Why are hairdressers seen as working class/poor?

I don't think they are? They certainly are not here in my city.

You mingle with hairdressers?

*sniff*

it's a trade rather than a profession?

They’re not, you twit.

Working class, maybe? More likely entrepreneurial. Even those who work in a shop often rent their chair and set their own hours, schedule, etc. Poor? Not if they’re skilled and have an established clientele.

What is the basis for this assertion, OP? Must-see TV?

I work in the beauty industry. There’s high end and there’s low end.

There are women who just do hair extensions, those are the ones who make the most money in 2023. Hair extension installation is like $800-$1500.

Then there are those. who do color and smoothing treatments.

Then there’s the lower end. The bottom are cutters (people who only cut hair and don’t color or anything) and people who do perms.

The problem with hair dressers is if you don’t stay educated, you lose a new generation or new trend. That’s why I say women do perms are at the low end because they have an 80-90 year old clientele and once your clients are dead, so is your career. And it happens.

There are hairdressers, and then there are HAIRDRESSERS.

R5 It depends.

A lot of hairdressers are poor business people and a lot of them today want to rent booths or rent their own suites and have no clue how to run the business part.

A lot of hairdressers are mothers / wives so they are more sloppy / lazy about their business because their husbands are paying for everything so some are them are fine with breaking even as long as it gets them out of the house or they’re active or it pays for the things their husbands don’t want them to buy.

But there are some excellent and skilled hairdressers who make bank. And you can make bank you just have to be a business person too AND super friendly. There are some hairdressers I know who I would be scared of to sit in their chair lol.

[quote]How much does a Hairdresser/Hairstylist make in New York, NY? The average Hairdresser/Hairstylist salary in New York, NY is $33,558 as of May 25, 2023, but the range typically falls between $27,863 and $41,205. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

I’m sure the ones getting booked for runway shows and advertising aren’t poor.

Every time I go to Great Clips there's a whole new cast of cutters. Except this fugly bimbo who talks about her partner constantly: "JOSH SAYS HE DOESN'T LIKE EXTRA CHEESE". She may be the manager.

Not at Mr. Cunt's!

In the 1994 rom-com IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, Rosie Perez plays a hairdresser who looks down on waitress Bridget Fonda.

I wonder if Bridget looks at her old movies and thinks, "Damn I was hot!"?

Please. I am a HAIR STYLIST, not a hairdresser

I cut and dye my own hair. Always have.

R12 Cause it’s a starter job. All those haircut salons are where new hairdressers go for training and to get started until they can find a real salon where they can do extensions and smoothing treatments and color.

R18, not true. If you work at a Supercuts there is no direction but down. Hair stylists are still an apprentice-type job in which you wash hair and clean up after, or while, you’re going to school.

Like a law student, if you’re not already doing an apprenticeship at a big firm the summer of your final year, you’ll never find a job.

My sister has been a hairdresser for so long she's doing the grandkids of her original clients. She's also driven BMWs for decades, has a gorgeous home, and has been very generous to the younger members of the family. She has a college degree, is very smart, has tons of energy, and the rock of our family since our parents are gone.

They used to be working class poor, but now many hairdressers live very well. It's a service industry, and many in those jobs and businesses aren't seen as having the prestige of professionals like people in law, finance, and other lucrative fields.

[quote] "Why are hairdressers seen as working class/poor?"

Pardonnez-moi?!

My Mom has the sweetest old Italian hairdresser who charges her $20 and gets a $2 tip. I told my Mom to at least give her $5 instead of $2, and she said "I've tried to give her more, but she says she's never had money and never expects to have it, so I might as well just keep it."

I had a wonderful Italian barber who charged me $12 for years and eventually starting making me the best espressos I've ever had. I started giving him $20, but I really don't think he cared much about the tip or money in general.