One of Baton Rouge’s hottest trends just might be female barbers, who are behind some of the hottest trends in male grooming, 225 details in a feature from its latest issue.
“For men, it is just in style to have a style, and that hasn’t always been the case,” says Kirby Guidry, one of several stylists who’ve mastered the art of barbering at Rigsby Frederick Salon & Gallery, located 7520 Perkins Road. “Men simply care more now, so you’re seeing a real tapered and groomed look. A little bit of the 1940s and ’50s with the fades, but there are lots of different cuts happening.”
At work, Guidry is surrounded by her boss’s mystical nature sculptures and outdoors photography. The setting is part high-end fashion expo, part-paean to worldly bounty. She is one of several young women who are helping local men navigate this modern era of hair care that has exploded along with the interest in small-batch, artisan and USA-made products with fewer chemicals.
“Men aren’t used to products like women are, so it can be a little intimidating for some, but as soon as I show them that all a paste does really is take out their frizz, they love it,” Guidry says. “When they’re given what works for them, men actually are very brand-loyal, both to specific products and to their salon.”
As opposed to a traditional hair stylist, a barber is trained to not only cut hair, but also shave and trims beards.
With Instagram accounts like @hairandbeards racking up hundreds of thousands of followers in a relatively short amount of time, social media is pushing more images of well-styled men, be they roguish or refined, in front of eyeballs than ever before.
“A well-groomed man is undeniable. It’s so attractive,” says stylist Meghan Rolfs, whose clientele at Gaudet Bros, located at 4556 Government St., is largely male. “And for them, having a great haircut is a confidence-builder for sure. You see them walk out changed.”
