NEWBIE in need of advice

Well, I'm not a hair care professional, but speaking as someone who has been a salon customer, and as someone who has seen a lot of discussion on this subject, the biggest complaint I've seen (and had myself) is that stylists don't listen to their customers, especially those with long hair. Stylists often seem to pressure long-haired people into shorter cuts, or even cut more than requested against the express directions of the customer.This is so much of a problem that my husband refuses to allow a professional to cut my hair - he has learned to trim it himself, because he knows he won't take off more than I want him to. (Ok, if I insisted, I could go to a salon for a cut - my husband doesn't give me orders; however, the main purpose in growing my hair long was to make him happy, so I respect his wishes about that. It works both ways - he listens to my requests about his appearance too. It's a good system, actually.)I understand that one part of a stylist's role can be to offer advice as to what would suit a client's appearance, but when someone who has obviously committed many years to growing hair comes in and asks for a trim, it's rude to do more than gently suggest a change. If someone comes in knowing exactly what he or she wants, that should be what the stylist does, unless there's a reason that won't work (eg someone with short straight hair wants long curls, or someone with thin hair wants a thick, shaggy cut).I don't know how much this is relevant to you - I suspect that you're more willing to listen than most, since you're asking for advice already. That's just my pet peeve about stylists. If I could find one I was sure I could trust, I might be willing to have a professional work on my hair. As it is, I haven't been to a salon except to buy shampoo and other products in over 5 years.Laura Janelswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu

After reading the replies from Laura Jane (first), and then from "blade7," Iwas struck by blade7's first point.I have no problem with any of his other points -- even number 5. He hasexpressed what seems to be a number of good ideas.However, to me, his point number 1 smacks of arrogance. The customer is theclient. The customer's (feasible) wishes should be honored -- first and foremost.Any stylist who seeks to impose their own wishes on the client, contrary to theclient's request, is unprofessional, and does not understand the basic principleof the customer-client relationship. The idea that the stylist "has to be smartenough to manuver(sic) a client into a better stlye(sic)..." speaks poorly ofthe stylist's sense of the infallability of his own judgment, and of his coercivetactics.Dave