My stylist left the business!!! How to find a new one??

[littlelysser]

So, my hair is now about 5479 feet long. I grew it out for our wedding, which was LAST September. It is now so long that I think I *may* be beginning to look like those crazy people that go on Oprah with hair down to their knees...

I finally decided to get it cut...called my salon and asked for my stylist, who is also the owner. This woman has been cutting my hair for the past 11 years. She does a wonderful job. I was able to just go in and tell her to do what she thought would look good...and she was amazing. Never a bad haircut.

BUT SHE''S GONE!!!! She''s still the owner, but isn''t involved with the day to day stuff.

I''m heartbroken.

Other than asking people with good haircuts where they got their hair cut, does anyone have any suggestions???

 

[funtobewith]

If she''s still the owner ask her which of her current stylists would be best for you. She knows you, she knows your hair, and she should know who''s working for her. It is a place to start anyway.

 

[jcarlylew]

ditto - ask for her study, at least they would be cutting/styling in a similar way to what you are used to.

 

[littlelysser]

Thanks for the suggestions...

But the problem with them is that she''s left the state...and I don''t have her contact info.

She''s still the owner, but is not involved in any way with the salon...

But thanks!!!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Well, definitely ask people with great hair who cuts their hair and get numbers. Most people with superlative, strangers-walk-up-to-them-and-stop-them hair have it because they *have* put in the legwork and tried lots of salons until they found "the one".

Alright, it's totally immodest to write it and I'm blushing as I type this, but I'm one of those people who get stopped on a near-daily basis. I now keep my colorist's and stylist's numbers in my cell phone to pass out. Finding a good colorist is FAR harder than a good hair stylist, BTW. Littlelysser, I don't recall if you live in a big city with large salons, but as I look back at all of the four-star stylists I've found over the years, every single one who gave transcendent cuts were the "Senior Stylist" at the salon at which they worked. I guess it's because it takes being gifted and experienced to work to the top of the food chain, you know?

Now that your hair is 5479 feet long

-- which makes it an absolute clean slate, which is GREAT for a fresh stylist!-- I'd call a couple of salons you might be interested in, and describe to the girl who picks up what you're interested in and see if she could suggest someone with whom you can have a consultation. It's through this method that I've found some *gems*. Hope this helps!

f-d-l

 

[ChinaCat]

LL- Argh, I hear you, it's frustrating. I moved to a new city a little over a year ago and I have been to FIVE different salons/sytlists in less than a year before I found someone that didn't do terrible things to my hair. My hair has been too long, too blonde, too red, too green, and too dark, then too short. Seriously. In one year.

My best suggestion is to ASK everyone you know for recommendations. If you see someone with hair that you like, ask them who their stylist is.

Also, some magazines like Allure recommend hair stylists in certain cities- check out their website. Or Citysearch is a good place to at least see what salons are in your area- though be careful, I wouldn't go on a Citysearch rec alone. Find someone that has been there.

In the meantime, if your hair is really just too long and you want a simple trim, you can always go somewhere basic and just request a trim. That's pretty difficult to screw up!

Good luck!

ETA: Are you thinking of going many inches shorter? If so, think about donating your hair. A lot of places will cut it for free if you are donating to Locks of Love or someplace like that.

 

[littlelysser]

Thanks for the suggestions!

Oh, and CC - I was planning on doing something a bit drastic when I thought my faboo stylist was still around. I may just get a trim somewhere cheapie and wait until I find a good stylist. At this point, I really think I could have at least a foot cut off and still have shoulder length hair...I''m definitely planning on donating the hair I chop off...just not sure where. I''ve heard some shady things about locks of love...

F-D-L - Thanks for the suggestion regarding a senior stylist. My cuts with my old stylist were insanely expensive...but TOTALLY worth it...oh, and I live in decent sized city, with a lot of salons...