What is it with hairdressers' mirrors!

Worst hairdresser-mirror experience I ever had was when at the end, he showed me the back view. He had cut it perfectly before, so maybe I hadn't been explicit enough, but he had completely misunderstood my instructions and left the back exactly like a 1950s boy's short back and sides!

I couldn't help it - I was in tears. He was distraught, and offered a refund, but I just wanted to pay, get out, and cry in peace. Once home I phoned a dd at uni over 100 miles away for sympathy. She was indignant, and (as I found later) phoned the hairdresser and 'gave him a
bollocking'!

However the very next day, same dd heard that a close friend who had stayed with us and was on a study placement in Russia, had been killed in a road accident.
I felt so bad for being in such a state about my hair, which would grow back soon enough.

what an ugly cow I am

gillybob, I don’t believe that for a minute.

You're lucky Phoenix when I look in the mirror I see my Nana!

Back to the M & S mirrors. Didn’t they once get into trouble for their mirrors that made us look a stone lighter xand six inches taller? I absolutely ruddy loved them.

All replaced now by wrap round brutal honesty that I could well live without. It happened about the same time that Laura Ashley changed their sizing. I went from a 16 to a 10 overnight.

That's a lovely photo, NellieM

There’s no hope for us MissA

I'm a bit like you, gilly.
I never look in a full length mirror, and only look in a small one to put my 'face' on.

I do on occasion however, have a private conversation with myself in the bathroom mirror at home. It’s usually to tell myself off about something I’ve done wrong.
or to remind myself what an ugly cow I am . Just incase I start to get a bit above myself.

I absolutely hate mirrors (and cameras) . Why on earth would I (or anyone else for that matter) want to look at that ugly mug? I dread the hairdressers especially when she makes me face forward to get the sides even. It’s like torture.

Please go back and read Playermojo's post from the hairdresser's point of view. Think of the other pwrson in the mirror, too. The only one scrutinising ourselves is ourselves.

Having said that, I hate the rolls of fat I see in the mirror and on photos. But then I think, plenty of others have that, too, and when I look at them, I see a mixture of their smiles, their personality, and what they looked like 20years ago, the wonderful cakes they have baked or things they have said to me. We are not just grey hair and wrinkles. We are all much more than

As long as you don't take yourself too seriously, no one will see you as just the little old lady with the crooked teeth.

I don’t have the most brilliant of eyesight even with contacts in I can see but maybe the details aren’t so noticeable so I look fine in the mirror well no different to how I look ( to me) in any mirror
I recently had to have a new hairdresser as mine (20 years plus) sold out I was incredible worried as I have a short style that needs a very good cut anyway the new one to my relief did well, I had her three times, rang up to make my next appointment and the new owner said I can do it as X has left I VERY VERY reluctantly made an appointment with her. Guess what she is even better I ve had two cuts with her now and love the way she does it even better than the original one ( and the price went down a pound ?)

They always manage to ruffle up my eyebrows somehow so I look extra awful...

...dunno why/how cause at home I manage to wash/brush/dry my hair without sending my eyebrows off in the wrong direction.

Just me?

aggie it did, and I have replied!

I always look better in the salon mirror after my hair has been pampered into some semblance of style. However, when I put my glasses back on, all my lines and flaws re-appear and the illusion is shattered.

Phoenix , I have sent you a message , at least I think it worked ?

PS agree about hairdressers mirrors, I really, really do NOT want to spend half an hour being confronted with every line, sag and wrinkle on a face that, although it must be mine, as it moves when I speak, however it does not correspond at all with what is in my head!

I now love the colour of my hair, having taken the plunge to stop colouring, I have been very fortunate to end up with a rather nice silver grey, and also consider myself blessed that it is very thick.

However, I will be saying "goodbye" to most of it next Tuesday, when I submit myself to the clippers for "Brave the Shave" to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support

I refuse everything.
It all weighs my hair down and looks like a coating of lard the next day.

Refuse the conditioner, Melanie My hair is fine and conditioner just makes it go flat to my head.

Having fine hair, I always want fullness. I mean it's fine but I'm not bald or thinning. So why, nowadays can't hairdressers give a bit of fullness to my hair like they did in the Sixties. I mean they used rollers and back combing and strong hairspray, and you went out looking a million dollars, but nowadays they are clueless. My hair is always silky, conditioned to death and flat as a pancake.

Am I in the right place here, or could someone please direct me to the right place.

Oh! And regarding hairdressers mirrors! There's definitely something wrong with them. I look 20years older in them and can't wait to get home to reassure myself, in my flattering mirror.

Jenpax and Persistentddonor what is it with GS's. Mine is 8 and has suddenly become obsessed with my age. He tells me matter of factly that I'm very, very old and asks will i die soon. Like you i tell him im not as old as GGD. Theres no malice there, its just as if hes realised all the different ages there are. Good job I'm thick skinned!

Um put in front of any mirror and I feel the same, but when I glance at any other person at hairdressers they seem so together, great outfit good makeup M e I look washed out with wet hair, then hot and flustered while being dried, then a couple of days later hate it and wonder why I bothered, but go thought exactly the same thing every 6 weeks.

I don't like looking in mirrors or having my photo taken .
My face is not symetrical with the right eye slightly lower down. I know other people have this, but I feel it is very noticeable.

This is a very old photograph of me my paternal great grand mother was taken before 1909.
Apart from what she was wearing for the studio photograph and that I wear glasses the likeness is striking, right down to the same type of hair.

As I have to take my glasses off at the hairdressers so that everything is gently fuzzy, I really can't see what all the fuss is about.
(See what I did there?)