SYLVANUS URBAN Sylvanus Urban - The Edge Issue | Page 24

A CUT ABOVE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF A BARBER Author: Matthew Wong I’ve been buzzing my own head since I was twenty. The reason was simple. A trip to the barber is overpriced and unnecessary. My tennis ball-esque head looked best with a thin, fuzzy layer of hair easily achieved myself by taking a razor to my dome. Just like Roger Federer’s backhand, it required nothing more than an effortless stroke to ace it. In quick 15-minute intervals I trimmed my hair and budget, saving myself stacks of cash when you add up a decade of do-it-yourself barbering. But eventually the cost savings and convenience of self-imposed buzz cuts were just not enough. Tired of the crooked lines and the hair-raising mess of my at home chop shop I knew I needed a change. While waiting for a friend to get his cut at his local barber I realized there was something missing from my solo trims. The energy of a barbershop is as much about the atmosphere as it is about the styles. Everyone who was getting a cut walked out as if they were 23 The Edge Lebron, who just drained a game winning buzzer beater on the road. There was no chest pounding, or celebratory dance, but they carried themselves with a certain level of assurance. I didn’t want James’s receding hairline, but I wanted to be as sure as the king’s jumpshot. Like a run on sentence, a force to be reckoned with. After a twelve-year absence, it was time to put the clippers back into the hands of a trained professional. It would be nice to take a seat in the hydraulic chair and let someone else do the dirty work again. Picking a barbershop these days is similar to being a coveted free agent; there is a hell of a lot of choice. You could go to First Choice where they leave cash in your wallet but take chunks from your hair. The old school route where they cut your hair without asking any questions. Or the more modern barbershop/café/bar that fixes your bike while you wait. Either way I thought screw it, I’m going to find a great barber. After googling and cross instagram referencing I booked my appointment (a must in 2017 unless you want to wait 45 minutes). Fresh out of the chair sporting the perfect S y l va n u s - U r b a n . c o m