Stopping a bad haircut?

[sweetonsno]

This one's mostly for the ladies, I suspect, but what is the proper phrasing for telling a stylist that they are messing up? What if you don't realize just how wrong it's going until it is too late to fix?

As a curly-haired lady, I've dealt with this a few times. Most recently, I was at an academy (for a very famous salon). I asked the student if she was familiar with curly hair, and she assured me that she was. The cut that I wanted was very simple, but she still managed to mess it up. I realize that there is an academy caveat emptor. However, I'd like to have a phrase ready if something like this happens again.

So if you notice that a stylist is going the wrong direction, how do you normally ask them to stop and then re-iterate what you want? What if they have already taken the first cut and it's not what you wanted?

[mom22militarymen]

I don't have an answer but will be very interested in comments anyone has. I too am a curly whirly and getting a decent haircut, at times has become the holy grail. Anytime I have asked a shop if they have someone who is good with curly hair, the answer is always, all our stylists are good with curly hair. Not true!
Just last week I got a decent cut at a chain place and the first thing I told the stylist was I do not like thinning shears to be used. She looked at me quite surprised and told me, no one there would use them, EVERYONE knows not to use thinning shears on curly hair.
I really cracked up inside because I can't count the times stylists have come at me with the darn things, insisting that is the secret to controlling the curl. And one of the worst thinning shear incidents was done at one of their shops. 
So, good luck with your quest. It is hard to stop someone in the process of cutting, but after decades of trying to find the decent cut and stylist, I have learned to speak up. Incidentally, I have had expensive and cheap cuts and it has still been difficult.

[MrsJWine]

If you notice it while it's happening, just say something. "No, stop! Not that short!" It's kind of an urgent situation; you don't need to worry about taking the time to choose precisely the most proper words.

Unfortunately, the couple of bad haircuts I've had weren't noticeable until after the haircut was over. With one, she cut a really short chunk out of the back of my hair (about 1" thick, off center). It was really obvious that she knew what she'd done because she styled it in such a way that it was completely disguised when I looked at it in the mirror. It wasn't apparent until I showered the next day. It was horrible, but it didn't take long to grow out enough to trim up the back in a less horrible, more even cut.

But I have straight, chin- to shoulder-length hair. Even a bad mistake isn't *that* bad with my length of hair, unless the stylist were to grab a handful and cut it down to the scalp.

[SamiHami]

Well, I would start with "Stop!" to prevent them from continuing the bad cut. Then perhaps something like, "You're not cutting it the way I asked you to. What I want is X and you are doing Y. Someone else needs to take over right now so that this can be corrected before you go any further."

If it's too late and the damage is done, I would say something along the lines of "I am unhappy with this haircut; I asked you to do X and you did Y instead. I need to discuss this with your manager/instructor." This is actually doing the person a kindness, IMHO, as you are giving them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and a valuable lesson in listening to what the customer requests rather than just doing whatever it is that they are already comfortable with.

[Snowy Owl]

If you notice it while it's happening, just say something. "No, stop! Not that short!" It's kind of an urgent situation; you don't need to worry about taking the time to choose precisely the most proper words.

Been there, done that.    I have reasonably long hair and some hairdressers do view this as a challenge and try and take too much off.  I usually start with a new hairdresser establishing a shared understanding of what 2 centimetres is and then make sure that's all they take off.  I have stopped a haircut partway through. 

[Shea]

I have terrible eyesight and wear glasses, which of course I must remove when I'm having my hair cut. As a result, I have no idea what the stylist is doing until s/he's done and I can put my glasses back on. So I'm always a bit nervous when I go to the salon. My strategy has been to shop around carefully when I'm in a new place and make sure the salon has good reviews and knows how to deal with curly hair. So far it's worked (knock on wood), there's a salon in my city that specializes in curly hair, and they're given me nothing but good haircuts every time I've been.

I think that if you, unlike me, can see what's going on during your haircut, you can definitely ask the stylist to stop and ask them to do something else. It's your hair, after all.

[MOM21SON]

As a former stylist, I have a answer, I think.

How I wished people would speak up during the process.  Now, when I am getting my hair done and I can feel myself tense up.  I have said, "Sally, can I give you an idea or can I show you something?"  They always stop, listen, and then we laugh about what I was wanting and what they were thinking.  We have to remember that terms and pharses have different meanings sometimes.

I don't recommend yelling STOP or WAIT.

Just my two cents.

[MOM21SON]

I have terrible eyesight and wear glasses, which of course I must remove when I'm having my hair cut. As a result, I have no idea what the stylist is doing until s/he's done and I can put my glasses back on. So I'm always a bit nervous when I go to the salon. My strategy has been to shop around carefully when I'm in a new place and make sure the salon has good reviews and knows how to deal with curly hair. So far it's worked (knock on wood), there's a salon in my city that specializes in curly hair, and they're given me nothing but good haircuts every time I've been.

I think that if you, unlike me, can see what's going on during your haircut, you can definitely ask the stylist to stop and ask them to do something else. It's your hair, after all.

I think you are perfectly fine asking to hold their handheld mirror.  If it gets in the way, they can kindly ask you to put it down while they check in the big mirror. 

[Moray]

Who said anything about yelling?

A simple "Stop cutting." is a good, direct opener because it expresses very clearly that you want them to stop while you "give [them] an idea or show [them] something." It shouldn't be said rudely, but it should be said firmly and clearly.

Once they've stopped, then you can discuss what you want done when the resume cutting.

[MrsJWine]

Yeah, I don't think you should yell at the stylist or be mean in any way. But saying "stop" immediately is a lot better than watching her cut through a chunk of hair while you're fumbling for the right words.

[MOM21SON]

Who said anything about yelling?

A simple "Stop cutting." is a good, direct opener because it expresses very clearly that you want them to stop while you "give [them] an idea or show [them] something." It shouldn't be said rudely, but it should be said firmly and clearly.

Once they've stopped, then you can discuss what you want done when the resume cutting.

Sorry, IMO, I take "Stop!", as yelling.  Boy oh boy.

[Moray]

Who said anything about yelling?

A simple "Stop cutting." is a good, direct opener because it expresses very clearly that you want them to stop while you "give [them] an idea or show [them] something." It shouldn't be said rudely, but it should be said firmly and clearly.

Once they've stopped, then you can discuss what you want done when the resume cutting.

Sorry, IMO, I take "Stop!", as yelling.  Boy oh boy.

Boy oh boy? Huh?

[MOM21SON]

Who said anything about yelling?

A simple "Stop cutting." is a good, direct opener because it expresses very clearly that you want them to stop while you "give [them] an idea or show [them] something." It shouldn't be said rudely, but it should be said firmly and clearly.

Once they've stopped, then you can discuss what you want done when the resume cutting.

Sorry, IMO, I take "Stop!", as yelling.  Boy oh boy.

Boy oh boy? Huh?

boy oh boy, aka man oh man, crud monkeys, etc.  Once again I messed up and was not very clear.

[Moray]

Who said anything about yelling?

A simple "Stop cutting." is a good, direct opener because it expresses very clearly that you want them to stop while you "give [them] an idea or show [them] something." It shouldn't be said rudely, but it should be said firmly and clearly.

Once they've stopped, then you can discuss what you want done when the resume cutting.

Sorry, IMO, I take "Stop!", as yelling.  Boy oh boy.

Boy oh boy? Huh?

boy oh boy, aka man oh man, crud monkeys, etc.  Once again I messed up and was not very clear.

Now I'm even more confused. Why do you think someone disagreeing with you or correcting your interpretation of something is cause for beating yourself up or making hyperbolic exclamations?

[cross_patch]

Who said anything about yelling?

A simple "Stop cutting." is a good, direct opener because it expresses very clearly that you want them to stop while you "give [them] an idea or show [them] something." It shouldn't be said rudely, but it should be said firmly and clearly.

Once they've stopped, then you can discuss what you want done when the resume cutting.

Sorry, IMO, I take "Stop!", as yelling.  Boy oh boy.

Saying stop is not yelling. And I don't quite understand boy oh boy either. Are you saying that anyone who has ever said that to you was rude?