How can I explain the haircut I'm envisioning to my hair stylist?

take a picture with you. they might be able to do better if they can see what you want.

You need a new hairdresser.

Do what I do: Tell them to use the #4 comb on the clippers and take it all down to less than ½”. It’s just hair, and it’s all going to grow back again anyway. It’s not worth fretting over.

I agree with @trailsillustrated. The reality is your hair dresser may not be able to cut what you want. I have ad YEARS of tring to tell hairdressers to stop cutting into my layers, that it thins out my hair, and I already have thin hair. Seems that’s how they do it now, but I want them to do it the 1980’s way. Last time I was in the salon one of the women working there actually had the cut I wanted, I could tell the woman doing my hair was suprised kind of, but I am finally happy with my hair cut.

Also, if you see someone on the street in your town with a great hair cut, ask where they get their hair cut. I found a fantastic hair dresser in Raleigh, NC that way.

It’s tough when you move, I know I have moved a lot. Many times a hair cut is a give away to what part of the ountry you are from or socio-economic class. Here in Memphis they are very fond of the extreme reverse mullet, drives me crazy.

Make a sketch of exactly where you want the layers to be and specify in inches how much you want cut off. I always have to emphasize a trim as less than half an inch or my hair dresser will get scissor happy!!

Do you live anywhere near a bigger city? Can you make a trip every 6 to 8 weeks and make day of it?

I live near a big city. I got frustrated with going to the hair dresser and leaving with a lot less hair than I planned. I cut my own hair now.

@shelbeewelbee00 I did that for almost 2 years with my husbands help.

@JLeslie what’s a reverse mullett???

Bring a photograph of someone with both your hair type and the style you want….unless you find a mind-reader who will then save you the trouble of having to do anything ;)

Go to a better stylist. I don’t know about you, but to me a haircut is not something to brush off. I’m sure you could find one with a little searching.

@trailsillustrated That is my made up term for a longer in the front, shorter in the back, kind of like Kate Gosselin. I see a lot of that here, some more extreme than others. I just want to go around with scissors and snip the length by their face.

@JLeslie oh god ewwwww

I cut my own hair, but I would suggest maybe you could find a picture on the internet that has the hair you want, and just keep going to different ones until you find the one who does what you want.

Thanks for the input, everyone! I found a new stylist (after consulting a fashionable friend), and I’m going to my appointment armed with photos AND a crude sketch of the cut that I want. Let’s hope this works.