...to ask your honest thoughts when someone tells you they're a hairdresser?

[westmommy]

First thoughts, any assumptions? Fully transparent and honest answers please, no judgement whether good/bad!

Also any hairdressers out there, what are your honest experiences and thoughts about the job? Do you enjoy, would you recommend it etc?

It’s a job that requires a high level of skill to do well, yet is physically demanding. It seems very underpaid.

My thought is that the person didn’t have other options.

I wonder if they get achy feet

I just worry that they are judging me for the state of my hair - a haircut never makes it close to the top of my financial priority list. Not out of any sense of superiority but just lack of money and prioritising the expenditure that affects my children.

That their back must be killing them! Never met a hairdresser who didn't have backache

You are answering a different question - what do you think when someone says they run their own business, including doing all ther own books and employing several hairdressers?

Yet is people never did the wrong thing there wouild be no need for traffic wardens

I wouldn’t think anything, it’s just another profession.

I would never have the patience

I wonder if they've seen Edward Scissorhands ✂️

To be absolutely honest, and I am aware this sounds judgemental, my visceral reaction would be to think they were not very intelligent and couldn't do much else.

If I like them as a person, I wonder if they're any good and if I should go to them instead of my usual hairdresser. If I don't like them as a person I don't really think anything at all. I guess I get a vague sense of 'that's nice' because it seems like a cool thing to be good at.

And no, there's no stigma around hairdressing, unless you are one of those ridiculous twerps who doesn't consider anyone worthwhile without a PhD.

Most think nothing of it, it's just a job. It is not a particularly admired job, but it's not looked down upon either. Some people personally admire or like their own hairstylists but overall the job is just seen in a neutral fashion.

It's a neutral job that a lot of people could learn to do reasonably well with training.

If that's not an attitude you can live with, you should not train to be a hairstylist.

My hairdresser is one of my most favourite people on the planet and I only see her 4 times a year, which I pay for every time. She's trilingual, incredibly intelligent, wildly knowledgeable and has all the gossip. On top of that, she works wonders on my hair.

So, I'd presume a hairdresser was like mine. But I would be careful about what I told them!

That’s actually quite a disgusting opinion to have.

Ugh what a gross opinion.

Curious. I'm interested in fashion & beauty & imagine they hear a lot of gossip.

Would you have that as a reaction if someone were a builder or plumber or electrician?

The world wouldn't run properly if everyone had desk jobs. All honest and ethical work is deserving of respect.

Good post.

What's disgusting about it? It's my opinion, it presumably differs from yours, both equally valid.

In any case, I couldn't care less whether a stranger on the internet thinks my opinion is disgusting.

I described my own hairdresser who has his own salon and yes, drives a white range rover. But he's also uneducated, not discerning and spouts all sorts of absolute crap he's picked up from social media. He's had Botox and fillers and is keen on crystals.
I don't like him and would not want to meet him socially.

But he's a brilliant cutter so I put up with it.

It's a bit of a leap to say most are like this when you're generalising based on only one.

Fwiw my DM and sister are both educated & intelligent but they also believe a lot of conspiracy theories. Being smart intellectually doesn't mean you have common sense.

Do they find applying colour to foils mind-numbingly boring, how they cope with having to indulge in small talk with every client, and how they cope with being on their feet all day long.
I don't begrudge paying good hairdressers their worth; couldn't stand the job myself.

That their legs are so strong from standing all day.
That they are kind and respectful towards strangers.
That hairdressers never are without work and can work from home.

I’m in awe tbh. How do they do it? It’s a skill.

That they must😬 know I have trimmed bits of my own hair
and
Admiration for being on their feet all day !

I wonder whether they have an MX-5 or a Rav4