Sophie is Dressed to Impress

Prologue

Having made a coffee for herself and her colleague Darren, Sophie settled down at her desk. Sitting opposite, lovely Darren looked up from his computer and smiled his thanks. All felt right with the world, as Sophie expected a typical Monday to unfold. The start of another week during which she would often find herself gazing across the great divide between her and Darren.

But then, like a peacock flaunting its vibrant feathers, Andrea, the newly appointed department manager, strutted into the open plan area. A tailored blazer clung to her silhouette, and a short skirt, with a daring slit up the back, highlighted not just her confidence but also a hint of menace. A bobbed haircut, skimming her shoulders at the front while sweeping up dramatically at the back, framed her sharp cheekbones.

Andrea’s hairstyle so different from the abundant waves and curls that decorated the other women’s heads around the office that, along with her attire, demanded attention. Sophie was aware that Darren’s eyes had followed Andrea’s every one of her high-heeled steps.

The new manager, recently promoted from within the company, confidently surveyed her new domain. Without a word to anyone, she gave a curt nod of satisfaction to no one in particular. Then, spinning on her heels, Andrea glided into her office and made herself comfortable behind her large desk with a huge grin on her face.

Comparison

Sophie stole glances towards Andrea’s office from behind her computer, discontent brewing as she compared herself with this new woman. Sophie wore one of her favourite flowing skirts that danced around her calves and a lace blouse that accentuated her soft form. The glossy strands of her remarkably long hair cascaded past her waist and, as usual, she had styled it with artistic grace. She turned toward Darren, the man she had quietly admired for months, and the one she dressed to impress.

‘So, Darren, what do you think of Andrea?’ she asked, feigning casualness but intent on his answer.

‘More intimidating than all the other women around here, that’s for sure,’ Darren quivered humorously, glancing toward Andrea’s office. ‘Especially with that sharp hairstyle, and her tailored outfit and that that short skirt.’

‘Exactly.’ Sophie felt a spark of excitement, thinking they shared an unspoken bond in their opinions about Andrea. ‘It’s far too short, isn’t it?’

‘Perhaps it is too short,’ Darren pondered casually, then added with a wink, ‘but incredibly sexy,’ sending a jolt of surprise and apprehension through Sophie. She had tried everything to attract Darren’s attention, including frequently changing the way she styled her long hair. But here was a striking new revelation. Darren had disclosed a preference for women with short hair.

Sensitive to how her long hair had failed to turn his head over the previous few months, Sophie now knew why. If she wanted Darren to take more notice of her, Sophie began to contemplate a drastic change to her appearance, despite the huge sacrifice she would be making.

Encounter

Later that morning, Sophie found herself brushing her long hair in the cloakroom, standing beside Andrea who was adjusting her makeup. The tension was palpable, the air thick with ambition and animosity.

‘I suppose that hair is really quite pretty … in a way,’ Andrea sneered, breaking the silence, as if she had been answering a question posed by someone else. She eyed Sophie’s lengthy locks with something between condescension and envy. ‘It’s Sophie, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, that’s right, Andrea,’ Sophie replied, using the name the manager had announced in an email sent a few minutes. A brief communication that informed the team that things would be changing quickly now she had taken charge. ‘Oh, and thanks … about my hair.’

Andrea took another look and sniffed contemptuously.

‘Actually, Andrea, I have been wondering if I may be due for a change,’ Sophie continued hesitantly, her heart thumping, not quite knowing why she had made this barely considered admission to someone she hardly knew.

‘Really?’ Andrea questioned, raising an eyebrow, excitement bubbling under, her interest clearly piqued.

Sophie nodded. ‘And as your hair looks so good, I was wondering where you go to have it styled?’ She had no idea why she had felt the need to flatter her new boss, and then ingratiate herself by asking a question she did not need an answer to.

‘I go to the place in the arcade below the office,’ Andrea explained nonchalantly. Sophie looked at her quizzically, unable to recall a salon in the parade of shops where coffee and sandwich outlets prevailed. Reacting to Sophie’s puzzlement, Andrea added, ‘the quaint little barbershop down at the end.’

‘A barbershop? Really?’ Sophie questioned doubtfully. ‘Your hair always looks like you have walked out of an expensive city salon.’

‘Thanks, Sophie. Yes, I know it does,’ Andrea responded, without any sense of irony, although not disclosing that it was meant as a joke and that she had never set foot in the place. ‘But they are surprisingly good, as well as being reasonably priced. And, of course, the location is very convenient for regular trims,’ she clarified, stifling a chuckle, as she sketched out an amusing plan in her mind. ‘You should give them a try.’

‘Er, thanks, Andrea,’ Sophie acknowledged uncertainly. Having only just begun to contemplate a drastic change, she knew that entering a barbershop would be a step too far. She put away her hairbrush and turned, preparing to leave the cloakroom. ‘Well, perhaps one day …’

‘I imagine you’re quite nervous about losing all that hair,’ Andrea speculated, halting Sophie’s progress by grabbing the ends of her abundant locks and twirling them between her fingers. ‘There’s so much of it …’

Irritated by her manager’s bluntness, as well as her encroachment on her personal space, Sophie fought to hold her tongue. ‘Yes, a bit anxious … but better get back to work now,’ she blustered, motioning to leave.

Undaunted by Sophie’s indecision, Andrea pressed on. ‘And you probably don’t know much about short hairstyles,’ Andrea empathised. Sophie nodded, trying to extricate her hair from Andrea’s manicured fingers. ‘You would be unwise to go on your own when considering a significant change,’ Andrea added sagely.

She silently agreed, and she had contemplated asking Darren to accompany her, before dismissing the idea as ridiculous. What sort of first date would that be, even though he was the motivation for her to contemplate a change.

‘Tell you want, Sophie, I’ll come with you,’ Andrea announced magnanimously. ‘We just need to decide when.’

‘I … er … thanks,’ Sophie stuttered, ‘but -’

‘No problem, Sophie. You will find my experience extremely valuable,’ Andrea declared, excitedly getting out her phone to browse her diary. ‘Now, let me check my availability …’

Sophie gulped, wishing she had managed to extricate herself from the cloakroom a little earlier. Still, Andrea was a busy lady with a full diary and, undoubtedly, would soon forget her polite offer, of that Sophie was sure.

Andrea suddenly looked up from her phone, looking extremely concerned, presumably unable to find a suitable free slot. Sophie felt relieved that her manager had no time available for such an unwelcome task. ‘But you are not having the same hairstyle as mine,’ she proclaimed, wagging her finger playfully, yet with an edge of authority. ‘I wish to maintain my unique appearance within the office.’

‘Of course not,’ Sophie stuttered, her mind racing. ‘Me too! I mean, I am unique now … with my long hair. And I will want my shorter style to be different from yours, but unique too.’

‘I am relieved to hear that, Sophie. However, as you know nothing about short styles, I will take charge when I take you to the barber and, when you leave, I can assure you that your hair will be unique,’ Andrea said, a sly smile creeping across her lips as she continued to toy with the end of Sophie’s long hair. ‘Unique … and much shorter.’

‘Er, how much shorter?’ Sophie murmured, feeling a rush of insecurity, questioning how she had got herself into this ridiculous situation with her new manager. ‘Look, Andrea, I’m not sure -’

‘Oh, I am quite certain,’ Andrea countered, ‘and there is no time like the present. So be ready in reception at noon today. And do not be late!’ Andrea commanded, wagging an intimidating finger, leaving Sophie absolutely no room for debate.

Guidance

Sophie hesitated as she stared at the entrance of The Arcade Barbershop, her heart pounding. The establishment was uninviting, its flickering neon sign and peeling paint stood in sharp contrast to the polished salons she had envisioned for her momentous change of appearance.

Andrea had met Sophie in reception at 12 o’clock and taken her by the arm. She led her through the arcade, right to the very end, where the unwelcoming shopfront ominously confronted Sophie. Neither woman had spoken on the short journey from the office, both caught up in their thoughts concerning the outcome of the expedition.

‘Look, Andrea,’ Sophie attempted, ‘it’s very kind of you to take all this time, but I am not sure -’

‘Oh, I am quite certain, Sophie,’ Andrea countered, smirking. ‘And please don’t worry yourself, as I have plenty of time.’

With a gentle push, Sophie crossed the threshold of the barbershop, and a bell tinkled above the door. At the sound, an elderly barber with a bald head and a neatly trimmed beard looked up sharply from his newspaper. With a bemused expression, he seemed puzzled by the appearance of two professional women entering his domain typically frequented by businessmen in need of a quick trim.

‘Good morning, and how may I help you young ladies,’ the barber asked politely.

‘Good afternoon, sir’ Andrea corrected pedantically. ‘My colleague, Sophie, would like to avail herself of your services.’

‘Really?’ the barber questioned doubtfully, clearly startled as he took in Sophie’s abundant flowing locks.

‘Yes, really,’ Andrea confirmed, propelling Sophie towards the large barber’s chair. As she sat, her fingers brushed against the worn leather upholstery. ‘Just get yourself comfortable, Sophie, and I’ll use my expert knowledge to fully brief the barber about your requirements.’

Sophie frowned, realising they had discussed none of the details. ‘But you don’t know -’

Andrea placed a finger on Sophie’s lips to silence her protest. ‘Trust me,’ she smirked.

Leaning toward the barber, out of Sophie’s earshot, Andrea murmured her demands with a sinister delight.

‘Really?’ The barber exclaimed, lifting an eyebrow, clearly surprised. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked, turning to face Sophie’s reflection in the mirror.

Sophie’s face flushed with uncertainty. Although she had not heard Andrea’s whispered instructions, she was extremely concerned by the barber’s reaction. ‘Um, I -’

Before Sophie could object, Andrea chimed in cheerfully, ‘Yes, quite certain, sir!’

Transformation

As the barber draped Sophie with a large white cape, her uncertainty melted into resignation. Short of running out of the barbershop with the cape flowing behind her, there was nothing more she could do. Nothing more than placing her trust in her manager.

‘It seems such a shame,’ the barber sighed, surveying the cascading waterfall of hair that he had gently arranged down the back of the chair. He caught Sophie’s worried gaze in the mirror and smiled unconvincingly. Clicking his scissors decisively in the air, he lifted a lock of Sophie’s hair. ‘Right, I’ll quickly get rid of the worst of it first, then we can see about styling what’s left.’

Sophie could not believe the barber’s insensitive judgement. The “worst of it” Sophie silently refuted, in shocked contemplation, watching the points of the glinting shears approaching her best feature with malicious intent.

‘An excellent suggestion, sir,’ Andrea piped up, rubbing her hands together gleefully.

The long shimmering blades encompassed the lovingly tended tresses that covered Sophie’s left ear. They swiftly closed with a resounding click, severing a hank of Sophie’s long hair, just above the top of her ear. Accompanying the sound, was an indistinct moaning that escaped Sophie’s quivering lips as she observed disbelievingly in the mirror.

‘Quite right, sir. Get rid of the worst of it,’ Andrea prompted as she watched the first of Sophie’s long tresses sliding down the cape.

However, the barber needed no encouragement. Although initially reluctant to cut off a woman’s long hair, that quickly changed once he caught the sight of the severed locks. Enthusiastically, without a pause, he snipped along the line he had established on the left side of Sophie’s head. And then he continued around the back of her head, before thrusting the blades through the last of Sophie’s hair covering her right ear.

In less than half a minute, Sophie’s beloved locks that she had lovingly tended for half her lifetime, had tumbled to the barbershop floor. The barber unceremoniously kicked the huge pile of hair that surrounded the chair out of his way. Andrea sniggered quietly to herself as she watched him dispose of “the worst of it” without emotion.

All that remained on Sophie’s head, was an unflattering blunt bob that barely touched the tops of her ears, providing no competition to Andrea’s own immaculate hairstyle.

‘Perfect!’ Andrea giggled maliciously, with an air of finality, although knowing full well that the barber still needed to spend some time completing the style.

Sophie’s anxious expression suggested she was less sure. Her mind was still trying to catch up with the reality that her manager had told the barber to cut off most of her hair. What was Andrea thinking, she wondered to herself. She felt comforted by the barber’s admonishing glare aimed at Andrea for her hurtful and unnecessary outburst. ‘Sorry,’ she murmured, motioning with a finger to indicate that she had sealed her lips, but she was unable to hide the smirk that remained there.

Using scissors and comb, the barber skilfully trimmed the remaining hair into a smooth glossy cap covering Sophie’s crown. It was so uniform in shape and sleek in appearance that a sculptor might have carved it from marble. With practiced ease, he repeatedly combed through the hair below the cap, and snipped it off, leaving just a suede-like pelt that was the thickness of his fine comb. He stood back to admire his work, making a few minor adjustments to further improve the appearance.

As the barber finished his work, Sophie stared disbelievingly in the mirror. Everything had happened so quickly, without any consultation. She had never had a fringe before, but her reflection suggested that was now all she had. Thick hair covered her forehead, with the ends barely skimming the top of her eyebrows. That same blunt line continued around each side of head and, she assumed, around the back of head too. All Sophie could see was a neat helmet of hair perched on her crown with just a velvet-like covering below the perimeter.

‘Are back and sides satisfactory?’ the barber asked, ignoring Sophie, and glancing towards Andrea.

Andrea stepped forward and ran her palm up the fine bristles on the back of Sophie’s head. ‘No, I think not, sir.’

‘What?’ Sophie mouthed, although no words came out.

‘Shave it close, sir,’ Andrea said, her eyes gleaming. ‘Right down to the skin.’

‘Skin?’ Sophie squealed in dismay.

‘I recall that you wish your appearance to be unique,’ Andrea scoffed. ‘Trust me.’

‘Sure,’ the barber confirmed, patting Sophie comfortingly on the shoulder as if it were she who had made the request. ‘I will ensure it looks unique.’

Drawing closer with his hairclippers, the barber clicked off the protective guard. ‘With hair so long, I doubt you have had these used on your before,’ the barber said. Sophie shook her head in astonishment. ‘Well, not to worry, young lady. By using them without the guard, they will remove every trace of hair and leave the skin completely bare. So, young lady, head down, please.’

The barber had explained what he was doing in a disconcertingly comforting tone, but Sophie was anything but comforted, knowing she would soon be half bald.

Despite the barber’s directive to lower her head, Sophie felt that she should finally do or say something to manage proceedings. Andrea quickly stepped forward again and, without a word, tilted Sophie’s head downwards. The barber nodded his thanks to Andrea, and then he held Sophie’s head firmly in place as he turned on the hairclippers with his other hand.

As the metal blades vibrated against her skin, Sophie’s heart sank. The cool metal was alarming against her scalp. What am I doing, she wondered desperately, but knew it was too late to make any difference.

The barber quickly dispatched the peach-like fuzz below the rim of the bowl, leaving pristine white skin in the wake of the voracious humming blades. Looking in the mirror, Sophie expected there to be only a minor change from a few minutes earlier, but there was a stark difference. Her baldness glimmered under the lights and her ears seemed even more prominent on each side of her head.

The sudden swish of the cape alerted Sophie to the fact that the barber had finished. The gentle lace blouse and long floral skirt that had complemented her abundant long hair so well, now looked completely at odds with the stark hairstyle she now wore. The barber held up a mirror so Sophie could view the back of her head, and the nakedness of her scalp was as severe as she had feared.

‘Is that satisfactory, young lady?’ the barber asked, clearly proud of his achievement. ‘As requested, a nice neat bowlcut.’

Sophie, astonished that he dared to ask her opinion, caught his eye in the mirror. His professional smile softened the venomous rebuke that was on the tip of her tongue. He was only doing his job. ‘It is cut very well,’ Sophie managed politely, through clenched teeth, even forcing a hint of a smile.

‘It’s superb, sir,’ Andrea piped up. ‘Cut perfectly as one would expect from a skilled barber, but the bowlcut really brings out Sophie’s features. Her eyes, for example,’ then sniggering, unable to resist, ‘and those ears.’

Sophie reached up, feeling the smooth skin on the back of her head, and she shivered. She could think of nothing to say.

‘Very smart, Sophie,’ Andrea praised, her voice dripping with venomous approval. ‘As requested, with your shorter hair, you are undoubtedly unique.’

Interrogation

When the two women finally emerged from the barbershop, Sophie’s heart felt like it was in a vice-like grip. Andrea, ever the confident vixen, walked beside her like a soldier returning from battle, victorious.

‘Do you know if Darren from the office is seeing anyone?’ Andrea asked innocently, but unexpectedly, as they walked along the arcade.

‘Er, no … I do not think so,’ Sophie stuttered, her voice unsteady. The thought of Darren made her ache as they drew closer to the office, but Andrea’s interest was unsettling.

‘He’s cute,’ Andrea giggled, glancing at Sophie. ‘Given you work so closely together, I had wondered if you might be interested in him …’

Yes, he is cute, and he is mine, Sophie mused silently, pointedly looking straight ahead as they walked. She did not wish to admit her infatuation with another team member to her manager. But neither did she wish to renounce her interest.

‘I mean, I wouldn’t want to step on someone else’s toes,’ Andrea continued with a syrupy inflexion that evoked insincerity. ‘It’s just that I’ve heard, on the grapevine, that he really admires your long hair …’

Sophie felt the wind knocked out of her. Andrea must be wrong, as it was Andrea that encouraged Sophie to cut her hair. Surely, she would not have done that if she had heard about Darren’s admiration for her long hair. Sophie’s heart was in a spin.

‘But that hardly matters now, Sophie. Not now you are nearly bald,’ Andrea smirked, a note of triumph lacing her words.

Confrontation

‘Well, that haircut makes a statement … er, I guess,’ Darren blurted out, his eyes widened with shock, when he finally realised that his colleague Sophie had returned from lunch. ‘But why?’ he added awkwardly.

Sophie had watched him walk by her desk three times without acknowledging her, presumably because he failed to recognise her. ‘I just felt like a change,’ she said casually, sounding as upbeat as she could manage, in the belief that Darren would like what he saw. ‘It’s called a bowlcut.’

She ran a hand provocatively through the short lengths, trying to emulate what she used to do with her long hair in Darren’s presence. ‘A bowlcut? Yes, I can see why they call it that,’ he commented, shaking his head. ‘It looks like they shaved you on the back and sides. If I did not know better,’ he started giggling, ‘I might have thought you went to see old Raymond in the barbershop down in the arcade rather than a proper salon.’

Sophie ignored Darren’s joke that, unfortunately, was completely accurate. ‘Yes, it is shaved,’ Sophie said indignantly, searching for reasons why that was the case. ‘It’s to, er, make it neat … and, er, give definition to the style and help my features stand out.’

‘Well, your ear … er, your eyes certainly stand out … er, beautifully,’ Darren stuttered.

I knew he had been about to comment on my ears, and I silently thanked him for not embarrassing me further. ‘Thanks,’ I said, dipping my head coyly, hoping that I might now draw a complement or two, having learnt of his surprising preference for short hair that he had expressed earlier that day.

‘But it’s such a shame about your lovely long hair, Sophie,’ Darren sighed. ‘I really liked that. I am sure I must have told you many times …’

Hardly ever, Sophie thought to herself. He may have commented on her hair to others according to Andrea, she realised, but he had never said anything directly to her. Sophie’s frustration was increasing rapidly.

‘Shaved?’ Darren shook his head disbelievingly, staring at Sophie’s neck where ponytails and braids had once hung joyously. He tentatively raised a hand as if about to confirm his bald diagnosis. Then he dropped his hand quickly, shivering, as if distressed by the severe appearance. ‘You should have asked me to go with you if you were thinking of a change. I would have helped you choose something more, er, longer … that is, not so short …er, more of a trim …’

Sophie mentally kicked herself as she had considered asking Darren to go with her. It seemed he would have offered to do so, if she had given him the word, but now it was too late. Her heart raced, excitement ebbing into confusion. ‘But, er … I thought you said earlier that Andrea’s short hair was sexy?’

Darren frowned for a moment, before recollecting their conversation from earlier that day. ‘No, silly!’ Darren chuckled. ‘Andrea’s hair is way too short for my tastes. That is why I always like yours … er, liked yours …’

You liked my long hair but without telling me, Sophie silently pondered, before going on the offensive. ‘But you said -’

‘When you said it was too short, I thought you were referring to the length of Andrea’s skirt!’ he chuckled. ‘You know, with the slit up the back … revealing her long legs …’ he murmured dreamily, before hastily backtracking. ‘Not that I’ve noticed of course,’ he quipped, grinning inanely.

Faced with Sophie’s silence, and apparently intent on compounding his insensitivity, Darren rambled on. ‘Actually, I was going to suggest you might consider buying a similar outfit … for a change. You would look far better than Andrea, what with your long hair as well … er, well, would have …’

‘Oh, right, thanks,’ Sophie said, injecting as much contempt at his words as she could muster. ‘So -’

‘But now your hair is even shorter than Andrea’s,’ he pressed on merrily, clearly believing it is what Sophie wanted to hear, ‘and now she’s the one with long hair.’ His voice held a mix of regret and admiration. ‘But your hair is cut very well … and, er, it does make a statement …’

The realisation hit Sophie like a brick wall. Darren was less than impressed by her grand sacrifice, so she had changed her appearance for nothing. Glancing towards Andrea’s office, it was apparent that she had observed the whole interaction and was revelling in the awkwardness that had resulted between Darren and Sophie.

With Andrea gloating triumphantly and every one of Darren’s words hitting harder than the last, Sophie’s composure crumbled. Shattered hopes flickered before her, as she dashed to the cloakroom, hot tears brimming in her eyes.

Epilogue

Returning to her desk sometime later, Sophie was composed once more. She had reflected on the situation and even felt a tinge of amusement over how events had unfolded. She looked forward to sharing the irony with her lovely friend Darren, and she was surprised not find him sitting at the desk opposite her.

Sophie’s eyes drifted around the open plan area, finally resting on Andrea’s office. She had drawn the blinds but, through a small gap between two slats, Sophie saw Darren sitting opposite their manager. He was leaning over her desk, while Andrea playfully tugged on his tie. With her other hand, she ran her fingers provocatively through her lustrous bobbed hair, encouraging an enthralled Darren to do the same.

Suddenly, Andrea’s piercing eyes locked on to Sophie as she gazed upon the playful pair. Flicking back her immaculate bobbed hair, Andrea rewarded Sophie with a wink and a triumphant grin, as she fastened the errant slat on the blinds.

Realisation crashed over Sophie like a wave. She had dressed to impress Darren, but she transformed herself into something he did not want. She had given up her own identity in the pursuit of someone who never looked beyond the surface.

Sophie understood that, while chasing after someone else’s approval, she had allowed her manager to manipulate her. Consequently, she had experienced humiliation, demonstrated weakness, and suffered loss.

Andrea’s perfectly bobbed hair symbolised her hatred and the desire for revenge. And subsequently, Sophie considered all manner of ways she could persuade her manager to suffer a humiliating transformation at the hands of Raymond, down in The Arcade Barbershop.

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