Even celebrity hairdressers like Gregory Patterson have had their fair share of bad hair days. The kind that has you running to Sally Beauty in a freight of panic. During a recent interview with WrapWomen, Patterson recalled a time during beauty school when he dyed his hair into an ombré effect of red, orange and yellow. “I looked like a match — it wasn’t cute,” he said with a laugh.
Patterson – after a few attempts – finally passed the state board test and received his hairdressing license. He landed a job at a salon with several celebrity clients, where made connections with agents and Hollywood heavyweights alike. Most importantly, he was able to develop his own “signature style” which became “big, expensive, luxe-looking hair.” Patterson was now the go-to guy for re-creating this look.
Patterson went on to become the lead stylist on Heidi Klum’s “Project Runway” and eventually Tim Gunn’s “Under the Gun” series. Over the years, Patterson has worked with clients including Anne Hathaway, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Julianne Moore – just to name a few.
As we enter the fall season, Gregory says the ‘90s are back, baby, and “the Rachel haircut” from “Friends” – yes, the one stylist Chris McMillan made famous on Jennifer Aniston – is going to make a return, but with a modern-day twist.
“I want to see [the Rachel hair] come back a little bit stronger, but I want to see it changed a little bit. Not so hardcore,” Patterson said. “I do love those face-framing layers. I think they’re so incredibly flattering on so many face shapes, and the texture that we’re playing with now totally has changed. It’s a lot softer, although we are getting into the bigger, hair like volume.”
For more hair tips and style updates from Patterson check him out on Sally Beauty’s DIY University, where he is a member of the Sally Beauty Crew, where he helps regular folks – like myself – become beauty experts right inside their home.
View the full interview with Patterson up top.
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