Renaissance Trophy Wife

Just went this afternoon to have a haircut– it was about time!  Four inches of my dry ends came off, a few more layers were sliced in, and after a quick blowout, I was on my way, feeling like a million bucks.

I’d say I generally do a good job of keeping my vices in check, but haircuts are one thing I will spend a little extra on.  As my cousin put it, “Haircuts are a splurge, since your hair is the one thing you wear every day.”

Image from craveonline

It wasn’t always paradise in salon-land, though…  I used to go to the little old ladies at Chinese salons for about $10 a pop.  Inevitably, I would be disappointed with the results when I got home and end up recruiting my mom to help even out the ends.  And growing out a haircut?  It just got worse by the week.

My poor hair took all the blame for these incidents.  As a hapa girl, I figured it was some weird genetic fluke that rendered my hair frizzy and generally contrary.  The epiphany came when I went to a hair model program at Vidal Sassoon in SF.  In went a shy, kinda dorky looking teenager with a nondescript cut.  Out came a girl with an edgy bob whose mom didn’t recognize her.

Although the bob wasn’t exactly my style, it grew out beautifully and convinced me of the scissor-wielding magic in those sleek, polished salons.

I’ve since learned to value quality as much as frugality when it comes to my hair.  For $20 a cut, or sometimes even free, it’s definitely worth it to call about hair model availability at a nice salon in your area.  The student cutting your hair may take a little more time, but I’ve found it’s because they’re super meticulous so it looks good for their instructor.

When I can’t get a hair model slot, I go to a mid-priced salon about 4 blocks from work.  Cuts there are $60, but the girls are sooo nice, offer you cookies and wine, and you also get free bang trims in between appointments.  I know $60 is a lot to spend on hair, but in SF, it’s hard to find a good cut for under $120, so I think I’m doing relatively ok.  Plus, I get cuts about every 4 months instead of the recommended 6 weeks (ssshh, don’t tell my stylist), which makes my hair budget for the year go farther. To make up for splurging on my hair, I also do my own mani/pedis at home.

While I’m generally trying to watch my spending, I think a haircut could be considered a worthwhile investment since it impacts your appearance and mindset quite a bit.  What do you think?  Thumbs up or down?

What are your splurges and have you found ways to cut back?