so begins a start to what will be a very interesting day...

[Jenniferathome]

Today is my hair appointment in a salon for the normals. I decided to get my long haired wig cut and restyled. I've been communicating with my stylist this week about what I'm going for and she seems genuinely excited by challenge. I think I will be her first cross dresser! I've never been to a regular salon for wig help (I got bangs trimmed once in a wig salon) so I checked an outfit with my wife to make sure that it was "daytime salon typical." I mean I don't want to look stupid! (that's really funny if you think about it.) She pronounced the outfit as ok, so I got that going for me.

Only issue is that I have a training ride set with some friends that will run about 5 hours (about 100 miles). Cleanup and transformation time will be tight:doh: No changing now. I'll post some before an after shots of the wig change later. Looking forward to it!

[Marcelle]

Hey Jenn,

Good luck with the ride and the wig. I am interested to know how it went as I want to take a few of my wigs to a stylist.

Isha

[GretchenJ]

Hey Jenn,

yes let us know how it went, very interested in your experience. Good luck with the Batman ( or Batgirl! ) to Bruce Wayne quick change !

Gretch

[Jane G]

Enjoy your bike. I expect you will be thinking of the salon, towards the end. Have fun with all today's adventures.

[justmetoo]

Sounds like quite a ride to this casual bicyclist!
Good luck with that and with the salon appointment and your transformation in between!

[kimdl93]

No risk of looking stupid or abnormal. You (each of us) are unique, but we fall well within the normal distribution. You may be her first CDr, of course. That just makes you special.

[Brenda456]

I hope all goes great. BTW, I highly respect your opinions and thoughts in this forum. Thank you.

[Heidi Stevens]

Have fun, Jennifer! I got the wig you see on me in my avatar at a regular salon last fall. I wanted a first class wig, that meant going to a salon. We went through a dozen or so before I chose the one you see. The great thing about it was the styling trim that came with the wig, so it's been specialized just for me! Hopefully the salon you go to get the wig styled will also have some others to try out. Enjoy the experience!

[Jenniferathome]

JUpdate 1: ust finished at the salon. Great experience. I'll add more color to the visit shortly and some before and after shots on the photo section but here's my new cut via a selfie. I went with nude makeup for daytime.

OK, I posted the before and afters here: threads got merged here. Go figure.

Update 2: I'm tired. Killer ride.. Thank god I was with a group. 106 miles in 5:03:35. Got my self ready quickly and drove to downtown San Jose to a place called Paper Dolls. I had to park a few blocks away and while the sidewalks were busy, it was about 3PM, no one on the street did more than glance as they would at anyone. Now, I don't pretend that I pass, I do not. No one cares. Stacey is the owner and the one who cut my wig. The shop was full and nobody blinked when I walked in. I was a customer and treated very well. Stacey's friend was there and really chatted me up. I was part of the shop conversation. I gave Stacey some high level ideas of what I wanted and BOOM, she made it happen. Really great experience. If you have a wig that you do not love, take it to a pro, they can help you. I have some referral cards if anyone is in the San Jose area. It is worth the trip. The cut was only $40! I sent a shot to my wife and she loves it which means a lot to me.

If you have any questions, PM me and I'll give you more info.

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240161&stc=1

[Jenniferathome]

First and foremost, it was a great experience. Props to Stacey at paper Dolls in San Jose, California. I was Stacey's first cross dresser but it felt like I was just another female customer. By the way, you don't need to go to a wig shop. A good hair stylist can help you! The shop was great. The change is not huge but very noticeable and much better for me. The length was driving me nuts.

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240172&stc=1http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240173&stc=1http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240174&stc=1

[Jenniferathome]

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240175&stc=1http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240176&stc=1http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=240177&stc=1

[GretchenJ]

He/she did a very nice job on the wig, looks pretty and clean, like the bangs a lot.

[~Joanne~]

Looks a lot better in the back for sure and it's noticeable in the bangs but overall it's not a drastic change and still looks good :) I am thinking of taking my old wig somewhere or one of these nappy china ones to see what can be done with them but I guess time will tell if I ever get the nerve or conquer the fears to do so. Thanks for sharing :)

[MissTee]

Wow that looks great, Jennifer. She did a nice job.

[Jenniferathome]

Thanks for the feedback Joanne. And it's easy to do. You just go. There is no fear, no heart palpitations, it's really freeing. Just tell yourself, "Im going." Nothing more. You can do it.

[Ms. Laura]

Wow, very noticeable difference. The bangs look very nice and just an overall more polished look. I haven't done that yet. Once they are cut, that's it! Lol. So I've been nervous about it but after seeing yours. ..

[Amy Fakley]

Wow that's really cool. Never thought of that.
Just added going to a salon in girl mode to my bucket list :-)
Hair looks great, love your outfit too!

[Heidi Stevens]

They did a great job, Jen! Like I said on your other post, going to a REAL salon is just the only way to go!

[justmetoo]

Looks great! The small differences in the back and the bangs make a bigger improvement in the overall appearance. Did they do the styling while you wore the wig?

[Jenniferathome]

Yep, only way to cut it is to wear it.

[justmetoo]

That's what I thought. Sounds like fun. It is definitely on my list of something to try one of these days.

[Sherlyn]

I like it Jennifer ..it is basically the same yet shorter..and probably more manageable ..great experience..I'm somewhat a hairdresser ..I cut my own..in the avatar the bangs originally went to my chin

[Jenniferathome]

Sherlyn, you hit the nail on the head: manageable! I tried cutting a wig once and ruined it fast...

[Jordan]

Very nice such a cute lady

[vicky_cd99_2]

I am so jealous. They don't make enough drugs to give me a full head of hair. I am relegated to wigs the rest of my life. Your hair looks amazing.

[Suzanne F]

Very cute! I think you do pass to many people.
Suzanne

[vicky_cd99_2]

now I see it is a wig. Damn. I really wanted to be jealous of someone with real hair that looks that awesome. Okay there is hope for me...

[Michelle (Oz)]

Looks good Jenn and would have been loads of fun.

[Zylia]

The new length is just perfect! It actually rests on your shoulders now. Cute top by the way.

[Kim81]

I prefer after it has been cut as it looks alot neater.

[Claire Cook]

Hi Jennifer,

What a great post. Your hair looks so much more natural.


Thanks for the feedback Joanne. And it's easy to do. You just go. There is no fear, no heart palpitations, it's really freeing. Just tell yourself, "Im going." Nothing more. You can do it.

... and this is a great note of encouragement for us all. I've been there, done that and you are SO right!!

Thanks and hugs,

Claire

[Kandi Robbins]

Jenn,

Thanks so much for sharing! It's stories like this posted by the girls here that really help me and make me so very happy when I get the chance to do the same and relate my experiences. This little hobby of ours is so much more fun when you get the chance to share it, whether its with some other girls you've just met and/or spent time with, or telling stories to my wife or simply relating a great experience here.

The new cut looks great!

Kandi

[Erica Marie]

Good for you Jenn. The cut looks great. It is a great feeling to be accepted and supported. Hairstylists can be wonderful. I found an angel and she has helped me so much. Regular cuts and colors and she knows exactly what I am after.
Also for alot of girls here that are not sure if they can do it. My suggestion is call ahead, be honest and ask if they would be willing to help. Many times they will be willing to set up an after hour appointment for privacy reasons. Mine did the first few times, Now I am a regular and its awesome.

[HollySmtms]

Wow, you look really great! I am finding hair to be a HUGE challenge so I appreciate the helpful info combined with an exciting story and a very encouraging, inspiring outlook!

[Sarasometimes]

Jennifer, is it a human hair wig? That is what I wear and I'm such a salon junky, now getting highlights and lowlights and curls and roller sets and blowouts...I have so many NJ salons that are wonderfull that i can't afford to frequent them all.
Also how did you get it to stay on your head if you got it blow dried? I use hairpiece tape.

Thanks for showing that salons nearly everywhere (not every salon though) are open to being kind and helpful to us CD's.

[Jenniferathome]

Sara, it's synthetic hair but I am thinking about human hair for the next upgrade. Just easier to take care of, I think. I do use wig tape if I will be wearing the wig for several hours. Just makes me feel more secure but it fits well without it.

[Beverley Sims]

Jennifer,
I like the back before it was cut but from the front a definite improvement.
I think your smile helps a lot... :)