How can I get the hair cut I want?

[Anonymous]

I'm on a budget, so usually go to the Hair Cuttery. I never come home with the haircut I want.

For example: one time I asked for long, face framing layers and ended up with short, razor cut layers all over my head.
Whenever I ask for a classic bob, I get a cut with the hair longer in the front, which looks terrible on me.
What am I doing wrong?
I've taken pictures in the past and sometimes it helps.

[Anonymous]

Do you have extremely straight hair? I would spend a bit more ($55) and go to PR @ Partners.

Also despite it looking simple, bobs are one of the hardest cuts, esp if you have straight hair.

[Anonymous]

I go to PR @ Partners for this reason - relatively cheap but also professional stylists rather than drive-thru. You can have a consultation and talk about exactly what you want, exactly what you don't want and exactly what your problems have been with other cuts/stylists in the past. You need to be very specific though and having pictures is helpful.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies! My hair is actually wavy. The stylists always comment on the thickness of my hair (not the individual strands, but the amount of hair, I guess).
PR Partners looks great, but unfortunately I live in MD.

[Anonymous]

Hair Cuttery does employ some great stylists, but they are hard to find, and very popular so you need to make appointments. Jessica at the Hair Cuttery in Germantown (13400 Kingsview Village Ave), is The Curl Whisperer, and there's a woman named Thi (pronounced "tea") at the HC behind Montgomery Mall who is apparently very good and hard to get an appointment with. My mother and many of her (stylish) friends go to Thi.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, this is very helpful!!

[Anonymous]

If PR @ Partners is too far, try a Bubbles. They are owned by the same company as Hair Cuttery, but a step up in terms of stylists. Price is usually $45 - $60 for a cut & style.

[Anonymous]

Bring several pictures.

Be realistic. If you have wavy hair and you are asking for a bob, you may not be able to achieve the effect of a bob that straight hair achieves.

Use correct terms. A bob means something very distinct. But people misuse the term. If you don't want it stacked in the back, say so.

Make sure the stylist understands what you want.

[Anonymous]

You need to go to a good salon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to go to a good salon.

Agreed, there is a huge difference between a $20 cut and a $60 cut, which I eventually figured out. I go to Vidal Sassoon at Tysons--they are all people who have real training and want to be professional hairstylists, as opposed to a lot of the people who are at Hair Cuttery and seem to only be doing it because they aren't qualified to do other things.

[Anonymous]

Get a bunch of pictures of the hair you want, but understand that we your hair texture and wave, the cut you want may not be possible.

Spend the money and take this pictures to a master stylist at a GOOD salon. They will consult with you before hand (or should) and tell you what about the cut in the pictures you like will or won't work with your face and hair type.

It could be that your expectations are unrealistic.

Once you and the master stylist have come up with an agreeable plan, let them cut your hair. Pay for what you will feel is too much money for your haircut, but is more likely to be what you want (unless that's impossible, but then you and the stylist should have come up with something together).

Maintain your cut every 4-6 weeks by going to the cheap salon.

Return every 6 months or so to the good salon, this time maybe using a junior stylist, to clean up the mistakes from the cheap salon and reshape the cut properly.

[Anonymous]

Apologies for typos above. I always forget to edit my posts.

[Anonymous]

Go the Bubbles in Montgomery Mall. Ask for Anakin. Cuts there are about $40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apologies for typos above. I always forget to edit my posts.

How dare you?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have extremely straight hair? I would spend a bit more ($55) and go to PR @ Partners.

Also despite it looking simple, bobs are one of the hardest cuts, esp if you have straight hair.

No kidding. My daughter and I both har straight fine hair. I took her to cartoon cuts one day. The woman did an amazing bob on my daughter. I sat tush no next and asked for the same cut but slightly more adult.
The stylist got what I was after. Did a fantastic job and it costs me $19.99. I love that she really understands that no product and I don't blow dry mean just that. I don't have the patience to style my hair every day.