This should help, I had a woman come in with a picture of the wedge.  After a really long consultation, we agreed that the picture was it.  I told her that with her appearance that she would come off looking rather boyish. Mind you this was a complaint that she had already told me about earlier (as she is holding this picture and saying I want that)  She had long hair and I was very reluctant to do this, 1) she really did not have the hair to pull it off.2) she didn't want to look boyish ( I can't change your face) and the really big one 3)she had really long, thin hair.  The stylist to my left was also my mentor and he decided to step in.  He couldn't talk her out of this either.  We came as close to saying she would look like a man with a woman's cut without saying it that way.  I had booked out 1 hour for her as she was a new client.  It was about 40 minutes into it and many other suggestions, when she said if I wouldn't just do it, she would have it done somewhere else.  I said ok, but I will tell you now, when these clippers go up the back of your head it is done, no turning back as it will be gone.  Do it!!!   Well I looked at my mentor and he nodded, he would help with the fallout.  I cut her exactly as the photo was, guess what she screams, I look like a man...   I would have loved to say I TOLD YOU, but not exactly in those words....  She proceeded to get up and strom to the bathroom where she stayed for about  minutes.  I checked on her several times, he checked on her several times, we thought she would stay in there the rest of the day.....  Thank goodness she was on of the last clients for the day, only one more for me and everyone else was done for the day.  So there weren't that many people to witness the breakdown.  I was half way through my last cut when she decided to come out.  She came and stood behind me and yelled look what you have done!!!  My last client froze, she didn't know what to do, hell I didn't either.  I asked her, if she would just hold on for a moment we would talk.  She wasn't having it.  My mentor walked over she screamed at him, you let her do this to me.  That did not go over to well, he snatched the picture from the station and told her the whole truth nothing but the truth, without raising his voice.  My client feeling pulled into this by the whole breakdown, said, as calmly as she could, that by looking at the picture, you have the cut and what the hell are you crying for, you got what you asked for.   So see even when you give some people exactly what they asked for it can still bite you....  Some people hae no idea what they want and then when the get it, they really didn't want that either......   

By the way she did pay, I learned a few things from that one.  Always tell the whole truth, as harsh as it may sound, it will be for the better in the end.  I knew she was not going to be happy as her face shape and jaw line were masculine to begin with.  No matter what with a tight cut she was going to look (not like a boy but) a man.  Which I should have just said, that plainly so there was no mis-communication.   There are plenty from when i first started, but this was after being in the industry for about 8 years.

So don't get down on yourself, just learn to be bluntly honest.  If they change things on you explain this is not what they first asked for.  Talk do not hold your tongue, they really do want honesty...

By the way Justin does not have a flat top,  and to do one the trick is to not tilt the clipper to the sides of the head.  The very middle will be the shortest as you will bring the curve up to it.  I can free style them better than the comb.  I tried the comb a couple of times but it slowed me down and I wasn't happy and ended up free styling it any way...

Good luck and hope you feel better....................

Poor girl!  I could not do a flat top to save my life either.  I used to be so scared of clipper cuts I would not do them at all.  Finally a mgr at one of the salons I worked in a long time ago - when buzz cuts were in - took the clippers for me and shaved a big strip in a clients head.  He said now finish it!  So it took the fear away of the actual clipper.  I was working on an oriental man one day and he kept going shorter! shorter! shorter - and I was thinking this is going to look awful.  Then I did - and he screamed too short!  too short!  too short!  Needless to say it looked pretty bad and I said no charge and I am sorry - and I went home feeling bad also.  Just think of all the great work you do - and keep on moving forward!

Cindy Farr Hester  Asst Moderator

Only worry about the things you can control, which is yourself.