Hair Apparent: Is There Such a Thing as a Bargain Haircut?

Question of the day: should you sign up for a bargain haircut offered by Aveda hairdressers-in-training or other similar establishments?

In NYC and other major cities, often upscale hair salons offer free or discount haircuts if you use one of their trainees. But in Brooklyn, we say, fuggedaboutit.

If you haven't seen the work of the person lopping at your ponytail, be wary. I have seen many excellent results from my friends' visits to Bumble & Bumble trainees, but Bumble & Bumble is the exception to the rule.

Yesterday at the Aveda salon, my roommate just asked a student to dye her hair lighter, and they bleached her Pamela Anderson blonde (see diagram to left) with streaks of green. Fuming, she marched home and expertly dyed it back to brown with her two gloved hands.

Don't be had! And if you're broke and a bit punk rock, you're probably better off snipping here and there on your own. (Feel free to contradict me on this one.)