We'd pick the quiet chair, each and every time
There are several reasons to dread going to the hairdresser: the expense, the risk they'll completely ignore your instructions and worst of all, the fact you'll have to answer interminable questions about whether you've got a holiday booked and what you're doing at the weekend.
You also have to ask the poor stylist questions about how many brothers and sisters they have, while both of you secretly wish you could just stand and sit in silence and just let the hair cutting be done.
Well, one Cardiff salon, Bauhaus, has answered your prayers and introduced a 'quiet chair', perfect for those of us who just can't abide the chit chat.
Bauhaus owner, Scott Miller, told Wales Online that it was important for customers to be able to switch off.
'Our team is full of brilliant conversationalists, it’s an important part of being a hair stylist, and most of our customers love coming in to have a chat,' he said. 'But at the same time, we understand people lead busy lives where they may have been communicating with people all day and want some relief. A trip to the hair salon is supposed to be relaxing, and while for some people that means catching up on what’s been going on in their lives, not everybody is comfortable with small talk.'
Source: giphy
Visitors to the salon will be able to book the quiet chair over the phone, in person and soon online, too.
'We wanted to take the embarrassment away, and for customers to know we won’t be offended if they don’t want to do the small talk often associated with visiting the hair salon,' said Scott. 'Of course, we’ll talk to them about their hair and what they want, but apart from that, they’ll be able to enjoy the experience in silence and read a magazine uninterrupted if they want to.
'I always say, if you’re asking your client where they’re going on holiday, you’ve lost.'
But if you do decide you want to know all about your stylist's holiday plans in the end, no worries - changes of mind are allowed.
'We’re expecting the new quiet option to be really popular, and clients can always try it out as and when, depending on their mood,' added Scott. 'And they can change their mind halfway through if they feel like they’re missing out and want a chinwag.'
Trip to Cardiff, anyone?
Would you use the quiet chair? Let us know @marieclaireuk