Barbers or hair stylists? What is
it about barber shops and sitting in a barber's
chair that appeals to so many men (but scares
others)? What is the difference and if you're
going for a really short haircut why does it
matter - why not just go to a discount chain
haircuttery?
Barber or discount haircuttery? Well, let's get
that question out of the way first. There is
less margin for error with a short cut. If your
hair is six inches long all over and you get
half an inch taken off, no-one is going to
notice. But, if your hair is an inch or less
all over, half an inch coming off is going to be
significant. You want someone cutting your hair
who is experienced (especially when clippers are
used) and you probably want someone who will get
to know your hair and what you want and someone
who you can learn to trust. The discount chains
aren't even always cheap and you're getting your
hair cut in the barbering equivalent of a fast
food chain instead of a nice restaurant. A
haircut should be a good experience.
Barbers or hair stylists? This
question is an easy one for many men. The
argument for barbers is that they have more
experience with very short cuts and with clipper
techniques. In general this is a good argument.
Ultimately the quality of the cut that you get
will depend on the skill and experience of the
person who makes the cut. Some stylists may be
very experienced with short cuts and will do a
great job and sadly, some barbers let down the
team. Many people suggest that you ask someone
with a good haircut where they had it cut. This
is good advice and should be a compliment to the
person you ask. But does a stylist give you the
same experience as a traditional barber? That's
up to you to decide.
