[Vocabulary] giving instructions to the hairdresser

Hello dear forum users. This is my first post to the forum, and, probably not the last. I am currently in London, my native language is not English, and (so) I often find it hard to express myself in a way that my interlocutor's first question would not not be: "Where are you from?".

Today I am going to a hairdresser's saloon. I am a bit apprehensive. I do not want to look in the mirror while he is cutting my hair and see myself this way: :shock:.

Therefore, I need some help with expressions.
I have a parting in the middle, and my hair is brushed slightly backwards. I want this arrangement to remain, but I want my hair on top shorter. I want the side and the back part of my hair short also, and I want my hair gradually shortened on the side, same on the back. I do not want abrupt changes in length on the side and on the back.

I am pretty sure people do not speak like that at the barber's. But then, how do they speak? Please help. :roll:

Filip

If you ask them to trim it but keep the style, they should get the point.

Shoreditch said:

Hello dear forum users. This is my first post to the forum, and, probably not the last. I am currently in London, my native language is not English, and (so) I often find it hard to express myself in a way that my interlocutor's first question would not not be: "Where are you from?".

Today I am going to a hairdresser's saloon. I am a bit apprehensive. I do not want to look in the mirror while he is cutting my hair and see myself this way: :shock:.

Therefore, I need some help with expressions.
I have a parting in the middle, and my hair is brushed slightly backwards. I want this arrangement to remain, but I want my hair on top shorter. I want the side and the back part of my hair short also, and I want my hair gradually shortened on the side, same on the back. I do not want abrupt changes in length on the side and on the back.

I am pretty sure people do not speak like that at the barber's. But then, how do they speak? Please help. :roll:

Filip

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Hi and welcome to the forums!

Actually, people do speak like that at the barber's (a barber is like a hairdressers for men, they do shaving and stuff too). Just style your hair as well as you can and explain what you wrote above. The barber/hairdresser has to listen to you and give you exactly what you want or you won't be back! In fact, if they don't make you feel welcome when you come in, you should consider going to the next place.

If you're still nervous about what to say, you can just say that you want a little off the top with a short back and sides and a fade (this is the non-abrupt transition). You can point to where you want the division of the side and top of your hair to be. Just ask them to start with the clippers (or scissors) not too short and then you can ask them to make it shorter.

One small correction in your post, you're not going to the hairdresser's saloon, you're going to the salon. A saloon is a bar in cowboy movies. Good luck!

Mr_Ben said:

Hi and welcome to the forums!

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:up: Thank you Ben and Tdol.

Mr_Ben said:

with a short back and sides and a fade (this is the non-abrupt transition).

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Good! That is exactly what I was after. :up:

Mr_Ben said:

One small correction in your post, you're not going to the hairdresser's saloon, you're going to the salon. A saloon is a bar in cowboy movies. Good luck!

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:up: My friend, google, says it is also an Indian term for a barbershop. :-o:up: But I am in England.

PS: The barber was from Pakistan, and his English was :down:.