on being a hair model

most of you probably know that i recently did some hair modeling for Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica. a lot of people have asked me how the whole thing came about, which is a much larger story than the day I showed up at the Academy..

when i first cut my hair asymmetrically i struggled with what to do when i came back to the States. i went to my hairdresser pre-Amsterdam and freaked her out enough that she went home to practice on a doll before she did my actual haircut. i had her cut it a couple of times but it was all too precise and calculated for me. she mentioned one time when i went there that i should visit Vidal Sassoon to get my haircut by a student because they always do a really great job and the haircuts tend to be pretty edgy and fashion forward. i took her advice and made the trek up to Santa Monica one day to get my $11 haircut.

when i arrived i was greeted by Leo, an instructor who kept looking at me funny and asked me if it was the first time i'd been there. they took me through the check in steps and as i was waiting for my student haircutter, Leo approached me and told me that i had a beautiful face and bone structure and asked if i'd be willing to model in his upcoming creative show for the academy. basically he needed 6 girls and 3 guys to do crazy creative haircuts and coloring. it's a show that takes place every 2 years to either show the academy that he is worthy to keep his job or put him up for a promotion. this was the former.

the show was on a wednesday, so the tuesday before through a 4 hour process i got my hair colored and cut. here is what i looked like before and after:

before:

after:

i went back on wednesday and got it cut and colored AGAIN so the color was more vibrant and the lines more clear cut. they did my hair and makeup and wardrobe based on a French film called La Vie En Rose.

the 9 of us had to walk out onto a stage in our "costumes" to some music and turn at the right times and whatnot. then for the next 20 minutes or so, Leo went and explained the different colors and cuts to the audience. after we were all done all the instructors and students attacked us with combs, analyzing all the different structures of our haircuts and we had to stand perfectly still while this was all going on. after all was said and done, we had to sit around while we got professional photos taken for posterity. i'm not sure where all the prints were gonna be displayed, but rest assured that my crazy looking sideways haircut will be displayed somewhere for generations to come.

now my job is to figure out how to wear a high-fashion haircut in an every day world. this has been a really high-maintenance process for me which is frustrating because i've always prided myself on my edgy but low maintenance haircuts. it took me a few days to even get used to seeing my hair so short, and it was actually really traumatic for awhile, but it's beginning to grow out and i'm getting used to it, so it's not so bad anymore. i don't know if i'll do it again because i can't stand the thought of my hair getting shorter, but i guess only time will tell...