Why Your Hairdresser Won't Talk to You

Many women get close to their hairdressers, whether they're forking over too much for a haircut or going to SuperCuts. But have you been worried that your hairdresser might hate you? Kayleen Schaefer at the New York Times did a trend piece on how the most successful hairstylists don't gossip with or barely even talk to their customers. The first hairstylist profiled was Mario Russo of Boston:

“I’m not in a position to give you advice on that,” Mario Russo will say when one of the clients at his hair salon in Boston complains about her children. Or if a client disparages her ex-husband, he’ll say, “That’s a matter that needs to be discussed with a different professional than myself.” Then he’ll ask what styling products she uses.

That attitude seems snotty at first. Some people might think that they're paying for companionship. Russo's cuts cost $250 (!!!), so somebody might expect a little extra. It's kind of cool that the people the wealthy would consider "servants" (hairstylists and so forth) make clear that they don't want to be friends. You are buying a haircut, not a friend, after all.

Plus, Russo's silence probably also results in a better haircut. If more hairstylists didn't talk, then fewer people would leave the salon with the shaggy semi-mullets that make young women look like Tegan & Sara clones.

Image from Amazon.