M49, I tend to go a bit long between haircuts which is on me, but I seem to have a really hard time explaining that I want short hair, like 20mm / 3/4"
I usually ask for a #2 clipper on the back and sides, (which works fine), then take as much as they off the top so I can still brush it straight up, preferably too short to grab onto.
Basically a cigar butt with eyes, shut up it works for me.
Even indicating with thumb and finger, this somehow gets interpreted as just barely trimming the tips off and painstakingly shaping the surface, barely affecting the overall quantity of hair.
How’s that for length?
What no, get in there with fire and the sword, wreak devastation, I want all of this gone.
:carefully trims another quarter inch off:
It’s not just one guy, not just one place, so I am obviously using wrong and misleading words.
How do I ask for the thing I want?
Fair, but I’m still curious where the glitchup is occurring…
The thing you’re missing is that other people come in and say the same thing as you, and when they listened to them once, they absolutely freaked the hell out, left bad reviews, maybe threatened to sue or something. So you just have to live with that unfortunately.
Nah they just need to keep going to different people and different places until they find someone that does what he wants. When they find one that listens then always go back to that person.
Let them know you really do want it short and don’t even mind if they cut it too short because it’ll grow back. They’re just trying to cover their asses because there are people who tell them to cut off 2 inches and when they do it’s too much despite it being literally what they asked for and now they’re unhappy and blame the hairdresser for it.
It’s 100% this. Asking for a cut that’s super short, the hairsresser can always take more off but can’t add it back on. Either keep telling them “a little more off”, show them a picture of what you want (preferably a picture of yourself with the style from when you’ve previously had it done), or at the very least give them assurance not only that you are ok with the buzzer size you give them, but that it’s alright if it ends up shorter than expected.
You may just have a bad hairdresser. I put up with “ok” haircuts for months when I moved into a new area, then one month I decided to try a 2nd shop instead. I brought the same pictures to both places but the 2nd place was immediately better and fixed the problems. She even remarked that my issue was something the 1st shop should have recognized immediately because it was a) obvious and b) not hard to remedy. Don’t be afraid to visit another place if you have one available.
They’re just cautious. If they mess it up, it could be months before your hair looks right again. I also ease into things when I think the person making the request doesn’t understand what they’re asking. Mind you, my clients are hiring me for graphic design, where my time is billable by the hour, and anything I do can be undone. I can afford to do exactly what they ask. (You know, unless they think I’m fucking with them to pad my time and use another GD. Then I guess I can’t afford it.)
Have them keep revising the trim until you’re happy, then ask them to take pictures on your phone of the views they as a hairstylist need to see. Show the pictures next time, so they know you know what you’re asking for.