Why do I love things that are old? I am truly fixated on yesterday when it comes to most all things in my everyday life, whether it’s the marvelous worn patina of an old mirror or the imperfection of an antique mantle with its chipped, peeling finish.
I remember crawling up into the attic of our family home when I was just a little curious boy, and I found a treasure or two. In a hand-carved wooden jewelry box, I found my Aunt Bonnie’s gold wrist watch, some old letters I was too young to understand, and much to my surprise, my grandma’s discarded teeth! Lord have mercy. I kept the watch and never set foot in that attic again.
Old things are my passion. I love old houses, old Christmas ornaments, and even old cars like my 1971 Mercedes-Benz that was my 40h birthday present to me. I can’t explain my fascination, but perhaps I just have an old soul. I am old-school when it comes to my hairstyling aesthetic as well. Give me glamorous waves, a teased bouffant, and a Vidal Sassoon bob over pink streaks and feather extensions any ole day.
In 1991 when I hit the stage of the local beauty college, it was a time of transition in the hairdressing world. The weekly shampoo sets were falling by the wayside, making room for the “blowout.” Many women did not warm up to the modern spin on a classic too quickly, though, and old habits were hard to break.
What it meant for a 20-year-old impressionable young freshman was the best of both worlds. I learned to roll, dry, and tease hair like a champion, all while honing my craft of using a round brush, blow dryer and volumizing mousse. It was a time of transition, and I count myself lucky — standing between two generations of hair dressers and able to move in both directions.
I also fell in love with silver-haired ladies who were up in age, but down with most everything marvelous. A pageboy at 10 a.m., graduated bobs through lunch time, and backcombed coifs well into the evening — and then I did it all over again the next day. I was in love!
Nowadays some of my most cherished moments in the salon are with those doyennes who are like antique little girls. Each fills my day with sage advice and beautiful moments, all shared over hairspray and bobby pins. It’s not unusual for me to have a client of 65 and another of 26 in the salon, and I think that diversity enriches their lives as well as mine.
I was honest when I said I love old things, and older women are no exception. Of course, my job is to let them be older, but not look older! I’m also no stranger to the adage, “Everything old is new again.” Liquid eyeliner, false lashes, bright lips and even blue eye shadow have been done before, and if you don’t believe me, just ask my friends who were doing it in the ’60s. Embrace it with open arms, but join me in paying homage to when and where it began.
Perhaps I love old things because I was so fond of my Granny Gertrude whose infectious laughter filled the little Baptist church of my childhood, or maybe because I’m getting older myself. Nonetheless, I am in a love affair with yesterday. One of my favorite salon clients of all time, a woman of a certain age, stepped in wearing a very youthful bright red raincoat. When I commented on it, she simply said, “The older the barn, the brighter the paint.” I say, “Bravo!”
Former Columbus resident David Creel owns Beautiful With David salon in Jackson. Contact him at [email protected].
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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