Haircut - 2010-X01

Note: My intention with this blog is to document every haircut I get with a post written as soon as I can get from the barbershop to a computer - about that particular experience, before I forget. I have an A+++++"regular barber" but when I'm traveling, I love to sample local barbers. I research them via the Internet or the hotel yellow pages. When I was a kid, I used to try to compare how often I got my hair cut to other boys, so with this idea, I'm going to document how often I get my hair cut on this blog. It's ususally either once a week, once every ten days, or at the longest, once every two weeks - NEVER any longer. Anyway, I hope to continue this blog and see exactl how many cuts I get per year, but for this year - since I'm starting in the middle - I'm going to just label this "haircut posts" with the year, plus an X and a number. In other words, this post is about the first haircut I've gotten in 2010 that I've blogged about, but certainly not the first cut I've gotten this year - hence, "Haircut 2010-X01" (the X stands for nothing except to distinguish this post from future years' cuts, which I plan to write about sequentially and should be labeled something like 2011-01, 2011-02, etc., as I get cuts throughout the year).

I spent most of the week away from home at a work-related event - a place I had visited before and gotten GREAT cuts nearby but not in this specific city. Although I'm always open to getting a cut in a new city, I was also due for my bi-weekly flattop last Friday, so I went ahead and got clipped from my regular barber (I think I'll call him "RB" from now on). It was awesome, as usual. Tight flattop with back/sides shaved to the skin - good for at least another week, if not two.

Anyway, traveled across the country and got into my hotel room. As I always do, I peruse the local yellow pages to get a flavor for the local community, one stop is always the "barbers" section (you can tell a a lot about a place if the names of most of the "barber shops" begin with women's names). Anyway, I found a shop that interested me and researched it online. Reviews were great - it seemed like an ideal traditional shop with great customer experiences (a couple posts specific to flats). So I walked by the shop and saw that, although there were 3 barbers in a very traditional (if not retro) shop, one was a woman. I've gotten some great cuts from women, but their mere presence kind of destroys the concept of a traditional "barbershop." Is this thinking "sexist"? Yes. So is the entire concept of a "barbershop" [i.e., a place for men]. Yes, it's sexist (with the caveat that "sexist" isn't necessarily undesireable). A barbershop is every bit as sexist as a gynecologist's office - "partners" are allowed, but somewhat unwelcome by most of the clientele. (BTW, I'm totally fine with butch lesbians in barbershops- they are one of the guys). Even still, I was tempted to get a cut at this barbershop, so I called them just to see if the recommended barber was even working that day - he was and said he could cut my flat short, flat, and shaved sides/back.

My other problem was that I didn't have much hair to cut, although weekly haircuts are my preference when I'm wearing a short summer flat. Which I am at this time, but would a new barber understand that? I gave one last chance to the vacation barbershop, and although I wanted to try out the recommended Internet barber, the shop seemed to busy and I just wasn't that excited about the atmosphere. Plus, the parking was nonexistent. So I ultimately passed - but it's a shop I will remember and perhaps try someday when my travels bring me there again,

However, before I drove away, within a block of the barbershop I've been talking about, I saw a "flattop stud" walking around. Let me define that term:

FLATTOP STUD: (noun); a gentleman of any age who confidently wears a flattop haircut, usually cut to a very short length or in an unusually stylish shape, who impresses (or causes envy in) another man sheerly by the act of wearing his haircut publicly.

This stud had a FRESH flattop - cut HIGH on the back, bald back/sides, short/shoed top. I felt certain that he had gotten it at the shop I had considered (given their online reviews), but he was walking in a direction that made me wonder (he was going both towards and away from the shop - as if he had not just left it, but was also trying to leave it to get back to work, etc.). I lost the FS, but I would guess that he was in law enforcement (he had the goatee, not military). Still, this was a very short and very inspiring haircut - it was cut HIGH in the back and very SHORT on the top.

To make a long story shorter, I didn't get the chance to ask the FS (in a long-sleeved, salmon-colored dress shirt and tie) where he got his flattop cut (something I often do). So, I flew home with "long" hair (to me, but nobody else) and conveniently was able to visit my RB.

Some guys have commented (on other sites) that once you find a good barber - espeically a flattop barber- you never leave him. I agree 100%, but sometimes like to sample other barbers when I'm traveling. More often than not, the cut is not better than my RB's, but I enjoy the experience anyway. This time, I chose certainty over potential experience - but, inspired by the FS I saw, to go even shorter (as I often do in the summertime).

My RB is a one-chair shop - popular, and often crowded (I've just left a few times rather than stick out the wait, which my RB says has gone to as late as 10 PM). Today there were a few cars, more than I prefer (and one that I asummed was one of his young clientele, parked over two spots). However, when I walked in, I was shocked to see an empty barber chair and a middle-aged guy paying and leaving. As my RB said, the chair was ready for me - "perfect timing," he always says when there's an empty chair. I jumped into the chair, RB caped me, put on the neck strip, etc., while I waited patiently for him to attach new blades to his clippers (he later told me - perfect for a sharp new cut).

It was a great FT experience - just my RB and me. RB always cuts the back and sides first, to the skin as close as he can with clippers. Then he applies hot lather shaving cream and skins the sides and back with either a Bic or straight razor. (I happen to love the feel of a straight razor, but the Bic actually seems to do a closer and cleaner job, with fewer nicks - my goal is to walk out with a slick bald back and sides).

When it seemed like my RB was ready to cut the top, I stopped the converstation and said, "Are you about to do the top?," to which RB affired, and this time I said, "I want you to cut it even shorter on the top - cut it as close to the skin as you possibly can" and RB said "I gotcha" or something similar.

Anyway, great cut - almost to the skin at the very top, clipper-shaved (but not razor-shaved, which I've actually had done a few times by different barbers).

Walked out with a really short flattop and super-smoooooth sides and back. Smoothness with last through the weekend, top should stay flat a week or two. Until next time.