Mind the Barnet!

Barnet = Cockney for hair

You don't want your barnet to look like this, do you? (Oh wait, I'm not meant to be poking fun at him anymore...)

As anyone who has known me for awhile can attest, I am obsessed by hair (athough in recent weeks it's lucky if it gets brushed!). Over the years, my hair has been long and short; red and black; blond; and back again several times. I'm willing to wear clothes from Primark, to eat rice and pasta for weeks on end, but I'm not willing to skimp on my hair. What can I say, I'm just that shallow -- or I have a medical condition, hairophelia (I made that up, just in case it wasn't obvious).

When I moved to London, one of my biggest concerns was not whether I could find work or not. No, it was this: who would I find to cut my hair? I'd had several bad experiences in Poland, where I couldn't speak enough Polish to accurately express what I wanted. I looked up 'highlights' in my Polish-English dictionary, then crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

I had one distinct advantage in London: I could speak English. And over the course of several years, I finally found the stylist for me. Here are my top London recommendations:

Hair by Fairy, 8-10 Neal's Yard. Tube: Tottenham Court Road. http://www.hairbyfairy.com/. If you're anxious for a cut and you don't want the fuss of making an appointment, just head over to Neal's Yard. From punk cuts to simple trims, they'll have you in and out in no time... and there's a great organic restaurant across the courtyard in case you get hungry. Cheap and cheerful.

Toni and Guy, Kensington Church Street. Tube: Notting Hill Gate or High Street Kensington. Before I settled down with one man (my stylist, I mean), I'd go here every once in awhile. I was never disappointed. Although they seem to have a high turnover, all the stylists are friendly and competent.


And my favourite...

Gina Conway Aveda, Westbourne Grove. Tube: Bayswater, Queensway or Notting Hill Gate. It ain't cheap, but it's worthy paying when the results are this good (if I do say so myself). Ask for Kenny or Patrice, and relax. You're in the hands of masters.