I went to a Barber Shop today!

[patienceneeded]

So, as the title says, I went to a Barber shop today! I had gone to get my glasses fixed and low and behold, three shops down from Lenscrafters was a Bishops Barber! While I waited for my glasses, I went down to Bishops and got a trim.

It was wonderful! They offered me a beer (I declined, it was only 10:30am) and then sat me down. I told her what I wanted, a "blunt trim of the ends, no more than 1/2" and that is EXACTLY what I got. No fuss, no muss. Just a simple trim. She did warn me that one side was slightly uneven and would need a tiny bit more taken off to even up the line and that was that. Done. Easy.

Next, we evaluated my overgrown bangs. We decided that the current look (way too long Zooey Deschanel-type bangs) was not good, as it looked like a wall of hair on/in my face. With the way my bangs and cowlick naturally part my hair, a side-swept look is easier. I also told her was hadn't decided whether or not to keep the bangs or grow them out, but they needed to be fixed and reshaped. She switched the style to side-swept, and left it pretty long. She also thinned out the bangs, as they were really heavy and my thick hair made it poofy. So nice!

She did not wash my hair, but did spray it with water to make it easier to cut evenly.

All in all, I LOVED my experience at the Barber Shop (Bishops)! I will be going back for my next trim!

[bunnylake]

Oooh sounds so nice! Glad you had a good experience!

[browneyedsusan]

My "regular" hairdresser works out of a barber's shop. She kept my high-maintenance pixie looking great for 15 years, and when I told her I wanted to grow it out, just trimmed my "tail" in the back and sent me on my way. She cuts and dresses DD's BSL hair, and has always given my family good service.

[Wildcat Diva]

A beer! That sounds like a helluva place! I wish I could find a place like that.

[Kelikea]

I got my last trim at the barber shop as well. Super cheap, fast, and exactly what I asked for.

[Arakazi]

Sounds awesome! There is a barber down the road from my house so perhaps I will give them a go. They are cheaper then a hair salon too which is a big tick in my books!!

[minxe]

That sounds lovely!

[patienceneeded]

Yeah, it was super cheap! She listened and did exactly what I asked. No advice or style-ideas that I did not ask for. Wonderful.

[MidnightMoon]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between a barber shop and a salon?

[sharonluvscats]

A beer at 10 in the morning?! Sounds like my kinda place. lol

[sharonluvscats]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between a barber shop and a salon?

I'd like to know too. I thought barber shops were for men. Did you get weird looks?

[Delila]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between a barber shop and a salon?

Where I live in the US, I think the licensing requirements for a barber's license are different than for whatever sort of license someone might need to work in a salon. I get the impression that a barber's license is harder to get, not sure why, since all the color/perm/styling stuff done in salons seems more difficult than your typical zip-zap-done with the electric trimmers (with a vacuum) at the barber shop my dad visits.

General impression: Barbershop = men's place, short cuts, quick/inexpensive.
Also, in a barbershop, they seem to rarely wash people's hair, just trim it dry or misted damp, and they tend to shave the back of the neck after a short cut. And I'm guessing they shave/trim/maintain beards with more regularity than a salon.

Salon= women's customer base, far more complex and wide ranging level of services offered, everything from shampooing/setting hair, cuts, trims, color, perms, manicures, pedicure, etc. Also more expensive.

The level of gossip seems about equal at both, but I'm guessing since you'd spend more time in a salon, you might find out more, LOL!

[Long_hair_bear]

I'd like to know too. I thought barber shops were for men. Did you get weird looks?

I'm 95% sure that is the difference, but don't quote me! :D

I go to a salon, but I've had the same hairdresser now for 8 years and for good reason. I go in to her every 2 months to get my eyebrows waxed and at the same time, she looks at my ends and tells me how they're doing. This went on for 10 months before she told me I needed a dusting trim. She never pressures me to cut, dye, or buy Redken (the salons brand) which she knows I don't like. She knows I'm religiously growing my hair out and is even interested in my hair toys! I just got my hair trimmed Monday. She knows I'm always nervous about trims and how much she takes off, though I know her very well. When she said she was done, I looked down to see how much of my poor hair was cut off and I could barely see any! She pretty much gave me a dusting and truthfully told me no more need come off! I love my hairdresser! :blossom:

[MidnightMoon]

Hahah well that's what I thought too (barber shops are for men) but wasn't sure!

[hermosamendoza]

Barber shops are mostly for men but now a days I know the really famous ones are known for their prestegious hair designs that are cut into the hair. Think zig zags, stars, letters, etc. And if I am not mistaken they do beards and beard design as well.

A salon is where you go to color, cut with shears (scissors) over the buzz cutters (machine), do perms (curly and relaxed), Style, go in for advice, get sit down consultations, etc. My sister has worked at several different salons and the price for a wash and dry at one was 15 and at her new one it's 36. US dollars here. Also salons wax (either just eyebrows or full body) or have spas built in. Some salons have a barber on staff but many don't.

barber shops are usually smaller than salons in square footage. This is the information I have or remember from going with my dad to his barber as a kid and seeing some family members at work and being around "the business" practically all my life.

[DaniVerde]

I'm 95% sure that is the difference, but don't quote me! :D

I go to a salon, but I've had the same hairdresser now for 8 years and for good reason. I go in to her every 2 months to get my eyebrows waxed and at the same time, she looks at my ends and tells me how they're doing. This went on for 10 months before she told me I needed a dusting trim. She never pressures me to cut, dye, or buy Redken (the salons brand) which she knows I don't like. She knows I'm religiously growing my hair out and is even interested in my hair toys! I just got my hair trimmed Monday. She knows I'm always nervous about trims and how much she takes off, though I know her very well. When she said she was done, I looked down to see how much of my poor hair was cut off and I could barely see any! She pretty much gave me a dusting and truthfully told me no more need come off! I love my hairdresser! :blossom:

/off-topic


About the bolded part....Holy Hell, Batman!! Every TWO MONTHS???!!! I have to get my eyebrows waxed every 3 WEEKS! :confused:

What's your secret to having such well-behaved eyebrows? :eyebrows:

/

[Long_hair_bear]

/off-topic


About the bolded part....Holy Hell, Batman!! Every TWO MONTHS???!!! I have to get my eyebrows waxed every 3 WEEKS! :confused:

What's your secret to having such well-behaved eyebrows? :eyebrows:

/

You know, I'm not sure. lol I do tend to let it go alittle lobger than I should for money's sake, but I certainly don't wait long enough to be Frida Kahlo's twin. :cool:

[Suze2012]

I'm glad you had a good experience.

I went to a barber shop/unisex place once as the price was a lot less.

I spent about an hour there and it was a lady who cut my hair - just a trim.
I just did the walk in thing.

I got home and discovered one side was 2 to 3 inches shorter than the other (and she hadn't pulled my hair round at the front to check the sides were the same length).

I went back but because I hadn't phoned to book so my name wasn't in the diary she refused to believe I had had it cut there just a couple of days before.
I reminded her of what we talked about and she went red looked down but said that because I wasn't in the diary I was lying - but she would cut my hair for the full price - just not fix what she had done to it.
I never went back.

[jacqueline101]

I'm glad your experience was positive.

[patienceneeded]

Barber shops typically cater to men, although most do welcome women and children too. A barber shop usually offers the ol' shave and a haircut thing. Some of the more traditional (old fashioned) barber shops will shave the gentleman with a straight razor and then do the hot-towel thing. The shop I went to was more modern, but definitely geared towards men. They (barber shops) are usually much more utilitarian in design, no frills or fancy stuff. Much smaller.

A "Salon" (not a Quick-Clips, or Hair Masters-type place) is larger and fancier. Generally offers Spa services, like eyebrow waxing, mani-pedis, facials, etc. Some Salons don't offer much in the way of Spa services, but will have something special to set it apart. Prices for services are generally higher. Most of the clientele are women, but not all.

My cut took all of 20 minutes. I think I was there for 30 minutes total, from my walking-in to my paying the $18 for my cut and leaving.

And no, no-one looked at me funny. But I live in a pretty accepting place, not much is looked at as "weird" here.