Miriam meets...well... Miriam

Style set in this weekend. It has trouble written all over it as I seem to have expensive taste. I went to the mall. I haven't been clothes shopping since last spring and the situation was getting dire. My six Threadless shirts could be better described as threadbare shirts (well almost). I was shocked to find that for the first time in my life, I had concrete ideas about what I was looking for rather than just trying on zillions of things until I found something, anything that looked good. I found that I have a set of rules for clothes. Well cut sleeves are a necessity as are clean lines. Ruffles equal automatic disqualification. Sashes and bows aren't quite that bad, but come close. Gathered fabric is okay if it is done in a way that doesn't interrupt the lines of the clothes. None of this was too surprising because those rules match my taste in architecture. What was a surprise is that sequins, sparkles and studs!? are okay (I am almost embarrassed to say so, but I have confidence in my stylish sensibilities, so I'm saying it.) The other surprise was that I look better flat chested than wearing a push-up bra. There are a few outfits that are exceptions, but in general, I think that subtle (in my case very subtle) curviness is best.

I also got my hair cut. I have generally liked expensive haircuts when the price includes the hairdressers sense of style. Not this time. I walked into Aveda at the mall and asked if I could get my hair done. I have often been told that if a stylist is available for a walk-in, it is best to pass on the cut. That was the attitude at Aveda and they assigned me to Tiffany. She was perfect looking. A model of classical beauty. Perfect skin, perfect facial structure, perfect body, and perfect hair. High heeled shoes. She was also washing the towels that the other stylists had used. I could tell she was young, but I also didn't get the Acck-this-will-be-a-bad-haircut sense that always precedes a bad haircut. She gave me scalp massage with scented oil. I had never had one of those before and it was great. She made washing my hair into some sort of relaxing spa therapy and then we proceeded to the haircut. I asked about her age. 18. I asked about her experience. She had been cutting hair for "a while". We discussed what to do with my hair. Neither of us had any idea. At least, not at first. She started cutting my hair and I could tell that the technical skills were all there. Then she dropped her scissors and the comb and the other stylists reassured her that she was doing okay and it hit me that hist was her first day on the job and that she was giving me her first haircut since graduating from beauty school. She was terrified but keeping it together pretty well. So I started directing her on the exact angles and lengths that I wanted my hair. I was surprised that I was able to do that. We both played with my hair and figured out that it needed a lot of texturing and a lot of layers. I made her do my bangs twice and we took them one lock at a time getting them to the exactly right length and the right contours. I was surprised that I had concrete opinions about that. In the end, it was a good haircut. Okay, better than that. It is the best haircut I have had in California. The other stylists were tremendously impressed and Tiffany was beaming. Absolutely glorious triumph written all over her face. I left her a big tip because the haircut cost very little and I have paid a lot more for haircuts nowhere near that good.

Today after our morning walk when I took my hat off, Jenny Vezzani tousled my hair a little and it was as good as when I had started the day. She told me it was the best haircut I have ever had (Even better than Pat's) and I think Tiffany may have her first regular customer.