

    I went to Trim Salon for my latest, and was really pleased. And I know that KassyK has corkscrew curls, and SWEARS by her stylist.

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  13. I definitely think you should write him a letter. If nothing else, it would let him know how much you loved him. No one ever turns down a compliment, especially in written form!!

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  14. I would almost put money on it that this guy didn't retire, it's just what the salon is saying to keep business. My salon said the same thing about a hair stylist that I used... they said she was no longer doing hair. Then I see her picture in the paper from a new salon that was welcoming her.

    LIARS!

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  15. You've got a great attitude about the whole thing, and yup, very suspcious about this so-called retirement. I hope your appointment goes swimmingly and I can't wait to see the pictures!

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  16. You're right & I LOVE your current, beautiful hair :)
    But also, I have to agree what most people have said here. Contact him! I had the same thing happen to me a year or so back. The salon said she had switched careers- when really she had just opened up her own salon. & was still doing hair. Yeah, salons can suck like that.

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  17. I would DEFINITELY pitch a FIT at your stylist's former salon. Aaaah! I hate finding a new stylist, and I have straight hair. I can't imagine how frustrating this has to be. I moved to Philadelphia a few months ago and I'm still too afraid to find a new salon...grrr!

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  18. I had the same exact problem about six years ago and have yet to find a stylist good enough to actually replace her.

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  19. You have beautiful curls! Good luck with the new stylist.

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  20. I would ABSOLUTELY send him a letter. Most likely is that he switched salons: I've found salons to be VERY SQUIRRELLY about sending business to another salon when a stylist leaves. They usually say they "don't know" where the stylist went, when definitely they do.

    WRITE HIM. Don't go anywhere else for awhile; give him time to respond.

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  21. I kinda like the shaggy long-hair look...maybe because that's how I wear my hair? :)

    There are a few websites for curly-haired individuals specifically. That's how I found my hair-stylist in New York and in Berkeley. There's one I used in NJ but she's going on maternity leave, and she always blows my hair out FAR too volume-y and poodl-ey for my liking.

    So I'll be starting my own search soon!

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  22. Oh! That is HORRID, Jess! My Mom is the only one that cuts my hair and consequently, much like your Mom, I haven't had my hair cut since last year either...in September I think. And no, I won't get a trim anywhere else either. The ONE time I did....well I just don't want to think about it. *shudder*

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  23. WOW that sucks!! I have no advice because my hair is bone straight and does nothing. It's Supercuts for me!!

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  24. The one and only stylist Ihave ever latched onto also "retired" - to become a UPS driver where he made more money!

    Hope you find someone else you love!

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  25. Good luck darling!! I hope you find someone fantastic!

    xox

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  26. Oh no! You have to track him down. Good hairstylists are hard to find! I drive 45 minutes to get to mine. Good luck!

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  27. Seriously, the same thing happened to me. SUCKED. I haven't yet found someone comparable. I have no doubt that you will though, seriously. Come on, you're JESS. I know you'll figure it out.

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  28. I am feeling your pain.

    But Yelp helped me find my new sylist and I love her!

    Good luck!

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  29. This is one of the times I'm quite thankful for my stick straight hair!

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  30. Can you contact your stylist? IF he REALLY did retire, maybe he'll agree to cut your hair until the wedding?

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  31. Oh my goodness - my hair stylist (who I love and have been going to since 2004) is moving to CALIFORNIA. And I have 6 months to the wedding. She was my friend and was doing my hair and arranged for my makeup FOR FREE. Now I have to start all over again. All over again. I totally, totally feel your pain. I really do. FIND HIM AND BEG HIM.

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  32. This situation is definitely burst-into-tears worthy! Not wanting to alarm you, but when I called to make an appointment with my hair guy last December, I found out that he had DIED a few weeks before. Hope the new stylist is a perfect replacement.

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  33. If he is indeed out of the hair game, check naturallycurly.com for local reviews. I have almost the exact same hair as you and found my fantastic stylist from naturallycurly.com.

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  34. *wince* Serious tried and true tragedy. Really.

    Also, Salon is TOTALLY lying about the retirement thing. When my fav stylist left the salon he was with, he had to sign a no-complete for 12 months AND they wouldn't tell me where he went. They are evil like that.

    Crossing my fingers for you!

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  35. GOOD LUCK!! A good stylist (that makes you feel gorgeous and sexy) is SO hard to find...

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  36. oh my goodness i would flip out too. i don't go to just anyone for my hair. when i lived in tenn, my mom and i went to the same stylist for years. now, i go to the daughter of one of our friends from kiwanis. i have to have a recommendation before i will let anyone touch my hair. i like your hair, btw. it looks really good on you.

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  37. Dude, i didn't know i had curly hair until i was like, 22. I was in complete denial and blowing the curls out into a billowy frizz. Was not attractive, so I know your pain. However? i'm jealous that your hair holds that kind of curl at your 21 year old length - that's pretty impressive.

    I agree with what everyone else is saying. this is your WEDDING. Must find the old hairdresser. Those salon people are a bunch of filthy liars. LIARS!!

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  38. My friend is a hair stylist and said the salon she used to work for did the same thing. They LIE. They don't want to loose the salon's business and so lie about the whereabouts of your guy so that you'll just use another stylist at that salon. When my friend left, she said she was under contract to not tell any current customers and she couldn't work in another salon within a 3 mile radius. CRAZY!

    Keep googling him. Look for him on Facebook, Myspace, etc. My friend got a website and tried to get her info "out there" so her old customers could find her. Keep looking!!!

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  39. Gah! What horrible timing. I have a hairdresser that left the salon she'd been working at for years. I was in a panic when I found out, then out of the blue she called me to let me know she had just opened her own salon!

    Yay me! I mean, Yay her! Maybe that's what your stylist did, and maybe he'll call you to let you know. Or you could just send him a letter and hope he replies.

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  40. Your curls are to die for. I hope you find some way to track him down - stat!

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  41. Oh glory, I love your curls SO much. I really hope your new person doesn't mess them up but worst case: THERE IS STILL TIME TO GROW. You'll be pretty either way. But... I hope your new person is great.

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  42. Oooh, that's not news you want to hear before your wedding. I agree, it doesn't sound like he really "retired," it sounds like he either quit or was fired.

    Maybe try to call back another time and as for his forwarding address and go from there?

    Good luck in the search. he's got to turn up somewhere.

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  43. uh, that sentence should read:

    "Maybe try to call back another time and asK for his forwarding address and go from there?"

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  44. Sad! That's the worst thing ever. Good luck tracking him down... or hopefully the new one does a fabulous job.

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  45. I love your current hair, I hope you find someone to cut it! I hate looking for a new hairdresser :(

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  46. Maybe they fired him?! Maybe you can secretly go in and get some info from one of the other stylists?

    I so feel your pain. I also didn't know I had curly hair until I was 16 and have many, many, many bad hair cuts. I am always in fear of the new stylist! YIKES and good luck!

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  47. You hair is gorgeous! I just love it. I hope that you love your new stylist and I wouldn't be above sending the guy a letter and begging him to do your hair again.

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  48. They're TOTALLY lying to you. I bet if you keep googling in a few weeks he'll turn up somewhere else.

    As for finding a new person, OMG. I still haven't found someone in Philadelphia. I've been getting my hair cut in Boston when I'm up there (one of Allure Magazine's best) and I just can't make myself go somewhere else. I've looked, and I've tried. I need to look more because my bangs are so long, but damn, it is NOT fun.

    Does DC have a salon that specializes in Ouidad?

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  49. You do have absurdly ridiculous beautiful hair. As a curly girl, I would kill for your hair. Mine always flattens on top. No matter the cut. Grah. Also, man I feel your pain. And have been putting off a trim with my stylist because my wallet cannot deal with it, and yet I won't call someone else because oh the trauma of a bad haircut.

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  50. ugh I feel your pain. My main gay/hair stylist and I had a falling out and I am for real in mourning over it. Who is going to do my hair!?!?!


    good luck friend. good luck

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  51. I doubt he 'retired' but the old salon is NOT going to give out his information because he left them. If he was thinking about leaving he would have gotten all his clients information (mine has, just in case he decides to leave). If he got po'd and left, he probably would be grateful if you contact him. Send him a letter with how to contact you every possible way!

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  52. I agree! That is a crisis! I wont let anyone except for my dear BFF who is a hair stylist touch my hair.

    Find his address, go knock on his door and tell him that you *NEED* him. Ok, so maybe that is slightly stalkerish, but a gals relationship with her hair stylist is a very important one!

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  53. All this makes me think about is how I want a drastically different hair cut. Hmmm...

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  54. I just hate it when stylists get all nervy and leave us hanging whether it be by "fake retiring" or just changing salons and not telling anyone the location to which they moved. Hopefully you will find someone fabulous on the first try!

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  55. Seriously, you are adorable. You could always come to Philly and see Francesca the Wonder Stylist...

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  56. What happened to him?!
    Is there a hairdresser heaven somewhere?

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  57. myyy stylist vanished on me toooo! "personal leave". i just got my hair done a la victoria beckam!! huuuuge change!

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  58. I saw your tweet about this, I'm so sorry! How old was your stylist, holy cow, retire? I would get a recommendation from him (if possible) or find out from the salon who is handling his clients. Then I would be overly anal retentative about the cut from the new person until you get in a groove again :) Good Luck!

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  59. Love your blog.

    How is your scar healing coming along?

    Love the pics

    Ovat

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  60. Love your blog.

    How is your scar healing coming along?

    Love the pics

    Ovat

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