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