So, I went for a hair cut

My hair was really long. It was starting to dip between my butt cheeks. My mother couldn't stand it, and asked me to go get it cut.

So, yesterday, I went to the hair salon downstairs. Walked in, asked for the price, said okay, and immediately go started with shampooing. Then comes conversation.

Lady: Do you want to cut your hair short?
Me: No, just get it trimmed a bit, I still want it to stay long.
Lady: Oh, because we want to keep it.

I have good hair. Rarely blow-dried, never dyed, straight, dark, fine, and very silky. I'd be lying if I said I'm not proud of it. Here, she wants to keep my hair, says it's for charity (but I know she might take it to sell). Fine, I don't ask so many questions. So, after washing:

Lady: How short do you want your hair?
Me: Not short, I really still want long hair.
Lady: Like mine? (Hers is up to her bra strap line.)
Me: No, that's too short. I need it to around here. *motions to ~3" longer than that*

(This goes on a few more times, with me stressing that the bra strap length is too short.)

Lady: Okay, no problem.

Then, she starts snipping before gauging with me on MY hair against the mirror, which has never happened to me before. It started to freak me out, but I told myself it's fine, I have to trust her, she has to work in her own way. I can't see what she's doing because she started at the back of my head. Yet, the more she snipped, the more nervous I became because it REALLY looked way shorter than what I told her. When I voiced my concerns, she kept answering with, "No, it's fine, it's still long!"

Well, I got mad when I saw the final product. IT WAS JUST ABOVE THE BRA LINE, which I specified IS TOO SHORT... not once, but many times! Fuark. Right in front of me was also a bunch of my hair that she snipped off and tied with a rubberband. I didn't want to cause a scene. My hair's already cut. What's done is done. I was really upset, and she knew it. I paid and left.

Except, why did she disrespect my wishes? It wasn't like I didn't make it clear what length of hair I wanted. In fact, I had stressed the length I wanted a few times, to which she always said okay to. She knew very well how I felt about 'bra strap length' hair.

I couldn't walk really far until I got really upset and stormed back into the salon. I demanded to know why she ignored my wishes when I made them very clear. She could only say sorry. I demanded for my money back. It wasn't expensive, but it's really the actions that pissed me off. She asked me how I could get a service, pay, then ask for the money back. I said I won't say another word, she KNOWS she cut it too short, she KNEW I didn't want it that short, yet she still did it.

So... I got my money back, and left. I got home and cried out of sheer anger. My long hair was part of what I identified with, and I felt like that was ruined. I was so mad for being disrespected like that. Seriously, even when I was angry I knew that the whole situation was so stupid. Hair grows back. My hair grows quite fast. Yet, I was still so mad!

I'm still mad. I mean, I laugh at the whole absurdity of it now, but thinking about how my wishes got ignored so blatantly still maddens me. A friend told me to throw a rock through their window, my mom laughed in my face, and another friend clapped because that's the length he told me to get my hair cut to in the first place anyway.

Anyways, just a story I felt like posting. Fuck professionals who think that they can ignore a client's wishes just because they think they know better/think they can get away with it.

When she said, because we want to keep it, did you ask what for?

If she cut it short to sell the hair, then she will probably make more selling your hair than cutting it.

at least you kept some of your bush

As a stylist and person who has a stylist, anytime someone seems like they're not listening to you right away and ESPECIALLY if they let you know that they want to keep your hair, get out of the chair immediately. I only let one person do my hair and it's because my hair is really thick and the styles that I put my hair in are subject to permanently damage your hair if it's pulled too tight around the edges or a stylist attempts to take short cuts. Me and my stylist are VERY close. We've become like sisters and we've even taken birthday trips out of town together. All of this started out as a client/stylist relationship and she's earned my trust...in SPADES. I've earned hers as well. Like, even though we're very close I'm probably the only person who is this close in relationship to her and has never asked for a discount or for her to do my hair if I don't have the funds, etc. My hairstyles are quite expensive and I make sure I tip her as well. Just because we're close doesn't mean that I skip out on tipping her. When she let's me know that she hasn't seen me in a while, I don't complain to her that I don't have the money. I just tell her I'll be in soon, that I have a lot going on. I NEVER hint that I'm not in her chair due to financial reasons.

So, basically, you have to find a stylist where you guys can form a mutually respectful relationship. I hope you do find one, because experiences like this can keep you from sitting in anyone else's chair which is not right if you desire to keep your hair maintained. I also agree with the comment that unfortunately, when you choose a cheaper stylist, you get what you pay for. I've had stylist literally beg me to try them out and I'm NOT budging. It was the same way back home. The stylist I had before I relocated still does my grandmother and my mother's hair. I went to her, because many of us in the family went to her and if she messes up one head, she's liable to lose not only that family member as a client, but other family members too. lol If/when I didn't go to her, I went to my cousin. You have to be VERY careful who you trust to fiddle with your hair, especially if it's unusually long or thick. People can easily get jealous or as in your case, she absolutely wanted to sell your hair.

My hair doesn't require much maintenance so I've never had any specific stylist but yeah, I hate when stylists blatantly ignore your requests and do their own thing. One time I went in for a trim... only an inch trim (I needed a layered trim) and the damn stylist assumed I wanted my hair thinned as well so she went all crazy with the hair thinning shears. I hate when they use those, I prefer normal scissors. Anyway she chopped off a good 3 inch and I really didn't want to pay her. Ugh some are too scissor happy and need their cosmetology license suspended dammit.

Thanks ladies (and gentleman). I'm now aware that I should have been more cautious. The thing is, I'm fine with them selling my hair - I wasn't going to keep it anyway. It just maddens me that they took off more than what I allowed. I'm mad that they took advantage of me when I try to be nice to them. Honestly, the cut was not expensive, but it is an average price for this city. I wasn't asking for high quality service. I just wanted a fair one. I tried out this new salon because we no longer lived close to my usual place, and I figured that what I wanted was simple enough. Now, I know that I should be more careful.

Anyway, I just told my story to a local who confirmed that, yes, they took my hair to sell. She advised me to next time tell my next salon that I want to keep the hair to donate myself. I'm still bummed over this matter, but I'll get over it.

Posted by channingtatumsneck
you should have taken your hair back though. burned it in the store like good will hunting.

"do you know how easy it is for me to grow this hair?!"

Lol!!!

Posted by channingtatumsneck
you should have taken your hair back though. burned it in the store like good will hunting.

"do you know how easy it is for me to grow this hair?!"

Lol!!!

I'm proud of you for going back and demanding and explanation and your money back!
The nerve of her wondering why you wanted your money back....smh.

Objectively, does it look good? I know you're upset because it's not what you wanted, but hopefully it looks good on you.

Posted by channingtatumsneck
you should have taken your hair back though. burned it in the store like good will hunting.

"do you know how easy it is for me to grow this hair?!"

This!

Posted by centipedes
This happened to me once. I've always had really long hair, down to my lower back, and I'm attached to it. I've always done my own trims, but then I wanted layers, so I went to the salon.

I SPECIFICALLY asked her to only trim 1 inch at the most. Within seconds I hear a snip right near my shoulder, I look down and see a lock of hair on the floor.

I reminded her of my request, and she told me to trust her, she's been doing this for years and she's the owner of that salon.

Before she could resume disregarding my request, I panicked and immediately got up, told her I changed my mind, paid her just the cost (no tip) and went home to just do my normal hair trim, in a bad mood lol. Then I wrote a 1 star review on yelp lol

Don't be afraid to bolt next time this happens. It's your hair u would have to live with. not theirs

No offense but you have to cut some layers shorter to get the layers.

BUT an experienced stylist would have braced you for that, instead

of just whacking your hair without mercy.

I just smh

Can't blame you, really.