Hair Affair
My whole life I would chop my hair off, grow it out and repeat. Finally, after my first year of college I was sick of never doing anything with it, other than a messy bun. I figured if I chopped it short, I wouldn’t have that option. So in August 2007 I took the plunge.
Before:
After (the DAY I got it cute):
I haven’t looked back since.
I’ve since gone to the inverted bob; long in the front, short in the back. After several unfortunate incidents with not-so-good hairdressers I discovered a hair dresser I LOVE. She has been the only one to touch my hair in the last 16 months! She did the cut below:
Only problem? She’s one of the most sought-after hairdressers in FSJ and it’s nearly impossible to book with her, especially when I don’t live there! When I booked my trip home at the beginning of September I tried to get an appointment but Nicole was already booked up. Crap. Other times, I’ve risked it and she’s fit me in. But my hair needs a cut, badly! Yesterday I wore a teeny, tiny ponytail with a headband to work – that’s what I normally would wear to the gym. Not good.
So, today I’m getting my hair cut at the local hair school, by someone who is just learning how to cut hair; for $10. Hopefully if it gets too messed up Nicole will take pity on me when I go home and fix it.
I was planning to do something funkier with my hair this fall, I was going to keep the inverted bob but have it a bit longer on one side. Kind of like Rihanna’s hair but not quite so extreme, just an inch or so longer on the one side.
That was when I thought Nicole would be cutting it, though. Now, I’m not too sure.
So do I take the plunge and let the student hairdresser do the new, funkier cut OR do I not risk it? And have you ever had your hair cut by a student hairdresser? If so, how did it go?
Rihanna photo found here.
I’d be nervous, too! I’d probably just get him/her to trim it, but keep the same style … that way you can do the funkier style when you’re able to go back to your hairdresser.
i have always hated that uneven cut. I never cared for kate goslin before, but now that she’s gone with that uneven freak show i really can’t stand the sight of her, even before she opens her mouth. Amber (luv) don’t pull a kate.
if there’s an instructor around all the time going over everything — then i say go for it. witht he instructor around it’s more likely they can correct it if they mess up or if you’re not quite happy.
While I’ve done both, instructor around & instructor not around. the instructor around makes me feel safe, and they took 2 hours to do my hair, i felt somewhat pampered. But when the instructor wasn’t so much around, it kind of freaked me out cuz i feel like they need to be around, but that was only a trim, and i had to push her to cut my bangs even shorter.
i say go with your instincts with whoever you get…. if they don’t seem confident, then trim. if they do seem confident–then go for it!
When my friend was going through cosmetology school we would go and she would do my hair and she of course did it fine,since she has done my hair since high school. My husband kept going there after she moved out of state for awhile and he would have some good cuts, some bad cuts.. it really just depends, kind of like how it depends when you go to salons.. I do the same thing with my hair.. I go long and then I go above my shoulders and that’s about as daring as I go. I like the style you have going on but I think my hair is too thick to not look insane on me. I like Rihanna’s look too. I also NEED to be able to do ponytail’s cuz my fine motor skills suck and I need to have it as an option haha… Who knows, maybe I will get daring, but my dear bestie just moved to Texas, so I don’t know if I can trust anyone else to give me a good opinion!!
Oooh, good luck! I’d probably just get a trim from the student and get my regular hairdresser to do the funky cut. At least with her you’ll know you’re getting what you went!
Or what you wAnt.
Um, well, I’m sure you remember my hair trauma post. I am super picky about who touches my hair. But I also have had enough bad cuts that I can deal with them. Like the one I have right now – not loving it, but I will live with it until around Thanksgiving when I am due for another cut.
If I don’t know the person, I always just stick w/ the trim. I’d only go for a drastic change w/ a person I trusted. I love the hair girl I have now, but she doesn’t compare to the guy I used to go to when I was in college. I loved him because I would come in w/ a picture & ask him to cut my hair like that & he’d say – ‘sorry, can’t do that to you, won’t look good w/ your bone structure’. I appreciated his honesty!
Good luck! I do love getting my hair cut, though. Esp when they wash my hair. That, to me, is way more relaxing than anything – even a massage!
PS – you can pull off alot of different types of hair cuts! Lucky duck, you!
OMG your brave!! LOL I pay an arm and a leg for a haircut…….$10 sounds awesome!! The student part is a little scary for a new cut…..but ya never know right. I would be safe and go with a trim and then try try try and get in with Nicole. I got a HORRID cut a couple of winters ago and i wanted to hide for about 6 months……LOL I’ll have to send you a pic sometime…..it was probably THE WORST cut in the world.
I love your shorter hair (the cut you have now)!!
One of my college best friends knew a guy going to hair school and I trusted him with my hair mostly because mine grows back at an alarming rate (I mean alarming!). It went well everytime, but it was also long back then. I would probably not go to the funkier cut unless they have done it before and/or, like others suggested, they are being supervised. Good luck and can’t wait to hear about the experience however it goes for you!
I seriously adore the last photo….that haircut suits you so well. My cousin was a student hairdresser and I let her do my hair, but that’s cause I trusted her and she had been doing my hair my whole life. Idk, I really like your hair the way it is now
cute love the cut you have now
Can’t wait to see what your new style ends up like!
I’ve had great success at an Aveda hair school (yes, while the instructor was hovering around – I’m sure that helped) with highlights and a cut and I’ve also had a horrible experience at a local hair school. With the time I had the bad experience, the guy left the blonde dye on way too long and my hair was unbelievably light and brittle afterwards. He also dropped the dye wand onto my apron, where the dye transferred onto the chair and then onto my (really nice) purple sweater. They paid for my shirt but I have really long hair so it was a long-term disaster. Yiee!
In short, I would get a cut from a student but maybe not highlights!!!
I have also adopted a new hair strategy. Cuts with my wonderful current stylist are $65 which is kinda expensive, but with the way she cuts it, I only have to go back every 3 months instead of every 2 so the cost evens out!
Enough about me…good luck today and I would advise not to do anything too “out there” until you can see your normal stylist! :0)
I say do it! Although I am so not a hair risk taker. You hair is very cute short so I think it’ll be cute even shorter! Best of luck.
I have had the same person (who used to be my next door neighbor) cut my hair since junior high!! sometimes I think I should go somewhere else, somewhere more modern instead of this little mom and pop shop, but for me, trust is a big thing when it comes to hair and I trust her not to make me look bad! haha. but on the other hand, I am kind of a risk taker with my hair. I have no qualms about cutting it off, trying new things. I have never gotten my hair cut by a student, but hair is a very personal thing so what matters is if you feel comfortable asking the student hair dresser to do something “risky.” Maybe once you meet the student you can have a better gauge? I wonder if you could ask to see some previous work?? (If they even have photos…) I guess if I were in your shoes, I would just get a nice cut and save the risk-taking for the pro. But for blog purposes, it might be fun to take a leap of faith with the student!
ok, so I was no help to you but good luck with whatever you decide!
First of all, your short hair looks great on you so keep it up! And an update: my short hair is growing on me. I think I might even keep it short at my next haircut bc the man likes it (and I like the new, fun look) and we’re headed to chicago in nov for his bro’s wedding.
I would suggest having the beauty school student just trimming/updating your look. To go drastic with someone you don’t trust is just too much for me anyway. You could say “I’d like my A line cut a bit more dramatic than i have now, but keeping it the same style just trimmed up a bit.” Something to that effect??
i think you should do full blunt bangs! i love mine so much and i am growing my hair longer, so that its kinds anne hathaway from Devil Wears Prada! Do whatever but make sure the hair dresser knows what you do and do not like
I agree with what Vanessa suggested – just a trim with the student, but leave any major cutting to your regular stylist.
I am super picky as well about who I let touch my hair…and I am pretty calm about hair (you know, it’s just hair, it will grow back)…but I still don’t know how I would feel about that!
I read your post to Nicole this morning while I was getting my hair done and she said to come see her when you get into town and she will try and squeeze you in. She said, how could she not, now that you said such nice things about her. I should post your school pic with short hair, the one you hate and I love? eh?
i think i might be a little nervous
but who knows they may do a great job!! love your hair!
i’ve been going to the aveda institute in minneapolis since my freshman year of college and i’ve never had a terrible experience. i don’t go there if i’m looking for something dramatic, but the students are supervised and they’ve always done what i wanted them to. if they don’t know how, they ask a teacher. and for the price, it’s tough to beat! good luck!
i got my hair cut at the marvel college in kelowna, the first time i moved to vernon. i ended up with mushroom cut looking bangs and it was pretty much awful.
but, 10 bucks, what the hell. its just hair. maybe your person will be a natural hair dresser and be good at what they do already. good luck!!
Oh, don’t do it!! The one thing I will always pay more for is my hair. I made the mistake of going to the mall on a whim to get mine cut when my usual stylist was booked for a month and I just haaaad to have it cut right away. My super long (midway down my back) locks got lopped off to mimic Reese Witherspoon’s hair in Sweet Home Alabama!! I’ve never made that mistake again (because I could not pull off Reese’s hair anyway!). Good luck
I’ve always said to hell with it, it’s hair and it’ll grow back, so take a chance on an unknown or unfamiliar hairdresser. That said – I’ve heard some real horror stories about student hairdressers…I’d think long and hard about it!!!! eek!
Oooh I think you could totally rock the Rihanna cut! Go for it! … But I would maybe wait for your trusted hairdresser to try the edge-y look. Maybe just have the student hairdresser give you a trim. Can’t wait to find out what you decide to do! And for pictures, of course! Good luck!
I am 100% a cut it, grow it, cut it …. repeat. It is now in the grown stage and in a ponytail all the time.
I think I would wait for my trusted hairdresser, I’ve gone to others and always wished I had waited.
The cut will look great on you too!
I love your current haircut and I think the Rihanna cut would look great on you. I also agree with what most commenters suggested – just a trim with the student, major cutting to the regular stylist. Good luck!
I guess I’m somewhat conservative, but I would wait for Nicole. Some students are truly gifted, but some really need about 1000 jobs under their belt before they can really get you what you want how you describe or through pictures. I have an amazing hairdresser that I can’t imagine not having her cut my hair. She has always said that if I don’t like something two weeks after my cut just to come back in and she will fix it, and offers free bang trims. So I think it is worth the week and a half I have to wait to get my hair cut by her. Also she is really fun to chat with. (I’m going next week! Yea!)