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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be irritated by hairdresser asking 'how much do you want cut off'?

60 replies

wol1968 · 21/02/2014 23:35

The hairdressers at the place I take my 10 year old DS always seem to want numbers when they ask this question. My DS has a shaggy mop of wavy hair that sticks out in all sorts of absurd directions when badly cut which is most of the time and it doesn't end up the same length dry as it was when it was sprayed wet. I can't deal with whether it should be two inches or 5 cm or 27.27592 mm or whatever. I just want it (a) long enough to keep the wave and (b) short enough to be tidied up a bit. But when I say this they look at me with a bovine stare that tells me they really don't know what I mean. They're supposed to be the hairdressers. I don't do hair. Ever. I'm hopeless at it.

I suppose I am being unreasonable. This is what you get for keeping the price down to under £10 a cut. But would a slightly better service at a slightly worse price be too much to ask?

OP posts:
Mrswellyboot · 22/02/2014 00:03

Why not just ask them what would they recommend ?

IncognitoIsMyFavouriteWord · 22/02/2014 00:08

YANBU

I pay £5 for my son's hair cut and all I say is cut it long.

She's mobile and she completely understands what I mean.

I have shown her pictures of his hair at its best so maybe that will help.

geddit · 22/02/2014 00:14

I'm a newly qualifies hairdresser. The best advice i can give you is to go to google images, look for pictures of boy's hair cuts, find one you like, download and take to next appointment. Problem solved!

geddit · 22/02/2014 00:16

To digress a little, i get annoyed when clients come in and say 'just take of what you feel is necessary but i don't want to lose length'.

You can either have split ends or slightly shorter hair. 'Tis a pair of scissors in my hand. Not a wand in disguise.

BackforGood · 22/02/2014 00:17

Of course YABU - what's she supposed to do, guess ? Confused

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/02/2014 00:19

My DS has gone to a proper Gentlemans Barber since he had his first haircut (and even before then he went to watch his Dad and get used to it)

They ask how much he wants off/ what number he wants.

Might be worth going to a Barbers instead of hairdressers?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/02/2014 00:21

Oh and I left a hairdressers when she was narky with my DD and narky with a male client who obviously didn't explain and she didn't understand.
It wasn't because she wasn't psychic though, she was fecking rude

Sycamoretrees · 22/02/2014 00:23

YANBU my hairdresser today asked the same question and then totally ignored my "I must still be able to get it into a pony tail for work" and cut it so short it's going to be weeks before I can tie it back! And had the cheek to look annoyed at lack of tip!

HarrietSchulenberg · 22/02/2014 00:27

I think you'll find that the stare isn't "bovine", it's just that they're desperately trying to keep a straight face and not roll their eyes at you. They're trying to be polite in the face of their customer's unhelpful vagueness.

MoominsYonisAreScary · 22/02/2014 00:28

Yabu if they cut too much off you probably wouldnt be happy

If they didnt cut enough off you wouldnt be happy

catkind · 22/02/2014 00:40

YABU to be irritated, but YANBU to be confused by the question. I've yet to work out what they want, if I say a number of cm they don't usually seem to like that either. Grabbing a handful and saying "sort of that much" fares marginally better. Could it be they're actually asking for a description of the style?
geddit, that one's easy, they're just telling you that this is a removing split ends cut rather than an I want short hair cut. So show them how much you think they need off to get rid of the ends, they agree and you're off.

Pimpf · 22/02/2014 10:08

If you would just rather have a picture to point at, get one. Either of photo of his hair when it looked good or search on google. It really isn't that difficult

ilovepowerhoop · 22/02/2014 10:12

ds (7) gets a number 1 at the back and sides and a not too short scissor cut on top so he can do a comb over (all the rage just now apparently). He goes to the barbers for it.

SingMoreWhenYoureWinning · 22/02/2014 10:15

YABU.

The nature of a 'hairCUT' is that you visit a hairdresser and they do their magic thing and make your hair shorter in the process.

Asking how much shorter you want it, or how much you want off is a perfectly reasonable question to ask for the service you're asking of them.

YABU incredibly ur to be pissed off about this.

ilovepowerhoop · 22/02/2014 10:17

and if you dont know numbers demonstrate where you want them to cut to by putting your fingers in his hair to show what length you want left.

Joysmum · 22/02/2014 10:20

How hard is it to say you like it as it is so just want to maintain that sort of length, or whatever it is you actually want. They aren't mindreader a and you sound wushu washy which is probably why they wanted more info.

Dawndonnaagain · 22/02/2014 10:27

Yabu and bloody rude. Even if you weren't rude to her, you're still being rude. Take a picture and don't make her job harder than it already is.

WitchWay · 22/02/2014 10:36

My DS has wavy hair that turns into an unruly curly mop when it's longer, especially if he gets hot & sweaty in the summer. He likes it cut so his ears are showing, shorter at the back, longer on top & swept across to one side when it's dry, not too neat. I just tell them (or rather he just tells them now he's old enough) exactly that & they cut it. He is usually happy with the result, although slightly prefers one of the cutters to the other three, so tries to have her if possible - you just sit & wait your turn.

BlueDesmarais · 22/02/2014 16:00

Find a better stylist, or take pictures. No style is created by stating "0.7 inches please."

I only ever ask for "a tidy-up" or "a little less here, keep this bit here, thin this bit out here." Or photographs. We both have short, layered styles though - you can't take off an inch, that'd be 75% of the hair.

I have taken my son to two salons who treated him appallingly just because he was a child. One gathered his hair into a ponytail, lopped it off and asked for £10. I stood over her and made her cut it correctly. The others spent a few minutes cutting random chunks then held their hands out for money, even though they'd not put any gown on him and left him covered in itchy hairs. I think some just hate doing children and don't bother.

arethereanyleftatall · 22/02/2014 16:09

'how much do you want off?'
'long enough to keep the,wave but short enought to be tidied up please'..
There. Not too difficult. yabu.

arethereanyleftatall · 22/02/2014 16:10

Ah, so sorry , I didn't read your post properly.

arethereanyleftatall · 22/02/2014 16:14

So, now I have read it properly, I completely agree with you. I hate it when a hairdressers says something like 'oh,, you want it layered then'. I don't know.
When I users to work for a wine retailer and someone asked for something crisp and dry and white, I would select a sauvignon for them, as the expert in the field. I don't expect them to say 'id like a sauvignon please.'

capsium · 22/02/2014 16:17

Just be thankful they have asked...

Salmotrutta · 22/02/2014 16:21

They give you a "bovine look"?

The absolute cows!

I expect you look a bit silly when you can't come up with a decent description of what they should do to his hair though so I expect it all evens up...

capsium · 22/02/2014 16:28

I think cows have beautiful eyes...