Being a dad is hard, being a gay dad harder; being a gay dad to a teenage daughter is mind boggling.
This week it has mainly been about hair. Now the extent of my knowledge of hairdressing extends to getting a pubic-looking perm through my flowing locks back in the 90s.
This wasn’t in any top salon but in the back kitchen of my friend’s house with a home perm kit and her Grandma’s rollers. So when my daughter boldly announced that for her upcoming birthday she would like “highlights”, I thought how difficult can it be?
Going to the barbers is easy – you turn up, wait your turn, have a session on the clippers a smudge of gel and off you go.
First, you have to find a salon. But I had this bagged, a quick post on Facebook and my Mummy friends who may or may not have completely natural hair colour advised me of a few places to try. Having made this decision I contacted them to get a price, as even I am not stupid enough to think it’s a £9.00 trim with a £1.00 tip. The science of hair colour, however, means there is no price list, a consultation is required. The consultation duly booked, I headed to the salon with my daughter.
Even as a gay man, this world of women’s hairdressers was a revelation to me. Foils, full head, half head, natural colour, dip dye. The stylist was talking a foreign language. Now my daughter, who at home has no reservations in expressing her vocal opinion, was too slightly overwhelmed. She sat in the chair and nodded politely at every question asked of her without confirming one way or another, what she actually wanted. This seems to be the way with women’s hair.
So after sitting in the chair failing to agree or disagree with anything and flicking through a colour chart, much like the ones you get in B&Q to choose paint samples only with little sections of hair, we are booked in for a full head of foils on said birthday. The stylist has confirmed she will, “Keep it natural.”
Whilst making no comment in the salon my daughter said, “It better not be natural, I want people to notice I’ve had my hair done.”
To top it off, I am still no wiser on the price. It will depend on the cut and the type of colour used so anywhere between £65.00 and £100.00.
Imagine if the barbers charged dependent on the clipper guard used?
That’s all for this week, I’m done with hair. Next week we are shopping for bra’s…
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