Horrible haircut Toni and Guy - long rant!

[higgle]

This morning I'm feeling like having a real moan.

Due to a cock up over dates I couldn't get an appointment with my usual hairdresser on a day that suited me. I though I'd go to Toni and Guy in Bristol for a restyle and colour and foolishly thought that "the" "style director" there might give me a new look that was abit more edgy that the haircut I usually have - sad delusion.

Having agreed to pay an eye-watering amount for these services and with an assurance I'd be out for 12 noon I turned up to be told I was due at 9.20 not 9am - I knew then I'd not be out for 12.

My usual hairdresser is top notch at colour, and I asked the colourist at Toni and Guy to use 3 colours and that I wanted my hair darker but rich in tone - I even explained what the 3 colours usually used were. He didn't show me any charts, said it would look lighter and proceeded to use 2 colours only. They didn't even check how it had taken before washing it off, and now my hair is brown, plain boring brown exactly as nature provided me with, but with a tiny glint of cheap red if you shine a light hard on it.

Bad enough, but when "the style director" (who then told me it was just a grade and there were several of them) got started, it went from bad to worse.

I wanted a new haircut and mentioned 3" off and lots of choppy layers, she told me it had only grown an inch and a half and proceeded to administer a pudding basin bob. I kept saying that I didn't want a sleek blow dried look and she carried on doing that, only spending a few moments on the layers after I had pointed out she had not cut them at all.

I couldn't just sit there - I spied a lady about twenty years older than me leaving with a horrible bob like the one I was being given and started to cry - the stylist said it was nothing to do with the cut but to do with the products applied and I couldn't have it sorted out if I had to be gone by 12. She then dragged the poor colourist in to hear what I thought about the colour and lovely chap that he was I could only say the truth - that it looked plain brown with no sign of any highlights at all.

When I got home DH said it didn't look as nice as usual - he was struggling to find something to say actually. TBH I look like some of the old ladies who use the care service I run - flat bob seems to be all the rage with the 80+s these days, especially the very religious ones.

I'm dreading going to work tomorrow - my colleagues know I was off to spend £££s on an edgy new look, they will laugh their heads off. It looks like a DIY job and an application of brown Nice and Easy.

They did give me £20 off because I wasn't happy - so it "only" cost me £126 !!!!! But quite frankly I feel violated - should I spend some time writing a vociferous letter of complain to the manager about it?

Can anyone recommend a hairdresser in Brisol/Bath or Cheltenham ( or area in between) who will actually listen to what I want and deliver me something that looks half decent?

Perhaps I should forget all about it and head off to M&S to buy a nice long flowery Per Una skirt to complete the look.

What did I do to deserve this - I turned up at the appointment wearing a shortish jumper dress, boots etc - all carefully chosen to give them an idea of the sort of look I like.

Sorry for length of this rant - I'm so fired up about it I feel like heading back to the Salon on Monday with a placard saying "don't go in if you don't want to look like this!"

[belledechocchipcookie]

Can you call the manager tomorrow and complain? I don't use Tony & Guy as the gent who cut my hair last time wouldn't cut it how I wanted him to

[readinginsteadnow]

Ime experience, the trendier the salon, the less they listen and the more they charge.

[readinginsteadnow]

I really would go back and refuse to leave till they either sort it out or give you a full refund. If they havent stuck to any of your preequisites, then they havent provided the correct service. I do feel for you; hairdressers really make me nervous.

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

£126

Thank you for warning me against Toni & Guy.

I can't recommend you any hairdressers as I'm not from your area but wanted to give you my sympathy.

[Alaro]

Go back and complain loudly. Unfortunately this is not the first time I have heard of a T&G disaster. Sorry I can't be ofore practical help but I don't live in your area. You deserve a refund and should get one.

[LPO]

I USED to work on the reception in a toni & guy. I would DEFINATELY advise you to write a letter/email to the manager of the salon, these are taken very seriously. Tell them EXACTLY what happened and what you wanted. They SHOULD then call you/email you and invite you back in to have it sorted out, free of charge by themselves!

Good luck with it!!!!!

[Alaro]

Of more practical (it should read) sorry

[CountBapula]

I had a colour disaster at T&G once. They had to strip the colour out and it ruined the condition of my hair. I wrote to the manager and complained - they gave me loads of free conditioning products plus free haircuts until the condition had returned to normal. Definitely write in - it's worth it. Feel for you, though - it's awful when you hate how your hair looks :(

[BendyBob]

I am so so sorry for you. God, I have had some of my unhappiest moments at hairdressers

I think there are waaay too many people out there hairdressing who shouldn't be doing it. There really should be greater and more standardised quality control.

What to do now? Yes I think you should write that letter to get your money back. Having said that when mine was butchered at our local 'top notch' salon I didn't feel I could go back. I didn't want them within 100 miles of my hair to have another go at putting it right.

I totaly lost confidence and didn't feel I'd be able to go in and make a competent complaint without actually crying (I was very upset). They still trumpet on all the time about their stupendous awards for this and that - it makes me . I make sure I tell everyone I know what happened though

[LPO]

If you don't feel you can go in, at least send an email/letter and wait to hear something from them, and go from there.

[higgle]

Wow! 10 replies and I've only been away from mumsnet for 10 minutes. Thank you for your support - I will send a letter of complaint to the manager tomorrow and post the response when it arrives.

[ZackAndCoddy]

I like brown nice and easy

[ZackAndCoddy]

And you do sound hideously vain. Granted it's a naff cut but your colleagues will laugh at you ?

[noddyholder]

fgs

[BendyBob]

It's not hideously vain to feel upset after £126 down the pan

[belledechocchipcookie]

I'd be crying at £126!! That's half a mulberry bag!

[midori1999]

I am a hairdresser, although no longer work as one, and I hate going to the hairdressers as they often mess it up. Either because they are incompetant, don;t listen or think they know better than me... One of the first things hairdressers should learn is that if you don't do what the client asks for, they won't like it, no matter how great the stylist thinks it looks.

I went to Tony and Guy Once about 11 or 12 years ago. Never again. The colourist didn't listen to what I was saying (I wanted a full head bleach) and I could tell by how she was acting at the basin before I'd even seen it that it was yellow. I got there at 3, the salon closed at 7 and it was still yellow after several attempts by her. The manager and everyone else went home and left the poor girl to struggle on and I left at 9 with hair that was still yellow. I paid and then went home and bleached it myself until it was the right colour. Shocking on so many levels!

I would write and complain, as has been said, £100 + is a lot of money to waste.

[Meggles76]

I used to go to T&G but stopped as it got more expensive each time I went and I felt the service and end result were only average.

I now go to a local salon which is still not cheap but the service is excellent. A few months ago, I went and asked for darker highlights as I was worried that I was getting a bit too blonde. When the hairdresser was drying it, she realised that it wasn't any darker than it was before. I didn't hate it but it wasn't what I asked for. Anyway, they gave me the option of either not paying for it or going back the following week to have it redone.

You really should get a full refund. I would phone the manager and advise that you will be making a written complaint - not only to your local salon but also their head office.

[KangarooCaught]

Every one who comes out of the local T&G has the same over-straightened jagged edge bob....I don't geddit.

Hope you get somewhere with your complaint, what you put in your OP drew a vivid picture, and hope you find a good hairdresser who can sort it out pronto, rather than living with a style you hate.

[ladyandthechocolate]

I highly highly recommend the Courtyard hair consultants in Bath. I rate Sean or Louise, both lovely and very skilled. No, I don't work for them...!

[thenightsky]

There seems to be a thread every few months about Toni and Guy and disappointment or rage

I would avoid them like the plague for that reason alone.

[rainbowstardrops]

I went to T&G once and paid through the nose because I thought, "You get what you pay for" but I didn't.
Definitely complain, without a doubt!

[Restrainedrabbit]

Cream in Gloucester or cheltenham aref good :)

[Louii]

Do they not have a hairdo of the week and basically everyone gets that whether they want it or not?