Mona is Rose's hair-stylist. Rose was Mona's school teacher. There was no shortage of laughs in this salon and no shortage of genuine caring about each other as well.
Pearl, who reminded me of one of my great aunts, the kind you run into at Bar Mitzvahs, asked, "are you going to follow me to the bathroom and take pictures of my tuchas" (which is yiddish for - derrier - which is french for, well you get the picture). She definitely had chutzpah and I would bet that she brings her family much joy, happiness and a ton of laughter.
Carmen was at Holiday Salon in Santa Fe, getting ready for her 91st birthday. Sharp and elegant, she told us how she used to ride motorcycles with her husband. Carmen has been seeing her hairstylist, Linda, for 44 years. If you look at her face closely, you will see a life full of experience and knowing that we will only know, when we are her age.
Still working in her seventies, Blossom turned out to be a women who worked at my junior high about the time when I was there. She was impeccably dressed, as most of the women I photograph at their weekly ritual are. Not like me, who shows up in sweats and a t-shirt, looking like a shlub...but like Blossom, I have a great friend in my hairstylist too.
Jane, a mother, grandmother, avid tennis player and so much more, left this physical plane just last week. She was the reason I went to Conroe, Texas, to photograph her. She had the most amazing smile and hair as you can see....white-like feathers that surrounded her gorgeous face and eyes. I am grateful to have been able to give her family photographs of this beautiful woman. Kathy her hairstylist was so caring, I know she will feel the loss of her client and good friend.
Rose was the teacher of Mona, now her hairstylist and she said, "I always knew Mona was smart and had something special." They're joking and laughing was contagious. Mona's salon is called 'Mona Lisa' in Memphis, TN. Rose, now retired, gets her hair done after her swimming exercise in the morning. Such a pretty lady.
Gene Finney from Memphis, TN, in his seventies himself, is still a Don Juan with the ladies. Gladys asks Gene where he's been playing his harmonica - he's in a band and I was fortunate enough to get a first hand performance. His fingers are taped together because he has no feeling in one of them. Gene has been working with Gould's Salon for over 40 years, meeting and greeting his clients with kisses and hugs and coffee. When I asked Gene what his favorite part of his job was, he said, "Seeing the women smile when I'm done and feeling good about themselves...and the kisses!"
Doris has been going to the beauty parlor for over 50 years. She used to have a bee hive hairstyle in the late sixties and a "fall" and "flip" in the seventies. She brings gifts to "the girls" at the salon and they are happy to see her when she walks in the door at Georgette's in Long Island, New York, where the hairstylists have the most beautiful, longest nails I've ever seen. She loves the ritual of getting her hair done. I should know, she's my mom!
The connection of women is so important. Remember, these women come from a time when women didn't work in careers all that much. Their time to connect was at the beauty parlor and today, these women, are still meeting and exchanging laughs and stories.
Bessita used to walk to her hair stylist's salon in Santa Monica, CA. Then her hairstylist, Lynn, moved to another salon about 15 miles away. Bessita now drives 15 -30 minutes to Brentwood to continue working with Lynn for over 30 years. That...is commitment.
How many years do you think those rings have been on Ruth's hands. How many anniversaries, how many birthdays, how many losses, how many births? Those hands, that have held babies, pots and pans and other hands...and here she is taking care of those hands as they have taken care of so many and so much.
I love this. Bob reads a magazine while Bonnie gets her gorgeous hair styled. He is happy to be close to his wife and not in the least bit impatient. 
