Panda

My sister got married last weekend and, while I have several things to share regarding her fabulous wedding weekend, I wanted to go ahead and share this one for your entertainment.  

Sarah suggested (or I invited myself-details, details) that we get our hair done together the day of the wedding.  Yea!  My hair is a royal pain and having someone besides me in charge of dealing with it on such an important day was fine by me.

She called me several weeks before the big day to tell me she'd arranged for me to get my hair done at the same time and place and that my stylist's name was Panda, as in PAN-DUH, like the bear.  

I don't think we have stylists here in BCS named Panda and imagined her with multiple piercings, half of her head shaved, the other half black with maroon stripes (or whatever you call that kind of hair situation), and LOTS of dark eye makeup.  I'm just being honest here.  My only concern with this picture I had in my head of the Panda I'd never met-that she would have no experience with a client as boring as me.  

Imagine my shock when we met and she looked normal.  Well, cute & stylish, not anything like I'd imagined. Relief!  I told her (about 10 times) that I'm super boring and plain and very comfortable with being boring and plain.  "The most plain customer you've had," I told her.

I'd been so busy imagining Panda's hair situation that I'd arrived with no plan for my own.  She gave me several options, one of which I thought sounded less dramatic than the others.  Keep that in mind.  Also keep in mind that this is Step 1:  

Aaaannnnddddd, the final product:  (Having my hot guy in the pic doesn't hurt. ;)

Me with Mollie & Diana  :)

Actually there were many, many, many steps-we were at the salon for over an hour, which was long enough to solve the mystery  of non-smoker's lung cancer in women.
P R O D U C T.  Lots of product.

But, our time there was so relaxing-there were complimentary hand massages while we sat-and I was in the middle of a sinus infection, so I couldn't smell all that product.

When Sarah came in (this was a fancy place where each client is in their own room with a stylist) I told her I was unsure.  Was it too wild?  Too curly?  Too flat on top?  Too not me?

Sarah really liked it so I accused her of liking it for the sheer fact that she could stand by me all night and look fabulous. (Of course she'd look fabulous, being the bride and all, but you know what I mean.)

Panda weighed in with this helpful statement, "Don't worry.  As soon as you get your makeup on you'll feel really glamorous."

I'm not sure if I said this out loud or not, but I did have my makeup on, thank you very much.

Luckily my Aunt Kerri is a S Cali girl, beautiful and well-versed at makeup application.  I quickly found her at the venue, told her what Panda had said, and asked her to work her magic.  She was happy to do it and I did feel more glamorous when she finished.  Thanks Aunt Kerri!

People were SHOCKED at my edgy do (for me, anyway) and I got many compliments such as, "Wow!  I didn't even recognize you!"  (That's a compliment, right?!)  "Your hair looks soooo cute!"  And, "Oh my gosh!  You're wearing lipstick!"  The most common reaction, "You look like Sybil (from Downton Abbey)." followed by, "She's the pretty one, right?"  I have no clue since B and I are the only people on the planet who don't watch the show.

It was fun and I was pleased with how it turned out, especially given all the circumstances.  Thanks, Sister, for getting my hair did!  :)