I was flipping through the “Wanted” section of the Reader looking for ads from animal shelters and came across an ad from a ritzy salon looking for hair models. Basically, you give the salon free reign, more or less, on your hair, and you get a $65 haircut & style free.
Well, I’m completely ready for something new. My hair is incredibly style-less, and I’m always pulling it back in a ponytail – which is fine, but I’d like a more put-together look for the office. I figure, if it looks bad, I can always grow it back. So I’m thinking this might be a good deal, but I’m wondering if there is anything else that wouold be expected of me.
So…annyone have a hair modeling experience to share? Do tell!
“Free Reign” means different things to different people. While you may be thinking - “Oooo - free reign - they’ll cut of about 6” and give me funky blond highlights", they may be thinking - “Oooo - free reign - we’ll shave a checkerboard in her hair, dye it purple, lime green and orange, and perm the crap out of the 2” strip mohawk we leave her."
For a hair show, the styles are typically VERY avant garde. Depending on your style, and where you work, that can be a good thing or a REALLY, REALLY BAD thing. I would inquire with the salon before I agreed, and ask to see work of the stylists from previous shows so you can get an idea what you’re in for.
Other than that, it can be a lot of fun. Depending on the salon and stylist you can get free product, free cuts, gift certificats, etc. etc.
My friend Wendy and I did the hair model thing in 9th grade (after our parents signing a disclaimer.) My haircut was fine; I thought it was cute and suited me. However, Wendy had an entirely different experience. She’d always had longish hair (at least enough to put into a decent ponytail), and they chopped her hair into a short spunky cut. It actually looked great on her, but she despised it and couldn’t wait for it to grow out. So, while you’ll most likely end up with something that looks good, the risk might be more than you’re willing to take. They also might give you a cut that requires more daily maintenance than you’re used to, so there might be some short-term commitment involved.
But if that stuff doesn’t bother you, and you’re not afraid of a little change, go for it! It was a neat experience.
I dont think I could be a hair model, as my hair seems insistant one defying gravity.
I’m one of the few people who can walk into a barbers and hear people say “Oh no, We’ve got a class 5, what do we do?”
Upon further research, the salon in question has a website that seems reasonably conservative. So, I think I’m going to talk to the stylist and see what kind of ship they’re running, and as long as I won’t end up with blue hair – as much as I’d like to have it, it won’t fly at the workplace – I’ll go for it.
Wish me luck. At the very least, if it’s a disaster I can post pictures for everyone to laugh and point.
Here’s what it means to me: I grit my teeth, try to control myself, and then scream out “it’s rein, not reign!” while foaming at the mouth. Then the orderlies give me another yellow pill and everyone’s happy again.
I had a regular hair-cutter and her normal hair model was sick. She asked me if I would do it, and I agreed. The style I got was very cutting edge (hee) at the time, I think you’d call it a mullet now.
Kind of neat to see the inner workings of another industry, and I got a hairstyle I would have never chosen for myself. Like you, I was ready for a change at that time.
I was a hair model once, actually a ‘board model’ for a hairdresser taking her state boards. She practiced on me several times beforehand – it was a short hair style – then asked me to be particularly shaggy for the board. I didn’t get paid, that was against the rules, but she bought me a nice sweater. She also invited me to a celebration party with the other models and applicants, and that was pretty fun, although the way everybody was toking up a storm, I realized she had probably been stoned more often than not when doing haircuts. (Yes, I realize that’s a terrible run-on sentence.) I didn’t go back to her again.
I did in 1989 when I still had hair. It turned out OK. I was taking modeling classes at the time & ended up doing 2 local runway shows from the contacts I made there.
