Hairdressers are not paid friends

  New haircut 
  Originally uploaded by dynamist.

I really don't like to talk at the hairdresser, so I was interested in this New York Times piece:

“I’M not in a position to give you advice on that,” Mario Russo will say when one of the clients at his hair salon in Boston complains about her children. Or if a client disparages her ex-husband, he’ll say, “That’s a matter that needs to be discussed with a different professional than myself.” Then he’ll ask what styling products she uses.

“If their feelings get hurt, that’s basically a relationship I don’t want anyway,” Mr. Russo said. “There’s a certain type of client who will go to a hairdresser to build that type of relationship. That’s a two-time visit for me. They realize I don’t get into those conversations. I’m not being paid to give advice on people’s marriages or their children’s behavior.”

I agree. This also prevents those dramatic "breaking up/cheating on my hairdresser" woes that I've heard so many women relate. I'd no sooner worry about "cheating" on my plumber than I would a hairdresser.

(Photo above is from my July 2006 birthday haircut, from the Franck Provost salon in Les Galeries Lafeyette in Paris)

Comments

[duckie]

Thank you! I always find it awkward when the people next to me have having intimate conversation with their stylists.

[MJ]

I suppose the flip side is the overly personal hairdresser. I used to have one who would demand at each visit "why don't you have kids yet?" I was SO happy to find her successor and move on!!!

[laura linger]

I had to leave a stylist at the local Vidal Sassoon because she spent more time telling me her tales of woe than she did concentrating on my hair cut.

Now...I swear to God...I cut my own hair, and it looks just as good as when I paid $150+ for professional cuts.

[salon elan]

Thank you! I have always felt this way but in my experience I could never find a way to tactfully say that I didn't want to talk about personal issues. I find that I give better service when I am not emmotionally distracted and can fully focus on the cuts, colors, and styles that they come to me for.