How can I find a decent hairdresser?
I always think that if you live in a town outside of London and you're trying to find a good hairdresser in your local town, my advice is to look for the smartest salon there is. You might think, what's that got to do with finding a good hairdresser? Anyone that owns a hair dressing salon that is serious will invest into their business and make it look modern, smart, and up to date. They will have hairstyles that are happening now in the windows, versus going past a salon where they obviously let it dilapidate. Maybe there are net curtains up or a picture that's so sun bleached, and you just think they can't be as serious as the very smart salon that's invested. Also, you'll find good hairdressers in any salon that has a training programme internally, because they are again investing back into their own business; a training programme, which has all got to be paid for by the owner of the salon. The other way is that if you've got the nerve (I haven't but a lot of people have) and you see somebody in the street and you like their hair, just go up and say, "Who's your hairdresser?" If you like their hair that would mean that if that's the sort of thing that you want, and the chances are that whoever did it to her will do it to you. Word of mouth is another way, and also reputation. You don't get a good reputation in any industry unless you're good at what you do. If you've got a good reputation in your town and people know 'he's the number one hairdresser', chances are his training program will be there, his salon will be smart, and he would only employ good people. Good hairdressers gravitate to good salons. Why would a good hairdresser go to a little, what I call "sweaty Betty" shop? I mean, if you're that good, you wouldn't go downmarket; you want to go upmarket. So, if you go to the best in your town, then they're going to attract the best hairdressers in the area.
