I’m in a hair quandary!

I had my hair cut on Monday this week. My hairdresser always asks me how I want to have it done and he does it as per my request. Good hairdressers are hard to come by and finding another salon, and getting used to a new stylist can take time. Years ago I had a female stylist who just did the same style over and over again, despite my requests to try something new. When I said I'd like to have blonde highlights, she laughed and said they wouldn't suit me. (I was late 20s at the time!!) A friend took me to his salon in Brockley (a 3 bus journey for me) but they were great. They listened and transformed me! I went there for years. Now - I'm ancient, I go to a salon a short walk from my house and my guy is lovely. I regularly have highlights; he always suggests things if I say I don't know what to have done and it's always right for me.

Hi,I would go elsewhere and if you bump into your usual hairdresser say something like, I've got a friends family member coming to my house to do my hair, it suits me better. Chances are you won't see your hairdresser again. This made me think of something that happened years ago I was visiting my mum who was having her hair cut/styled in kitchen and my brother future mother in law was visiting for first time. And she said to mum I hope your hairdresser is better than mine. Mine is rubbis.I could do with getting a new one myself. Mums hairdresser walked into front room after a while and said oh Hello Jackie.was only her hairdresser. We still laugh about it now years later.

MissAdventure gave the very same answer I would ... find a picure of the style you want, show it to your hairdresser and tell him you want it to look like that when he's finished. Compare your cut with the photo and, if it doesn't match , refuse to pay/tell him to fix it/say you will not be coming back (delete as applicable). Personally I would do all three!

Last year I just git so fed up with having grey coloured out and decided to go for a silver look giving the grey a chance to grow out without being to noticeable. When mentioned this to my regular hairdresser she told me not to be stupid, I needed colour. Well that was it. Away in caravan on holiday I met a young woman with lovely hair, asked ger where she went as I was needing a hair cut. Made an appointment, had the silver done and I love it. Told to just use a "blue" shampoo now and again to brighten up. I am so glad I stopped the colouring, my grey must be well grown in now given lockdown. I think hairdressers want you to ho for colouring as going grey doesn't bring in money for them. Go to another hairdresser and do what you want.

As you haven't seen your hairdresser since before lock down, now is the perfect time to find another hairdresser.
If you start to go back again, you'll feel obliged to keep with him.

I have an appointment in 10 days. I also fancy keeping my hair a bit longer so have decided to ask the hairdresser just to even up the ends so then we both should be happy! Let's see what happens though!

PamelaJ I recognise that lovely house, it's not far from where I live. We hope to visit again very soon.

I was offered an appointment but am still sheilding so said not thanks not until august please. I am in the doghouse!

Go to another hairdressers.
Your money, your choice.
Sod him!

I have been in a very similar situation to the OP.

For years I went to the same hairdresser. For years I had the same style, no matter how I suggested it may change. The hairdressers were almost family friends - we all went there including the children. So I felt really awkward about changing to someone else, and always caved in when rebooking, despite being unhappy with the results each time.

Then my husband stepped in and cancelled an appointment when I had flu one winter. He said we would rebook when the time was right. And I have never been back! Bless him.

Now I go to a young lady who really 'gets' my hair and preferences.

I like my new longer hair, usually an urchin cut. I have an appointment first thing tomorrow and am going to ask for a neaten, rather than a full chop. What the op says about the hairdresser going his own way, it started to hapen to me last hairdresser, so I left

Puzzler 61 thanks for the welcome. I am enjoying being part of the grannet gang

I have had the good fortune to have the same mobile hairdresser over for forty years Though technically retired she favours me and a few others with continuing visits. As I have grown older, my fine hair has grown more difficult to manage. She is always right when I reflect on her advice. I suggest some of your readers give salons a miss and try to acquire a gem like mine. She gives me a light perm about four times a year and an expert cut. On July 4th, she came in PPE and gave me a perm, cut and blow dry for £48.00, which was a huge relief. She, herself, was going to a salon the next day which would charge her £48.00 just for the cut and blow dry. She has enjoyed being freelance and her prices reflect the fact that she has no premises to maintain. I also wasn my own hair just before she arrives saving us both time.

I joined only about 8 weeks ago but am enjoying it so much Girlygran. I hope you have fun with it too. Be sure to visit soop’s kitchen thread and the Argy bar thread if you want to be entertained and keep the company of jolly folk. ?

I tentatively stuck my head in at the hairdresser's, this morning, and asked if they are making appointments. She said Yes, and that they had just had a cancellation for this afternoon! I was flabbergasted!
So here I am, with a lovely short haircut, revelling in not having to push it out of my eyes any more. Pure bliss.
The hairdresser said that a lot of people have decided to go with the longer look, and just have it tidied up. I couldn't wait to have mine lopped.

I think it pays to change hairdressers now and again. I think when you’ve being going to them for a long time, they just do what they like.

My last but one hairdresser had been doing my hair for years. Colour and cut, so not cheap. And had it done once a month.
The last time I went , he put the wrong colour on. And the cut was awful. So enough was enough, I found another hairdresser. Much cheaper .
Your the customer, your choice.

You’re

Chaitriona - I think you would be surprised at the precautions: hand sanitiser, temperature taken, name and address of new clients ( track and trace I suppose.)Masks provided, disposable capes etc....I was impressed!
I think the main thing is to be honest with your hairdresser. Don’t say ‘fine’ when you hate it! I regularly ask for a little more off certain areas and ask her to thin a wayward curl I have.

My sister has a very good hairdresser, and has always shamed me when they visit, with smartly cut and coloured hair, whereas mine gets a cursory trim at home.
With lockdown, we said on Skype how long our hair had grown, and we sent each other photos. We were amazed how alike we looked.

Your hairdresser works for you. You are free to go to a different stylist or ask for a new stylist in the salon. Your hairdresser is no entitled to be offended and won’t be

I had a wonderful hairdresser in Wales for 14 years and my hair always looked great and healthy. When I moved back to England I have found it very hard to get a style I am happy with (I have shorter hair now). They start off OK but then get very friendly and don't seem too worried what they're doing.
Its happened several times. Problem is I am friendly and chatty!! (Solution?) I'd say time for a change, strange year, new start.

The hairdressers are making massive changes to how they're operating. Sanitizing between clients, no chatting, visors and masks for stylist and client, no going in to wait, no shopping bags, sterilizing between clients of scissors etc., far fewer clients, I could go on.

Salons are about as safe as they can be. Personally, I'm pleased to have an appointment at the end of the month but I wasn't desperate, I am desperately sorry for my hairdresser though. Financially things are very hard for her and her colleague. I feel that it's a win win. My hair will be cut, and I'm doing my bit to support local business!

I have discovered that my hair has stopped coming out in handfuls since I have gone 4 months without having it coloured. I have put henna on my hair for colour & health & left the new silver growth. I am keeping it long but put it up in the day. I think a lot of hairdressers are worried they will lose their clients so are not encouraging people to keep the silver/grey. Stick with what you want, be clear what you do want or find another hairdresser. Once everyone has had their catch up appointments it will calm down again. If your hairdresser never speaks to you again were they really a friend?

I'm thinking along similar lines! My hair has been much the same all my adult life - though now grey! It's shortish, naturally wavy which I like. I usually do a home dye every 3 months. My hairdresser is a personal friend who comes to the house, but she is sheltering due to ill health, so cannot return to hairdressing until August. In the meantime, my hair irritatingly started flopping into my eyes some time ago, so I bought some hairbands, and pushed it all back, I didn't see the point of dying it under the circumstances. So now it's noticeably longer, randomly wavy/curly and definitely pretty grey all over. I actually quite like the freedom! However, although most people say they prefer it , my husband thinks it makes me look older (but of course is happy with whatever I do) and my hairdresser says she'll think about styles that might suit me, but she thinks I should dye it as she's a believer in dying!! My problem is that I don't know what to do with it long term, but think this is the perfect opportunity to change things! Oh dear! First-world dilemma!

I have found some fab inspiration on Pinterest for thin grey hair/pixie cuts etc....
You need to set up an account to access stuff and it's very easy. Trouble is Pinterest contains lots of interesting things and the time flies by. Here is the link to set up an account,
www.pinterest.co.uk/

Good Luck