When I was told the February issue would be all about love and romance, my wheels started turning.
Before I knew it, it was 3 a.m., “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was playing on the tube and I was transported to another time and another place.
I watched intensely as disenchanted writer Paul Varjak — Is there any other kind? — focused on party girl Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn. Paul (George Peppard) accepted everything about her, even though he was well-aware of her louche lifestyle and free-spirited but troubled nature. Still, he kept his eye and heart on her at all times as he paid attention to the details and small moments. It was lovely to watch as he helped her light her cigarette — It was the 1960s — or put on her coat while they were leaving a party. He felt she needed to be cared for, so he was always anticipating her every need.
This prompted me to think of the times in my life when I realized the value of the small moment. I will always remember the time my girlfriend and I were in an elevator headed to dinner and she unbuttoned the top button of my overcoat to adjust my collar. To this day, it reminds me of how special it feels when someone notices the smallest things about you in a helpful way.
Years later, I would be out to dinner with a girlfriend and got up first to help her with her coat. The waiter would comment that we must have known each other all of our lives (which was not the case). It was a simple gesture and even a bit old school, but one that was lovely to experience.
I think it is interesting that I can take a quiet pleasure in watching my girlfriend put on her makeup and get ready to go out — and she, in turn, can take pleasure in seeing me clear the table. That small gesture would always prompt a big smile and kiss from her.
A woman’s perception differs from a man’s. She sees life through a different lens, often focusing on details a man may never notice. Both in and out of the salon, I always listen with attention, because I know I will learn something I may never have thought of on my own.
Still awake, I watched “Some Like It Hot” as Marilyn Monroe’s Sugar Kane sits on a train, her hair falling loosely across her face, almost covering her eyes. (Just to connect the dots, though Hepburn played Holly in “Tiffany’s,” author Truman Capote wrote the novel with Monroe in mind.) When Tony Curtis appears in “Some Like It Hot,” Marilyn turns towards him and, as if she were lifting a veil to expose herself fully, sweeps the hair from her eyes.
This small moment spoke volumes for Curtis — and the audience. Marilyn’s hair and her gesture certainly reflected her lively yet still lonely personality and were a large part of her sensuality. When I am creating a hairstyle for a client, the details matter as they help expose the beauty I know is there.
Hair can be sexy and romantic, whether short or long. It’s all about the attitude, point of view and the details that make it stand out.
This is the month for expressing love whether you have a partner or not. I think the words “I love you” are the most powerful in the world. In times of stress, I have found if I repeat the words “I love you” as a mantra over and over for as long as it takes, it can ease the stress and bring peace to a troubled moment. You might like to test it out.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Visit Brian at Warren Tricomi Salon, 1 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich. To book an appointment with him, call 212-262-8899.
