Gentleman, the competition is on, the fighters are ready, it is ‘haircut vs. Style cut’. In one corner we have…
The haircut
The suburban, local, friendly hairdresser charging no more than $25 for a men’s haircut. Every haircut is a social gathering, a chance to catch up with a hairdresser who not only remembers your name, but your story. She/ he is the local hairdresser who has cut your family’s and your friend’s hair, and is located right down the road, next door to the post office.
And, in the opposite corner, the competitor…
The style cut
The Prince William of haircuts. The city based hairdresser, who goes by many aliases including ‘Director’, ‘Stylist’, ‘Director Stylist’, ‘Technical Director’, ‘Technician’ or the appropriate ‘Head Technician’ – no word of a lie. You are paying for the location, fancy displays and professional service. Here, you can pay anywhere from $40 to $100 for a men’s cut.
The question you have to ask yourself: Do I put my trust in to my hairdresser, or the amount that I am paying? Does the more you pay, mean the better the haircut? Not necessarily. However, the higher you pay, you can expect to be pampered, walking out with not just a haircut, but relaxed. Something as simple as a haircut can become an experience. This here, gentlemen is what you are paying for.
As an advocate for both the haircut and style cut, I have no favouritism between the two. It is up to personal preference, and budget. Both will do the job, which is to cut the hair on your head. The difference will be, what do you want out of your experience?
Personally, I prefer to get my style cut during my hour work break. I pay $65 at Guggenheim on George Street, Brisbane. The prices start at $50 for a ‘Young Stylist’ or $65 for a ‘Director’. I decided on the latter. As soon as the receptionist said ‘Young Stylist’, I immediately had an image of 5 year old cutting my hair with plastic scissors, standing on top of a cardboard box to reach my head.
Walking in to Guggenheim the following day, I felt welcome, I had a change room (you say “What”!?), sat down, a list of refreshments ranging from coffee, tea, wine and imported beer. I even had the option to choose what shampoo smell I wanted in my hair; by the way, I chose mint. I felt like I was Jay Z. Throughout this experience, I was questioned by the ‘Director’ if my cut was proceeding the way I wanted it to. It felt that the Director was there for me, and only me. I was paying for the attention, the experience, complete with built in LCD’s inside the mirror displaying fashion shows and hair commercials. This can be a good alternative to looking at your own reflection.
Afterwards, I walked away happy with my choice. However, in the end, I walked away with shorter hair – and back to my normal life, far different from what I assume Jay Z’s is like.
If you are looking to just get a simple haircut (a buzz cut for example). By all means the standard haircut is the way to go. However, if you prefer an atmosphere, good service and a professional stylist where you will be spoiled and pampered, the style cut will be your trim of choice.
Remember, at the end of the day, they are all hairdressers who can all cut the hair on that head of yours. You just need to decide what option works best for you.
Recommendations:
- Guggenheim, Brisbane CBD. Price: $50 – $65. http://www.guggenheim.com.au/
- Blokes, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. Price: $35-$60. http://bit.ly/gkny4j
- Toni and Guy, Australia-wide. Price: $85 – $105. http://www.toniandguy.com.au/locations
- Joh Bailey, CBD, Bondi Junction and Double Bay, Sydney. Price: $77.00. http://www.johbailey.com.au/
- Rokk Ebony, South Yarra and Toorak, Melbourne. Price: $50 – $90. http://www.rokkebony.com.au/salons.html
- And as always, your trusty local hairdresser, prices can be anywhere from $15 – $30.
