How many of you cut your significant other's hair? I'd be willing to bet there's a bunch of you. Personally, I wouldn't let MM touch my tresses. That's why, instead of that fashionable photo you see on this blog, my hair, now...foregoing the "salon" trips of more prosperous days...is long. Very long. And for those of you who would accuse me of being 65 going on 15...have a look at this New York Times article: Long Hair on Middle-Aged Women
OTOH, MM doesn't seem to mind looking as if he'd had a fight with a weedeater...and lost. I am not a great barber. But I come cheap. And I put off applying the Wahl Home Barbering clippers for as long as possible. I just don't have the knack for visualizing spacial concepts. I can't seem to "see" what it should look like. About the time he's looking like Albert Einstein on sterioids, I cave in and try once more, to meet the mark. At least when I finish it's a shorter Albert look.
I've been cutting MM's hair ever since we lived on our 52-foot sailboat in Ft. Lauderdale. That was back in (OMG) 1968. And how I stressed out! Each HAIR was carefully trimmed, it seemed...I agonized about making a mis-cut or a neck nick. Perspiration dripped from my nose! MM complained.
To show you how far a marriage can evolve, I now TRY to make a mess of it in hopes of losing the job! Well.....that's a bit strong. Let's put it this way: I've always WISHED I could do a bad enough job so that out here JOTOLR, even the cows would run from him! No such luck. Once a (thrifty) Scotsman, always a (thrifty) Scotsman! Pursed lips pronounce his preference for economy over style.
Did you know the recession/economic downturn/depression has affected two businesses in particular: one of them is having a haircut in the salon (fewer customers) and the other is the haircutting business in the home by the unskilled such as Elora (more customers)--in essence, home barbering (more customers for Wahl barber equipment--clippers, capes (Fittingly I use a trash bag for a cape!).
In checking for stats regarding home barbering versus salon barbering, I came across the following from an economic blog by a man by the name of Mark Fightmaster, to whom I also owe thanks for the image. I thought it addressed this subject "masterfully" (excuse the pun) and wanted to share it with you all. Haircuts and the Underwear Indicator
Let me know whether you are in the shadowed barber business! It's got to be a growing trend. Like everything else, here on the farm, JOTOLR, we are real trendsetters!
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My husband would run screaming if I said I was going to cut his hair! Of course, the fact that I can't see anything a foot in front of me and everything a mile off might have something to do with that. :) blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteI cut my husband's hair all the time in the early years of our marriage. Now I simply trim his neck to prolong the need for another salon cut.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have cut each other's hair ever since he got out of the Marines. (About 45 years.) Neither of us is particularly fussy -- and think of all the money we've saved! It's easy as his hair is very curly and pretty much incapable of being 'styled' and, like you, I wear mine long. Occasionally, after washing my hair, I'll brush it straight back and ask him to take off an inch. Whack, whack -- that's it.
ReplyDeleteElora -- I have met different women over the years that told me that they cut their own hair. Now that is a cost saving. Tried once to cut a mans hair and it was a disaster. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteAs a long haired 50+ I loved the article. I like my long hair and haven't been to a hardresser's for 25 years.Put the calculated savings towards my eye laser surgery. It shocks me when colleagues think nothing of spending £40 - £60 on a visit to the hairdresser. Once in a while I trim my fringe (when I can't see out). I keep my hair in plaits (braids) most of the time as it keeps it tidy and out of the way of nits, a perennial school hazard. Being blonde it's going white rather than grey with what I consider a stylish streak at the front. Only one worry, since my 6 months of dieting I have noticed it's much thinner but hopefully that will revert as I start to eat more protein. Peter's thinning hair is so easy to cut with my handy clippers which I've been wielding since my boys were small though I did find the longer styles hard to manage. Perhaps this is the reason for their current long hair.
ReplyDeleteI laughed my way through this and your links! My hair was last cut short a year ago and I swear I'll never do it again - sick of spending ridiculous amounts of money. I love the look of long well cared for hair on older women, especially when left to grey naturally. Almost like a sign of rebellion and individuality - such a turn around from just a couple of generations ago. Would love to see an updated photo with your long tresses :-)
ReplyDeleteI have always cut my children's hair, but my husband prefers to cut his own! (We are definitely low-maintenance type of folks). As for me, I go to the salon once a year to get my hair cut and permed and that's it for the year. I'd probably look better with shorter hair, but I'm just too cheap to pay to have it done and not particularly good at cutting my own hair.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, I was absolutely astonished when I was having my hair done last time and people kept coming in and paying good money to have their eyebrows waxed! The stylist told me that some people have that done every two weeks. I couldn't believe it. Me? Every so often, I try to groom what's left of my eyebrows with tweezers and nail scissors, but it's not a real big priority. I seriously doubt anyone notices those scraggly, wayward hairs up above my eyes. :-)
OH! What great comments on this post of mine. You're all so sensible! Now, Marlene, you have to sneak up on this slowly! Don't scare your quarry! The blind leading the blind??? Then, again...if you don't want to be a barber, keep reminding him of the potential for harm! :-)))
ReplyDeleteNCMW: Yep. I understand the "prolonging"...we've been "prolonging" now for 30+ years. I remember one time when MM was going to have a job interview, so we thought it best to have him visit "a professional" barber. I cried when he came out. He looked like a gangster! Al Capone-style. Slick and pasted down. And he SMELLED like one, too...(altho' I've never been knowingly close enough to a gangster to recognize what one smelled like...
Vicki, I have to admit, I'm closer to your version of haircutting, both male and female. Actually, MM has/and does cut my hair with a couple of whacks now and again. But it's those short haircuts that create havoc for home barbering, I believe. Long hair (mine) is easy.
Ruta: I thought that piece in the NYT was wonderful! Not that I needed "permission" but it was ratifying, wasn't it! Love your braids! Very sensible!
Julia: I am so glad you found the humor! Thought I had muffed it as everyone who commented was so totally serious! With my humor hyperboly, I (perhaps) get carried away sometimes, but I am so glad you rescued me!
Beth: let's put it this way: my husband has threatened to cut his own....and I have not been able to accept that because his "cutting" is taking the clippers and doing a super-buzz cut. I cannot imagine looking at him until it grew out. Fortunately, we have now entered winter and it's too danged cold for him to entertained such thoughts!
And me, too on the eyebrow thing! I got suckered into that one while I was selling PC and had more $$ to spend. Now I probably quality as being beetle-browed, eyebrows growing together over my nose, looking very Neanderthal. Horror of horrors...I know I am an outcast!
Thank you all!!! What fun! Those of you who cut your own, congratulations! Out here JOTOLR, we'll continue doing the same.
Elora
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteWomen cutting their own hair??? WOW! That's a feat! Then, again, maybe it's like Vicki's..a couple of snips here, a couple there and it's done!
BTW, what a great post on root cellars. When we lived on Vancouver Is. in British Columbia, we had one that looked almost exactly like the one you posted. Built right into the hillside, it housed all our canned goods and could even double as a meat-hanging room. Great post!
Elora