A Fresh Haircut
When a lot of people feel like something big has happened in their life that they couldn't control what do they do? Generally, a lot of people will cut their hair to show that they do have control in their life.
One woman from Florida hadn't gotten a trim in 30 years. It was crazy how her world would get turned upside down.
Meet Holly
Holly Garrido was used to her hair being the longest in her social circle. Even strangers she'd meet, it would always be longer. She knew it was worth the terrible routine every morning, she loved her hair.
After her morning ritual with her hair, she would leave for her job. She never cared too much about what other people thought of her. After all her job just required utility and not appearances.
Part Of Her Identity
People walking by probably thought she was a Repunzel look alike. It was a huge part of who she was after all.
She never wanted to cut her hair, it felt like a permanent part of her. But with her wedding coming up, everyone wondered how she would style it.
The Hard Truth
Holly decided to make her decision She had planned everything right down to the smallest detail.
Just as any bride she wanted her big day to be perfect. But her split ends told her something - she needed a haircut. She had avoided it for 30 years but now she came to the hard truth.
To The Salon
Holly had butterflies in her stomach as she walked into Avant Garde Salon. The stylist inspected her bleach-damaged hair that was over two-feet long, while she nervously explained about the upcoming wedding and how she wanted to be completely transformed.
As luck would have it, she had chosen the perfect place to get it done. But would she back out at the last minute?
Jeremy Harfield
The stylist, Jeremy Harfield, ran his fingers through Holly’s hair and commented on the bleach that had grown out halfway down.
If Holly wanted a color match, it would be an extremely difficult job. But when she told him that she wanted to do something different, he was itching to work his magic - Holly was the perfect canvas for his art.
The Big Chop
Holly was extremely nervous, but Jeremy just patted her on the shoulder and immediately got to work... before she had time to change her mind.
He gathered her two-toned tresses up into sections and began to snip. “Say goodbye to the old,” he quipped as, in one swift, final chop, he lopped off two feet of her hair. Holly’s eyes widened, but it was too late. There was no going back now.
A Different Person
Holly stared at her reflection in the mirror with wide, startled eyes. Her hair now just grazed her shoulders.
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing - she looked like a completely different person! The entire blonde half of her hair was completely gone. She felt like the weight of 30 years had been lifted off her shoulders. But why had she waited this long?
A Confession
As Holly stared at herself in the mirror and gently ran her fingers through the ends of her hair, she made a emotional confession.
Keeping her hair so dramatically long was something that had stemmed from her childhood. She explained that she had always felt that she had needed to keep her hair long because of something her father had said to her when she was very young.
Her Father’s Ideas About Femininity
Holly’s father had instilled the idea in her that a woman must always keep her hair long - he told her that if she ever cut it, she would no longer feminine or attractive.
She’d always clung to the idea that she wouldn’t be pretty if she ever cut her hair. But her transformation was only just beginning.
Childhood Insecurities
When Jeremy had snipped off Holly’s hair, she watched her tresses fall to the floor and felt the insecurities that had been there since her childhood fall away with them.
Once Jeremy had put the finishing touches on Holly’s haircut, she couldn’t stop touching it. Her long, damaged hair had been replaced with a sleek new, shoulderlength bob! Now, it was time for some color.
A Heart-To-Heart
Stylist Sara Pestella took over from Jeremy, and she and Holly talked while she worked. Holly shared more about the seed of doubt that her father had planted all those years ago and how it had affected her life and relationships.
Removing her hair before her wedding had become a symbolic act for her. After her hair had been colored, Holly was moved to the makeup artist’s chair. And she was ready to let go of the old and embrace the new.
Head-To-Toe Makeover
Holly’s makeover took seven hours to complete. She arrived at the salon at 7 pm and stayed until 2 am the following morning.
The stylists and makeup artist worked through the night until her transformation was complete. By the time they were done, no-one would recognize her. Holly looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe her eyes.
Going Viral
Holly’s before-and-after photos began to circulate online, and her transformation quickly became an internet sensation. Nobody could believe that the woman with the two-toned hair was the same person.
Avant Garde Salon got so much exposure for their amazing work that Holly’s photos got them nominated for Transformation Shot of the Year!
On The Catwalk
Of course, Avant Garde Salon won the prize. Holly made a special appearance on the catwalk, wearing a sleek white jumpsuit and flaunting her new look. But that’s not all.
Holly was so enamoured with the people at the salon that she quit her job as a gate guard and started working there as a receptionist. She never could have predicted that that fateful haircut would change her life!