The hair and now

Like most of the population reared in the 1980s, I suffered through countless perms, inhaled gallons of Aqua-Net and worshipped the daring ‘dos of Molly Ringwald.

There was a period in the ‘80s where I styled my hair with L.A. Looks gel mixed with blue Rit dye. Also, in the same decade I did my own “razored bangs” with a Daisy shaver (a la Jessica Lange in Crimes of the Heart).

By the ‘90s, I was operating under the theory that rolling in beach sand absorbed excess oil, relieving me of the need for shampoo. Perhaps most embarrassingly, I let my hair grow untamed but for infrequent visits to a cheap hair chain, where a less-than-inspired stylist hacked off the split ends in under five minutes. Still, doing the math, she earned a dollar a minute for her trouble. Plus tip.

And then, sometime around the new millennium, it all changed. The way some women wake to the insistent ticking of their biological clocks, I realized an urgent and desperate need for professional hair salons. I needed stylists with first-name-only names, and preferably celebrity clientele. That’s right, I require a stylist to the stars. Is this because I’m a legend in my own mind? Perhaps. More likely, it’s because I like to gossip about such weighty topics as Reese Witherspoon’s unfortunate bangs, and Sisely Treasure’s completely awesome rocker shag. The stylists at the cheap chains simply don’t have time to care.

I also like to leave a salon most of a day’s pay lighter and more than an hour later knowing I have hair that others envy. If only for the time it takes me to walk to my car and then ruin the ‘do by driving home with my windows down.

Asheville and the surrounding area, happily, boast a wealth of talented stylists, and I’ve only scratched the surface in terms of testing their wares. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Larry at Ananda Hair Studio (22 Broadway St., Asheville, 232-1017). I met Larry when he first moved to Asheville and was working for an overly-decorated Salon on Pack Square called something like “The Zebra Stripe.” Larry relocated to Asheville from Texas where, at one point, he was Stevie Ray Vaughn’s stylist. Since moving to North Carolina, he’s opened spacious, light-filled Ananda on Broadway (note that the mirror frames are his own design) and also operated the salon at the Grove Park Inn Spa for a time.

• Amanda at Studio Chavarria (84 Walnut St., Asheville, 236-9191). I happened onto Amanda at a different salon more than a year ago. I needed a trim, she had an opening. I showed her a picture of Kelli Ripa’s layered cut and said “I want that,” and Amanda didn’t laugh. She’s kind of like the best friend you wish you had in high school, plus she can do highlights. Your best friend in high school probably couldn’t do highlights. Your hair probably suffered through a period of streaks and leopard spots as a result.

• Gregory at West 1 Salon (43 1/2 Broadway St., Asheville, 254-5633). From a professional (if slightly mysterious) background, both Gregory and his salon seem to specialize in sleek, modern minimalism. Gregory mentioned he’d worked on high-profile fashion shoots before moving to Asheville. This slipped out while he was styling America’s Next Top Model contestant Kathy Hoxit’s hair during an Xpress shoot. Add to that, his low-key style, his great accent and the fact that his wife, Paige, always has the best hair cuts. Gregory is a stylist worth seeking out.

• Blu at Jonathan Salon (100 Daniel Drive, Hendersonville, 582-7033). My most recent find, Blu, is an expert colorist and can boast an impressive celebrity clientele. Getting a style at Jonathan Salon is a bit like stepping into a campier version of Steel Magnolias, complete with small-town gossip and plenty of laughs. Blu has endless tricks up his sleeve that he’s willing to share (he can tame curls with gel and a pillow case; he can recreate 1920s waves with a wooden dowel and tin foil), and focuses much of his talent on helping charitable causes.

If you have a favorite stylist, tell us about him or her here.

—Alli Marshall, fashion editor

Photos from Studio Chavarria.

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About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

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79 thoughts on “The hair and now

  1. Kim

    Alyssa at Beauty Parade is amazing, skilled, talented, and has an amazingly good heart.

  2. Lisa Marie

    I have had GREAT expierences at Eclispe. . .

    but a HORRIBLE expierence at Adorn in Asheville. Brandi’s work was AWFUL and the owner refused to give me a refund. . . you can see the entire story at : http://www.xanga.com/ClothDiaperMePlease I have pictures and everything.

    Apparently there are others having this issue with her too.

  3. traci

    Lisa Marie, you wanted to have DREADLOCKS created for you in a matter of hours? Something that normally is a natural process taking years? Seems like you aimed a bit high – especially with fine, blond, shoulder-length hair.

    If in fact the owner was unwilling to compensate your obvious dissatisfaction, that is something worth voicing. But calling a stylists’ inability to turn Anglo hair into perfect dreads in one sitting “AWFUL” and “HORRIBLE” seems a bit much.

  4. Lisa Marie

    No, I didn’t expect to have perfect dreads or anything right away. If you read my blog you know that I undertand it takes a long time to have them settle in.

    And I had no idea on how long it takes to start dreads (I also have no problem with the 10 hr appt I have this week to have them redone.)

    I expected to have my hair sectioned out in 1- 1.5 inch sections like I asked. This is proper dreading according to the manufacture of the products they used and it is what I asked for. The bak of the dreads wasn’t even backcombed, just twisted and gunked.

    My issue was that what I asked to have done was NOT.

    And yes they were horrible, and rude. I stand by that comment.

  5. JJ

    If you have curly hair, go no further than Frankie at Infusion (in West Asheville). She is attentive, detail-oriented, and truly knows what she’s doing. I’ve never had a cut so perfect for the character of my natural curls.

  6. Meggin

    Hello,

    Lisa Marie, I went to your link you have posted, and you’re right, they did a really bad job on your hair and you should get your money back, or they should have tried to fix your badly dreaded hair. Have you contacted BBB?

    I was considering getting dreads myself (I have mid-back wavy brown hair) but seeing those pictures, I won’t be taking my business to Adorn.

    Thanks for your comment!

  7. rebecca hecht

    hello- this is rebecca, the owner of adorn…there are 2 sides to every story! here is ours:
    1. lisa was told that it was impossible to be sure how long it would take to put in her dreads, but 3 hours was a good start, and she could book another follow up appointment if more time was needed- so we did not lie about the amount of time it would take- i fielded this call myself.
    2. she did not try to call for a month, she called for a week- a week during which messages were taken, and responded to by my management staff- i was personally unavailable due to a death in the family, but the minute i was back at work, i returned her call. (this is all well documented in our message book)
    3. brandy did a great job, and explained that it would take home care and return visits every 6-8 weeks to make the dreads look good (it can take a full year to get great looking dreads)
    4. she was told (as every new client who comes in is told) that if she had any concerns to call or return with in a week, and she would be taken care of (this is our refund/satisfaction policy accross the board- we guarantee our services for a week- after that time, we can not be sure what the client has been doing to themselves at home) i know for a fact she was told this, because i was here the day she got her dreads done.
    5. she called back a full 2 months after her services to complain (again this is well documented in our computer and message book)
    6. when i spoke with her, i offered twice to take a second look at her hair, and reconsider giving her a refund, and she became angry and said she would be picketing the salon and taking an ad out against us- she could have come in- but she chose not to.
    7. the whole time she was here she expressed that her husband didn’t want her to do this, but she didn’t care and was doing it anyway- so this seems like an issue between them that doesn’t have anything to do with adorn or brandy
    8. the pictures taken directly after the service looked exactly as new dreads should…again who knows what she’s done (or not done) to them in two months…but i do stand by my stylist, her work, and my refund policy.

  8. Brandy

    Hi. I am Brandy from Adorn. I am a hairstylist, and I wore dreadlocks for about five years. I learned how to create and mantain dreads through personal experience. Each and every experience with dreadlocks is unique, and there are many ways to reach a similar destination.

    Here are the facts about Lisa’s visit to the salon:

    When Lisa came in, she said she was told I would definitely be able to completely finish her dreads in 3 hours. I immediately expressed to her that I never know exactly how long dread creation will take. It has taken me anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. I gave examples of previous times. She was very insistent that we make them, anyway, knowing that the appointment time would be indefinite. However, after speaking with the owner today, I realize that no one told Lisa she would definitely be finished in three hours. Lisa was upset when I told her I wouldn’t be able to finish in three hours. I felt compassion for her, and she insisted we move forward, anyway. She has some of the thickest hair I have ever seen, and, because of her schedule I had to work very fast and hard.

  9. Brandy

    I thought I ran out of space in the first e-mail; this is a continuation.

    I began at Lisa’s nape with horizontal rows. Lisa wanted the dreads as small as possible over all, with flexibility. Each dread root/base was very close to square. Unless a person specifies “perfect squares” as bases, I like nature as an element of shape. I showed Lisa the dreads, periodically, always receiving her approval. She wa actually happy about the first picture. I asked her if she wanted to take any of them apart and make them smaller. She said, “No.” One of the complaints Lisa had was that the dreads were too small, but she commanded and decided the size of the smallest dreads. I came in early for Lisa’s second visit, and gave her about an hour of free service. One of our employees was going to go to her house to babysit, but she cancelled babysitting and brought her two children to our salon. She was breastfeeding in the chair, getting up repeatedly, and putting her hands in her hair. Her son needed considerable attention; I helped entertain and supplied activities. I helped clean up a lot of stuff and carry it to her car. I asked her to sit under the dryer and told her 30 minutes would be a good amount of time; she let herself out after 10 minutes. I offered to let her come back and use our dryer anytime; she never did. She did not have loose hairs; except, maybe, around her hairline and nape. Her hair is pin straight. She gave me limited time and money. I didn’t have time to roll or tuck the ends, which is not a requirement. Lisa was literally lying down in my chair, holding the roots of the section I was working on. I was combing as lightly as I could, and she was asking me to stop and claiming it was too painful. Once again, I was combing as lightly as I could. When I tried to teach her to shape her dreads (about 5-10 minutes,) the way she touched them actually loosened them. I helped her understand as much as possible within the alotted time. The products we use have some instruction for creating dreads, but there are many ways. Each person’s techniques and tools are relative to his experience. Lisa’s service was honest, high quality, and extremely generous. I did everything in my power to accomodate her and her needs. She was told to call within a week if she had any need, question, concern, etc. Furthermore, I told her to call me if she needed anything, and I could help within the realm of our policy. This is our clearly, clearly stated policy she did not follow. Once again, dreads are subjective and unique to each person. I was working with limited time and money, and I worked as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Lisa wore a folded bandana on her hair, and that is why there may have been loose hairs and it was sticking out around the hairline. Also, she did not follow my instructions to use heat and did not come to the salon to use our dryer in addition to the approximate ten minutes she sat under there. The bottom line is: Lisa did not follow our policy, and no one knows what she or anyone else did to her hair in 2 months. I don’t know how many times she washed it, but at her length that definitely inspires loose hairs. Backcombing, palm rolling, and heat-activated wax help with loose hair. Lisa did not correspond with us at all for 2 months. Each person’s dreads and personal path with them is so unique. I would have been extremely grateful for the beautiful service Lisa received, and having worn dreads, I would’ve been super pleased with the quick progress. Dread service, like Lisa got, would be truly fulfilling for me. Given Lisa’s time and financial constraints, within this situation, I worked under a considerable amount of pressure through personal work breaks and beyond my level of a comfortable pace. I have so many positive, loving experiences with others’ dreads. I do it, because I learned so much from having them, and they are beautiful. I love being able to facilitate as stress-free locking as possible, at an affordable rate. At Adorn, we enjoy dreading vey much, and that is why we do it. May peace and healing truly enter this experience. I love you, people of Adorn and everywhere, and I know that my path with Adorn will continue to be a joyous blessing. Thank you, all salons and people of Asheville, for being spirit-filled and beautiful.

  10. Brandy

    We enjoy dreading very much; that is what I meant to say. I think it’s interesting, also, that on the KnottyDread site dreads in the gallery vary from person to person. Each person’s dreads look different. They start different, and they range in direction, size, smoothness, thickness, color, etc. Some of them are sticking out. Some people choose to go to a salon, others choose to let it happen on its own. If a person goes to a salon, various factors influence what is possible. Circumstances with time and energy investments, culture, and self-care are big factors. The environment in which dreads are being created definitely influences them. They happen in so many different ways. Wow, I have seen a whole lot of kinds of dreads in one-of-a kind stages.

  11. Trisha

    My brother has had dreads for as long as I can remember. He cuts them out after a few years and does it again so I am very familiar with the process. What she did to Lisa Marie was down right BAD work.

    I’ve been talking to Lisa Marie about this since it happened and she did call many times and she finally went in after a few weeks. She was TOLD to wait 8 weeks by the way.

    I’m pretty surprised that the owner and stylist would come here and stand behind such terrible work! It might have been more professional to apologize and offer a refund.

    What ultimately sucks is she has to pay to have it done again.

    Lisa Marie, if you can get it in writing from another professional that it was indeed done wrong, along with your pictures, I suggest taking them to small claims court. Its not expensive and a very easy process.

    Good luck girl!

    Trisha

  12. Catrina

    I agree about going to small claims court. As you can see, even their stories here in this site are differing. One person says you waited a month, the other says you wanted two months.
    The job was definitely shoddy. With the pics and a note from other stylists, you could definitely get your money through small claims.

    I DEFINITELY would never go to this salon.

  13. Susan

    Wow. I’ve had dreads, and I’ve known a helluvalotta people with dreads, too, and I’ve never seen such shoddy work.
    What I see in this story is a stingy salon owner. If she was unhappy with this work (who WOULDN’T be?!), then GIVE HER THE MONEY BACK.
    And as far as her bringing her kids, so what? More power to her for breastfeeding in her chair. A good stylist can work around this kind of stuff, and not try to use it as a lame-o excuse for her inadequate work.
    Adorn, you should be ashamed – give the girl her money back, and quit defending bad work.

  14. Orbit DVD

    Here’s an interesting question. How long will the Xpress blog let someone complain about a business, a business that advertises in their paper?

    marc

  15. marissa

    as a mountain xpress staffer, i’ve read the entire debate, and it most defintely sounds like an unresolved issue–one that would best be calmed between the two parties involved privately.

  16. Other than obscenity [and a few other types of messages noted in a post below], the blog is not moderated, which is the only way to permit a completely freewheeling discussion—more or less the whole point of having a blog in the first place.

    If it WERE moderated for content, one could argue that Xpress was shaping the conversation for its own benefit.

  17. Alli Marshall

    I didn’t realize people could have their hair professionally dreaded (thanks to blogging, I learn something new every day), but I *did* have a great experience at Adorn once. It was several years ago and Circe (who I don’t believe lives in Asheville these days) did my hair. She was thorough and friendly, and the price sure was right!

    Also, I want to give props to Christine and Gilda and Wink! who did an excellent job styling an Xpress photo shoot last fall. I keep meaning to get over to Wink! for a cut — why does Biltmore Village seem so far from down town?

  18. Deb R

    1. As her neighbor, I have seen Lisa Marie’s hair almost daily. My opinion is it was done poorly from the beginning. She had loose hair, very irregular sections, and as much as the bottom HALF of “the dreads” in back fell out in days. Please take a close look at the salon’s picture versus the product supplier picture of another’s new dreads done on “anglo-blond-straight” hair.
    2. Trying to write this off as a marital issue is a cheap and bogus ploy. Hubby is very supportive.
    3. As you read prior posts, please notice the salon owner says she stands by the stylist’s work, but, the stylist gives “reason after reason” why Lisa Marie and/or her dreads were problematic. Seems to me Brandi “protests too much.”

  19. Jon Elliston

    To all posters: Our terms of service note that several types of comments are moderated. “By registering at this site you agree not to post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, or that violate any laws. We will permanently ban all users who do so.”

    With that — and the spirit of respectful dialogue — in mind, please refrain from hurling any more allegations in this thread. Continue to state your case if you like, but please keep it civil.

    Thank you,

    Jon Elliston, news editor

  20. Orbit DVD

    Trust me, Cecil, I do appreciate the freewheeling discussions on here, more so every day. But let me play devil’s advocate here. Say Adorn pulls their advertising with the Xpress. No biggie, just one business, right? Then another discussion comes up and after a hostile exchange another business pulls the plug. Then another. Then another. Word gets out to business owners that even though they might spends thousands of dollars a year with the Xpress, they are vunurable to attacks on their forum.

    Personally, I realize that I can’t please everyone and there will always be a disgruntled customer or two, but not every shop owner feels that way.

    marc

  21. Lisa Marie

    What is being said by the Owner and Stylist is quite untrue. My blog is factual. The pictures don’t lie.

    I am having the dreads redone tomorrow.

    There were no money/maritial/time issues. I am more than willing to pay to have them done properly, which they weren’t.

    Again, my opinion on Adron is that the costumer service leaves a lot to be desired. Had this issue been handeled in a profesional way, we would not be here in this fourm dicussing it like this.

    Obviously I am not happy with the job that was done. Nor am I happy that the owner is telling untruthful things. It goes to show her true spirt of costumer service.

  22. Wow, this thread is the most pathetic thread I’ve ever read. As a victim of male pattern baldness, I know I have no room to speak, but as an egomaniac who enjoys stirring the pot, allow me to make a few points:

    1) Dreadding ones hair is a long process that takes many years of discipline, and many checks from ones parents. One does not just go into a salon and haphazardly have it down. It’s something that can only be created through years of listening to bad music, talking to inane people, and smoking huge ammounts of kind bud.

    2) Adorn is a fine salon, I have several female friends who frequent the place, and I’ve never heard a complaint. But then again, I’ve never heard of anyone going to a salon to try to manufacture dreads.

    3) I’m pretty awesome. This doesn’t relate to what I’ve said previously, but I thought I’d put it out there.

    4) I’m glad that dreads are such an “in” thing for people in Asheville that they can be a spur of the moment hairstyle decision, much like a mohawk, or my mustache last year.

    5) I don’t hate all of you, but it’s threads like this that make it really easy to think that I do.

  23. Kimala

    First thing first. I agree with Jason Bugg 100%. That being said, I am a receptionist at Adorn I am actually the mentioned person in Brandy’s comment that was going to babysit Lisa Marie’s Children for her when she needed to come back and get her dreads done. As a pacifist and a person who has grown up in a commune where dreads are common and love is in the air, I’m just appalled that this women would take this issue to such an extreme. “Manicured dreads” in my book do not exist; the point is to look grungy. I see absolutely nothing wrong with her dreads in the pictures, they just look new and like they need her to work on them. If she had a problem with the dreads in the first place that would’ve been the opportune time to say something. I was sitting in a nearby chair as Brandy was explaining how to work on them and no matter how many times Brandy explained Lisa could not grasp that dreads are not meant to be twisted, but more like rubbed as if you were starting a fire. i honestly feel bad for this woman- she obviously has a lot of built up anger, that just got unleashed on the most compassionate and caring person it found. Anyone who knows Brandy knows how kind and generous she is, the fact that she’s causing so much stress to a person who literally bent over backwards to help her out, is just beyond me.

  24. Lisa Marie

    If you are going to approve these posts, you need to approve mine. There are some serious journalism integerty issues going on here.

    Yes, Adorn advertises with you. But I own a buisness too and was hoping to start advertising this comming month.

  25. a wiser person

    ok.. after reading this blog i find it to be quite the joke..”lisa marie” comes in expecting a miracle to happen with little work on her part then gets upset that they don’t turn out perfect. i have had two sets of dreads in my near 30 years of life..one set at a salon and one set naturally. when i went to a salon, it took 7 hours to set and even then required at the minimum, 1 hour of work every day for over six months. dreads are a natural process and the fact is that some people’s hair isn’t meant to be dreaded. also, it takes years for a set of dreads to really set, i mean the kind of dreads you think you can get in a few months,,,,it takes years. in your pictures, your hair looks like its coming alond just fine….part of the process is on you to tear apart and repart the dreads as needed..using wax and alot of effort to get your straight hair to dread on its own. there is no way for a stylest to know exactly all the small parts your hair wants to naturally take, especially in a few hours. its sounds to me like this woman is very iresponsible and ignorant of the entire dread process. Brandi is an amazing stylest with incredible talent. the majority of my friends get their hair done with her and i have yet to hear a complaint from them.

  26. zara

    brandi is an amazing stylest. this woman with the dreads is crazy! she needs to take a huge chill pill, let her dreads do there thing and realize there is a bit of work involved with dreads….it is not a style that just creates itself in a matter of weeks. maybe she should refresh herself on what it means to have dreads and what they are all about. get real lady, and give brandi a break…rasta’s would be embarassed of you!!!

  27. dready

    Did you know Greenlife carries all the knotty boy stuff for dread maintence???? check it out yo

  28. Julie

    I think it is interesting that my previous comment is no longer visible along with several other post that supported Lisa Marie. How is that for one sided journalism? Thanks for getting the whole story out there and letting people make comments that are intellegent.

  29. Julie: Although I can understand why you might infer that the Xpress is being “one sided,” the reason those posts were taken down has nothing to do with the argument itself. Those comments were taken down because they violated our Terms of Service and were veering into personal attack. We can’t have that. It’s fine to disagree, but we all need to be civil about it.

  30. Lisa Marie

    I have tried to respond quite a few times to this and have not been approved.

    These posts from Adorn Employees are untrue.They have personally attacked me in these posts. And if that is your reasoning for not approving my other posts and taking my responses down, then this is a flawed system.

    My Marriage and the fact that I breastfed my child at the salon have NOTHING to do with anything here.

    I have had my dreads redone. I have the manicured dreads that I wanted.

    Whether or not the employees of Adorn agree with my thinking, dreads are a hair style for me. Nothing more. If they don’t do manicured dreads, I should have been told prior to making my appointment.

    Plain and simple, they did not perform the service that I asked for and have outright lied in the above posts.

    That being said.

    I paid MUCH more to go have them done right, and had a 8.5 hr appt to do so.

    Adorn did not perform the service I asked for and I had to have it redone. I should get my money back for the poor service that was provided.

    The work was sub-standard according to me, the manufacture of the dread products used, and the other salons.

    Adequate costumer service did not happen in this situation. I have every right to let others know this.

  31. Kat

    My previous comment was taken down, and it was very civil and not at ALL an attack. All I said was that I had seen nicely “manicured” dreads in the early stages and that Lisa’s new dreads did not look at all the same, and that it seemed obvious that they were not done up to those standards.

    As a business-woman, I think that satisfying a customer is an important part of my job. I mean, if Adorn had seen Lisa’s dreads and said, “I’m so sorry the work was not up to par, please let us compensate you by refunding your payment,”… Well, I am guessing that Lisa’s post here would have been MUCH different, and she probably would even be recommending Adorn because they treated her fairly when she came to them with a problem.

    Do any of us really know the full story? Probably not. But we should still be able to make rational comments without them being removed, and I DO feel that my previous comment was removed for no reason (because it was definitely civil).

  32. Amy

    Just curious, what does the fact that she was breastfeeding her child have to do with ANY of this?

    I saw the pictures of Lisa Marie’s dreads and they were horrid looking. They weren’t just “grunge” they weren’t done right. The dreads didn’t have a chance for saving to begin with. I’ve had friends who were inexperienced with dreads do a much better job on themselves than that.

  33. Kelly

    I’m sorry, but the customer is always right. I have seen Lisa’s pictures and I have also seen her NEW dreads that were done. There is a stark difference in a right way for it to be done and a wrong way. Adorn should apoligize and refund her money.

  34. Jeni

    This question is to Rebecca Hecht (the owner of Adorn) in regards to LisaMarie’s dissatisfaction.

    If it takes a full year to get dreads looking like dreads and more than one appointment to put in dreads, why then do you only have a one week satisfaction guarantee?

  35. Am I the only person who’s reading these comments who used to be under the impression that dreads are intended to look horrible?

    Like Alli I’m surprised that people actually go to styling salons to have them done (and more power to both customers and hair stylists if they find common ground there – that’s what a service economy is for). But I had no idea that anyone thought they were supposed to look good.

    Astonishing!

  36. To those of you who keep submitting comments asking why your posts were taken down: It’s fine to disagree in the comments, but we must insist you keep it civil on this site. This means no calling anyone else “liars,” for instance. Posts of this nature will not be approved, regardless of the other content. If you’d like to ask a specific question about a post or what is allowable, please feel free to email me at sshanafelt at mountainx.com (sorry for the weird format, but we’re trying to keep SPAM down).

    Since the argument going on here is between a business and a dissatisfied customer (and various supporters of both sides), please refrain from making ANY direct attacks on either party on our web site.

    At present, all comments by non-registered users are being screened by Xpress staff. This process is slow, so please be patient. Most posters expect to see your comments on our site AFTER we have checked it to make sure it doesn’t violate the Terms of Service (which exists for the protection of everyone here).

  37. As the head rabble rouser on this website, I hereby ask all parties involved to put aside your petty squabbles with each other and to concentrate more on me.

    Now, don’t we all feel better? I know I do.

    Now, as far as the dreads fiasco goes, I looked at the pictures, and you looked like you should be beating a drum in a park. I think that’s the look that you are going for, right?

    So what your dreads aren’t quite Pritchard Park material, big deal. That’s the major leagues, you need to work your way up. Start in Carrier Park, or at Aston Park, get a following. Pretty soon, tourists will be staring at you, and you will be invited to “the show” (as the big leaguers call it).

  38. Kat

    My point was that my prior post was not at all rude or attacking anyone at Adorn, and yet it was taken down. I have also noticed that it seems like all of the Adorn posts were left, regardless of rude tone or accusations towards Lisa. Why were those left up if the aim is to only keep things “civil”?

  39. Lisa Marie

    These posts from Adorn Employees are untrue. They have personally attacked me in these posts. And if that is your reasoning for not approving my other posts and taking my responses down, then this is a flawed system.

    My Marriage and the fact that I breastfed my child at the salon have NOTHING to do with anything here.

    I have had my dreads re-done this week. I have the manicured dreads that I wanted. They look great and I am thrilled with them, and unlike when I left Adorn, I was thrilled leaving the salon.

    Whether or not the employees of Adorn agree with my thinking, dreads are a hair style for me. Nothing more. If they don’t do manicured dreads, I should have been told prior to making my appointment.

    Plain and simple, they did not perform the service that I asked for and the information in the above posts is untrue.

    That being said.

    I paid to go have them re-done correctly, and had a 8.5 hr appt to do so.

    Adorn did not perform the service I asked for and I had to have it redone. I should get my money back for the poor service that was provided.

    The work was sub-standard according to me, the manufacture of the dread products used, and the other salons. Both are helping me with my case with the BBB.

    Adequate costumer service did not happen in this situation.

  40. rebecca

    I had dreads when I was at Oberlin college (in case you’re wondering, I didn’t pay a dime to have them done). Since I was a white girl walking around with dreaded hair in an atmosphere where people were very concerned with being politically correct, I started to become hyper-sensitive to an ongoing debate on campus as to whether or not priveleged white students attending a private liberal arts college had any business sporting ‘locks in the first place. (Many Obies wore dreads). The argument was that since dreads are so closely associated with Jamaican culture, and with music that centers on battling oppression, it was arrogant and ignorant for white kids from the suburbs to co-opt that style. I had a few people confront me directly on this issue. Eventually, I cut off my dreads. I was influenced somewhat by those arguments, and I took those things to heart and critically examined my motivations to wear that style many times. Admittedly, when I cut them off it also had a lot to do with the fact that they were itchy. At risk of opening yet another can of worms on this already outrageous thread, I think it’s surprising that no one has yet commented on the underlying cultural/political implications of this hairdo. I think there’s a lot more to reflect on here than whether or not Lisa Marie got what she paid for.

  41. I know what you mean. I used to be really into hot dogs, and then one day, someone told me about the social and political ramifications of eating hot dogs. How was I supposed to know I was aligning myself with those jerks at Hebrew National? I didn’t. I thought “Hey it’s a hot dog, let’s eat one and watch baseball”, but how was a goy like me going to identify with the Hebrew National hot dog people. I’d met Nathan, of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, and he had told me of the legend of Oscar Meyer and the Sabrette.

    I switched to Johnsonville Bratwurst the next week, and I’ve never been happier.

    In closing, quit being shamed into doing or not doing something, it’s really dumb.

  42. youbettie

    Good grief, what a mess this post is! After looking at your photos I have to agree with Jason…but I did notice some lovely sabbotage in your comments sections on your site Lisa Marie:

    “Can you call and bitch for me? and send an email on this page:
    I NEED my refund.
    Please pretend that you are local and that you are spreading the word.”

    With all this “pretending” and slander on both sides , lets bring all of the praise-Jah-peace-and-love back…isn’t that what most dreddy folks are about?

    BTW…trying to have dreds done in one or two days = WORST IDEA EVER

  43. Jeni

    okay…for real, rebecca, I would rather focus on Jason Bugg’s self-involved posts than the cultural/political involvement that dreads have on society. SHEEESH! it seems that maybe your focus is moving from your own salon to something MUCH MUCH bigger…not.rad.at.all.

  44. Rebecca Bowe

    Just for clarification, Jeni, it was not Rebecca Hecht who wrote that comment, it was me. You may focus on whatever you want to, but don’t confuse me with some one I’m not. I do think it’s worth pointing out that white people who wear dreads are often perceived as emulating a culture that has nothing to do with their own … and when we are talking about the price and professionalism of dreads, it bears mentioning that the whole ‘do has complex history and politics that have nothing to do with product or customer satisfaction. And I do think that people should consider what kind of statement they are making when they dred their hair.

  45. sarahc

    oh. and the statement i am making when i *let* my hair dread (notice the difference) is; ‘ i dont wash my hair very much. and i brush it even less”

    and people who pay for dreads are silly. it’s like paying extra for ripped jeans.

  46. Kelly

    “And I do think that people should consider what kind of statement they are making when they dred their hair.”

    “I think there’s a lot more to reflect on here than whether or not Lisa Marie got what she paid for. ”

    excuse me, but I didn’t realize that when going to get a hair style, you had to justify the politics you believe in or get judged on whether its acceptable to be white and don a certain hair cut. I thought a salons job was to do a hairstyle. I must be mistaken.

    I am appalled for Lisa. She has been slammed more times on this thread, through posts that are “allowed” and numerous people who have civilly defended her have been censored.

    What a moot point it is to discuss WHY Lisa likes this hair cut and wants it. To tell her she looks like she belongs in a park beating drums is so extremely arrogant and presumtious, I cannot believe that comment passed through the rigrourous TOS around here. You all should be ashamed.

  47. Kelly: With respect, you are wrong about the comments being censored. No one is being censored, but we do demand that people that use this site act in a respectful manner. Further, it is Xpress policy to examine ALL comments by unregistered users before allowing them to go up, and this thread is no exception. We have pulled a small amount of comments that violate our Terms of Service, largely for hateful speech and other abuses.

  48. Kelly

    Steve I appreciate you explaining.

    Lisa, I am glad you finally got the hair cut you desired from the other salon. It looks wonderful :)

  49. Karen

    I have Brandy work on my dreads. I have Lupus and my hair was falling out, not a preety sight. Not only did Brandy make my hair presentable, but she poured her heart into her work. There is a somewhat seramonious thing that goes on when someone dreads your hair. She is maticulas, and not only makes me look great, but knots all sorts of good energy in as well. Dreads are a very personal thing. all hair is different, and part of the fun of New dreads is watching them evolve.
    There is so much bad energy pointed at someone who is pure of heart, and committed to her job. I think this is in perfection. YOU DON”T GET TO HAVE COOL DREADS WITH THAT ATTATUDE! Slaming someone to this extent will surely come back at you.
    Again my experience at Adorne has been nothing less that pleasureable. Her work with me is impecable, her manner professional to the tenth degree. Brandy…I’m so sorry there are hateful people out there that want to spread it around.

  50. jeri

    I came across this by accident, and Iam completely appalled by what Iam reading.
    Dont we as humans have enough to be concerned with, like hungry children in our own country. How embarrassing to see that a human-being,(lisa Marie), has to cause so much drama over something so riduculous as this trendy fashion statement she is trying to make by getting fake dreads.I say fake cause dreads are part of a old religion that take years to create, not hours in a hair salon. It only shows how we, as Americans, can take something so ancient and meaningful and turn it into such a cool trendy fashion statement for our egos!! It is all very sad to me as a woman, a mother and a human-being that this is what we have become as a race. In other words get over it and move on with your life!!

  51. trisha

    QUOTE FROM JERI< <>>

    I expect this post will be reomved right? It clearly violates TOS. This is a personal attack targeting Lisa Marie.

  52. keren

    I’de like to bring some sanity to this blog…if that is possible. hang on folks i’m dislexic.
    several months ago i colmbed out my mature dreads due to the fact that i was ill and had lost some of my hair. once done i looked in the mirror and saw my mother and freaked out. i had never had my dreads done in a salon but was desperate for help. obveously dreads are a passionate issue. it is almost seramonious, and your hair doesn’t just get knotted but energy also is deposited in there too.
    brandy has been working on my hair for a few mnths now. in my experiance, she has been maticulas, and has gone the extra mile to help me feel confident about my hair loss, and getting my newbies off the ground. she not only works on my hair but i always feel like she has somehow worked on my soul.adorn has a sign that is IN YOUR FACE when you sit down,to please maintain a peacfull energy as to not infring on the other coustomers. i pay for that service and expect other clients to allow me that peace while there. sonds like this woman didn’t get that. shame on her as a bussiness woman to cause such drama. someones reputation is built, and this is a powerful avanue to destroy someones name through just one experiance and i hope in her career that noone is so vindictive.
    if you are reading these blogs, please keep in mind that we all have our experiances, mine with brandy has been nuturing, professional, and she has not charged me for time when we have gone over and things still needed handleing. actually i watch the clock more than her so i don’t take advanage of HER. brandy, shine on! you are a wounderful contributer to the human race. i don’t believe the drama.

  53. Trisha: The discussion on this blog thread is local hair salons, not the Xpress moderation policy. Please keep your comments on this subject. If you have an issue with a post or particular content, please contact me directly as I have explained in prior posts. Otherwise, please leave the moderating of our blogs to us.

  54. Dirty Dave

    Thought that I would chime in here. I have been going to Adorn for years and have never had a problem getting in touch with the ladies there. I leave a message and they call me back, never a problem. I have always been happy with my cuts. I think Lisa had a couple of oppertunities to tell Brandi she was not happy with the shape or size of the dreads while it was going on or when she came back for a second sitting.
    I dont think that the new dreads are that much nicer and kind of look just as frizzy.
    Get over it, back to the earth and just a hair style sound like contradicting statements to me. Foucus on the internal to get closer to Jah, Allah, Yahway or Jesus.

  55. Elise

    Stylists recommendations for long hair anyone??? I want a perm so I can stop curling my hair every freaking morning and I need someone who knows the difference b/t frizz and soft curls (I also want to lighten my auburn hair a bit w/out a dye job). Kind of like Evangeline Lily since the texture and length are the same, but without the overacting.

  56. Alli Marshall

    Elise, Blu Morris (at Jonathan Salon) claims to specialize in long, curly hair. I can’t vouch for him, having shortish straightish hair myself.

    BTW, thanks for asking an actual stylist-based question. The point of my original blog was for people to have a place to *praise* their stylists. I, for one, take good recommendations to heart and have tried many salons based on my friends’ glowing reviews.

    On that note, I was complaining about my hair this morning and Celine from Eclipse overheard me. She offered to cut my hair on the spot. How sweet is that?

  57. Reasondog

    Even though I just wasted precious moments of my life reading this blog I do have to ask a girlie question.

    I recently just cut off my long hair and now it just looks like a big puff ball. Any suggestions on who might cut short hair nicely if any one is still reading?

  58. Jamie

    Are people still reading this thread? :)

    Linda and Jami at Studio Chavarria are both awesome. Linda works at the south studio, on Long Shoals, and Jami is in the one downtown, on Walnut. Linda did really really great short haircuts (and highlights) on a friend of mine. Jami does my hair. I started going to her last year and kept going because I finally leave a salon not wanting to go home immediately and restyle my hair. Also she’s super sweet and good with consulting on what I want, which was very vague and “uh, just make it look nice” the first time I went :)

  59. Blu Morris

    Hi it’s Blu Morris, Long Hair? and Yes I am AMAZING…

    I know with out a drought there is NO one better then me for a Hollywood Look, Why because I did them, I worked 15 years with Erik Bernard. I created most of the 300+ stars for the past 15 years, Eric and I did the Rosie Show. We were asked to do the View, We declined…..But we love and will always support Rosie…..I know her, until you do, don’t hate….

    I owned the largest Pet Sitting Service in Los Angeles, and Yes I owned Dorthory’s + Toto’s Pet Boutique and Yes, I gave MILLION$ to AID$, and you know what I will continue to HELP others and not hurt others, putting down others, as you guys are doing to each other, You know what if your Dreads need fixed, I’ll do them FREE, its just hair and there are people in this world trying to keep freedom for us to have dreads. Grow up, let go of the anger there is enough PAIN in this World. Why do you all have to hate so much….

  60. lisa marie

    Thank you for the offer Blu! I really mean it!

    I have had them re-done and LOVE the new dreads, but you offer to fix them means a lot. Congrats on your success :o) It looks like you have done AWESOME and your costumer service seems like it is great too.

    Thank you again! And that is a wonderful article!

  61. halo in reverse

    Blu, I am very interested in coming to see you. I have very long naturally curly hair and it’s been forever since I had a stylist who understood my hair. I’ve been reading good things about you. Keep up the good work.

    In regards to the dreads, while I personally would never have them. I thought they were supposed to look grungy and “messed up”? Pardon my lack of knowledge but, every set I’ve ever seen looks that way. That’s not an attack on anyone just a personal observation. However, if you didn’t get the service you wanted then I think under the circumstances and hearing both sides why couldn’t you guys come up with a 50/50 scenario?

  62. Sass A Frass

    Jen @ Eclipse is the only one I will let touch my hair my hair is curly & thick and I never had a great cut until that hair-goddess. Her coloring skills are tip top.

  63. Jessica Usagi

    Okay, I know this post is WAY late, but I just now found this blog. I think Lisa Marie was being slammed a bit. Why did the salon think they had the right to comment on her personal life? Even offering up the suggestion that she and her husband were having maritial problems was very unproffessional. Is she was unhappy with how her look turned out, she should have been given a refund. I think for the most part Lisa Marie had been very civil with the salon, but they’re posts were just a bit sladerous. Why wasn’t that not allowed?

  64. Jessica Usagi

    Was also wondering how exactly did this thread turn into all this drama? I thought it was just supposed to be referrals, basically.

  65. Loryn

    So, where WOULD you suggest getting your hair dreadded? I live in VA but love coming to Asheville. I have been searching online for HOURS trying to find a salon where I can get my curly, caucasian hair locked. Please, any suggestions? I just don’t want to drive 16 hours or more.

  66. Just let it dread on it’s own, sweetie. That’s how its supposeda work. Stop washing it and the natural oils will eventually balance out and then allow your hair to ‘lock’ up.

    anything else is boojie nonsense.

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