To Highlight or Not to Highlight

So I am thinking of revirginizing my hair.  Yep, that's right.  In the words of the immortal Britney Spears - my hair is not that innocent.

I believe at some point between sophomore and junior year of college, I started putting some color in and, well, it's a vicious cycle.  For the past three years or so, I've only done highlights.

I was reading in glamour magazine, I believe, that Amanda Seyfried was given some hair award (or some crap like that) and when she was asked what her secret was, she said she no longer puts any color in it - it's all natural.  She also mentions she only washed it every other day, which I just cannot bring myself to do (but this is a whole other can of worms entirely).

I've noticed I've been getting a lot of split ends lately, and quite a few sources have suggested that the color could be partially to blame.  That, and I am starting to question what the highlights really do for me.  A couple friends have suggested I wait until I actually really need to dye it (in other words, when it goes gray).

What do my readers think?  Do any of you have 'virgin' hair?  Are highlights, generally speaking, just a wash?  Have any of you gone back from the dyeing habit?  Does anyone else wash her hair every day?   Your thoughts? 

Cheating On My Hair Girl

So I may have touched on this before.  I know I've touched on the subject of getting one's hair done in Chicago before.

So, I have a hair girl.  I like my hair girl.  However, kind of like someone in her first long-term relationship, a part of me wonders what else is out there.  I am generally happy with her work, but I'm uncertain about a couple things.  And I guess, since it's so f*#^&$! expensive, I've started to expect nothing less than perfection.

However, as we all know - sometimes the grass is not greener.  So here is my question - can I go to another hair person, then, in the instance I do not like said person better, can I go back to the old person?  Is it that I've cheated on my hair person?  Or is he or she simply happy to have his or her customer back?  Have any of you ever left a hair person and gone back?   Has anyone ever been confronted by a hair person for someone else having touched his or her hair?  Has anyone ever run into a hair person out in public after having left him or her?  Is this overly paranoid?  Your thoughts?

Update on My Haircut

(Editor's sidenote:  Because you care.  You do, really....)

So, as I said in an earlier post, I had scheduled a haircut/highlight for this past Sunday.   A coworker had recommended the salon (which shall remain nameless).  She told me the name of her girl; her girl was out of my price range.  I spoke to the receptionist and requested a girl in a lower price bracket.  I described my hair - she made a recommendation.  Let's call said girl 'Sarah'.  The receptionist penciled me in with Sarah on Sunday for a cut & partial for around $105.

Saturday rolls around.  I see a missed call on my phone from an unknown number.  Thinking perhaps it's Mr. Right or someone telling me I'd won a contest (or more likely a local alderman candidate asking for my vote), I curiously listened to the voicemail.

"Hi Jaime, I'm calling from XXXX Hair Place to confirm your appointment tomorrow at 1 with Jenny for a partial and haircut.  Please let me know immediately if you cannot make it."

Well, I, too, noticed a brief discrepancy.  I called to ask about it.  Jenny?  I thought I had Sarah?  Granted, I don't know the first thing about either.  Maybe Jenny is better?

"Oh, yeah.  We had a scheduling conflict, so we moved you to Jenny because it worked better for us.  She's great.  She's the same price."

I got in the shower a little confused.  Granted, I was going in cold either way, and, perhaps, as suggested earlier, Jenny would be a better fit for me.  However, something about the situation rubbed me the wrong way.  They moved me?  Without asking me?  Had they called me up and asked me, I wouldn't be as lukewarm about it.   What if Sarah was MY hair girl that I was attached to?  Granted, they probably had some notes that stated I was a new client and didn't have a specific request - but STILL.  I was getting in the mindset to be styled by Sarah.  I had started to do some background research on her.  I was spending over $100 at their salon - maybe that wasn't a big deal to them, but it was to me.  I deserved better treatment for that money - not as just some afterthought getting shuffled into the one opening that works for them.  Nobody puts Jaime in the corner!

Anyhow.  I called back shortly after and canceled.  They didn't ask why, and I didn't feel like getting into it.  If my business wasn't important to them, I wasn't about to yell at them and tell them that it should be.  So now I'm back to square one - looking for an affordable, decent hair girl in Chicago.

Am I being oversensitive?  Is this a common practice?  Anyone have a hair recommendation in Chicago?  Your thoughts?

Women's Haircuts

So, it's been over four months - I am due for a haircut.  Also, I, like millions of women in America, have gotten in this crazy habit of highlighting my hair.  My mom told me, when I first let dye touch my hair 'once you start, you'll never stop'.   I am pretty sure cocaine is an ingredient in hair dye.

Anyhow.  My hair is long, straight and thin.  And I've pretty much been getting variations of the same haircut for the past 12 years.  Still, it is, quite possible screw it up - as I have experienced.

A couple years ago, a good friend recommended a good hair girl within Chicago.  She does well.  I cannot say that I am in love with her - but she has gotten the job done.  Maybe it is not possible that I would get a haircut that I am 'in love with' - in fact, I'm not sure it's happened.  (Don't we know if we are in love?  Can only love break your heart?  I digress.)

Ok - recently - she has changed locales.  And prices.  I am not sure exactly what I was paying before, but now she is up to $55 for a haircut and $85 for a partial highlight.  No.

So, I have cold called a new place which got good reviews on yelp.  I will be getting my hair cut for $35 and my highlights done for $70.  I have called around.  This is on the cheap end, if we take supercuts/greatclips/etc. out of the running.

Ok - how much does a woman's haircut cost in Chicago?  How much SHOULD a woman's haircut and highlights cost?  Does everyone pay around this amount?  I have raised this question in the ultimate forum, facebook, and got a mix of responses.  Someone suggested that the real issue is supply and demand - there are enough women out there who are brainwashed into believing it's necessary to spend this amount of money to get a good haircut.  How much is a reasonable amount to spend on one's hair?  Is a hair salon really any better of quality than Supercuts?  Your thoughts?

The Scrunchie

Ok - who remembers the scrunchie?!

Today a good friend of mine brought up the subject of the scrunchie, and the fact that she used to make them.  OMG, ME TOO.

That, and I seriously loved scrunchies.  The odd, complex thing about it, though, was I didn't like the way my hair looked up in them.  But I liked them.  I liked the fancy beautiful hair decorations.  It just didn't work when I tried to wear them.  Quite a conundrum.

Anyhow.  The scrunchie is now out.   As in, out of style.  It is so officially out of style, it was even mentioned as being out on Sex and the City years ago (when her toolish ex-boyfriend Jack Berger who was so much hotter as Peter Gibbons foolishly states that a New York woman might wear one and Carrie immediately corrects it).

Will the scrunchie come back?  Will it be revived?  Can it come back from the aforementioned PR disaster?  (If so, then what about banana clips?)  Are there closet scrunchie enthusiasts out there?  Is it a secret cult classic (like, say, "My So-Called Life")?  Who coined the term 'scrunchie'?  When was the last time, you, reader, saw someone wearing one?

Any Suggestions?

So I have had the same hairstyle for roughly the past 15 years. Hey, it works for me. Once in a while I'll throw in some highlights. It's been as short as just below my shoulders and as long as maybe 4-5 inches lower than that. I am thinking it might be time for a chance, but unsure what I would do. Does anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, etc.?

Bangs Bond

Ok, so 'bangs' have been the trend for about, oh, something around under two years for now.  

I am frustrated.  I have had bangs for almost 12 years consistently.  I STARTED the trend.  Sarah Palin, Reese Witherspoon, etc., are now either randomly famous or randomly trying this hairstyle (amongst their three different hairstyles a year).  

We true bangs enthusiasts know what it's all about.  It's not a random pursuit of the presidency.  It's not the latest hairstyle.  It's a way of life.  I had bangs when NO ONE did.  And I kept cutting them nonetheless.