These are bad hair days...

I just had the two worst hair days of my life, back to back. After six months without so much as a trim, I finally gave up on thinking I'd get to Portland any time soon to see Rabecka, took a deep breath, and booked an appointment at Moxie Parlor in San Francisco. The cut looked okay for about half an hour, then things began to sproing here and pffft there, turning after a wash into what you see on the left: drab, droopy, cocker spaniel ears and weird clumps of bangs that poked me in the eye on one side and stuck straight out on the other. Sleeping on it didn't help. So I called the swanky Suite 5 in Union Square and booked a same-day emergency appointment. The addition of some layers to my "dog ears" helped a lot, and I felt mollified, but  woke up to find that again the weird clumpy bangs had reappeared, and the top of my shag looked like a mushroom cap.

Life has not been easy of late, so it seemed as good an excuse as any to sit down and sob for an hour.  At the end of which I felt washed free of all emotion... including fear. Having nothing to lose, I thought I might as well pull a Travis Bickle. So I plugged in the cordless clippers to charge (figuring a mohawk would be a great last resort, with or without shooting spree), and had a go at myself with a pair of dull office scissors.

The results are on the right. Not bad, eh? Wish I still had my $200+, but maybe it was worth it for the good cry.

I have also learned that fire-engine red lipstick is a great way of distracting the eye from a bad haircut. This is MAC Mattene in Classic Dame, which wears like lip balm, lighter than a conventional lipstick but with a helluva lot of pigment.

Comments

[Alice Bachini-Smith]

I am so impressed that you blogged this, nobody else would be brave enough to both admit hating their hair and post photos, but we've all felt that way, horrifically.

Good thing you are beautiful enough that all it takes it red lipstick to sort things out, too. And also that you are better at cutting hair than a $200 person. Sheesh.

I've cut and coloured my own hair for about a decade now- it's long and wavy, so, whatever. It just grows out yer head, as the Beatles once said.

[Mikaela]

Portland? That's my base! I might have to go visit her...
Come check out my new beauty blog,I'm an esthetician & flight attendant - I'd like to hear what you think.
(Btw, been lurking here since I read about you 2 in the Allure feature)

[nan]

You did a really GREAT job on your own hair. The salon cut was just bad and inept and way too conservative. If I were you, I'd call them and get your money back. If they are any kind of a halfway decent business they will give you a refund or a gift certificate for something else (don't trust them for cuts -- euuh).

[Stacie de Lespine McGill]

I love your 'do on the right! In fact, I'm saving it to take to my stylist the next time round to show him that *this* is what the heck I want!

[Lucy]

Poor baby. Why those salons? I feel for you. I used to fly to Arizona when I first moved to SF, to see my one and only, Michelle at Gadabout, who did cut, color and blow-out, which is unheard of in this city. But alas, after years of searching I found, not one, but two, yes TWO, salons by the Bay that are fab.
1. Edwards in Mill Vally; see Emily, making her fabulous return on 10/30/08;
2. Mercer Street on Filmore, SF; see Karen Prince or John Paul for cut, Mia for color. Others a Mercer are great also, but I only know these style gurus first hand.
Trust me, you won't be sorry.