2017 in Hair
As 2017 comes to a close, I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a thoughtful look back at the year in men's hair. I haven't had as many chances to blog as frequently as I have in the past, but fortunately, I'm out of the salon for a few days due to the holiday. At least for the guys who come in to get their hair cut by me, the undercut is still reigning as the king of hairstyles. This particular haircut is easily the most requested service we provide in the salon. It's a great-looking cut that has remained in fashion for several years now, and I believe part of the reason so many men request undercuts from me is that I have accumulated more pictures of that particular style than any other haircut on platforms like Yelp, Instagram, and my website. This might skew my numbers a little, but it certainly showcases the popularity of the style. I tend to fade my undercuts, and because of that, it creates a striking appearance from both the front and the side—while scissor haircuts can often appear somewhat uninteresting from the side view. This unique feature leads to twice as many undercut pictures in my portfolio. I'm also actively working on improving my skills in photographing a wider variety of haircuts that I perform.
The number one haircut girlfriends have bI've been noticing a trend lately where many clients are coming in with pictures of Ryan Gosling's recent haircut. Interestingly, there isn't just a single image that stands out as the go-to reference; rather, I've seen a variety of pictures showcasing different lengths. However, all of them feature hair that’s long enough on top to be styled with a side part. This results in a relaxed, laid-back look where the hair elegantly falls to one side, as opposed to standing up in spikes. Meanwhile, the sides maintain enough length to be smoothly pushed back, creating a polished profile. This particular haircut has a versatile appeal, as it looks fantastic at various lengths. You have the option to choose one of the shorter variations of the cut and let it gradually grow into the style that Ryan models when his hair is longer. To maintain that fresh look during the growing process, I also offer a hairline clean-up service for just $10. This service includes neatly tidying up the sideburns, tapering the back, and trimming the neck area, ensuring that your hair remains looking sharp and well-groomed while it grows out.
In addition to that trend, I've observed that classic barbering techniques are making a significant comeback this year. Many men are increasingly opting for haircuts that utilize a shorter clipper blade, resulting in a consistently clean, shorter style on top. This particular look appeals to a number of guys because of its low maintenance nature at home, which makes daily styling much easier and more efficient. Typically, these cuts involve keeping the hair at a manageable finger-length or just slightly longer on top. Others are drawn to the timeless, clean aesthetic that such styles provide or may have thicker hair on the sides, finding that regularly using clippers helps to effectively eliminate excess bulk and create a more refined appearance.
I also get a decent amount of guys with long hair coming in to the salon, demonstrating a noticeable diversity in hair lengths. For the purposes of this blog, when I say "long hair," I'm referring to any hair that touches the collar or extends longer than that. While I do see a fair number of guys sporting this length of hair, I genuinely believe I would encounter even more if I had more pictures showcasing longer-haired men. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many photos when we first moved to Culver City. Back when we were in West LA, I had a fantastic spot with a neutral background inside Sola that was perfect for capturing images of my haircuts. Since relocating, I’ve been trying to find a good spot at the new salon for this purpose. The best option I've thought of would be in front of the brick wall at the bank down the street, but the challenge is that no one—myself included—wants to run across the busy street and dodge traffic on Sawtelle just to get their picture taken in that area. So, I’ve settled on simply taking pictures at the chair in the salon after I do my detailing and get the hair styled to my satisfaction.
Overall, it was a truly great year for the salon in 2017. We took the significant step of leaving Sola in West LA and relocating to Culver City in February. In the hair industry, making a move like this is often quite stressful because there is really no reliable way to predict who will decide to follow you, especially considering the notorious traffic patterns in Los Angeles. Initially, I saw a notable dip in the number of haircuts I performed during the first month after we settled into the new salon space, but fortunately, things picked up considerably as I got more comfortable and began to establish a new routine. By the end of the year, I found that I had achieved over 50% growth in my client base. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who followed me during this transition, as well as to all of the new people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting while working in the Culver City salon. You all have contributed to making this year one of the best experiences I have had in my career.
On to 2018!!