Happy 2019

photo by brooke-lark @unsplash

I am thrilled to bring in the new year. This time of year is all about envisioning what I want my life, my business and focus to be about. How about you?

This year, my focus and commitment continues to be about bringing you the best attention I can by taking care of myself, and sustaining good, positive energy and health.

In looking for hair color and hair design inspiration I came across this article: "Negative Space" Hair Is the Coolest Winter Color Technique Every London It Girl Is Wearing.

And if you are looking for those hues that speak to the more colorful, Blue seems to be it. The image that captures my heart is this well-executed color. and this one I love! Blush tones are a softer way of playing with hair color. These all require lightening the hair first, then toning with an overlay of color. I use the Balayage technique to achieve these looks. sometimes less is more.

Noah Silliman @ Unsplash

Celebrate this new year trying something fresh, whether it be growing out your hair color, or coloring with something pushing the edge a bit.

Hair Can Undo It All

Over a bottle of Chardonnay and a seafood platter at the Martini Oyster Bar in Sonoma, three of us couples talked about everything.  We laughed so much my cheeks hurt, and my eyes watered.  One couple are a husband and wife team that are clients of mine.  I commented on the fact that Joanie is a dream client.  She is a client of Julie Schindler's as well, she knew exactly what I meant.  Julie is a wonderful fashion designer and designs most of what Joanie wears.  They have known each other for a long time now.  And what we love about Joanie is her ability to trust in, and pull forth the best work of those who provide a service for her.  She loves to turn it over.  When I pull of the cutting cape and she goes to the dressing room to change, I wait to see the finished look.  She walks out looking stunning every time.  Why?  Because she dresses, and her hair always looks good. There are people whom I have never seen dressed in their best, and yet they may wear great hair.  But then, some dress well, but never make changes with their hair.  We all agreed that the hair can undo it all, the hair is the crown and glory. It must come down to fear.  Fear of looking good, fear of not looking good, fear of change, fear of attention.  I know women who can spend thousands of dollars on a wardrobe, per season, who refuse to dress when they come into the salon. They wear sweat pants, and Ughs.  But not Joanie!  She is confident in who she is, she doesn't need approval from anybody... but she receives more postive feedback where ever she goes.  When she walks into a room, people look, because everything is congruent.

Every designer I know works very hard, and deals with quite a bit of stress, every designer needs to find what they love in what they do, and not waste time doing all the other stuff.  Julie loves designing for Joanie because she is appreciated, and Joanie wears her clothes with ease.

Julie's designs are fabulous!  Classic with a twist;  beautiful fabrics, lined slacks, interesting shapes, detailed finishing.  Julie has class, and provides quality fashion, for a modest price.  She unfortunately doesn't have a website yet. The success of her business manifested through word of mouth.

I wished I would have brought my camera with me.

Past Lives

Once in awhile you meet someone who reminds you that there is such a thing as past lives lived, and maybe you come back together to continue the dialogue.  I had met Laura in the salon I worked at in downtown Oakland for 14 years.  She was a long time client of Joni's.  Laura is an artist, and we all had met working for the Personal Style Counselors, or PSC, in Oakland back in the 80's.  Laura would select color palettes for our clients.  After a client received their "harmonies", they would walk down the stairs to our salon, Kay's Collective, to have their hair done by the likes of Joni, myself and fourteen other stylists.  All this to say that Laura and I knew of each other, and then, eight years ago, she sat in my chair.  This is when we began to explore our connection. 

Laura is an artist who truly sees color, and has a deep respect for the canvas, the paint, and her relationship to the craft.  Her paintings capture a light essence, and yet her technique shows the depth of her understanding of the medium.  Her paintings delight me with her use of color, they are magical and inspirational, and yet I feel if I let myself gaze longer I can enter into the painting, and go many places.  After the birth of my daughter, I decided to take a painting class with her, and loved every minute of it.  I met Delfina Piretti there, and other delightful women.  And so, in our exploration, we not only share PSC in the past,  but now the desire to create beauty.

She not only is a wonderful artist, but a beauty, on the inside and out.  She works in the are of Transofrmative Arts.  She coaches, she speaks, as well as creates her own art.  Her list of accomplishments go on to astound me.  She has a great ability to drop down into pithy conversation, and on the other hand, we can laugh, and do.  As time goes on, we realize more and more, and appreciate the fact that, indeed, we have known each other a long time.  I have tremendous respect for Laura for many reasons, one of which is how she is determined to live a life that contributes to those around her. 

                                                    

Check out the interview with her, she shares her ideas on Color.

We did her makeup and hair last week and took these photos.           

To find out more about how talented, and how much this woman offers up to the world, check out her new website www.whitebirdrising.com

Thank you Laura, I look forward to discovering, and remembering our dear connection and how this thread will weave our lives together.

The Observer

No sequay from politics, to beauty, and now an eight-year-old desire of a guest at the salon(but not a client), to be a paleontologist. A client came in the other day with her grandson, Ryan. I pulled up the leopard print chair for him to sit on, while we consulted about her hair. After the shampoo, we all settled into our little real estate around my station. Ryan had blonde straight hair, the kind of blonde that women pay top dollar for, the perfect honey color with lots of shine. He wore large round eyeglasses, and rather simple attire. Except for the hoodie his grandmother, my client, had just purchased for him. Little crocodiles patterned all over this hoodie, their eyes peering out at me. As he began to speak, his high IQ, and obvious language skills perked my ears. The cutting was going well, when a creative burst came through me, and I asked if I could interview her grandson. They both thought this would be grand.

As I cut a layered, oval shape on my client, her grandson watching while he spoke his thoughts on creativity.

How to Look Like You

Yes, it was another informative, fun, and lively event with Jennifer Butler.  You've got to listen to some of the audio to get a sense of how she works. She is a wizardess and a priestess, helping women to know themselves better.  She gives them complete permission to play, and have fun with clothing.

Here are some photos from the event held at the Mill Valley Holiday Inn, last Saturday evening.  There had to be fifty people there to hear Jennifer, who never seems to tire.  She pours out love and acceptance, and yet, when she needs to, a shaking of the head, with a twinkle in her eye, seemingly to say, "It won't work...do you know why?"

 

Then to see people give away clothes they've had in their closet, and don't wear, is quite a generous event. To see people being willing to give up their coveted item on someone for whom it works for, is a complete joy.  The people who have their colors done are looking hot, and like themselves, the way you expect them to look.  Everything is lined up and congruent.  Your eye does not roam, looking to understand what is not working.

 

Wonderful evening Jennifer!   Thank you. 

The Cellist and Fire Spinner

Laura is a unique being, and a client.  I usually see her not long after the sun comes up on Saturday mornings, every ten weeks or so.  When we see each other we either chat it up, or drift into a silence, both of us okay with what is so. 

Her piercing, but loving blue eyes contrast her level 5, red mahogany hair color.  Her hair is straight, and we are growing it out to one length, it seems to take forever.  The seasons pass, and we wait patiently, only trimming her fringe.  We are getting there.

Last time she was in, we captured her thoughts on creativity.  Check it out. 

She's not only interested in fire spinning, but she is a cellist, playing in an all girl jazz band.  www.girltalkband.com.  Laura comes from a family of musicians, all playing together at get togethers.  I love the picture it conjures up for me.

One thing you don't know about Laura is that she is committed teacher in the Alameda School District.  Teaching now, in California specifically has much to be desired, she has similar issues as when she taught in Oakland.  Apparently, our state doesn't value education.   How painful is that?

Back to Laura.  When she is not teaching, she explores her creative side; salsa dancing, music, and fire arts.  She is a delight to be with, and always willing to laugh.  Thank you Laura.  Being with you makes my job most interesting.

Generosity Abounds

Beth has been a client since 1986.  Her loyalty to me as a person, a friend, a hairstylist, is unbelievable.  Twenty two years of unwavering support in all that I do.  Her heart is generous, always thinking about what I would like, not to mention she allows me to play with her hair.  I saw her the other day, and we discussed everything, while we applied a level 4, Majorel, on a zigzag section, from below temple, all the way around her head.  Then with many slices we alternated 6.01 20 volume, with the level 4, all on a level 5, with 90% grey.

Beth is a wonderful jewelry designer, artist, and has an interest in the world around her.  Listen to her talk about her ideas on creativity. 

Here is her bio:  Through my 30+ years working in the fields of Adoption, and other areas of Child Welfare including Foster Care with Refugee Youth,  I have found continual inspiration in the incredible struggles of people with broken connections and the magic of their healing.

Bellemirth Creations grew out of my interest in the mysteries of the creative forces within.  It has become my source of healing and revitalization of spirit and soul.

She uses Precious Metal Clay, which is a product comprised of silver particles mixed with an organic binder that is in a clay form. It is fired in a kiln, resulting in a piece that is actually .999% pure fine silver.  At high temperatures, the binder burns away and the metal particles fuse to form solid silver that can be sanded, soldered, and polished.

Thank you Beth.  It is my pleasure to know you, and an honor to be with you, always.

Delfina Piretti

She is one of the most lovely, beautiful, talented people I know, and she is a client.  When she sits in my chair, I know I am in for a rich time.  She is an artist, and just returned from Xuahaca, Mexico, and other small towns, like Juchitan. She loved it, walking the streets, going to local markets, and seeing how the women dressed.  The land is barren, and yet the women wear the colors of a rainbow.  You won't see them wearing jeans and tennis shoes, but rather, embroidered dresses, ribbons and flowers in their hair.  And if they are feeling down, they will be sure to dress in the brightest colors.  And, as only traveling to another country can do, she was led inward to her own soul.  Delfina offered, ""Chronicles of travels through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (which Juchitan is a part of) inevitably speak of fascination. Oddly enough, however, rather than express their wonder at the place, the architecture or the natural surroundings, chroniclers confess to having fallen irremediably under the seductive spell of the women." (La Tehuana /Artes de Mexico)

Juchitan is known for being a place where the woman are a cultural phenomenon in and of themselves, with their bodies, their clothing, their community rites and everyday activities, they create an environment, and rhythm of life that is unique to it. They are mythical in the most classical sense of the word, because their worldly existence and living rituals sustain and reproduce that myth. Thought these women are clearly Mestizas, the mythic voyage toward the Tehuana is a voyage to the roots,to the origins. An awed leap not only into the cultural wellspring constituted by the idea of Mexico, but to the buried mythic foundations of culture where matriarchy was apparently the rule. 

When i asked Na Marcelina about this she said it shouldn't be misunderstood that the women 'rule' the men. It's a place where the women are equal to the men, and mostly hold the position as the  primary  breadwinner.  When i asked Na Marcelina about this she said, 'It shouldn't be misunderstood that the women 'rule' the men. It's a place where the women are equal to the men, and mostly hold the position as the primary  breadwinner.'"

The land, the color, the people, the conversation, hearing another language, eating the food, all of it stimulating the mind, the psyche, and remembering what has happened before, and seeing, for brief moments, what the future holds.  Delfina is an artist, and is open to what life brings her, and is not afraid to go after what she wants.  By being open, she was led to an 78 year old Shamana, a wrinkled-faced woman with eyes full of life. She gave a healing, and repeated several times, ""you are the architect of your life".  She then fed her soup, and shared her own story, and gave her a healing.  The "session" lasted four hours and left Delfina changed.

Delfina added, "I needed to hear this for my own healing.  In shamanic tradition they teach that we co-create the universe.  For women it is important to feel empowered to realize our dreams against all odds. This is my wish this for all people. In my work as an expressive arts therapist, I use many mediums to assist in healing and finding greater ease and clarity on the journey called life."

Changes can be hard, and painful, and not to be taken lightly.  Delfina is brilliant at being right where she is, and feeling.  By telling me her story, I feel changed and open, and was reminded, our soul takes us on a trip we can't always understand.  Somehow though, I believe we are led to what we need and ultimately desire.  Upon returning home, and feeling a bit blue, and getting a haircut, she said, "Maybe I will go get a flower and put it in my hair."

Thank you Delfina.

To see some of Delfina's art, check out :  www.delfinapiretti.com/painting.html

Inmates in Beauty School

I read in the Boston Herald an article about inmates doing time in beauty school.  http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1080673&srvc=home&position=5.  I have to say that I was shocked, and dismayed at the level of vehemence and intolerance that this article activated for people.  Inmate issues are all of our issues.  We do have a responsibility to create functioning human beings that come out of prisons.  To continue to have disregard for humanity and dignity of all people, troubled or not, is the crime.  We cannot continue to put people behind bars, build more prisons(which puts money in the hands of wealthy developers), and give them no way to support themselves when they come out. I say kudos to the inmates for wanting to better themselves, to the woman who trained them, and to the facility for being forward thinking, in what seems a very narrow sighted community.  

The fact that these inmates took to hairdressing, is a sign that something was sparked inside of them.  What better situation could we provide,  but an environment to help connect them to their own creative expression.  Helping people to develop skills in communication, caring for others, job training, and creativity seems our duty. 

Creative expression, in whatever form, is essential to all living beings, and to not have it, foster it, has dire consequences.  I was simply delighted to read this article.

The Insipid Pair of Jeans

Nobody dresses anymore, men or women.  Jeans is all I see, and I find them utterly boring!  I find it very sad.  Everybody looks the same. I do love fashion in and of itself.  The eccentricity, the fabric, the design, the minds that think up new twist on old themes, all delight me.  Even if it is something I don't like, I can appreciate the idea, the concept, the color, or the fabric.  It's pure fantasy!  I appreciate beauty, I always have, and I always will.  When I go to work, with thought to what I am wearing, I feel I adds something to my environment.  It makes me feel connected to my own creativity, to myself, more grounded somehow.  It makes me feel as though I am participating with the life, and the world around me.

I'm not trendy by any means, and I certainly don't buy what other's say is in fashion.  I will look at magazines for inspiration though.  What is happening in fashion does dictate what is going on with hair, they are connected.  And I feel it is my job to inspire my clientele with these images, to inspire them to change, to grow.  And if  I am wearing jeans, I just don't see how it can happen.  Jeans are not me.

I'm not talking about people being uncomfortable, I'm not talking about people buying, buying, and buying.  I'm talking about caring, and tending to their own inner life, to their own joy, to the place that inspires them, and dressing from that place.  Jeans feel to easy.  And, are they a cop out?  Are people just to afraid to look different from anybody else?

Have people become apathetic?  The world is filled with violence, and hatred.  Beauty, love, and speaking up to injustice is the anecdote.  And it starts with ourselves. 

To Go Grey or Not

I finally understand why some people look better without their grey hair showing.  Year ago, I was trained in a salon that believed no one should color their hair...I went with it for awhile.  But then I grew as a stylist and trained myself in hair color, I liked to learn, and frankly would get bored just cutting.  Providing hair color services in the salon created variety and more range in my skill level, a stream of income I wouldn't have had, and a whole world of creativity opened up for me.  Even so, I am very open to people showing their grey hair.  I've never said, "you must color your hair." It took a long time to understand the nuances of hair color shades, and tone, in short, I made a lot of mistakes and learned from them.  But it's not until recently, that I learned why some people absolutely should color their hair.  I never put together why some people look amazing with grey or white hair.  I knew it had some to do with these people usually were Winter types.  I never asked myself, why?  Winter types, or Summer types, or people have cool tones in their skin.  Grey hair, in all its varying tones, is cool in tone.  You put the two together and it's fabulous, especially when they have a great hair cut as well.  The look is congruent.

But, then you take a person who has warm tones in their eyes and their skin, and they are wearing grey hair, it's all wrong.   The warm tones in their skin and the cool tones of the hair, don't mix, so the person wearing it feels "Off" somehow.  These are the people that really ought to color their hair.  Warm, or natural tones look best on them.  This realization is allowing me to look deeper into the question, should I grow my hair color out?  And, if a client has been coloring their hair for a long time, and they don't know what they have underneath, I suggest they grow it out to see it.  Then reevaluate.

I don't buy that everybody should color their hair, and I don't think it necessarily makes a person look old.  If there is a vibrancy going on inside, a youthfulness, a positive attitude, a person will shine even more so, if their color is right for them, even if it is grey.  It is a look of elegance and simple beauty on the right person.

Sometimes the obvious takes awhile to sink in.

Art or Collaboration

It was a whirlwind day yesterday, double-booked all day, no lunch, and every client a bit intense in their own way.  I worked with a new assistant, which just added to the day feeling it was going to require my rising up to meet the stress level.  Nothing went as planned.  One of my clients was the silver haired client that I added blue accent to her color formula six weeks ago, and her hair came out navy.  This was her second appointment with me.  She offered the things she didn't like first, the bluish tinge in certain lights seems to be the least of her worries.  We got through the list, all of which made sense.  We carried on, and in the process of doing her hair, we had an interesting discussion.  We laughed about how she is quite frank about what works, what doesn't, what she likes, and what she doesn't, about anything.  But her hair for sure. 

She talked about how she made another hairstylist in the salon comepletely nervous when they attempted to give her a haircut and color, so much so that the stylist's hands shook.  I said, "That must have not been very much fun." 

"Have you ever had a client that just said, afterwards, I don't like it, when you are finished, and they can't articulate why?"   She asked. 

And, "It's your fault." is the tone in their voice, yes, of course.  I'd rather know as I'm going, if there is something that doesn't feel right to the client.  It's a living, breathing, collaboration in my opinion.  It's like Jazz.  Nobody is wanting to upstand the other, it's more about, how do we create with what we are offered, i.e., the client's hair, her desires, etc.  Working with hair is my art, but it has to fit for the client, and only she can know what that is, and it's muich easier for me to hear it as I am working, than when I am finished, and have to move on to my next client.

The color was much better.  She said she loved it, and gave me hug on the way out.  Even though nothing went as planned, everbody left with hair that looked good, and they seemed happy. 

Beauty School Graduates

The beauty industry turns out thousands of new hairstylists a year from beauty schools all around the world.  And I'm sure you can see the diamonds in the ruff.  Those that handle themselves with enough poise to manage building a clientele, and that can see hair, see where they are going, and most of all, have the courage to continue. Graduating from beauty school is just the beginning.  However, I just attended the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics's and Cosmetology graduation.  And I was inspired by the work these graduates executed on non-professional models.  Color placement and balance were good, the hairstyles were right for the models, and some were adventurous.  These graduates had to put on a runway show, and the hair had to hold up.  The place was packed with people, and employers of top salons were there to spot new talent for their salons.

I was glad I attended.  I felt sort of protective of the new beauty professionals, and touched by their genuine attempt to make the audience proud of their work.  Beauty school is not easy, and being new in the industry is painful.  It's a long haul of making lots of mistakes, learning from them, making little money, and wondering how you can possibly stay with it.  It's hard work, but one of the most fulfilling industries around.  Hairstylists are one of the most satisfied in their work.  But you have to keep challenging yourself to grow, and learn new things.

Thank you graduates for helping me remember where it all started for me, for sharing your creative journey with me with a freshness I hope you never lose.  May you find your own expression through hair, and learn to trust your instincts.

Color Analysis

I attended an evening about image for men and women.  The event is called "A Follow Up."  Anybody who has ever had their colors done by Jennifer Butler, and guests, may take a bag of outfits that they question whether or not they work, and Jennifer will say yeah, or nay.  Watching this process is quite remarkable.  She invited me along to talk about hair, and the changes I would make with the hair of volunteers who were willing to get up on stage.  Jennifer is the queen of color analysis.  I have seen many artists, and she is fabulous at identifying what to accent, finding the feminine within a woman, and the masculine within a man, not to mention what that person's color palette will be, what line designs work best with a particular body type.  This, I'm sure only scratches the surface of Jennifer's repitoire.

Her art seems to consist of her ability to see the essence of a person, and also what quality in that moment does a person want to emphasize, i.e. maybe the client is job hunting, dating, on the board of a women's league, or a high- powered corporate leader.   She seems to operate from a high level of intuition, along with years of training, and a background in fashion. 

She will put together a book for you, that is all about you.  It becomes a valuable resource, whether you are just now dusting of the precious jewel of you, or a veteran fashionista.  Just the few events I have attended, I have seen major transformations occur in people.

The evening was filled with laughter, and ahahs.  I was able to witness not only somebody who is truly gifted, and is living from her essence, but I also saw a generosity that spilled from her to her guests.  Part of the evening consists of the opportunity to let go, and give away the outfits in the bag.  At first, you can see the reluctance of some to let the garments go.  Then, as Jennifer gave the item to somebody else, and seeing how it was so right for that person, people began to see the magic in letting go.  People gave away everything from very expensive, designer clothing, to T shirts and purses.

I think it is a vast body of knowledge that can be helpful to the hairdresser.  Knowing the line designs of clothing, proportions, color, tonal values and how they work with hair, and why is vital information to a hairstylist.  I want to know more for own self-expression, but also in being even more skilled at my craft in helping people manifest their inner beauty on the outside.

I walked away with a confirmed feeling that although color analysis has been around a long time, it will continue to change people's lives as they step into who they really are meant to be.  And, the person who offers the service with as much experience, knowledge, and intuition as Jennifer, is the professional I will see. 

A Salon

Today is the day.  I have gathered some writers for an evening of wine, cheese and crackers, and words, in the salon where I work.  It's happening.  I can't believe it.  I am moved by the amount of support I have in my life, and a lot of that support is from my clients.  How can I thank them?   How can I let them know that without them, I don't know where I would be?  Their love and loyalty has helped to heal a broken soul.  I have come out the other side, resilient, passionate, and a great deal more self-confident. Self-confident enough, that I will share my pages with them, and let them see what goes on this heart of mine.  I will share my short comings, my thoughts about standing behind the chair, my feelings as I am doing so.  I hope for their hearts to be touched by my story, to tap into the universal story.

What compels me to do these things.   I'm not sure.  But I do know it is what I am here to do.  To create a salon has been one of my deepest desires for a very long time.  And to realize my writing life does not have to be seperate from hair, seems the ultimate synthesesis.  I don't have to run from hair to find myself.

Thank you to my loyal partner, friends, clients, coworkers, and SGI community.

High Heels

I've often wondered why it is people find high heels attractive on women.  It visually seems off balance to me.  It makes women look like they are teetering, distorting their body into a forward position.  They certainly can't run.  Although maybe they would just kick them off.  Or, maybe they would be dropped at the curb by their lover, so they wouldn't have to walk.  Not so attractive either. The idea of heels on hairstylists is another idea I haven't been able to wrap my mind around.  So we stand all day, at least four days a week at the least, and wear heels?

 I remember when I first started doing hair 27 years ago, I wore spike heels to work everyday.  The older stylists I'm sure thought I was crazy.  They wore cowboy boots.  Oh, yeah those are better for your feet.  There weren't many options for fashionable, comfortable shoes then.

A couple of the stylists at work wear heels everyday.  I marvel at how they do it.  They can't walk very fast.  They have beautiful legs, no apparent varicose veins, unlike my legs, which have squiggles all over the place. 

 Is it cultural?  Both are second generation from other countries.  Some of it seems like they just don't think it's sexy to not wear them.  I missed that part of the beauty school program, where we needed to dress sexy for work. 

These same stylists tell me that in the large, more prestigious salons, you are expected to wear high heels.  And they are unkind if you don't adhere to the off-kilter, sexist, misogynistic, dress code.  I guess I wouldn't last two minutes in a salon like that. 

Yes, as hairstylists we get to play, and be creative with our dress as our self-expression.  It's fun.  Where I draw the line  is when it comes to discomfort, and deformity.

These Z Coils are my favorite!   They are an example of my kind of shoe for work.  I'm not saying I don't wear heels, I just don't wear them 24/7 at work, where I stand most of the day. 

I've already blogged about them, but here is a picture of them.  Cordelia and Giselle turned me on to them.  Here are pictures of them too.

More on No War and Hair Growth

Of course the presidential primaries have my clients talking, but what's got them saying, "Huh, what do you think about that?" is Hilary Clinton. The fact that she is smart, can debate with the boys, and shed tears on camera has caught the public by surprise.  And what was I just saying about the Princess dilemma, and my clients suggestion that maybe my daughter is simply manifesting the Feminine?  Perhaps this culture is ready for a change from the patriarchy.  I take issue with some of what Hilary doesn't offer, but I certainly think she can hold her own. Does she have charisma?  Not exactly.   Does she fill me with a sense of hope?  Not really.  Is it the fact that she is a thinking, feeling woman going to catapult her to sitting in the White House?  Possibly.

Maybe we are ready for the Feminine.  But the question I ask now is, are we ready for Peace?

My client growing her hair as a anti-war statement is still on my mind.  It's never been just about the hair.  People have been making their heads the centerpiece of their political, spiritual, and psychological expression for a very long time.  I am touched by my client's simple act. It's peaceful.