VAIN Blog

VAIN stylist Jake (with son Christian) shows that you’re never too young to get your foils + personal hair style on.

“It’s like the hair never even happened.”

Waxing services for brows, bikini, and the rest of it now available at VAIN downtown- call 206.441.3441 for more info.

I’m not sure what day it was exactly when I cut all my hair off. I do remember this: it was eight years ago and I had just quit a job that everyone thought I was crazy to leave. But sometimes you need to do what’s right, even if it means you won’t be in the cool job, the fun job, and in my case one that was very much the former but not at all the latter. You know the old saying- who cares if you get to stamp Eddie Vedder’s wrist if you’re not happy.

I walked out of the place that day and headed towards downtown. I’m going to admit right now that I didn’t go to VAIN. It was still early on for me as a VAIN client and besides, I didn’t even know that I was going to get my hair cut until I walked up to the other salon.

When I walked out an hour later my shoulder length hair was gone. And I mean gone. I did have that little duck tail spikey action in the back that was big then (but that I knew, always in my heart and the minute I saw it on my head, was really just a mullet. No amount of Bumble and Bumble’s going to change that), but otherwise gone. Super short. “Wow what did you do” short. “Boy” short.

The haircut didn’t look that good on me. I’d love to report otherwise, but there were no two ways around it- it just didn’t look right. I don’t think I got a single compliment on it as I painstakingly grew it back out over what seemed like the next ten thousand years. Just a lot of “look at yoooouuuu”s. If you’ve had a similar experience then you know what I mean. But looking back, I can call it the best haircut I’ve ever had. It was an exercise in self-conciousness, made me think about my own gender perceptions when it came to hair, and most of all it was a symbol, or probably the symbol, of my independence from a lousy situation that I was afraid to leave because of how it might look. Hair’s not so different from life sometimes. Sometimes you just have to take it all off.

-Rebecca P.

VAIN downtown stylists Bijou and Kelly with Poison frontman, Rock of Love star, and goldie-locked rocker Brett Michaels. Yes, that Brett Michaels. Speaking of extensions, Kelly does some of the best around, whether you want them completely subtle-looking or backstage big. Call VAIN at 206.441.3441 to find out more or to schedule a free consultation with Kelly.

Editor’s note: Kelly could not confirm that Brett had extensions… they were just that good.

Check out pictures of VAIN in action at last weekend’s Bend-It Extravaganza, starring stylists Bash, Aubrie, and Aiko, soon-to-be stylist Sam, the notorious ELI Blu, VAIN owner Victoria Thomas Gentry, and others making hot hair and makeup happen at Cal Anderson Park on a summer Friday night.

Photos by Lindamy “My” Vu.

Jenny Slay: puttin’ the senior in senior stylist, 10 years at a time.

This past week marked VAIN senior stylist Jenny Slay’s 10th anniversary with VAIN. Jenny’s unparalleled cut, color, updo, and Great Lengths extensions skills are legendary, and she has the loyal clients to prove it. She’s been the stylist behind more perfect highlights and haircuts, more bold color transformations, wedding day perfections, instant long lengths, and every hair service in between than any other VAIN stylist, and she’s helped make VAIN what it is today with her signature style and talent.

When asked to comment on her milestone, Jenny said, “I feel really satisfied to have been here for so long, to watch VAIN grow and help make it what it is. It’s been really really good to me.” Asked how she and VAIN have changed since 1998, she offered this: “We both have significantly less facial piercings now.”

VAIN owner + styledriver Victoria Thomas Gentry had this to say about Jenny:

Jenny is the queen of hair that’s been colored into a corner. She is fearless in her ability to take even a seemingly helpless corrective color problem and make it gorgeous! I’ve seen her stare down a fierce head of ashy mud-toned highlights and turn them into spun gold. She is the alchemist of hair!

Jenny also makes the fun happen at VAIN. She lifts our spirits by bringing her powers of sharp and witty observation to bear on our daily lives and activities. When you have your life experiences reflected back at you with such quick and funny commentary your day is always bound to get better. I love Jenny so much!

For 10 years of hard work, great humor and amazing hair, VAIN salutes Jenny Slay. We love you!

Jenny Slay works her hair magic at both VAIN locations. Call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 or VAIN Ballard at 206.706.2707 to book a free consultation or schedule an appointment. You’ll be glad you did.

For the 5th year running, VAIN is sponsoring The Bend-It Extraveganza, a free, three-day long arts festival this weekend for and by queer young people and their friends. Bend-It features a full lineup of live music, fashion shows, workshops, vegan meals, spoken word performances, drag events, and movies, and is always a good time. Did we mention that it’s all free?

As part of Bend-It, VAIN will be doing free quickie hairdos tonight from 7 to 9pm at Cal Anderson Park (on Capitol Hill between Broadway & 10th Ave). Come by and see us, get your hair did, and check out one of the most fun, creative, and progressive youth-and-queer-friendly festivals around.

The Bend-It Extravaganza runs Friday, June 27th through Saturday, June 29th at various locations on Capitol Hill. Check out http://benditbandits.org/ for a full schedule of events and venue details.

Good news for those summertime bikini lines: Belinda “Master Waxer” Leybold has joined VAIN as our resident esthetician! That means you can now get your brows, lip, legs, bikini area, and the rest of it waxed in the comfort of VAIN’s private waxing studio above our downtown salon. Hairy backs and chests also welcome!

Belinda is known for her speed (and if you’ve been waxed you know that’s a must), attention to detail (stray hairs = no!), and easy, comfortable demeanor (again, makin’ it quick), so we’re sure she’s going to be a hit. She’s already done some amazing brows since she started last week. Plus she’s good good VAIN style to boot.

We’re offering our VAIN Blog readers $5 off their first service with Belinda- just mention this post when you book your appointment. Happy waxing!

Belinda Leybold offers waxing services at VAIN dowtown- 2018 1st Ave. Call 206.441.3441 to book your appointment.

Photos by Sarah Joann Murphy. Check out the whole bake sale set on VAIN’s Flickr page.

Saturday’s “Hungry for Change” bake sale at VAIN dowtown was a huge success- we had baked goods donated by staff, stylists, friends, clients, and strangers, “mocktails” prepared fresh on 1st Ave all day long (pink pantydroppers are the new cosmo!), and raised a staggering $941.72 to support MoveOn.org and help elect progressive candidates this November.

With over 700 “Hungry for Change” MoveOn.org bake sales held across the country at the same time, this was by far the largest grassroots event VAIN has ever participated in and we couldn’t be me more proud to have been a part of it. From the $10 donation for a single cupcake to kids pitching in to share an entire rainbow cake (”My mom is electing Brackomama!”) and a few cases of a passerby donating their only dollar, it was truly an amazing display of generosity and community… and of Barack-alicious brownies. Thanks to our volunteers, bakers, buyers, and everyone involved.

A sneak peek at some of the vintage pieces at VAIN downtown’s art gallery. Open house from 4 to 9pm today, with a bake sale to support MoveOn.org all day long.

And her hair is rad, too.

Juliana “Superstar” Bradley, one of VAIN’s most beloved art studio tenants (we have two floors of studios above the salon, as if you didn’t know) is leaving Seattle for greener, San Franciscan pastures. Her departure is to our dismay but not without a bang: as part of VAIN’s art festivities this weekend, Juliana will be hosting a weekend-long studio open house Saturday and Sunday with libations and new + favorite art on display. She’s threatening to keep her studio open from noon till 10pm on Saturday and all day Sunday (with rumors of mimosas!), so don’t miss your chance to check out the artist and her art before they’re gone. Both are great, and VAIN’s walls will be a little less bright without them around.

Juliana Bradley’s studio is located on the top floor of VAIN, studio #16. Photos by the indispensable My Vu.

“Big Bowie” stencil on opera canvas and other awesome art by Michael Lane at VAIN’s art gallery open house this Saturday 6/21.