Found My Match with Fish Hair Salon

One of the worst parts about moving all of the time, apart from not being able to own anything because packing you junk around is very expensive and bulky, is having to find a new hair stylist in every new city you live in. For most people this is not really a huge deal, but for me this is a fairly big deal because my hair is something that I take kind of seriously. I have thick, coarse and horrible hair that does whatever it wants and doesn't give two shits about what I want it to do. So when I find a stylist that can control the hair and beat it into submission like a masochistic thrill seeker, I do not want to let that person go.

Since living in Victoria, I have had a semi-successful experience in one salon but decided to give my second cut to a business that multiple people recommended to me, which is Fish Hair Salon. Basically when you call to make an appointment, you are given options of what level of stylist you want. They have people employed there who range from brand new and training (Juniors), all the way up to people who teach and train and are hair gods in the salon world (Executives). The price of the cut/colour/service depends on what level of employee you want. I think this is pretty awesome to give customers the choice like this because not only does it give the control freaks the opportunity to chose someone with lots of experience, it gives the staff who are training the chance to pick up customers who are willingly giving them a chance to practice and learn. After I explained my evil hair to the girl on the phone, she recommended me someone who she thought would be a good fit and today I went in to see what would happen.

I have had the same experience with every stylist that I meet for the first time, meaning that they are all hesitant to do something different and generally just copy what I already have. I am always hoping and wishing that one day one of them will say, "I have a great idea!" or, "I have a vision of what would look amazing on you." But it never happened. I guess I kind of thought that because they are the experts that they would be willing to open up about what might look good or what I can improve on. If I walked in with a huge 10 year old mullet, would they just agree to keep going with what I have been doing because I am comfortable with this which makes them comfortable? Always cut off the mullet if I have a mullet!

Unless it's a super sweet mullet, then let me rock it just a little longer.

Finally, today was that day when someone stepped up to the plate that I have been offering for so long. I told her that I am extremely open to suggestions and this huge smile spread across her face. I took this as a good sign. Then she said that she wanted to shave the sides and back of my head super close. To be honest, I had a mild inner panic attack. I didn't react at first as I let the idea process, but then I thought about the celebrities that I have seen that have the cut that she was suggesting and I wondered if perhaps I could pull it off too! I am the first person to push other people to do drastic things with their hair because most people aren't willing to take the risk, so I figured that it was my civil duty to do this to prove that I'm not a sissy and that I am willing to walk-the-walk.

So for the first time ever in my life, I had clippers on my head and a good part of my head got shaved. Wholy crap it was scary to feel my hair falling all down my shoulders and see it piling on my lap and around my feet. My heart was pounding harder than an agorophobic's while shopping in Walmart on Boxing Day. Overall she really did not take that much off but because my hair is so thick, it seemed like a lot of hair falling. She also assured me that she was 98% sure that I would love the cut. I liked those odds. And yes, the cut is pretty cool.

So it looks like I found my hair dresser in Victoria - and in record breaking time! Usually it takes several bad cuts before I put my faith into one person. So thanks Fish! I shall return!