Oh, it’s so exciting!

Today, I went into a hair salon with pictures of women’s hairstyles, and asked for a feminine cut! No hedging, no hemming no hawing.

The stylist looked a bit puzzled, but with my soft, reddish curls hanging all around my face in a clearly feminine way, albeit in desperate need of some styling, he went with it.

We discussed what was possible and what was recommended, and it wasn’t until after he had me in the chair, hair washed, that he asked me why I would want a feminine hairdo.

Sometimes we make so much out of so little… I have been to hair salons before, always as a guy, and the best I could muster was that I’d like something androgynous. That’s a fairly unassailable position, but I always ended up with a cut that was more masculine than I’d wanted. Even in San Francisco, where I showed up as a girl and asked for a cut that was feminine but could be managed into a serviceable masculine do, I got something that basically made me look like a guy.

This time, I decided I wanted a girl’s hairdo, so I never once mentioned any concern about wanting to look the slightest bit masculine – and he got the point, even if he didn’t understand why I would want that.

I suppose I should explain that I had no choice but to arrive dressed as a guy, given the appointments I had just prior. But even if I could have, I don’t think I’d have gone as Janie this time. If I hadn’t been able to make myself understood as wanting a girly ‘do this time, I probably would have gone for it next time. But, I always presume that showing up as Janie would really throw a new stylist for a bit of a loop – I’m worried that it might be too much to expect someone to take such an unusual character in stride without some preparation.

So, if possible, I like to ease into these things and let my particular nature slowly ease into someone’s consciousness.

In answer to his question, I just said, “It’s just something I like to do from time to time,” and that was the end of it! He never asked another thing about it.

Now that I have gotten my girly ‘do, I am so happy I could scream!

And, if I remain as enamored with it for the next few weeks, I expect that I will go back to this same stylist next time and bring him a photo of myself fully made up and dressed, making the most of his work! Ease ’em in… that’s my approach…

If all goes well after that appointment, then I’ll feel free to show up as Janie from then on.