Give me the lingo to un ring my bell
March 1, 2014 11:39 AM Subscribe
I got a bad hair cut today. I need the words when I go to get it fixed to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I have had a bob many many times in the past. I decided to do it again. We just moved so I had to find a new stylist. I brought a couple of pictures to show what I wanted. A bob that was slightly longer in the front, swooping beneath my chin. I said I don't want it to look like a mushroom. I got a mushroom.
I understand that this is a very precise cut. In the past it was cut so the ends locked in to each other and it curved nicely under. This does not.at.all. My ends are sticking out and it is as though it is stacked in the wrong direction. It is also about an inch above my chin. Looks like a victorian page boy or a bell or a mushroom.
I have already washed it and styled it again to see if I could make it work and it just wont. It isn't laying well at all. I let the stylist know at the time that it wasn't what I had in mind and that it was too short and boxy. She said to give it a couple of days. I know my hair and I know the way it was cut in the past. This is not going to work. It isn't blended well either. I have already called the salon and requested that it be fixed by another stylist who is more familiar with bobs and thick hair. Getting it taken care of later this week.
Like I said, I know this cut works on my hair when done right. I need the words to explain. I used to be able to just blow dry it under with a round brush and the ends would lock nicely without much effort. This cut I had to straighten the heck out of the make the ends remotely lay well. She used thinning scissors and there are weird not quite layers that are also making it look uneven. I specifically asked for the all one length illusion for the top portion.
I don't want to get her in trouble and say anything negative about her and her techniques when I get it fixed, how do I explain it to the new stylist without being too negative but also being very precise and make sure I don't walk out with something worse.
I have had a bob many many times in the past. I decided to do it again. We just moved so I had to find a new stylist. I brought a couple of pictures to show what I wanted. A bob that was slightly longer in the front, swooping beneath my chin. I said I don't want it to look like a mushroom. I got a mushroom.
I understand that this is a very precise cut. In the past it was cut so the ends locked in to each other and it curved nicely under. This does not.at.all. My ends are sticking out and it is as though it is stacked in the wrong direction. It is also about an inch above my chin. Looks like a victorian page boy or a bell or a mushroom.
I have already washed it and styled it again to see if I could make it work and it just wont. It isn't laying well at all. I let the stylist know at the time that it wasn't what I had in mind and that it was too short and boxy. She said to give it a couple of days. I know my hair and I know the way it was cut in the past. This is not going to work. It isn't blended well either. I have already called the salon and requested that it be fixed by another stylist who is more familiar with bobs and thick hair. Getting it taken care of later this week.
Like I said, I know this cut works on my hair when done right. I need the words to explain. I used to be able to just blow dry it under with a round brush and the ends would lock nicely without much effort. This cut I had to straighten the heck out of the make the ends remotely lay well. She used thinning scissors and there are weird not quite layers that are also making it look uneven. I specifically asked for the all one length illusion for the top portion.
I don't want to get her in trouble and say anything negative about her and her techniques when I get it fixed, how do I explain it to the new stylist without being too negative but also being very precise and make sure I don't walk out with something worse.
Ah, man. This exact thing happened to me, down to the "victorian page boy" description. What I did was go to a completely different salon that had a very good reputation and told the woman, "fix this." If yours is as bad as mine was, she'll be able to see what you mean immediately. In my case, it was so awful I had to cut it all the way off to pixie length (which, incidentally, I ended up loving).
I guess my point is - I don't think the problem here is the way you described what you wanted. I mean, you had pictures! I think the problem is that the woman messed up your hair. Take your pictures back to a different stylist and I think they'll likely be able to help you.
posted by something something at 11:51 AM on March 1, 2014 [4 favorites]
I guess my point is - I don't think the problem here is the way you described what you wanted. I mean, you had pictures! I think the problem is that the woman messed up your hair. Take your pictures back to a different stylist and I think they'll likely be able to help you.
posted by something something at 11:51 AM on March 1, 2014 [4 favorites]
You described it just fine - the problem is the stylist you got stuck with didn't have the skills to execute.
posted by joan_holloway at 11:53 AM on March 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by joan_holloway at 11:53 AM on March 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Yeah, if you're looking for a particularly demanding style and you brought photo reference but it still came out wrong, I don't think your explanation was the problem. This is the trial-and-error portion of finding a new stylist.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:57 AM on March 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:57 AM on March 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Nthing that the problem seems to have been with the stylist. You not only described what you wanted, you brought pictures! (Which is the only way to go if you are trying out a new hairstyle or going to a new hairdresser.)
If you lived in my area, I'd send you to my awesome hairdresser. As it is, I found mine through Yelp. Find a different stylist, one that has good online reviews or your friends/coworkers/neighbors sing their praises. Then schedule a consultation before you get your hair cut. Talk to the stylist and see what they recommend for you and what they can do to fix your hair. Then make an appointment for the actual haircut.
By going in for a consultation first, you get to know the stylist and the salon, and get a better sense if they are a good fit for you before they take scissors to your hair. If you don't get a good feeling during the consultation, or the hairdresser is snippy (har!) or doesn't seem to listen, then find another hairstylist and schedule a consultation with them. Hopefully it will only take one or two tries before you find someone who will style your hair the way you want it.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 12:10 PM on March 1, 2014
If you lived in my area, I'd send you to my awesome hairdresser. As it is, I found mine through Yelp. Find a different stylist, one that has good online reviews or your friends/coworkers/neighbors sing their praises. Then schedule a consultation before you get your hair cut. Talk to the stylist and see what they recommend for you and what they can do to fix your hair. Then make an appointment for the actual haircut.
By going in for a consultation first, you get to know the stylist and the salon, and get a better sense if they are a good fit for you before they take scissors to your hair. If you don't get a good feeling during the consultation, or the hairdresser is snippy (har!) or doesn't seem to listen, then find another hairstylist and schedule a consultation with them. Hopefully it will only take one or two tries before you find someone who will style your hair the way you want it.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 12:10 PM on March 1, 2014
Ask for stylist recs, or search askme for questions about stylist recs, if you don't want to reveal your location. I have gotten some great recs here myself.
posted by nat at 1:00 PM on March 1, 2014
posted by nat at 1:00 PM on March 1, 2014
Response by poster: This salon had good reviews on yelp and google. I just think I got someone inexperienced. Yes, the joy of finding a new stylist. She didn't flinch when I told her what I wanted. I thought she understood.
posted by MayNicholas at 1:05 PM on March 1, 2014
posted by MayNicholas at 1:05 PM on March 1, 2014
Oh yikes. Seconding everyone above who is saying you described it clearly and this is stylist error. I know exactly what you wanted and I'm not a stylist, just someone who's had that cut (and also had an unfortunate cut like the one you ended up with).
Just as an aside: like something something said, a pixie cut may be one of the fixes offered by the new stylist. I had one for years and I really liked it--I also have very thick hair. If you get an experienced stylist, it can work well. However, don't choose it as a transitional cut! Only take the pixie option if you're willing to commit to that style and do frequent upkeep for a while.
What I'm saying is, getting a pixie will not make it easier to grow your hair back out to what you wanted originally--it'll make it more difficult.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:27 PM on March 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just as an aside: like something something said, a pixie cut may be one of the fixes offered by the new stylist. I had one for years and I really liked it--I also have very thick hair. If you get an experienced stylist, it can work well. However, don't choose it as a transitional cut! Only take the pixie option if you're willing to commit to that style and do frequent upkeep for a while.
What I'm saying is, getting a pixie will not make it easier to grow your hair back out to what you wanted originally--it'll make it more difficult.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:27 PM on March 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Inverted [asymmetrical] bob, probably, based on what you are saying here. Inverted bobs have all the layering underneath, have the back shorter than the front, and the asymetrical variety have one side longer than the other. The layering is stacked so that the hair slides under toward the chin and back toward the neck.
Bad inverted bobs look like floppy dog ears.
Some
examples
to
look
at
posted by oflinkey at 1:28 PM on March 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Bad inverted bobs look like floppy dog ears.
Some
examples
to
look
at
posted by oflinkey at 1:28 PM on March 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't advocate a pixie, either, having had a few in my life and having very thick hair that grows fast.
If you have to chop into it, I suggest this.
posted by oflinkey at 1:36 PM on March 1, 2014
If you have to chop into it, I suggest this.
posted by oflinkey at 1:36 PM on March 1, 2014
Response by poster: No pixie for me. I did that about 3 years ago and discovered it is not my favorite. Had it in my 20's and loved it, but my face isn't as defined as it used to be so it requires a lot of makeup for me to look ok with it. I wanted the bob so I only had to wash and style twice a week, like the good old bob days. If they can get it to lay better I can deal until it grows longer. I have coconut oil on the ends right now to get it to lay down. Booo.
posted by MayNicholas at 2:13 PM on March 1, 2014
posted by MayNicholas at 2:13 PM on March 1, 2014
It sounds like maybe you need some bulk thinned under the longest layers, so that the outside can lay down and curve under, rather than pile on top (which is what it sounds like is happening with your bell/mushroom description).
posted by scody at 2:57 PM on March 1, 2014
posted by scody at 2:57 PM on March 1, 2014
I don't know where you are, but I moved from a big city to a smaller town and had the same thing happen. I've never had an inverted bob gone soo, soo very wrong. Is there a neighborhood email or facebook group you can find? You need a recommendation for a stylist from someone with your hair type.
posted by cestmoi15 at 3:38 PM on March 1, 2014
posted by cestmoi15 at 3:38 PM on March 1, 2014
You need a recommendation for a stylist from someone with your hair type.
I found my now-long-term stylist by asking a person with my type of hair and a fabulous haircut for the name of her stylist. Keep your eye out for your hair/hairstyle doppelganger on the streets of your new town...
posted by kmennie at 10:07 PM on March 1, 2014
I found my now-long-term stylist by asking a person with my type of hair and a fabulous haircut for the name of her stylist. Keep your eye out for your hair/hairstyle doppelganger on the streets of your new town...
posted by kmennie at 10:07 PM on March 1, 2014
Yup, confirm inverted bob with under-thinning. I do have some thinning on the top which makes it sit better. I have had the mushroom / pageboy many times. Now what I do when I have a good cut is have someone take 360 views on my phone of it. Then if I ever have to have a new stylist, I can show them the cut ON ME. BTW my lady always does mine a leetle too short at first but it's fine after a week as it grows quickly. Good luck getting it sorted out, I know how annoying this is.
Oh - just to add, try looking for a Turkish, Greek or other ethnicity with similar hair to yours hair salon. I'm almost entirely Caucasian British with a touch of Spanish, but have BIG dark wavy hair. Best salon I went to before this one was a Turkish place in S London. They understood big, wavy hair.
posted by LyzzyBee at 3:50 AM on March 2, 2014
Oh - just to add, try looking for a Turkish, Greek or other ethnicity with similar hair to yours hair salon. I'm almost entirely Caucasian British with a touch of Spanish, but have BIG dark wavy hair. Best salon I went to before this one was a Turkish place in S London. They understood big, wavy hair.
posted by LyzzyBee at 3:50 AM on March 2, 2014
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posted by coupdefoudre at 11:49 AM on March 1, 2014