Totally Frenched Out

From the blogger formerly known as Samdebretagne

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Accidental brunette

Yesterday I went to the Toni & Guy Académie in order to be a color model for one of their hair demonstrations. There was some kind of mix-up and I'd accidentally been sent to the wrong salon - the salon where they were doing all kinds of funky hair cuts in order to impress some of the top hair stylists in Europe. I'd been sitting there for about 30 min when I started to get a bad feeling. People kept walking through the room where we were waiting saying "So, who's ready for a major transformation?" with a wicked grin. I kept seeing all of these girls walk out with exactly the same hair color but really weird cuts - like a bowl cut with 2 or 3 long rat tails in the back. So I finally pulled aside one of the stylists and that was when I realized I'd been sent to the wrong salon. The two VIPs came to talk to me and really pushed me to stay. I kept protesting that I was trying to grow my hair out and that I didn't want short, spiky hair, but they were talking over me, all excited with the things they could do. I finally semi-yelled "No really, I think I should leave, this isn't what I came for" - which incited this big lecture about how people were so afraid to stray from commercial haircuts and that I should just be brave for once God damnit!

I'm brave about many things, but when it comes to hair cuts, not really. They can pretty much give me any color and I won't complain, but the length of my hair is something I'm pretty picky about. It was nice to cut so much off in May to change things up a bit, but I missed the length, plus it was a huge pain to keep it pulled back while working (I have to wear a hairnet when visiting my clients for biosecurity reasons). So I got up and left. The secretary felt bad about the mix-up though, so she rescheduled me for a color stage at their Bastille location this morning. Hairdressers from all over France had come to Toni & Guy for the week to learn the latest color & cut techniques from their top two hairdressers. I had an idea of what I wanted - dark underneath and blond on top, but besides that, I said they could do whatever they wanted as long as they kept the length.

Which is how I ended up going from this (taken this past weekend):to this:
and the glasses version...grrrr, wish I could get rid of those things:
The whole thing was sort of intimidating actually, as I was sitting in front of a room full of people with my glasses off, so I had no idea what they were doing to me. People would come up and take pictures every once in a while, or poke at my hair to see how it was progressing. I'm extremely happy with the results, though I would've liked to have kept a bit more of the blond on top (I'd been hoping to be more blond, not less). But oh well, how often do you get to have a top stylist working on your hair for free, right?

In case anyone else is interested, you just need to call the Toni & Guy Académie. My tip - book the morning session, because then you'll have your hair done by the stylists. The afternoon session models get their cuts/colors done by the stagiaires (though really, they're all professional coiffeurs as well, so it's not like they're newbies or anything). But the point is that they need to practice the techniques seen in the morning, so you may have less say in what gets done. And you do need to want to change a bit - if you're just going in for a trim or basic highlights, they probably won't take you.

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31 Comments:

Blogger Sara said...

good for standing up for yourself. i usually have a 10 min conversation at the end of my haircut with the stylish convincing her to cut of just a little more of the mullet she has given me, she is a great stylish but boy do they love the mullet. i tried to ask her once if there was a french way to say mullet but i never managed to find out.

anyway, what i really wanted to say is you look AMAZING!!! i cant put my finger on what it is but the difference is so striking and really, if you don't mind a semi-stranger from the internet saying it, you look hot with the new do!

October 21, 2008 at 3:10 PM  
Blogger Elizabeth Harper said...

It looks really great and I agree with Sara...good for you for saying no and making sure you were heard. I like the color. It makes your eyes more striking, even with the glasses.

I'm going boldly into color land soon. I'm having mine colored by a woman who has hair that is blond on top and dark underneath. It keeps coming out Bozo the Clown orange when I do it.

October 21, 2008 at 3:49 PM  
Blogger La Belette Rouge said...

I really like your new hair. You look even chicer, more sophisticated and elegant.

I have suffered from stylists who claim to know more about my hair than I do and whenever I have given in the results have always been disastrous.

October 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM  
Blogger Anne said...

Wow they did a great job! I love the new hair colour.

October 21, 2008 at 4:54 PM  
Blogger Emily said...

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

October 21, 2008 at 5:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can I just say WOW. It's fantastic. And I mean that honestly and not in a kissing your blog arse way either. Truly, it suits you so much. It makes your blue eyes really stand out and your skin tone looks great.

October 21, 2008 at 5:13 PM  
Blogger Sarah said...

I'm in love with your hair!! If I go in to participate in the freebies, I wonder if they'll make me blond. Hrmm. Good job getting what you want, too!! You look absolutely fabulous!

October 21, 2008 at 5:33 PM  
Blogger Madame K said...

OMG-You're totally hot as a brunette. And I mean that in only a slightly lesbionic way.

October 21, 2008 at 5:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You look good ! :-)

October 21, 2008 at 5:53 PM  
Blogger Sage said...

Looks good on you...not that you don't look good with blonde hair, but the brunette is more chic.

October 21, 2008 at 6:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you look way more french. which is INTeresting.

October 21, 2008 at 6:57 PM  
Blogger christine said...

Agreed ! brunette suits you really well !!:0

October 21, 2008 at 7:28 PM  
Blogger Cassoulet Cafe said...

I absolutely LOVE your hair! That color is perfect on you!
(And thank goodness you got out of that first place!)

October 21, 2008 at 8:32 PM  
Blogger American in France said...

You look BEAUTIFUL!!!!

October 21, 2008 at 8:35 PM  
Blogger Happy Harry said...

Ok I feel these comments lack a male point of view as to your new hair color. It's rockin' ! no seriously it brings out your (quite pretty) sky blue eyes. non franchement moi j'aime :)

Mr Mystery Guest

October 21, 2008 at 9:28 PM  
Blogger islandgirl4ever2 said...

Hey Sam!

Wow... Alex didn't recognize you in the picture without your glasses!! We both really like your new "look!" Honestly, I think it's great to change things up a bit every so often... Keeps things exciting... I also think it's cool to go darker in the colder months and more blonde in the spring/summer months... Good for you... I think it does indeed look chic.... I like your hair both ways, but the darker hair definitely gives you a different look... ENJOY!!!

October 21, 2008 at 10:06 PM  
Blogger Sarah of Oz said...

I think it looks amazing! I'm definitely going to give the academie a try - I have wicked short hair already, but when it's this short it has to be cut every 3-4 weeks or it starts looking kind of jacked - I've been nervous about it because the times I've had my hair cut in France it ended up looking really, really, really bad. Here's hoping!

October 21, 2008 at 11:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was a hairdressing model once, and it was a great experience - the best, most individualized haircut I'd ever had! I was never asked back, but I did find a hairdressing school that charges about half the price of a regular salon. I recently went brunette too, and although it took longer than a regular salon,I wasn't at all concerned that a student was doing it. There are instructors floating around all over the place, and the students don't make a move without an instructor okaying it. My hair looks terrific (if I do say so myself), and I think you're smashing as a brunette!

October 22, 2008 at 2:49 AM  
Blogger Leyla said...

Brunette is the only way forward Tucker....forget the blonde! Glad you like it, I have a fear of hairdressers apart from my friend who is now training people to cut for Toni and Guy so she's pretty good! Did nobody ever tell you that brunette's have more fun......!

October 22, 2008 at 9:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It looks very nice!

October 22, 2008 at 9:30 AM  
Blogger shannon said...

Wow! I love the new hair! So so so pretty!

October 22, 2008 at 10:42 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

You look great, Sam! The color is great wth your skin tone. I used to be a hairstylist and went to a school in London. It is good you didn't get your haircut because I remember the cuts we did were fun, but not cuts you would actually do in the salon! You great!

October 22, 2008 at 12:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You look fabulous!

October 22, 2008 at 12:50 PM  
Blogger ashtanga en cevennes said...

I'm with everyone else in thinking it looks great. In fact, it really does suit your skin and make your eyecolor pop. I love it! It's making me want to go brunette maybe... or at least get a haircut.

Did they cut it a little, too?

October 22, 2008 at 3:55 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I'm totally biased to the blond hair color but I must say that I think you look a bit older (in a good way) with the new color. The new do and color does look great!

October 22, 2008 at 7:48 PM  
Blogger christina said...

Love it. I was going to say the same thing about it really bringing out your eye colour and complexion.

SO glad no one made you go short and spikey!

October 22, 2008 at 10:07 PM  
Blogger Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

love the new color! accidental or not ...

October 22, 2008 at 10:45 PM  
Blogger Fned said...

Wow!!! Your hair looks gorgeous both in the Before and the After pics!! I so like your new color and the highlights make it look even shiner. You can definitely tell it's a pro's job.

I'm a total wuss when it comes to my hair (as you probably noticed). I only get it trimmed once every three or four months and even then my palms get all sweaty with nervousness at the idea of the coiffeuse messing up. LOL

Fned.

October 22, 2008 at 11:36 PM  
Blogger Emily said...

Hey Sam, I haven't posted a comment in ages but you look amazing! Love the hair, its amazing.
Love xxx

October 23, 2008 at 12:51 AM  
Blogger Ksam said...

Thanks everyone! Big surprise, the one negative reaction I got was from a French person, ie. The Mom. I told her on the phone yesterday that I'd cut & colored it and she literally gasped and said "Why on Earth would you do that? Your hair was so lovely before. Brown does not suit you. blah blah blah". I was like "Umm....you haven't even seen it yet. I actually think it looks pretty nice".

October 23, 2008 at 10:02 AM  
Blogger Princesse Ecossaise said...

Saaaaaam! Your new hair is so gorgeous, I'm lovin' it! tres chic and sophis'.

Good for you for not just sittin there and letting them do some crazy lop-sided 'do on ya, I am the type of person who sits there watching the hairdresser ruin my life with each squint snip of the scissors and doesn't say anything so I totally admire you!

Can we get together sometime soon? It's been too long!

October 23, 2008 at 8:11 PM  

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