Monday, March 26, 2012

Hairdressing


My sister was blessed with long golden hair that looks like she just stepped out of a Sunsilk commercial.  No matter how many times my parents told me my wild curly brown locks were just as gorgeous I couldn't help but notice the way hairdressers would linger, quite literally playing with her divine hair.  I'm not going to say that I wasn't a bit jealous (and in fact still am really) but it did mean that I got to spend hours and hours of my childhood playing with her hair.

My sister was generally my guinea pig but other friends who sat still long enough were soon curled, braided and pinned.  "You should be a hairdresser" was a common comment from parents as their daughters were returned with a new do.  However much like my love of cooking will never correlate into a desire to be a chef, my enjoyment about making hair pretty is never going to turn me into a hairdresser.

Years passed.  My own hair has been woven into a thousand different styles.  On special occasions I invariably ended up doing my sister's hair because no hairdresser ever allowed quite enough pins and hairspray to make her heavy thick hair stay in a fancy do.  Over time my friends discovered this and I've done people's hair for all sorts of reasons.  Just this last weekend I did a girlfriend's hair for a ball, but I've done hair for graduations, significant birthdays, photo shoots and most special of all, I've done hair for two brides - including my sister, that is her at the top of this post.

I can't tell you how honoured and terrified I've felt each time I've done wedding hair.  You just know that whatever you do will be immortalised in approximately a million photos and that the bride has a picture in her mind's eye of just how she wants to look on the day.  But it is also so amazing getting to be there as the bridal party gets ready and when it all works knowing that I was responsible for helping make the day what the bride wanted.

That said, if it ever comes to me walking down the aisle, I will be heading to the hairdresser!

4 comments:

  1. What a great skill to have! My hair is somewhat, well, challenging (!) and I have minimal skill with it or with anyone else's hair. I'm super impressed with this photo and am sure your sister and various friends have been thrilled to have you involved in their special events this way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kari! I must say I think my own challenging hair and my mother's limited hairdressing skill are the reason I can do it. So many years of doing my own hair, it is way easier to do someone else's!

      Delete
  2. You are very talented.

    I can very much relate, my 4 sisters all have silky, golden hair that just sits nicely, no real product is even needed!

    Mine is more the curly, thick, brown frizzy variety.

    The photo is beautiful, what a great job!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am super envious of your amazing hair skills, I still haven't mastered the plait :(

    ReplyDelete