A Rachel. A friggin Rachel.

[catslave]

The title says it all. I have been growing my hair for a year, after I had massive hormone problems, half dropped out, and I had it cut from armpit length to jawbone length.

It had finally made it to my collarbone, partly because I avoided the hairdresser for 6 months (except for 6 weekly grey-terminating root jobs). So I thought I'd book a trim. I am an idiot, the hairdresser is an idiot, and I now sport a Rachel from Friends circa 1996 crap hairdo. I am gutted.

I have thick slightly wavy hair, and if they cut in layers (which I always expressly say 'don't') the top ones turn in at the base, while the bottom layer flicks out. I look like a 90s mushroom. Bwaaah, sob sob.

If anyone else has hairdresser inflicted bad hair then please come and join my massive pity party. I have streamers and

[TheRealFellatio]

They always do this to me, too. I am almost pathologically afraid of going for a haircut now.

I once posted a thread ranting about the very same thing. All sorts of stupid flicky layers in the wrong places, and the wrong lengths. No-one cared. I just want you to know that I care about your fucking awful hair.

[MrsMangelFanciedPaulRobinson]

Oh no, I hate it when that happens. Are you able to minimise the 'Rachel' effect by straightening it?

I had a crap haircut about a year ago when the hairdresser hacked into my hair with thinning scissors, leaving some layers on top of my head as short as 2 inches so it was all static and sticking up. Was a pain to tie up too.

[Wereonourway]

I feel your pain ladies, I had this once.

I've also got a very round head(or cherry shaped to be precise) and it looked awful on me.

Straightening was only way forward. And getting tough with hairdresser by saying LONG layers and shouting of she went near the thinning scissors

[TheRealFellatio]

With me they always but the layers too deeply over my ears, so the hair springs up and I get a new pair of ear muffs. [hm]

[Limoncellolovely]

Feel your pain I am exactly the same went in for a virtually any haircut I have if it involves layers morphs into a Rachel even a Danni Minogue bob turned into a goddam Rachel. Straighteners and lee Stafford climate control to try and resist damp weather flicks are your friends until you can grow it out.

[EleanorFarjeon]

The Rachel is probably due a revival by now!

[WTFisABooyhooISBooyhoo]

i was just going to say, you should start telling everyone that the 'rachel' is back in and wear it with pride! i reckon the rachel could still work now with a bit of modern product help to make it less mushroomy. it depends how trendy you are with clothes and make up though? or use it as the basis for a style makeover?

[daimbardiva]

This happened to me about 6 months ago, so frustrating. It's almost grown out now, you have my sympathies...

[Puddlelane]

I have the same problem with fine hair!
I also have a hole basically at the front too.

It's either the mum bob or the rachel :(

[VeremyJyle]

Just to hijack for a moment, went to great effort to straighten my hair yesterday for ExP to tell me I looked like Professor Snape. Have to face him weekly for contact with DS so now I just want to lop the lot off

[WTFisABooyhooISBooyhoo]

what is it with EXes thinking their opinion on our appearance is still welcome? my ex regularly comments when i've put tan on or done my nails. tbh i think he's trying to work out whether i'm heading out for the night.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Yes, Mushroom Head.
::understanding nod::

I have been there too. Whenever I have my hair cut - which is every 8ish weeks for me - I bang on to the hairdresser about how I want long layers 'like this' (demonstrates on hair), as if there's too much gap between them, I get Mushroom Head. I have had the same hairdresser for a couple of years now, but I will not rest on my non-mushroomed laurels. So she gets the spiel every time.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

I think your options are:

1. put up with it
   
2. make it more wavy, to encourage choppy texture. Would your hair hold this?
   
3. iron it out and go heavy on the de-frizzing products
   
4. have the length cut off a bit.
   
   But I am no hairdresser.

[FrugalFashionista]

Not sure if this will make you feel better OP but I was given a mullet by a hairdresser a few years ago.

If you could choose, which one would you pick? A mullet or the Rachel

[SingingSands]

This happens to me too! You only have to whisper "layers" at my hair and I end up looking like a mushroom head. Then they grow out into something that resembles spaniel ears. Grrr... I hate my hair! I had it cut to a straight jaw length bob in February which I hated and am growing out. I'm considering shaving my head and investing in a series of amazing wigs.

[SolomanDaisy]

I am growing my hair and I was looking in the mirror this afternoon thinking it has turned into an accidental Rachel. It does look shit.

[LynetteScavo]

I think a Rachel is a fine cut. The best thing to come out of the '90's, infact (and no, I don't wear bootleg jeans!) If you have thick hair and no layers you just end up with a big triangle.

If you really hate it, have the bottom cut a bit, so the layers are near the bottom, and have them cut into, rather than a blunt edge.

[carabossse]

Oh I'm in!

Three years ago I found a great hairdresser. Late 40s, loads of experience, recommended... On the first visit when I began explaining please no point cutting, no short layers etc he immediately said all the right things and why my hair (long, dense, mixed texture with a few coarse hairs, slight wave) needed to avoid those things. Three years on and we have the same chat every time, butthe last visit I got a Rachel. Shorter layers at the front which jump up and longer at the back which flicks out. I have 1980s hair anyway, but this is some sort of Rachel vs mullet situation.

Any ideas for a new style gratefully received.

[valiumredhead]

You need layers or you end up with a triangle.

[TheCraicDealer]

Hmm, have you styled it yourself? When I get mine cut and coloured it always looks like a Rachel. They always seems to try to slick it down to my head and flick it out at the bottom in the course of cutting it. Then I get home and re-do it all myself and it looks grand. It's always a blessed relief as I don't like resembling a American news anchor from 1996.

[HorribleHaircut]

Hello.

I look fucking awful. Well I was no oil painting to begin with but now I look utterly vile and will do for the next six months.

Bad hairdressers of the world: kindly fuck back off to the School Of Hideous Hairdressing and stay there with your wonky eyesight and no sense of style or taste.

[SacreBlue]

This is why I don't go near them except when I am in full expat control mode

It could be worse, really really. Old school friend posted on fb her hairdresser gave her a ............ mullet

I linked to shhh DM article saying it was now back in but that's never a good look

Personally I feel hats are long overdue a revival

[5318008]

My hair will never do the rachel, it just hands there in limp hanks so I am mighty jealous of your bouncy locks, you lot

[5318008]

it doesn't hand, that would be vair odd