I've moved on...
...to a different domain. Why, what were you thinking? The truth is, I just woke up one day and decided it's time for a change—a metamorphosis, if you will; or, in layman's terms, if Britney can shave her head, then maybe so can I? Nevertheless, it's been a rather handsome 10 years of talking to you, and thank you for putting up with all my moodswings and terrible dad jokes. Fear not! The hormonal imbalance and jokes are more terrible on CUBICLE, see you there.

Le omg

J Hair, 54 Warren St, London

If you feel like you need me to explain why my hair looks like sushi rolls at one point, let me just tell you none of that was actually planned. I mean, I didn’t wake up with a massive hangover in a random salon chair receiving a haircut while missing a kidney, I just didn’t see the 3-hour PERM happening when I decided on a whim at stupid-o’clock the night before that I was going to hack my hair off. I’m pretty sure if you look up ‘whim’ in the dictionary there’s a picture of a girl with a bob-cut or a massive face tattoo, in fact there’s probably an illustration of me blissfully buying 20 bags of assorted peanuts in Tesco on a whim, and because they were on 2-for-1 sale. (Hubby and I are preparing a zombie apocalypse with our hoarding) I digress. I asked the lovely Mrs Jakki, the founder of J Hair, if she can make me look like that girl in the phone and when she said easy peasy I honestly expected a simple snip-snap 30-minute haircut. She then proceeded to slashing my ponytail in one move while I was distracted taking a call, and of course I looked up and peed a little. She tidied it around here and there, and when it started to take shape I started asking Kit what she wants to eat after this… until an evil-looking cart full of candy-coloured rollers were pulled out and next thing I know chemicals were being squirted on my head.
Three hours later, Kit and I both a little dead from looking at sushi-hair yet faraway from real food, the rolls were taken out and I peed again at the sight of taut little curls. (Yes, yes, lots of peeing) Jakki quickly went about explaining how she’d given me a digital-perm to give natural bounce to an otherwise flat hairstyle, and for the next few minutes saw her blow-dry out the ramen-noodles into exactly what I wanted in the first place. Except of course, I absolutely adored the curls once it stopped looking like wet seaweed. So there you have it, the rant behind my two-for-one haircut!

This is probably the reason why I insist on J Hair, not just because they obviously know how to handle heavy Asian hair, but it’s clear that they want customers to be happy past the first day out of that salon chair. Don’t get me wrong, Jakki did ask if I wanted a digital-perm and I said yes, she didn’t just sneaky-Korean-tiger-mum me into a perm, but clearly it was a great call on her behalf despite it not being the most convenient method and weeks after the cut I’m still making out with the hawt girl in the bathroom mirror.

Thank you Kit for enduring the longest hair-thing of our lives and snapping the process. Thank you J Hair for the wondertastic ‘do! 

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86 Comments

  1. You look adorable! I used to go to Asian hairdressers because they supposedly know how to work with our hair types better, but I kept getting stylists who didn’t speak much English and it was quite frustrating trying to explain to them without showing pictures! I have a good hairdresser now and gosh a good hairdresser is so difficult to find! So I’m glad you are happy with the result because you look so chic! Hope it’s proving to be easy enough to style though!

    And is it bad that I am envious of your relationship with Kit and Jen? :) You three are such good friends and you share so much fashion fun together!!

    Nora

  2. you look gorgeous! *__* and I’m so jealous of your adventures in Fashion Week(s). your blog continues to be one of my absolute favorites!

  3. oh and I’ve been pulled into drastic eyebrow trims and several mole removals without consent by my hairdresser…them hair people be so clever and sneaky. Glad they handled your hair well!

  4. Audrey

    Thank you for the recommendation! As someone who also has straight and very thick Asian hair I’m hesitant of attempting a short haircut (I have tried in the past but it turned out terrible) but I may try this salon in the future.

  5. amazing! love how the process was captured, also really interesting to see all these steps!
    and of course u look fabulous with this hair cut!

    xx, Sabinna and David
    Broken Cookies

  6. Jessica Sobey

    Those guys are gonna be flooded with clients now! The salon looks adorable xx

  7. You look great! Love how lush and thick your hair looks, and the soft and subtle movement it has.
    Material Fixations

  8. You look adorable! love your new haircut.

  9. you look so beautiful <3

  10. Looks absolutely stellar on you! There’s something so liberating about having long hair suddenly chopped… almost cathartic.

    ~F

  11. Every time I’v gotten a hair cut (including trims) its always done on a whim. Why? Because I am too chicken to plan a hair cut (too many bad cuts I suppose). I love the feeling after a spontaneous cut, I feel like a new person, a little more wild at heart. haha. Strange, I know.

  12. beautiful final product. i love the hair. :)
    xx, http://wordbyjessie.com/

  13. Antonia

    it looks so fresh, I love it! and your hair-cut adventure is written exeptionally well lol

  14. LOL. “sneaky-Korean-tiger-mum”
    I looove your hair, 잘 어울려요~

  15. I’ve always had some difficulty finding hair stylists who know how to manage Asian hair, so I know the feeling when you find one who does! Love how they redeemed the curls, and the hair length looks fantastic on you.

    http://www.TheFancyTeacup.com

  16. Jing

    You look nice with short hair. Fresh. Your hair look similar to mine. Straight but flat, especially at the scalp. I’m no hairdresser, but my personal experience tell me that the best thing to do is not a digital perm. The reason’s that it should not be done at the root. The digital perm will make the middle and end of the hair volumnized , leaving the scalp area looking even flatter. I think Korean girls prefer soft, glossy and healthy looking hair. Digital perm is more a Japanese thing as Japanese girls like matt texture.

  17. OMG. On that picture where your heel is tucked underneath the metal-bar-thing on the chair…at first I thought that the metal bar WAS your heel, and I was scratching my head figuring out how you actually walked around in a shoe like that. And then I saw the other shoe. -__- Your hair looks beautiful by the way..how long does it take for your hair to grow out? My hair seems to be taking FOREVER, but yours seems to have grown quite a bit in a short(?) amount of time.

  18. Hehe cute story – and cute haircut! YOu look so great with the shorter bob! :)

    Love the photos as always!

    http://www.phoandchips.com

  19. “LE OMG” hahahahaha^^
    nice pictures Shini ~ looks like you really know the hairstylists
    the finishing cut looks good as. classic short bop and suitable for most occassions :D

    Style Hostess

  20. Errr.. is that lee young ae ssi in the photo? It just looks like her :p

  21. Finding an amazing hairdresser is a hard task. Either they charge too much or you leave looking like a poodle. That’s only for girls like me with thick, curly hair can say about getting a hair cut.

    Your short new look is such a great style. I love the way you look in bouncy curls!

  22. Just cut my hair into a similar bob a few weeks ago, keeping the bangs a la Anna Karina. What feels more amazing than a naked neck?? You look great.

  23. Super beautiful! I like it :)

    xo
    http://www.ireneccloset.com

  24. You went for the chop! Cudos! I t looks wonderful. Unplanned haircuts are totally win!

    Bright Green Laces

  25. haha hair-dressers’ stories are always the best and can be discussed hours for hours right? looking good my dear!

    http://allegrabj.blogspot.com

  26. B.

    Wow that is a lot shorter in once, very daring of you,but the result looks very good. Special !

    http://www.tripsandtreasures.net
    new outfit post

  27. Anastasia V

    Oh wow! I love the new hairdo, it reminds me so much of Kiko Mizuhara XX

  28. I love the change in hair! It suits you!

    http://www.2fashionfed.blogspot.com

  29. Your new hairstyle looks great!

    Do you think short hair is more suitable for spring of for fall?
    I personally feel that fall is more professional and sharp – thus goes with a shorter, edgier do’ while spring is romantic and is suitable for longer hair. So I’m growing out my bob haha.

    What do you think?

  30. A good hair cut is so life changing! Shini, when you said you were going for a bob I was so scared… remember your last hair cut?! I swear you had to hold back tears for that entire month. The curl seems to have totally transformed your life. It looks so super sultry but laid-back and like you’ve put NO EFFORT in… which is exactly what a lazy ‘I don’t own a hair brush’ sort of girl like you need.

    The salon looks amazing too. Always go back to them.

    Also, we need to craft an award for Kit. Why is she always the one that gets drug along for long (hair cutting) excursions and never gets give any food?! xx

  31. Amazing haircut! I in love with your new look!

    http://between-heels.blogspot.com/

  32. i didn’t know there was such thing as a digital perm. your hair looks fabulous!

    http://www.absurdlypeculiar.blogspot.com

  33. You look great!

    xx.

  34. Looks so good! I was tempted to get a perm MANY TIMES but now I’ve hacked my hair off it’s going to have to wait a while…

  35. Your pictures are amazing as always. I love the first one and the bag : gorgeous !
    Thaïs

  36. love getting my hair done at the salon, this one looks particularly inviting! the storyboard of steps is precious, yay for haircuts and great service!

  37. i already wrote in another post comment that i love, love, love your new hairstyle. now i’m even more inspired by that digi perm. i’ve heard of it before in japan and find the results fantastic, though i wanted to get rid of my wavy hair and went for a japanese straightening perm. i’m sure you’re happy with your style as you can do both girly and boy-ish.

  38. The short hair looks so good on you! I think you look younger (that’s a compliment!) :D

    http://stine-mo.looknow.dk

  39. wew.. I should say “First cut is the deepest (a.k.a longest in this term)” heheheh.. It’s indeed a wondertastic do!!

  40. Oh so nice this haircut ;-)

    kate
    http://katewalk.blogspot.com/

  41. 완전 짱 귀여운데 ㅎㅎ

  42. 3 hours of poodling, we could have flown to Egypt.

  43. Stunning, looks great on you!

  44. I commend you for your hair-bravery. I’ve been going through a phase of wanting to hack off my hair for the past few months but can never bring myself to do it. I haven’t had shorter hair since primary school when my mom used to tie a palm tree half pony tail on top!

    By the way, you look super cuuuuude

  45. I AM SO TRYING THAT PALM TREE PONY TAIL. ah sha you’re my inspiration.

  46. Oh, it’s awesome change! You look amazing :)
    http://www.tickettomyfashion.blogspot.com

  47. Really big change! But you look amazing! :)
    http://www.tickettomyfashion.blogspot.com

  48. What a complicated process, the people who work there must know what to do definitely

    nastya-said.blogspot.com/

  49. I love your new haircut ♥

  50. Seen your hair over at wishwishwish and was so surprised to see it short! It looks lovely XX

  51. oliwia

    where do you actually live? you travel so much, I can’t even tell which country you live in and what city. have you ever posted any random pictures of your house/apartament? sorry if this is a bit too personal for you, but I really am just curious thats all :)

  52. hahah it’s actually really funny it seems that way now, definitely time to post more pics of home! I’m based in London, if you go back a few pages it should be obvious ;) there are just months when I travel a whole lot more!
    x

  53. ayy_ayy

    didn’t you feel your breath stopped a second when the hairdresser CUT your long hair?? because i did. :)
    but looks good on you.. :)

  54. Fai

    You look great! I love having perm. Its long hours in the salon but totally worth it!!
    I loooove your shirt!

  55. Love your new hair. So jealous of your constant hair changes!

  56. Just found your blog. It’s such a breath of fresh air! Showing some love from LA. great photography!

    -Casey
    http://www.caseyscollection.blogspot.com

  57. and I was thinking I need to get my hair cut too. I need one like yours.

  58. No way I live so close to that place I walk past it to get to uni!

  59. love love you hair! i want to try digital perm soon :)

  60. you could not be a stitch cuter!!!

  61. Got my hair(s) cut today too! I really like the door mat in this post!

  62. Wow! A big transformation but a really good transformation.

  63. Beautiful!!

    :)

  64. You look adorable! love your new haircut.

  65. Your hair looks great! There’s nothing like that feeling after a haircut. It feels like you’re so liberated. I’ve been dying to snip my hair off for a while, but I’m too much of a chicken to actually follow through with it.

  66. beautiful post!!!

    Freaky Friday
    Freaky Friday FB FanPage

  67. Oh dear, my hair tips curl back into my scalp when looking at this!
    I have really long hair and eyed the possibility to cut them since years but was never brave enough; to be fair it probably wouldn’t look half as good as on you. Kudos for getting it that ‘short’. :) Clé

  68. I love you with shorter hair! beautiful!

  69. I love your hair cut, you look beautiful!

  70. Oh my you cut your hair! It looks amazing!

  71. You look absolutely beautiful – and I can believe how hard it might be – to get such a new hair styling – but you look perfect… great captured moments…

    Join my new JIMMY CHOO GIVEAWAY

    Tanja – PureGlam.tv or via Bloglovin

  72. It looks *glorious*. But then, I might be a bit biased cause last Saturday I had a very suspiciously similar chop-chop day. And I’m in love with my mirror. So, yes. Glorious. Or, as I like to typo, Blorious.

  73. Wow, so beautiful and inspirational photos. Really amazing xx

    http://www.notesdujour.dk

  74. Great look on you for Spring, Shini! I adore your floral top, too!

    x Sarah

  75. Omg! your hair<3
    How is it that you jump off from one length of hair to the other and manage to look soo fantabulous?!!
    And thats like the best shorty short story I've ever read… haha.

  76. eunshil

    Your hair looked like kimbap in one of the pictures. Keh. Nice haircut.

  77. It looks pretty! Happy sunday! XO Rebecca

    http://raspberry-rouge.com

  78. PERFECT HAIR!

  79. Gorgeous new haircut girlfriend, love it!
    Delaney
    xx

  80. Hi I built the jhair website, and since you posted this article, the jhair website received 360 visitors in one day! Compared to 20 hits a day usually I was impressed, through a bit of research managed to trace it back here… Cool Blog, I love your photography, maybe I could use some on the Jhair website? :) Please give me your thoughts. All the best

  81. Ah thank you for getting in touch! Always nice to hear that a feature does push some visitors over, I believe a few readers got the same hairstyle as well! I definitely wouldn’t mind as long as there’s a clear credit link, thank you for asking! Lovely design btw ;)

  82. Chirine

    Hi Shini! I first saw your post a few weeks ago and have been since then on whether I should get a similar, short haircut (I love the natural wave effect) , and I’ve recently decided to give it a go ! However, I went on J Hair’s website to have a look at what they offer but couldn’t find any price list. I was wondering how much approximately did your haircut cost?

    Keep up with your truly amazing blog!
    Best regards,

    Chirine

  83. Alicia

    I JUST did a digital perm a month back, and yes, I totally looked like you with those curlers. But, I never regretted it, gives you so much versatility. How come your curls don’t look so curly though? mine was boomz!

  84. […] freak stroke of luck – my first Mary Katrantzou show wherein I cried rainbows all-throughout Slashed hair, courtesy of […]

  85. […] what with absolutely no blowdry skills whatsoever, so I went back in for a shorter length and Mrs Jackie had thrown in a blow dry as well. So, realistically, this style will NEVER appear again on the blog […]

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