So my girlfriend won a bet she had with me, and in order to hold up my end of the bargain, she says I have to go to her mom's hair salon and get a 'shampoo and set.' Since I'm a guy, just going to her salon is going to be embarrassing in itself, but before I go in, I had a few questions:

1. What exactly is a 'shampoo and set'? I think I've heard the term before, but I don't know exactly what it is.

2. What should I expect to happen when I go in for my appointment? I've accepted the fact that she and her mom are going to have a good laugh at my expense, but I want to at least know what they plan on doing to me before I go in.

3. Do you think I should agree to go through with it? I may be able to convince her to come up with something else for me to do instead, but I wanted to get a few suggestions as to whether or not I should go through with it without making a big deal of it. (of course this may very well change once I find out what exactly I've agreed to do).
Thanks!

They're just going to wash your hair, pop in some curlers and set you undner a dryer. A little embarassing, maybe, but nothing earth shaking.

It shouldn't be. Lots of guys go to a salon today.



Well, I hope you know what shampoo is! But a "set" is usually when older women get their hair rolled up in curlers and sit under a dryer. This won't work unless you have relatively long hair.



In the year 2006, I really wouldn't be concerned. I've seen guys get permed (which includes guys getting their hair put in tiny curlers) and women getting their heads shaved bald, so I really wouldn't worry much about it.



Be a sport. Why not? If you don't like it, the remedy is simple. You go home, take a shower and wash it out.

I guess you will be careful about what you bet on with your girlfriend from now on. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Lynn and Ally have described what to expect. You will also probably have to sit through having it combed out and depending on how much of a laugh your girlfriend wants and how old the hairdresser is, they may back-comb your hair and style it into a really "pretty" style. Nothing you can't comb out and shampoo and get rid of.

If you can, choose a day when there won't be many people in the salon. That is usually Monday, or any day at an off time such as 10am or 2pm. But don't go on Saturday if you can help it.

Oh, no, no, no. He should definitely go on a Saturday! Preferably the day of a high school prom or other formal event. You know, so he can get very special attention. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

On the bright side - the shampoo part is very relaxing! I just about go to sleep while they are sitting there massaging my scalp when they wash my hair.

So at least lounge back and enjoy that part of it! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

(Plus if you act like it doesn't bother you, it will annoy the heck out of your GF) <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

And nobody bothers you while you're under the dryer. Total peace. All you hear is the hum and rush of air. I always take along a book... it's a great time to catch some uninterupted minutes of reading.

Maybe your GF is reading all this and decides to perm it instead...
You won't get that out with a wash. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Well this is all very comforting. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Most of the people I asked about this wanted to here the whole story, so here it is:

The length of my hair is actually what started this whole thing. A while ago I decided to start growing my hair out, and my girlfriend warned me that it would be a lot of work to maintain properly, but I said I could handle it (This was my first mistake). Then she bet me that I wouldn't be able to make it without complaining about how much work it is. I accepted (and there's the second mistake), and she told me that if I lost, then I had to let her take me to her mom's salon to get it professionally maintained, though she was not specific as to how.

Fast forward to last week, where my hair is just over chin length, and during a conversation about how quickly my hair was growing, I must have said something like, 'Yeah, it can be a pain in the butt sometimes.' That was all the motivation she needed. I remember the conversation she had with her mom just after that, because I knew I was in deep trouble. It went something like this:

Her: "Mom, do you have time to schedule in a shampoo and set for next week?"
Mom: "Sure, but why? Are you going out someplace nice?"
Her: "Oh it's not for me, it's for <my name withheld to protect the innocent>."
Mom: *brief silence* "Oh ok, well hun, I was wondering when I'd be able to get you into my chair since you started growing that rat's nest up there. It's about time, I must say. The other ladies will be glad to have your company, and you'll just LOVE the way your hair looks after the comb out; the ringlets will frame your face so prettily!"
*they both unsuccessfully try to stifle their laughter*
Me: *very confused* "You're both crazy women!"

So I'm standing there with no idea what a shampoo and set, a comb out, or a ringlet is, but I can already tell that it won't end well for me. And by these previous posts, I can see I was right. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to tell the whole story at once.

I figure I'm probably backed into a corner, and I'll just have to go to my appointment and take it like a man. (If its even possible to 'take it like a man' while in a salon and wearing a pink cape and curlers, sitting under a dryer.)

OK, You are in trouble with the ringlets part - think Shirley Temple - <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

....;Or Scarlett O'Hara.....

Buy a frock.

And a whale-bone hoop.
and a Corset.
And a Fan. To flutter furiously.

You see....?
We've started already.

just to get you into the swing of things.
And just so's you'll know what to expect.

And as you flounce out of the salon, you can turn and say,
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn".

Could you take pictures?

Please??

Well thanks for the comforting advice :P

Unfortunately there won't be any pictures. I'm gonna be doing all I can to keep the pictures she takes OFF the internet, without putting them there myself.

The appointment is coming up in a few days, so I'm gonna take the plunge. I'll let you all know how it went!

aw come on... a REAL man would post pictures <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

teehee

I'd bet with you that if you dare to put pictures here, she should at least not give a perm a second thought. Come on, we just want to see how well "mom" did the job.
We aren't focused on how you will look.

<img src="/images/graemlins/music.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/music.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/music.gif" alt="" />
"Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop
Gosh oh gee but I have fun
Swallowing animals one by one"
<img src="/images/graemlins/music.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/music.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/music.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/images/graemlins/devil.gif" alt="" />

Well!! Some people can be soooooo touchy! Ok, how about a full-size oil portrait? That would add dignity and gravitas....

Shave the beard though....it somehow jarrs with the ringlets.....

<img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Well I just had my appointment the other day, so here's the trip report:

After they washed my hair, they started rolling curlers into it. I started to complain, but my gf just told me that I should have thought of that before making the bet. So I sat there getting my hair rolled up in little curlers, and then they put a hairnet over them and stuck me under one of those dryers. Wow, it was hot under there, I don't know how you can stand to do that all the time, especially in the summer.

So while I was under there, my gf's mom decided I was being 'such a good sport' about it that she was going to throw in a free facial and manicure. Now my gf has pictures of me wearing a bright pink cape, sitting under a dryer with curlers in my hair, a facial mask, and getting my nails done. I had to make her swear those pictures would never see the light of day.

After my hair and nails were dry and the green crud was off my face, they brought me back to the mirror and put a much smaller, frilly cape on me. Then she took the curlers out and started combing my hair out in all sorts of directions, eventually pinning it in place with a few bobby pins in what she called an 'up do' and hosing me down with about a gallon of hairspray. Finally, she said I was all done and could go home, unless I was willing to let her to do my makeup next. I grabbed my keys and ran out of there faster than I thought possible.

So all in all it was a very embarrassing experience. I think it's safe to say I won't be making any bets in the near future.

You're such a doll! (And I mean that in a god way, not teasing about the updo.)

I hope your GF knows how lucky she is!

<img src="/images/graemlins/kiss.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> LOL <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Well, you got the F U L L treatment !!
Thank you for being such a good sport and telling us all about it.

I'll remember this nice story for a while. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well thanks for all the kind words and support everyone! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Days later, I've gotten the nail polish off, and I feel like I'm finally back to normal. GF was very appreciative that I actually went through with the bet, she thought I'd skip out on it.

However, now she's talking about how she feels inspired enough to buy her own curlers, cape, and bonnet dryer from one of her mom's catalogues, so she can set her own hair at home on a regular basis. But I have a feeling I know who's REALLY gonna be under that dryer "on a regular basis." So it sounds to me like this little adventure isn't over just yet.

At least the bet was not to get the hair completely shaved off or partially shaved.

And it should not be embarrassing for a man to go in a hair salon.