Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brianna James. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brianna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Over the years I have invested a lot of time and resources into my education in various facets of my career. Having a niche that is not extremely common in the industry can definitely be an obstacle, somewhat of a blessing and a curse. Luckily, we live in an age where information is very readily available. Specializing in vintage cuts and styling, I have harnessed my knowledge through all sorts of media, books, online forums, etc., and I have been very fortunate to have been able to take in person classes from a few amazing celebrity stylists who also specialize in this sort of aesthetic.

I would say learning takes time and obtaining a skill can’t be rushed. I am still always learning and always looking for ways that I can better myself and my work. But at this point, most of this is learned from practice and hands on experience. My main obstacle and thing that has slowed me down in the past was myself. When I was first starting out, I had an inflated sense of my capabilities that sadly, my work did not compensate for. The best way to keep learning and growing is to check your ego and open up to the idea that you always have room for improvement.

My most essential skills in the relm of vintage hairdressing has definitely been taking the time to interpret, learn and practice haircutting techniques from the past. There are a lot of very talented stylists within the vintage community, but not everyone has the capability to decipher exactly how to execute these haircuts and tailor them to cater to their individual client’s goals, lifestyle and hair.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a licensed cosmetologist who specializes in (but is not limited to) vintage styling with looks ranging from the 1920s-1960s. I say not limited to because I also cater to all sorts of modern styles and trends as well. I also love doing bridal and special event styling services.

I first became interested in vintage styling through my own personal aesthetic and practicing vintage hairstyles on myself. It’s something that I became invested in during my late teens. I would have people approach me telling me they loved my look so much and ask how I achieved it. It was always really difficult for me to describe how to do the looks: the setting, teasing, rolling, etc… I began to think, maybe I should just become a hairdresser and then I could just do their hair for them!
I would say I’ve gotten a lot better at teaching others over the years. I strive to inform my clients during their haircut appointments how I am styling their hair so they can better recreate it when they style it themselves at home. I even offer appointments just for styling lessons and have also been an in-salon educator to help teach my peers vintage, event styling and makeup.

I have now been hairdressing for over 12 years and have been at my current salon, Garbo A Salon, for over 10. When I first became interested in vintage styling and the lifestyle, I didn’t really know anyone who dressed that way or had those interests. I’m proud to now say that type of service represents around 40% of my regular clientele, and I am grateful to have built a reputation locally in regard to my specialties.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Having an online presence has helped tremendously. I think a lot of people in the hair industry overlook having a website and just stick to having social media outlets, but I do get a lot of inquiries directly from my website. The program I use to work on my site also has an easy way to deal with SEOs, which helps my site get found easier through online searches if the person searching types in something like “vintage hair Austin”. There you can see my best work. I also run a blog which is mostly vintage beauty related, and people have found me through that as well. I do think social media is also great for finding potential clients because you can showcase more of your personality that way and use it to build relationships, which is an essential for retaining a strong clientele.
And of course, a big part of those relationships are the referrals that might stem from them. I think it’s so cool when people come to see me for the first time and they say “oh, you also do several of my friends’ hair!” Referring your friends to your hairdresser is really, the sincerest form of flattery.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

First and foremost, my work. I think people are assured that they are in good hands when they see my portfolio, and I strive to meet their needs and give them a great experience when they are in my chair. Another way is through my shared knowledge of my niche. For example, a post I wrote on my blog where I thoroughly described a particular vintage haircut circulates the internet quite a bit in the vintage hair world. Showing that I am knowledgeable in this facet has definitely helped built my reputation both locally and remotely. It not only makes me happy to be recognized for such, but also that I am able to help other people in some small way.
And lastly, just good old-fashioned networking. My love of vintage hair ties in with a lot of my other interests, so luckily, a lot of people within these local communities have already known me from such. If you are someone who has any involvement with the Austin rockabilly, vintage, etc. scene you probably know at least one person who is or has been my client. I think word of mouth and referrals definitely ties into that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pincurledperfection.com
• Instagram: @pincurledperfection
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pincurledperfection
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-james-pincurledperfection/