When you walk into a barbershop for the first time, a good barber will spend a little time working you out. What are you wearing, how old are you, how thick is your hair, what attitude do you have? All of these will help inform what sort of cut you might want. But you can help too.
1) It’s ok to say you want a cut like a certain actor, singer or celebrity. It helps the barber know what you’re going for and makes their life easier but …
2) Be realistic. We’d all like to look like Steve McQueen but few of us do. Thinning hair, head shape, curly or straight hair may make certain looks impossible. Also, once you’re out of your 20s, some cuts just look daft (they look daft in your 20s too, you can just get away with them better then).
3) Barbers gauge your style on your look. Wearing a business suit? You may want a more work-friendly cut. So it can be good to come dressed in what you wear most of the time. Tell your barber your job, your lifestyle, your hobbies and interests – it can help define what your hair should look like.
4) You should judge your barber too. If the shop is charging you for a decent haircut, the barber should not pull out clippers before scissors (unless you want certain, specific looks). You get what you pay for should work both ways.
5) Get your hair cut every four weeks for shorter hair, every five to six for longer hair.
6) Remember, no barber wants to send you out of the shop with a bad haircut – it will make you unlikely to come back, and worse for the barber, it’s a terrible advert for the shop. Tell your barber if you’re not happy
