What exactly is the art of zhuzhing? What does it mean to zhuzh?! You know... to fluff it up, take it that one extra step. Kinda hard to put into words even though I do it everyday. I'm constantly zhuzhing - my outfits, my clients hair, my planters, my home decor, etc, etc, etc. Technically to zhuzh is to make something more exciting, lively or attractive.
I've never really thought about it until a good client of mine - Katy McDermott - who happens to be a very talented & witty writer - wrote her own blog post about it. And I'd like to share some of it.
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As I write this, my hair’s in a ponytail. (Well, it’s not long enough for a ponytail, really – think of it more as a pony tuft.) The point is, I’m no longer in high school (shocking, I know) and have long since outgrown my default hairstyle, the classic easy-care ’do of the Young and the Lineless.
But I have a disorder. I’m Hair-Impaired.
The bottom line is this: I needed help. A “hair intervention,” if you will. Oh, I’ve gone to various stylists over the years. They’ve used straighteners and curling irons and sera and created all manner of au courant hairstyles that look like someone else’s head has been Photoshopped onto my body.
For the hour after I leave the salon, anyway.
As soon as I get home, the barrettes go back in.
Enter Hal at Jolie Salon. Not only is he delightful company – my inner catty bee-yotch comes out as we rip apart reality TV “stars” together – he knows his way around hair. Even MY hair.
He uses a technique that I thought only existed on makeover shows and Project Runway: he zhuzhes it. Spellcheck doesn’t recognize it yet, but apparently “to zhuzh” is a verb meaning “to perform some mysterious alchemy on a head, using no special tools, making the hair look put-together and lovely.”
All he used was a blow dryer and some hairspray, things I have and use on a daily basis. The only problem is, I can’t zhuzh my own hair. Hal must have taken Advanced Zhuzhing in stylist school.
I’ve decided that if I ever become a famous author, making appearances on talk shows and having worldwide book tours (hey, a girl can dream), I’m going to be a diva. Not about the size or color of my dressing room. Not about the snacks therein, or the brand of bottled water I have.
About Hal. I’ll insist that he be flown in to wherever I am to perform his magic.
After all, a girl needs to a good hair-zhuzhing every now and then.
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I mean - what a great compliment! To read the full blog post & check out more of her work just click here - Katy McDermott - "It's All in the Zhuzhing."
I'll leave you with some beautiful shots of Katy taken by Caroline Morris Photography & zhuzhing by yours truly.
Zhuzh away.
Cheers - Hal