Hair is weird. No, seriously, it is. You can’t control how it grows (or falls out), and sometimes it can grow in such a way that makes you embarrassed to be seen in public. Which makes getting your hair done all the more a traumatic experience. Will they make your hair look even worse than it does now? Not if you go to the right place. Below, DCist writers share their favorite hair salons and barbershops in the D.C. area. Your regular place not included? Share it in the comments.
AVEDA INSTITUTE: Calling everyone who thinks spending $50 on a haircut is bonkers: The Aveda Institute is for you. Seriously, people, the hype is real. Manned by beauty students (and overseen by their mentors), haircuts here are literally a fraction of the cost of a standard salon. The student stylists are friendly and eager, and will routinely double check with you and their mentor to be sure you’re getting the style you want. And with a Chinatown location, it’s super accessible. The only caveat; since your stylist is still learning, a cut could take an hour or more. Colorings or more advanced procedures will certainly be two hours or so. So don’t just stop in on your lunch break. But if you’re willing to spend a little more time to spend way less cash, the Aveda Institute is the way to go. — Tori Kerr
The Aveda Institute is located at 713 7th Street NW.
BANG SALON: Bang Salon’s location at the Verizon Center is super convenient (steps away from metro), affordable (women’s haircuts start at $39 and color treatments start at $65), and their diverse line-up of stylists reflect the variety of hair types they can tackle. Many customers probably first come because of the convenience and the price, but then return time and again because of the quality of the cuts. As a bonus, a tiny and well-coiffed Pomeranian sometimes wanders the place keeping an eye on everyone’s ‘dos. — Lis Grant
Bang Salon has locations at 601 F Street NW, 1612 U Street NW, 1519 15th Street NW, and 1212 4th Street SE.
BARBER OF HELL’S BOTTOM: Another barbershop that prizes rustic, nostalgic decor, Barber of Hell’s Bottom writes that their “techniques are passed down through generations,” and that, “above all, we value traditions over trends.” — Matt Cohen, from a previous list.
Barber of Hell’s Bottom is located at 818 Rhode Island Avenue NW.
CAPITOL BARBER: The line can go out the door of this tiny assembly line shop, and the stylists have a reputation for cutting off more hair than you think they will. But that line goes fast, and at the end of it you have a great haircut that happens to be the cheapest on the Hill. And I’m still not sure I wasn’t dreaming it when I saw a deaf child get a
mohawk there. — Pat Padua
Capitol Barber is located at 201 Massachusetts Avenue NE Suite C2.
DIEGO’S HAIR SALON: How many people in the beauty industry have a block of a D.C. named in their honor? Just one: Diego D’Ambrosio, for whom the 1900 block of Q Street was dedicated in 2011. Since D’Ambrosio, an Italian immigrant, opened his shop in 1965, he and his team of stylists have cut the hair of Washington’s power elite and everyday folks who just want a great trim. And since moving to its current location in Dupont Circle, Diego’s Hair Salon has maintained the price of a men’s cut at $20. Also, D’Ambrosio has the best vanity wall in town, even better than yours, Jack Evans. — Benjamin R. Freed, from a previous list.
Diego’s Hair Salon is located at 1901 Q Street NW.
EASTERN CONFEDERATE BARBER SHOP: I am probably the only labor reporter who, in between assignments, regularly hangs out at a hipster hair salon, the Eastern Confederate. Dealing with some workers getting laid off or folks getting pay cuts? Swing by the Eastern Confederate to escape from it. The place is like an oasis. There are deer heads on the wall, Natty Bohs chilling in the fridge, honky tonk on the record player, and all matter of cool folks bullshitting about all kinds of subjects during the day. Oh, yeah, and the haircuts are amazing. I have been losing my hair these last couple years and the folks at the Eastern Confederate have been doing a good job of hiding it. — Mike Elk, from a previous list.
Eastern Confederate Barber Shop is located at 3112 Mt. Pleasant Street NW.
FIDDLEHEADS: Named after the fractal-shaped fiddlehead fern, Fiddleheads Salon specializes in curly and wavy hair of all shapes and textures. I came to Fiddleheads after a series of middling to horrific haircuts in my early 20s, and now I can’t imagine trusting anywhere else with my thick, curly hair. Truly, I’ve never gotten better haircuts. After leaving the salon, I’ve had random people on the bus approach me to compliment my hair. Fiddlehead stylists are trained in something called the Deva method, which means they cut the hair while it’s dry. They’ll also give you tips on how to care for your new ‘do, and while I’ll spare you the lecture on the differences between straight and curly hair, let’s just say that curls are like having finicky, moisture-starved babies sprouting from your head. Fiddleheads will teach you how to appease the hairy beast and give you a cut that grows out well. Since going to them, I’ve quit straightening my hair entirely. And, even if you aren’t blessed/cursed with waves or curls, they’re happy to cut straight hair as well. — Alicia Mazzara
Fiddleheads has locations at 1515 17th Street NW #2 and 25 Florida Avenue NW.
PR AT PARTNERS: With 14 locations in the D.C. area, PR Partners serves as a more upscale version of Hair Cuttery. The salon chain employs dozens of stylists who work at different price points based on their experience. But even the newbies who will cut your hair in exchange for $40 do a great job. The staff members this writer and her friends have encountered have been knowledgeable and honest—an undeniably important quality for a stylist. —Sarah Anne Hughes
PR Partners has several locations in the area, including two in D.C.
TRIM: I’ve had hair every fucking color! Erin at Trim has stuck with me through every shade so tightly that two years ago, I trusted her enough to chop off 12-plus inches of my locks. The Adams Morgan salon occasionally gives me sticker shock, but I’ve never left unsatisfied with how I and my strands look. (I was referred to Trim by an ex-boyfriend who swore he’d never get his hair cut anywhere else; its stylists’ excellent work isn’t limited to the ladies.) It doesn’t hurt that I can sip a Miller High Life and hear Olivia Tremor Control and Beulah tracks on the stereo while I get my layers cleaned up—or get a complimentary in-between-cuts bang trim. — Alex Baca, from a previous list.
Trim is located at 2700 Ontario Road NW.
VSL HAIR DESIGN: One of the greatest parts of a hair cut is having your head rubbed during the shampooing. While many salons in D.C. offer great head rubs, VSL Hair Design in Dupont may be the only one whose massage is described on Yelp as ” tantamount to great foreplay.” Indeed, a DCist staff member who wished to remain anonymous can attest to the pleasing quality of the vigorous hair washing. —Sarah Anne Hughes, from a previous list.
VSL Hair Design is located at 1607 Connecticut Ave NW.
WISE OWL CLUB: Adams Morgan’s Wise Owl is as rustic and throwback as a barbershop can get, but, above all, they do a fine job. Every time i’ve gone to get a haircut there, they’ve been great, but the beard trimming is by far the best part. For $30, they’ll shape, trim, and shave your beard with a straight razor, to ensure it’s the best beard it can be. Beyond that, you can get a Chipper Shave for $40, which also includes hot lather, hot towels, and a facial massage. And, for $60, you can get an extended Keen Shave, which includes masque tone, and moisturizer. It ain’t cheap, but you’re paying for the experience, which is well worth it. — Matt Cohen, from a previous list.
Wise Owl is located at 2010 18th Street NW.
