That one customer who asked for a 'modern mullet' and brought 12 reference pictures

Had a guy walk in last Tuesday in Denver, sits down and pulls out his phone with a whole folder of photos. Said he wanted a 'modern mullet' but every picture was different - some were shaved sides, some were long and curly on top. I spent like 10 minutes just sorting through them with him to find a common thread. Finally we agreed on a style, but halfway through he stops me and says 'actually can we try that first picture instead'. Has anyone else dealt with customers who come in with way too many reference photos?

3 comments

3 Comments

colethomas7d ago

I used to roll my eyes when people showed up with lots of photos, but your story makes me see it differently. Working through all those pictures probably saved you from doing the wrong cut and having him leave unhappy, even if it took extra time upfront. Sometimes a customer's mess of references is just their way of trying to communicate what they lack the words for.

the_eric7d ago

Whoa there, I gotta push back a little on that. In my experience, leaning into a pile of photos can actually backfire if the client gets attached to one specific look that doesn't fit their face shape or hair type at all. You end up spending all that extra time discussing pictures and still have to break it to them that half their references aren't realistic, which can make the whole thing more awkward than if you'd just started with a good consultation. Sometimes a client's photo dump is less about communicating and more about hoping you'll magically combine five different photos into one haircut, and that's a recipe for disappointment on both sides.

stella227d ago

@the_eric once had a guy show up with a whole binder of anime haircuts and it took three visits to explain gravity.