So I went to the hair salon the other day and both my former hairstylist (Jessie) and my current stylist was in there. For context: Last year, Jessie decided that she was going to move almost an hour away, and she was gonna open her own salon. While I loved how she styled my hair I was not traveling two hours for a hair style. So I decided to go to somebody else in the same salon who was just as good as she was.
So for the last year or so I’ve been going to Cary. Well fast-forward to this week.
When I walked in, Jessie is there grinning from ear to ear, super happy to see me. Then it hits me, she has no idea I’ve been going to Cary ever since she moved.
Cary immediately calls me over and you could literally see Jessie realize in real time that I wasn’t there for her. The tension in the salon during the two hours I was there was unreal. No one knew what to say.
When I was leaving, Jessie stopped me and told me I was wrong for going to Cary. I told her she moved almost an hour away, and I wasn’t obligated to follow her. I also let her know I didn’t owe her an explanation.
Later, she texted me saying I should have told her that I was going to Cary, and now that she’s back, I should come back to her since I “stayed for convenience.”
AITA for not telling Jessie that I started going to Cary instead while she was gone?
NTA she expected you to just … wait for you? Not have your hair styled for a year?
You have no obligation to “come back”, because you never left – she did.
You were under no obligation to tell her what stylist you started using *after she left.*
NTA.
NTA. What did she think you had been doing for the last year—cutting your hair yourself with scissors in the mirrror? You didn’t leave her. She left the salon. “I also let her know I didn’t owe her an explanation”: correct. Good for you. She’s an AH for trying to take you away from Cary. You are of course absolutely free to go to either, but Jessie’s behavior would make me lean toward Cary.
NTA. Jessie seems to be learning now what most adults should learn by their early 20s. She’s not that special and she is replaceable. Frankly, her lack of success running her own salon should have told her that, so hopefully she wakes up on her own soon and apologizes for being so unprofessional as to attempt to guilt-trip a former client.
She was starting her own salon, there’s no reason for her to think you would wait for her come back. And when you didn’t travel an hour each way to get her to style your hair, she should have read the neon writing on the wall.
NTA
Big red flag if someone providing a service makes you feel bad for going to someone else. NTA, she needs to stop acting like she’s in high school & be a professional about it
I had a hair stylist do the same. Business acumen isn’t part of their curriculum. You’re not her employee.
NTA. She was incredibly rude for even mentioning it. I’d let the salon know.
NTA – I could see if she was like “hey! I’m back if you want to come see me again” but why would she think you just showed up to see her when she’d been gone for a year without giving you any indication of her return?? Sounds like her salon failed a she’s scrambling to rebuild clientele because she’s in a tough spot. I would keep seeing Cary.
I didn’t think of that. You are right. She didn’t give me the heads up that she was coming back.
NTA. She left. You have found a new stylist that works well with you. It’s unfortunate for your old stylist, but she should have been prepared for you to find someone who fits your needs. Your life doesn’t stop because she moved and then changed her mind. She made it weird.
Completely unprofessional behavior. I wouldn’t go back to her even if Cary leaves.
NTA. Jessie was very unprofessional. She left for a year to pursue another opportunity, and doesn’t automatically get her previous clients back just because she wants them.
NTA. She moved. You clearly didn’t follow, which means that you established yourself with another stylist (unless she thought you were letting your grow for a year?). And unless this is one of those walk-in/no appointment salons, it’s ridiculous for Jessie to think you were there for her.
You do not owe Jessie an update on who has been doing your hair. If she was interested in reconnecting with clients, she could’ve been in touch in advance to announce she’s returning and invite clients to return. She isn’t doing herself any favors by behaving as she is.