Mum and I had an encounter at a cafe on Friday that prompted me to think about being faithful to one's hairdresser and exactly how far that monogamy is expected to extend.
Until I switched into frumpy mummy status, I loyally visited my stylist at least weekly for a blow dry and every 6 weeks for a cut and colour. Since my pregnancy I think I've been to the hairdresser 3 times, and each of those times to my random local hairdresser located next to my local caffeine fix. It's the kind of salon where they let you go home with wet hair. No Tattinger, none of those architecture magazines to pretend you find interesting. Just a few dog-eared copies of New Idea and a no-frills trim.
My mother needed a break from her stylist and decided to try my local. She went along had a cut and colour, wasn't a massive fan and decided not to return. Ok, so that's fine. Or is it?
About 2 months later, I went for another boring trim and left with wet hair. As I was leaving, the hairdresser asked how my mother was getting on and when she'd be back. I muttered something about her being abroad and scurried home, lest anyone see me with my wet hair.
My mother was, in fact, in Europe at the time so I wasn't lying. I did wonder though, whether I should have indicated that she wouldn't be returning... How much loyalty do hairdressers expect anyway?
Fast forward a few months. It was Friday afternoon and Mum and I were at my local cafe watching my one year old tip a babycino all over her new Kenzo dress when the hairdresser appeared at our table. She looked my mother right in the eye and commented that she hadn't seen her at the salon and asked how her trip was. Thankfully I have the world's loudest child. She chose that moment to yell out "gog! gog! gog!" at the dog walking past our table and the hairdresser retreated. It was all very uncomfortable.
So now we are faced with a few concerns.
1.) Do we stop frequenting the cafe?
2.) Our friend owns the cafe so we can't easily switch to the other one down the street or he might see us.
3.) Do I also leave the wet hair salon for good just to avoid any confontation?
4.) Do we both buy disguises and slink around our suburb only at night?
It is always hard trying out a new hairdresser. I wonder if we should always start the session by saying our regular stylist is on maternity leave and we are there for a one off. At least this way if they are no good we won't feel bad if we leave them and later bump into them. We won't feel like we are cheating on them.
Oh I don't know... Ever since my favourite stylist left to become a gay porn star (no I am not joking) and then I finally found someone else almost as good who then left to become a Heidi Fleiss girl (no I am not joking) it just hasn't been the same. When it comes to hair stylists I think I am cursed. Either they ruin my hair or they turn to the sex industry. I can't win.
