Friday, July 13, 2007

Hair

I Love that Laini and Meg decided to make HAIR the Scribblings topic this week! My mind went in a million directions. Too much to write about on this topic of course! Do I take the best of all my clients stories? Do I tell you the down side of cutting hair? Maybe share my best makeovers? Do I share the glamour behind the scenes? The stuff no one knows about like plucking coarse hairs out of my expensive bras with a tweezer? Oh that is nothing! Sometimes those babies go right on through the nylon, Trust me It's not a pleasant tale! Rather than write a post that could fill a book, I have opted to talk about MY hair. Like most women I talk with, I have always hated my hair. From the beginning.....
I was not given much to work with. Fuzzy, thin and curly. Yikes! ( You've seen this photo before I know, but it is my only baby picture!)
My hair got a little better as shown here.... my son ( getting the cut) inherited his dads beautiful hair!

I've mostly worn my hair curly. During the farrah days of the mid 70's, I struggled with the blow dryer, dying for those sausage rolls on the side of my head like all my friends seemed to have naturally. During the late 70's I became a hairstylist. Do you know what hairstylists do when business is slow? Yeah.. We experiment on each other! My favorite look was when a colorist convinced me that Purple was my color. He gave me a heavy highlighting and colored me with crazy color.( I so wish I had a pic. of this look) I must admit, when I was in full makeup and hip clothes for work or going out, The purple was really flattering and fun. However, On my days off from work and makeup... I was a scary sight. I gave up that look soon after some kids followed me out of Waldbaums laughing and pointing and causing me to resort to finger gestures!
Styles changed and my curly hair was in high demand. One Perm after another Perm, I was giving unhappy women the look that I had been unhappy with to make them.... happy!? I was so caught up in the frenzy that I let someone give ME a perm, hoping if I used Very large rods, my tight curls would be as loose and sexy as Madonna was during the same era.
No such luck, in spite of the knowledge and talents of my fellow stylists, I now had a fuzzier head of tighter curls than I knew what to do with. I vowed to just leave myself alone and only did semi-permanent tints for shine and body for many years.
Through this discontented hair journey, my husband who is an amazing stylist, suggested going blonde. I never took him seriously, and I always worried that it would be too damaging to my baby-fine, thin, dark-brown hair. About 5 years ago, I put my worries aside and let him do his thing and promised I wouldn't interfere. ( Not an easy task for a know it all chatterbox) The results were astounding. After 43 years of hating my hair, I actually loved it!
First, because he did a beautiful job on the color and highlighting. Second, due to the damage the bleach causes,it actually pumped up the hair cuticle, I finally felt like I had MORE hair! ( self portrait, isn't the best example) With daily conditioning treatments and monthly trims, my hair still feels healthy. Without the contrast of Dark hair on white scalp, I'm not as self conscious about having thin hair. I feel like I should quote one of my favorite characters! " if you ever go looking for your hearts desire, you shouldn't look any further than your own backyard"
Glad you were in our backyard honey xo
(hope you turn up the volume and listen to "samson"

13 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

yes your hair looks great in that photo!

paris parfait said...

Your hair does look terrific - very interesting piece.

Rob Kistner said...

Fun read... and Lucy -- you look great! However, the look of yours I favor most is the picture at the very beginning of this post... ;)

~Michelle~ said...

I like your post about your hair journey!

Lucy said...

thanks Crafty, Paris and Michelle - tried to visit
your blog Michelle, but I couldn't get in :(
Rob, I always critisize that photo, yet I treasure it!

Tammy Brierly said...

I love that it looks great but having a husband as a stylist is a big WOW! Very cool! I had sausage rolls. LOL

Anonymous said...

Brave to make such a change after so many years! And it looks great. Good for you! (Thanks for the soundtrack.)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much, Lucy, for taking us on your hair odyssey...one we can ALL relate to in one way or another. I love your hair now...it's downright lustrous and looks beautiful. But I have to admit, for many years I hankered for those same curls of your earlier years to be sitting on top of my head. I guess it's true about the "grass is always greener..." I'm beginning to like my hair more and more these days. A good color job and cut does make all the difference. Bravo to all you fabulous hair stylists.

Sandie said...

Thank you for the sweet comments you left last week on my blog. I loved your pictures and journey. The blonde really looks great!

Patois42 said...

Funny how the things we sometimes despise in ourselves are often coveted by others. A nice tale. Glad you found the right man for the right look.

Giggles said...

Shiny head Lucy you look marvelous darling!!! Being hair obsessed for so many years I can’t help but love your story and your hair! Lucky you having a hubby who could please you so well! The middle picture is so similar to many of mine in the eighties and nineties!
This was definitely a prompt we could do a few more times! Very well done my friend!!

Love and hugs from afar!
Sherrie

rel said...

Luccy,
"causing me to resort to finger gestures!" that would be the peace sign Y" right?
Why is it, as I've noticed over and over again in this week's posts, that we hate our own hair and find at the same time that others would give their eye-teeth to have it?
Your memoire vignette is delightful.
rel

daisies said...

your blonde hair looks beautiful!! :) though i must confess, growing up i always wished for dark curly hair so am a wee bit jello of yours ~ the grass is always greener isn't it, lol :)