Blades Hair Studio

05/09/2008 Posted by janetstonge

Where else can one get fabulous hair from eclectic, cool people and get served wine, with a FREE parking lot in NW? The entire crew are extremely gifted in colors and cuts, using a high end German color line. Their own product line is very cool. I am addicted to "Slick" and "Helmet Head". The newest addition, Marissa, gave me an awesome color last trip....not easy making my dark roots Marilyn Monroe platinum.

Pros: Ambiance, conversation, skill, parking, value

Cons: NONE

10/26/2007 Posted by lishka

I have been going to Blades for 15 plus years. I started out because I liked the idea of the No Tip - always been a bit awkward for me. I have had very difficult hair to work with - due to the curly nature and once I find someone awesome, i don't bail. Do not, I repeat DO NOT be intimidated by the progressive appearanceof some of the employees. I am far from progressive. David and his staff can do it all. They listen to people, they relate to people and they are true professionals and artists. They can do conservative, innovative and very creative. David is the person I see - and I trust him implicitly. He has a keen, quick eye and has an ability to read what people are like and what they might or might not be willing to try. I have referred many people here and will continue to do so. The salon does not push product. They don't sell you things you don't need and they care about your hair and the condition of it. This is a place where you will see a cross section of customers/clients - people are people here and you don't have to be tres chic or a model - everyone is treated with the utmost respect and courtesy. David is a person of complete integrity. Try this salon - you will not regret it!!

07/13/2007 Posted by jayda_in_portland

I had fallen into a hair rut...and although my hair was "pretty" (read: long, straight), I was extremely bored with it and in dire need of a change. I did a search for "hip" & "edgy" salons in Portland, and came across the portlandcitysearch listing for Blades, along with all of the glowing reviews. Well...let me just say this: Blades lives up to the hype! When my scheduled hair stylist was unable to make my appointment due to an injury, they immediately got me re-scheduled with one of their master stylists. She really listened to me and took the time to find out what I wanted, what was going to work best for my life, and what was going to look best with my face shape. The entire process was very organic, as she would stop and ask my input, and make adjustments as she went. The final result was AMAZING! I have never been so pleased with a haircut in my entire life. I no longer am bored with my hair, and LOVE my new, flirty, edgy haircut. In a word, Blades ROCKS, and I will never get my hair cut anywhere else ever again!

Pros: Wine, coffee, water, friendly staff, fun!

07/12/2007 Posted by kjh5475

I will admit that I was a tad apprehensive about getting my hair cut at Blades after viewing the photos on their website. Although the styles were cool, I'm not and I was afraid that I might end up with blue hair or something similarly as wild. Lucky for me, I went by the reviews here on Citysearch instead! From the moment I walked in everyone was so welcoming, the receptionist, the stylists, everyone. I arrived about 30 minutes early and fully expected to wait (and would have been happy to do so) but Tiffany, my stylist, took me right away. She spent time with me and was even able to translate my vague description of the style I wanted. After a few suggestions we decided on something and she began snipping away. About 20 minutes later, I was done and it looked great! My cut was $47 (tipping's not allowed) and while I'm sure there are cheaper salons out there, the care and service I received at Blades made it worth every penny and more!

Pros: friendly, inviting, listens to your needs, no attitudes, no tipping

Cons: may be a little pricey for some

05/22/2007 Posted by miakitty12

After months of agonizing about how/where to get my hair cut, I decided to give Blades a try. To be honest, I wasn't very optimistic because I had tried all kinds of salons in the past and had never been satisfied. My hair is thick, long, very curly, and impossible to style. I am not a girly girl so my mess of a hair has been a major pain in the butt for many many years. The straightening iron is my best friend and when it rains, I am totally screwed. A good cut and lots of styling advice was therefore long overdue... When I arrived at Blades, I was immediately attended to be a lovely young woman and offered a glass of wine. I was then introduced to the stylist. What an experience!! The stylist sat down next to me, looked through magazine pictures with me and took about 10 minutes to talk about the different cuts that I was interested in. She took her time answering all of my questions and didn't pressure or rush me to make a decision. Since I was so tired of my unruly hair, we decided on a short, above shoulder-length cut. I was scared to death! I was worried that I would not be able to straighten my hair if it was that short and, since going curly was not an option, I would be stuck wearing a hat for months. Again, the stylist took her time and gave me great styling tips and advice. Then she began cutting... and I GOT THE BEST HAIRCUT OF MY LIFE!!! I kid you not, I have been freaking out ever since! It has been two months and it just keeps getting better! I have never gotten so many compliments before. The best part, however, is that (as a private joke) I tried to leave it curly... and it looks freaking AWESOME!!! I was so stunned that I actually walked to work (I was so self-conscious, I stared on the ground the whole way) to show my friends. Ever since, my friends and co-workers have been calling it the "sexpot hair" and get mad at me when I straighten it!! I will never get my hair cut anywhere else. Best hair cut, ever.

05/22/2007 Posted by marcy774

I just got back from my first-ever visit to Portland, OR. I live in CT and love my stylist here. However, I was growing out my hair for a summer wedding but decided I couldn't stand it anymore. Being a guest in Portland I checked out salons using City Search and liked the reviews for Blades. I made a Friday morning apt for a cut and color with Tiffany. I have to admit, I was a little intimidated when I walked in. The stylists had such funky hip hair styles and outrageous colors. I thought for a moment, I should run. I'm a 32 yr old mom, and sad to say, not very "hip." Once I sat in the chair and talked a little with Tiffany about what I had in mind, I immediately felt at ease. She gave me an awesome razor cut style that perfectly fits my face and style. She also colored my hair and gave me some highlights. I love my hair! My husband and friends at home all said this was the best haircut I've ever gotten. The best part of all, is that their prices are so reasonable and they don't take tips. I almost fell over when they said they didn't accept tips! I put my $25 back in my wallet and promised to write a review. Ask for Tiffany and tell her Marcy said hello. I can't wait to visit Portland again in July so I can go to Blades again.

04/27/2007 Posted by chicafish

A very long winded account of my wonderful experience at Blades: A couple of weeks ago I decided to cut my hair off. Being relatively new to the city I googled and citysearched until I found Blades, and decided to give them a try. I’m so glad I did! The staff is so friendly and laidback. They made me feel welcome right away (unlike other places that seem to specialize in making their customers feel inadequate and underdressed.) Haley, my stylist, sat down with me had an actual honest-to-goodness conversation about my hair. She asked questions and then, get this, listened. I don’t think I’ve ever had this experience with a hairdresser before. I always get nervous when I get my hair cut because I have to take off my glasses and it’s hard to see what the stylist is doing. This can be especially uncomfortable because I’m rather shy and sitting in stony, blind silence is not my idea of a good time. Haley was super sweet and talked to me the whole time. I cannot emphasize enough how homey and comfortable the salon is. All the stylists talk to each other and sometimes walk around giving tips and “ooo”s and “ahhhh”s as the patrons get prettied up. When Haley was done blow-drying my newly shorn noggin I put my glasses on and was…disappointed. I’m not sure why but my hair just didn’t look as I had envisioned. Haley noticed my lack of enthusiasm but encouraged me to try the look out and style it myself for a couple of days. If I decided it wasn’t working she assured me she would do whatever it took to make it better. I took her advice and, sure enough, it didn’t take me long to fall in love with my cut. It’s flattering, versatile and easy-peasy to maintain. A couple of days after my haircut I came home from work to find a message on my machine from Blades. They wanted to follow up and make sure my cut was still working. Of course I called and said "OMG YES!". Long story short: I <3 Blades and I’m looking forward to frequenting them for many, many years.

Pros: parking, friendly & knowledgable staff, comfortable atmosphere, no tipping

Cons: none

04/10/2007 Posted by j_k_r

I've never been big on spending money on haircuts. I always thought it was a waste of money and spent most of my life cutting my own hair. Occasionally I'd go to a low-end hip place like Rudy's. But those places are hit-or-miss. Every once and a while I'd get a good cut, but never anything amazing. I finally tried Blades because I'd heard really good things. I wanted a place where I didn't have to bring in a picture or describe a cut exactly. I'm pretty indecisive and never have a clear idea of what I want, but the staff at Blades know hair and always do something that compliments you. They take into account what kind of hair you have, how high or low maintenance you are, and even where you work. Now I've gone a total of 3 times and have had 3 great haircuts by 3 different people. To me, $47 is a lot of money. But I don't mind spending it when I know I wont have to worry about walking out of there with a bad cut. The only thing I can even think of to complain about is their website. It's very... goth? I think it's really misleading. I'm constantly recommending Blade's to friends and family. But I feel apprehensive sending my mother a link to a website with a bunch of vampira goth models.

Pros: friendly staff, amazing haircuts, strict no-tipping policy

Cons: location, website

11/18/2006 Posted by deedetta

PROBLEM:I asked for highlights in my brown hair at a salon in another city. Disaster ensued and I ended up with dark gray/greenish, over-tonered frizzy hair just as we were heading off to spend a Thanksgiving week with family outside of Seattle. GATHERING DATA: As we stopped in Portland on the way to Seattle, I cried to three friends here about the mess on my head, and they all said, "Blades. Call them. They fix hair." So I did. MAKING A PLAN: Courtney was so great; she listened to my angsting with sympathy and understanding, and passed me to Valerie. Valerie quickly figured out what had happened and made time for me to come in for a consult. She looked at my hair, told me honestly what could be improved and what couldn't, David took a look too, and a plan was made. EXECUTING THE PLAN: Fortunately, Haley had a cancellation and she worked the Blades Magic on my hair, with Valerie and David chiming in. I have never been to a salon like this. The folks there are ALL fabulous, positive, knowledgeable, warm, beautiful professionals. The atmosphere in the salon is friendly, non-pretentious, and comfortable. They have the depth of knowledge, the breadth of experience, and the detail-oriented team approach that coaxes your hair to its best. And then they go the extra mile. RESULTS: And, you know what? They didn't just straighten out the disaster, but they improved the condition of my hair, and I like the new color as well or better than any color I have ever had. CONCLUSION: I'll be back. And you should go there, too. They really care about making you happy with your hair.

Pros: Skilled stylists, lovely atmosphere

Cons: None

10/12/2006 Posted by oxford717

I thought the personnel at Blades handled their computer crisis with a great deal of professionalism. The salon coordinator, Courtney, worked 12 hour days to try and fix the problem. When I saw her at my appointment that very week, she was very upset at any inconvenience this problem might have caused clients. I can assure you that in the 2 years that I have been a client at Blades, I have never had a negative experience, either with the results of my hair or the exceptional service I have received. Computer problems are an unfortunate part of reality and we all need to be understanding of that.