The worst haircut I've ever gotten

I had to leave my awesome hairstylist behind a few moves ago.  We've moved a couple times in the last few years and it presents a challenge for me to find someone skilled to cut my hair.   Bumble and Bumble products are great for my hair and after college I began to see a stylist at a Bumble and Bumble salon. At that salon had the best stylist I have ever had.  She was the type who I could say cut it anyway you want and it always turned out great.  When I moved in with my husband I went to a different Bumble and Bumble salon and the stylists that cut my hair there do a very good job -- no complaints.  But with the next move, I struggled.  The first stylist cut my fine, thin hair into a less than functional style for my hair.  I searched for a Bumble and Bumble salon, but none were in the area.  I went to an Aveda salon, which was okay.  But it just seemed that I never got that polished haircut.  You see my hair is hard to cut and style.  It's limp, thin and fine.  It can't just be cut without knowledge and skill.  I settled for this salon until our recent move.  After our last move here I went to a nearby Aveda salon that charge $34 a haircut.  I just couldn't pay that much for a haircut.  Not to mention that the stylist didn't give it that polished look either. It was a good haircut, but not worth nearly $40 by the time I pay tip.  

My husband, who knows how hard I try to save every penny and dime, suggested I go to the place that cuts his hair.  They charge $15. Note I call it a place.  It's one of the "places" you see on every other corner.  He said it's always busy and was confident they could give me a "professional" haircut (his words, not mine).  I thought I could at least give it a try. You never know. So I called this place the other day and gave my sob story.  I have fine, thin hair and I need to find someone who can cut it.  The guy who answered the phone said he could cut it.  He had cut my husband's hair in the past, so I thought we'll give it a try.  My husband thought he would do a good job, too.

So, I walk into this place and the receptionist was on the phone trying to figure out dinner.  She put the phone on hold and I told her I had an appointment.  She said have a seat.  The stylist who I thought was cutting my hair was doing a highlight.  A few minutes later, the receptionist called me to her chair saying she had to catch up on some e-mails (while I waited).  I guess she was cutting my hair.  I explained again that I had my fine, thin hair and need a style that grows out well.  I said the style that Victoria Beckham had a few years ago works really well in my hair.  She was confident and opted not to shampoo my hair.  Instead she spritzed water on my hair and on my eyes.  Okay.  She was interrupted a couple times with phone calls and walk-ins.  She put a cut into it and I told her she could go shorter.  She eventually got to a point where she asked me if she should layer it more or not.  I don't know.  I said just do what works.   She was rough with the comb -- again I have no hair to start with.  Kept squirting the water in my eyes.  I watched a the ways she cut the hair and thought "that's an interesting way to cut it."  A couple times she showed me the right side only and it looked okay.  Not a great job, but I figured it would do for another month.  As I was paying, I noticed she was the manager.  I used my $2 off coupon from the back of my grocery receipt and headed on my way.  I looked in the car mirror on the way home and couldn't believe how bad it looked.  I thought maybe the back is better or I just need to blow dry it out so it looks better.  When my hair air dries, there's not much life to it.

I came home and showed my husband.  He didn't see it at first.  Then we started to analyze together a little more.  Chunks missing in the back.  The left side had a really short layer in the middle giving me less hair.  That Victoria Beckham cut, that was supposed to make me look like I have more hair, was attempted on the left side while the right side had an entirely different style.  The back was so layered, it literally looked like someone just took a scissors to my hair in an angry rage.  

The next day I tried to style it again and again and again and there was just nothing I could do with it.  I called the place and told the person who answered that I was not happy with the cut I got.  She told me they guarantee their cuts for seven days.  I said "I'm not going back to your salon, I see what you can do."  She pushed me off to the corporate office and was told a refund check would be mailed to me shortly.  Also mentioned was giving that stylist more classes and education.  

So, I then tried to find a reasonably priced salon and that was a challenge.  I called around to the Bumble and Bumble salons and most of their haircuts are around $40.  In a city of nearly half a million people, there has to be someone who can cut my hair.  My next plan of attack was to try the mall.  I've been to the mall at night and notice that most of the salons in the mall aren't busy.  Not a good sign.  So, I called the JCPenny salon.  Gave my sob story again along with the "I need someone to fix a bad haircut" plea.  Thankfully, I was able to get in that night and had a fantastic stylist.  She not only fixed the haircut, but listened and knew what do do.  There were a few layers that were cut too short in the bad haircut that she said need time to grow out.  But she did a great job -- hooray, I found someone.  Price wasn't too bad -- $28.  I'll pay it if I can get a good cut and the fact that she could fix that awful haircut means she's got a little skill to say the least.  My husband said he could tell the difference once he saw the better haircut.

I can't believe the stylist that gave me that terrible haircut was the manager of the place.  She didn't show me the left side or the back, which was just a mess. Did she think I wouldn't notice when I got home? If she made a mistake, she should have tried to fix it or at lease admit she messed up.  My husband said, you would think the manager would be the most skilled.  Well, we learned that's not the case.