To think this problem is too common with hairdressers?!

[treeru]

I'm angry at hairdressers today (sorry to group you all together, lighthearted! )

But honestly, I went to the hairdresser yesterday and asked for about 4 inches off and they've took about 8. I'd make clear that I didn't want it too short either (as it was waist length) and it's at my collarbone.

It just frustrates me that it's not the first time it's happened to me and I bet a lot of others have a similar story. I feel like some hairdressers just don't listen at all when it comes to length.

1. AIBU to be angry about this and be close to swearing off hairdressers? (Lighthearted - ish)
2. AIBU to be as upset as I am about this? (This isn't lighthearted, I'm genuinely upset at how much has been taken off and can't even look in the mirror and it's just making me feel so down knowing there's nothing to be able to fix it other than wait years for it to grow back)

and
3) anyone else got a bad haircut story to share to lighten my mood today?

I am usually very clear I want it long enough to stlll tie beck into a pony tail and agree a part of my shoulders where the ends will be.

I'd go back and complain and ask for a refund if they got it that wrong. Even if nothing else it's a clear training issue if they get it that wrong and would lose lord of customers who just don't return.

Okay, did you say it’s layered OP - are there some longer layers at the back which are more boob length iyswim?

Actually us weird short waisted people do exist, I have bizarrely long legs and an incredibly short waist. I wear long tops to hide it 😂

Perhaps you said boob but the stylist heard bob length?

Actually, years ago when I was in my early 20s I used to go to a stylist at Trevor Sorbie in London. I went for about a year and every 2-3 months, he always without discussion whacked a load off. Even though I asked for a trim or “not much off”. I don’t know if he thought I wanted a proper cut every time (with layers) and the only thing I was sort of growing out was a perm. But it looked great either way, was in good condition.

The last time I saw him I didn’t feel I could cancel but told him firmly “if you cut off loads like you did before I’ll be really cross with you”. He did a trim or just an inch off. I never went back as I felt I couldn’t trust him and he was very much “I’m the big I am stylist at a famous salon”.

My current stylist I ask for a dusting as she will take a fair bit off too when I ask for a cut. Maybe there’s a set length hairdressers think “a cut” should be, like 2-3 inches!

See, I wouldnt go back to someone who didnt listen to me the first time, I dont give a crap if they work at Trevor Sorbie or not, if they dont listen to what you actually want then they arent a good stylist, regardless of where they work. Plus, there are so many fancy salons around now you arent limited to just one brand, there are loads to choose from

Did she cut more off because of its condition? (if so she should absolutely have discussed it first)

What did you say when she'd finished? (or even halfway through!)

This is really interesting as I always have the opposite problem....they never take as much off as I ask for and I assumed it's because they're playing it safe. Maybe we can swap hairdressers OP 😂

Hairdresser inches are totally different to regular inches. I always say less than I actually want as I hate my hair being cut too short.

This is the point. It's no use trying to blame the OP.

Some hairdressers I've been to have held up my hair, showing me exactly where they're going to cut & asking me if that's really what I want. They'd only go ahead if I say yes at that point. I've had others who dive straight in, so when they're combing it & I'm expecting the old, "Three inches will be to here, is that what you want me to do?", they don't say anything but just chop. Those stylists inevitably get it wrong, but as @DerekFaker says, It's too late when you first see what they've done.

It's really weird to make a post slagging off all hairdressers just because you've had a bad cut. Do you normally make dramatic generalisations? And no I'm not a hairdresser!

I have curly hair & finding hairdresser that can actually cut curly hair is hard! I’ve have two trusted hairdressers in the last 20 years due to a few bad hair cuts before. One is sadly getting to expensive.
One cut it too short so just had a curly mass on top of my head. Another one cut layers in…nope it looked like a small bowl and then a large bowl - two lengths that was it. Even when I’ve risked seeing other hairdresser recently -asked for highlights and it just looked like lumps of blonde every inch through my hair.

Well if you can’t estimate inches no wonder you have problems

I've had hairdressers do this multiple times over the years, it's one of the reasons I stopped going.

I had hair that was almost thigh length as a teen cut to just below my bra strap (I asked for a trim), hair long enough sit on cut even higher than that (I asked for a trim) etc...
One time I had my hair back down to my waist I came out unable to tie it in a ponytail.

I find it incredibly annoying that they charge you double because your hair is 'so long', chop off a ton then some of them try to bang on about getting it donated to make into a wig because they've cut off enough a kid going through chemo could have a long hair wig. (back when it was undyed hair)

Have relatives who have had similar experiences of having way more taken off than they wanted.

Some hairdressers seem to believe you don't want long hair if you want to go to the hairdressers.

You can't feel how much they are cutting off because of the stupid performance they make about how long your hair is, combing it out well away from the chair, & getting 2 hairdressers in to handle it like they've never seen long hair before in the worst offenders.

None of the times was my hair in a bad condition that needed feet of hair taken off in one go & I always stated I wanted no more than an inch or two taken off.

I never used the same hairdressers twice because I never got a trim I was happy with.

It will grow back, hardly the end of the world.

If it makes you feel better, I went to a new salon once as a friend worked as a receptionist there. I used to have perms for volume, so it was set on massive rollers and I'd had it on for about 20 minutes when the "traffic warden" call went out to staff and the hairdresser disappeared off to move her car. When she eventually got back, she looked at me in horror and said "Didn't someone put the neutraliser on?". I got home and DH looked at me in horror. I tried to live with it for about 3 weeks and in the end, went somewhere else and had a short cut. I then went from looking like a status quo member to a butch russian shotputter.

I’ve never had this. I have previously asked for a certain amount off and they’ve said they’d really recommend taking more off because the length would sit funny/too many split ends but they’ve always checked with me first.

I have totally cried at home after an iffy fringe trim though

I've always had long hair and this happens in every hairdressers I've been in.

I think it's something they only do with long (IE waist length) hair. No idea why hairdressers cut off so much more than you ask for

I now cut my own hair, just an inch trim every so often, for this very reason.

FYI I have waist length hair - the ONLY reason I have been able to keep my hair this long is because I no longer go to hairdressers.

I’m currently trying to grow out some god-awful “layers” that are making my shoulder length hair look like a deformed mushroom 🫠🫠🫠

😂 I spent loads of money having a fancy cut and colour once, booked in with the same stylist only to be palmed off on another woman who proceeded to cut out all of the previous work. I was devastated and had to get an emergency fix at a nearby Toni and Guy which resulted in looking like an Oliver musical extra (street urchin).

I have long hair and always just get a trim and have had some awful cuts through the years. Lopsided, too short, burnt neck with straighteners etc.

Nowadays I have my hair cut at the local beauty college, £12 for a wash, cut, conditioning treatment and a blow dry.

The stage 2 students are anxious to get it right and always check how much they’re cutting off, and are well supervised.

I agree with you @treeru. I have very long hair and when they see me come in I can already feel the chopchopchop vibes!!! Always take off more than I’d like and ignore any photos or ideas I take in. That’s why I haven’t had a haircut in a year 🤣🤣🤣 cut my own bangs and do a lot of hair treatments at home & Use a silk heatless curler. Hair is long and I’d like to keep it that way! X

Did you pay? If you ask for one thing and are given something very different then I'd suggest you need to complain and refuse to pay. Obviously you won't be going back to that salon either way.

Reading this thread is reminding me of why I never go to hairdressers. I read too many horror stories of women with long hair getting it cut short, and there's some more here! I have hip length hair and I like it that long, wispy ends included (called fairy tale ends in the long haired world). I trim it myself every six months or so just to get rid of the worst of the split ends.