A Hair-Raising Story

 (above: new hair, second hair cut of the day)

I got my haircut twice today.  I was in a styling chair from about 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  Click through for the full, hair-raising story...

So today I rushed back to my college town for a 3:00pm haircut.  Now, I'd scheduled my haircut at a beauty school.  The students there (under the supervision of instructors) do everything a full service salon does... for dirt cheap student prices.  I've gone there four or five times for eyebrow waxes---and I've been pleased every single time.  Plus, I know several girls who have gotten their hair cut there and it turned out really cute.

Well, a few days ago one of my girlfriends got her hair done there and texted me immediately after.  She said that the girl gave her really uneven layers and she ended up going to another salon and dishing out the money for a fix-up cut.  She just made sure to tell me her stylist's name to make sure that's not who I had.  It wasn't so I thought, "no big deal."  We both dismissed it as a one-time thing, perhaps just a bad stylist.  Still, I was suddenly a little leary of getting my hair cut there.  I called the salon to see if they had any different times.  They said that they were booked full and that if I changed my mind, I should let them know because the girl I was booked with is popular and they could fill my spot quickly.  So I kept my appointment.

Well, when my vehicle didn't start this morning that may have been an omen.  Perhaps I should have canceled.  I showed up to the beauty school on time but had to wait thirty minutes before she was ready for me.  Her last client was late.  So we got started late.  But I'm pretty laid back and wasn't upset or anything.  I said that I wanted some long fringey bangs.  And I explicitly stated that I wanted to keep my length and just have a bit trimmed off.  

Well, to make a long painful story short.  She chopped my hair.  She made lots of layers.  I have thick hair with lots of body---so it poofed out hideously.  And she cut the bangs too short.  Apparently she didn't realize that when you cut them wet, they are shorter once they're dry.  Ugh.  The instructor came over several times and quietly fixed things, but I could tell that the damage was done.  I think the stylist student knew it, too.  She said that if I went home and decided I didn't like something, I could come back and have it fixed free of charge.  

I just wanted out of there asap.  Looking back, I wish I would have refused to pay.  But at the time, I was just in shock.  I thanked her, paid for the haircut (which was fortunately cheap already b/c I had a student discount), and did not leave a tip.  I walked outta there as fast as I could, sat down in my vehicle, and held back tears.  What was I supposed to do?  My hair looked like a mullet!  I remembered that my girlfriend had had to go to another salon to get hers fixed.  I hated the thought of paying for another haircut, but I needed one. Walking across a parking lot with my chopped-up hair was bad enough---I couldn't imagine going to work tomorrow or school on Monday.

So I headed to the first salon I knew of.  I went inside and (trying not to sound frantic) asked the receptionist how soon I could get in.  She asked "tonight?"  I cried and wiping my eyes, turned around to show her the hideous back of my head.  "Oh, sweetie!" she said, "You've come to the right place.  We'll get you fixed up."  There was a stylist available in thirty minutes, but she was ready for me in twenty.  And let me just say that this stylist was a miracle-worker!  Yes, I had to lose a lot of length that I was wanting to keep.  But I'm so happy with my new, cute, flirty bob.  She is my hero.  

I really wish I would have taken a "before" photo of the first haircut so you could see just how terrible it was.  

So yea---it's been quite a day.  Have any of you gone through a similar experience?  If you haven't, I hope you never do!!