Bill Harter
I have a confession to make—I find a truly bad hairstyle quite the turn on.
Two kinds of women have them. One is the sort that boldly rocks her own look, no matter what fashion dictates. Think of the soccer mom who still proudly wears her Kate Gosslyn spikey bob with wide, brassy blonde streaks. Her look is clippered to her occipital, then teased and spiked to perfection. She moves with a sexy confidence, proud of her trashy appearance. How can you not love a bold woman like that?
The other is the temporary victim of a bad or scissor happy stylist, with a style she never wanted. I just love seeing women forced to live with rough layers, obviously fake color, a too tight perm or the wrong style inflicted by a domineering stylist. Facing the world daily with humiliatingly bad hair takes both courage and submission, both of which are sexy.
I’ve always loved both looks, but never got to have a woman in my life with either. It was time to change that, but it would take some scheming.
There was no way I was going to talk Cindy, my 30 something girlfriend, into any sort of makeunder. Her bra strap length blonde hair was subtly highlighted, perfectly conditioned, and lovingly maintained every 6 weeks by her gay stylist, Max. Max used only small quantities of the most expensive hair products. Her hair was beautiful and soft, but boring.
You all know the story. Every time I suggested a bolder style, she shot me down. “I love my hair and I thought you did too!” She’d pout for hours. Miserable.
I had a plan though. We’d start her transformation with something simple, getting bangs. With any luck, I could find a stylist who would cut them very short. I wanted Cindy to experience looking into the mirror every day, seeing chopped off bangs and knowing she had to live with them for months. It would be very exciting to see her look drastically changed and feel her emotional surrender to her imposed new look.
I had been prepping Cindy by making admiring comments about women with bangs whenever they turned up in a video or ad. Her first reaction was “Max hates blunt bangs. He’d never cut my hair like that.” I let that pass. Why was Max’s opinion more important than mine?
I kept it up over several weeks, and her jealousy began to work on her. “Well, if you’re so obsessed with those women, maybe I can talk to Max” she huffed. “He could do some soft wispy bangs that would pair well with the beachy waves I do sometimes.” Great, I thought. Then you’ll look just like all your friends. But I smiled. “I’m so glad you are willing to think about it. That’s very sweet.”
That was not what I had in mind. I wanted strong blunt bangs. Short ones. I had to find a way.
I got lucky. Cindy wanted to pick up shoes she had ordered at DSW in our local mall. I remembered a slightly shabby Supercuts just down the mall from DSW. You know the sort…where suburban Moms took their young daughters for a quick trim or young men dashed in for a weekend tidy up. Cheap, staffed with mediocre or inexperienced (at best) stylists. Just the place for a bad haircut.
I checked their Yelp reviews, and one stylist, Lisa, had any number of complaints. Didn’t listen, scissor happy, did overly bold, brassy highlights…in other words, the perfect stylist.
I gave her a call. “Lisa, I’d like to bring my girlfriend in to get bangs on Saturday at 2.”
“Sure, I’ll put her down for an appointment. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
“It’s ah…going to be a surprise for her, and I don’t want her to know that I made the appointment.”
“Hey, you’re not up to anything shady, are you?”
“I’ve been trying to talk her into it for months and am almost there. She’ll be mad if she figures out I planned it, so I’d like it to feel spontaneous. And there is a $100 tip in it if all goes well.”
“Well, I don’t get a chance to make that much cash often, especially for a quick bang cut. But I won’t cut her hair if she doesn’t want it. Women make such a scene over nothing. I almost got fired last week over a college girl who was yelling and crying over a trim. I only took off 8 inches…..”
“Cindy won’t make a scene, I promise.”
“Well, OK, then. 2pm Saturday it is. I’ll pretend I’m next up for walk ins. Don’t forget the $100!”
“Perfect! And I won’t forget. See you then.”
It took forever to get the shoes. First the color was not quite right. Then they needed to be a half size smaller. One thing after another, until it had taken 45 minutes to “pick up” Cindy’s shoes.
As I was gazing around, bored while waiting for the salesman to find yet another box of shoes, I noticed the woman behind a nearby counter. She was a striking Hispanic woman, with straight, waterfall long black hair. And bangs. Thick, strong bangs, cut just above her brows. They framed her perfectly made up face beautifully.
“Cindy, check out that woman’s bangs. Aren’t they sexy?”
“The woman at the counter? No, they are awful. Way too blunt and stark!!! Max would never cut my hair like that! I need a much softer look. It’s so much more fashionable.”
I chuckled to myself. I suppose Max wouldn’t. But I was pretty sure Lisa would.
After we finally got the shoes, I took Cindy to a cute little bistro around the corner. I made sure she had several glasses of Champagne to make her more easily persuadable. We finished our lunch with her favorite chocolate dipped strawberries. Cindy was giggly and relaxed.
She wobbled a little as we walked down the mall, and I gave her my arm to lean on. “I’m so glad you are considering getting bangs for me. It’s very sweet of you.”
“Well, I’m still not promising. But I know you find women with bangs attractive.” She gave me a rather sloppy kiss on the cheek. “It might be fun to make a change just for you.” She gave me a dazzling smile with slightly unfocused eyes. I gave her a deep kiss and saw the beginning of arousal in her expression. It always was easier to get her going with a couple of drinks in her.
“I love it! And you! Say, there’s a Supercuts. Let’s be spontaneous and get your bangs cut right now.” I began to tow her toward the door.
“Sssssupercuts? Oh no. That place is for housewives and little kids….I’d never get my hair cut there!”
“It’s not a haircut….just bangs. Anyone who can cut a straight line could do that. Heck, I could do it in the kitchen….”
“You’re not getting anywhere near my hair with scissors!”
“Of course you are right, Cindy. We should go to a professional. Come on!” The Champagne she consumed almost made me sound reasonable.
I pulled her through the door and asked the young girl behind the desk if they could take a walk in. “Sure! Lisa is on deck for the next walk in. You’re gonna love her! Lisa! Up front!”
“Oh, Bill, I don’t know….”
“You are going to be so beautiful with bangs!” I hugged her tight, both to reassure her and keep her from running out.
Lisa appeared, and was just what you’d expect. 50ish, mildly overweight and smelled of cigarette smoke. Her brassy bleached blonde hair was in a rough bob just above her shoulders. It was wavy with a half grown out perm. Her hair was clearly overprocessed and could stand being brushed.
“Well, lovebirds, are you both here for a haircut?” Lisa joked.
“I’m Bill and this is my girlfriend, Cindy. She wants to get bangs today. Do you have time to take care of her?”
“Of course! Bangs will only take a few minutes. Come to my station, Cindy.” Lisa took Cindy’s elbow and began propelling her toward a styling chair. Before she knew it, Lisa had her in the chair and caped with a slightly dirty black vinyl cape. Lisa pulled Cindy’s blonde hair out draping it over the cape, then pulled it tight around her neck.
Cindy stuttered “Aren’t you going to wash and condition my hair first?”
“No, sweetie. That takes too long and we charge extra. No need for that for a simple bang cut. I’ll just mist you with a little water to dampen things down.” She sprayed Cindy’s hair lightly with a pump bottle and combed the moisture through.
Cindy was in a mild state of shock. This wasn’t the 2 hour pampering that Max went through with multiple products and a long head massage. This was a quick, efficient process designed to produce the maximum number of cuts in a day.
Lisa lifted Cindy’s chin and studied her face briefly. “You’re going to look great with bangs. I know just what to do!” She took a triangular parting, starting at the top of Cindy’s head and going toward her face. She put a clip on it, letting the long lock hang over Cindy’s face and obscuring her vision, then used a clip on either side of her head to contain the rest of her hair.
I looked at how far back the parting went and smiled. These were going to be thick, heavy bangs, leaving few other styling options. No cute layered bangs here!
Cindy pleaded “Wait! Aren’t we going to discuss what kind of bangs I want?”
“What’s to discuss? You’re getting bangs.” Without another word, Lisa combed down the thick lock and picked up her scissors. She held them at Cindy’s brow line, then said to herself “Mmmm, too long. They’ll be in your eyes in no time.” She moved the scissors to mid forehead and began to snip. 18 inch strands rained down, puddling in Cindy’s lap.
As her hair was chopped away, Cindy could see the short bangs emerging. Her mouth opened in a wordless “O”. She now had thick straight bangs at mid forehead. Lisa knew her craft. The bangs were perfectly even, forming a heavy line a full inch above her brows.
Cindy said “OMG! They are so short and so heavy!” A tear rolled down her cheek.
Lisa replied “Yeah, I cut them short to save you money. You won’t have to come back for a trim so often. Hmmm, maybe they are too thick. I can fix that.” She picked up her thinning shears and comb and began to lift portions of the bangs and chop into them. Each section was lifted and Lisa chopped into it two or three times. Fine clippings joined the long locks on the cape.
Cindy’s bangs laid closer to her head with less bulk, but the random layers created by the thinning left short hairs sticking up here and there.
Lisa was ready though. “Now that I’ve thinned you out, you’ll need some product to keep them smooth and shiny.” She pumped a gel dispenser twice, and massaged a large dollop into Cindy’s bangs. She blowdried the bangs, smoothing them and curling them slightly. She followed up with a heavy coat of extra hold hairspray, leaving Cindy’s bangs stiff and shining with product.
“There!” Lisa turned to me “Isn’t she pretty?”
“Wow, she sure is,” I enthused.
“No!” Cindy said, tears rolling down her cheeks. “How did I ever get talked into this? Max is going to have a fit when I go in for a trim on Monday. He’ll never be able to fix my hair?”
Lisa said “Another haircut on Monday? That’s ridiculous. I’ll just trim your ends now and you can cancel that appointment.” Cindy’s eyes went wide and she sat there feeling paralyzed.
Lisa took the other clips out and began to comb down Cindy’s long hair. She misted as she went along. I smiled, thinking of the 8 inch “trim” that had gotten Lisa in trouble the prior week.
I decided I better step in before things got totally out of hand. “Now, Lisa, just a trim. Don’t get too carried away.”
“Hmpf! I’m a professional. Leave it to me!” She inserted the scissors just below Cindy’s shoulders and began to snip away. 5 inch sections tumbled to the floor. Lisa held her comb up as a guide, rapidly chopping across Cindy’s back. Cindy sat, defeated, mumbling “Oh my God!” Her hair was just barely below her shoulders now.
Lisa perfected her work, sipping off tiny pieces here and there to make sure the line was absolutely straight. “Hmmm. Those ends look a little poofy to me.” Without asking, she picked up her thinning shears and lifted a section. Starting at Cindy’s nape, each section was treated to 3 snips of the toothed shears, causing still more clippings to float down. She’d tap her shears against her comb after every pass, sending wads of clippings to the floor.
After the shearing was done, Cindy’s hair did lay flatter, but random layers stuck up here and there from the heavy thinning. “I’ll just smooth that for you, honey. You’re going to love curling your hair with all your new layers!” Lisa proceeded to heavily coat Cindy’s hair with extra hold spray, and I noticed it was a cheap drugstore brand.
Lisa brushed the spray through, coating every strand. Then she applied another heavy coat. “There! Nice and firm so you’ll look good all day. You will want to spray every morning and keep a purse sized spray with you for touch ups during the day.”
Lisa swept away the cape, and chopped off blonde hair was everywhere. Long locks from her bangs down to tiny snippets from the thinning shears. Cindy sat there open mouthed, too stunned to say anything.
It was time to reassure her. “Honey, you look so beautiful.” I kissed her newly exposed forehead and stroked her stiffly sprayed hair. She sat, sullen and defeated.
“Lisa, you’ve done a fabulous job.” She smiled, especially when I surreptitiously passed her not one, but 2 folded up $100 bills.
Lisa said “Her highlights are growing out. I’ll give you an appointment card to bring her back in 2 weeks to do her roots. They are already showing, but no one will notice the first half inch or so.”
“That sounds great, Lisa. Thank you!” I accepted the card and pocketed it.
I took Cindy’s hand, and lifted my dazed girlfriend up from the chair. I looked around and saw chopped off blonde hair was scattered all around us.
I walked Cindy out into the cool air of the mall and faced her. “Bill, what have I done?” She touched her short bangs. “How did this happen?”
I lifted her chin, touching her crunchy hair. “You’ve made yourself beautiful for me. That’s what you’ve done. This was just what I wanted. You are so much sexier this way.”
“Sexier? With this bad haircut?”
I studied her new look. The old perfectly polished, sophisticated style was gone. The new bangs were stark and startlingly short. But her face was revealed. Her bright blue eyes now stood out, framed by perfectly arched brows and strong, thick bangs. Her waterfall of sleek blonde hair had been chopped shorter and somehow had more life and movement with the many random layers created by the thinning shears, even after Lisa’s heavy spraying. She was no longer a carbon copy of her friends. Cindy was different, somehow more real and unique.
I held her tight so she could feel my excitement through my jeans. She gasped slightly and her eyes widened.
“Who says it’s bad? I think it’s perfect. Wouldn’t you like to go home and talk it over?” I kissed her deeply and took her hand. “And I cancelled your appointment with Max next week. Lisa will do your highlights in 2 weeks. I want to enjoy your roots with your new look until then.”
Lisa looked down submissively. “So Lisa is my new hairdresser now?”
“Yes, for now. We may try others later.”
She touched her own stiff bangs and her nipples became visible through her dress. “Please take me home. I think we need to explore my new look…..”
“Right after we stop at the drugstore for Lisa’s recommended brands of gel and extra hold spray…..you’re going to be needing them.”
