Time Warp

Every hairstylist is familiar with the dreaded time warp.  This is a phenomenon wherein we are able to pinpoint  an individual's glory days simply by the hairstyle being currently (and most likely for the past 20 to 50 years) sported.  Let's face it, a year pop's into our heads as soon as we spot a client in the reception area more times than not!  This would not be such a perplexing issue if it were easily solved.  We all know that is not the case.  When trying to bring a new, or even a longtime client into the current decade we face dramatics that could win Oscar Awards many times over.  If you are lucky enough to bring a client out of the 70's or 80's or whichever decade they are stubbornly clinging to life for, you face the very likely reality of recidivism!  After hours of encouragement and your marvelous talent,  they emerge with an amazing, current update, armed with relevant products for which to style, styling lessons and encouragement and compliments galore which you have arranged from all present in the salon only to have them reappear in your chair 6 weeks later back in the time warp!  Why, why, why do we cling so desperately to the hairstyle we had in our prime?  I must admit, this is not an issue known only to women.  Men have a tendency to face male-pattern baldness head on by none other than comb-overs, horse-shoe ponytails, and my favorite proclamation of "I'm growing it out"! I don't think any of us are immune however, even as a hairstylist I will be the first to say that I have had some scary regressive urges myself!  I will not admit to which era I came of age in, let's just say that after having my tresses beautifully straightened with an iron by one of my younger co-workers, I have had the most bizarre urge to grab my teasing comb and go to town!  I guess we must all tread lightly into that very sensitive arena of aging.  I guess we never completely let go of that time in our lives when we were young, beautiful and with full heads of gorgeous hair.  It's a reminder of a time in our life when things were perhaps much more carefree and fun.  Before life was....well life!