Today we’d like to introduce you to Brianna James.
Hi Brianna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In my teens, I had gained an appreciation for vintage and retro fashion. I would style my own hair in a 40s/50s style and people would often approach me and ask how I did it. It was something I was passionate about and felt that the response I got encouraged me to make it somewhat of a career. So in 2010, I started my cosmetology path by enrolling at Avenue Five Institute. There I learned a wide curriculum of the cosmetology field, but I was always the most enthusiastic about all things vintage. In 2012 I became a stylist at Garbo A Salon, in which I was always encouraged to keep growing. Over the years of my professional career, I have strived to hone my skillset in vintage styling through books, tutorials, classes and overall practice. I’m very thankful that through maintaining an online presence and word of mouth, I have been able to grow my “vintage clientele” to where it represents a good portion of my business.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There have definitely been more than a few struggles. I’d say it took several years to build that clientele through all sorts of methods. An online presence, networking, doing A LOT of styling for free hoping that it would be good exposure. I think eventually, it got to a point where my work started to speak for itself. Another struggle was when I found out that I was pregnant with my son a few weeks before the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020. Without knowing exactly how risky everything would be while pregnant, I decided to take a leave of absence. I didn’t return until March 2021. I was so worried that I would lose all of my business that I worked so hard to obtain over the years, but I’m happy to say that I had a large amount of guests return. I still sometimes have ones coming in now that I haven’t seen since before the pandemic.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a cosmetologist that specializes in vintage styling, haircutting and makeup from the 1920s-1960s. I also do all sorts of different contemporary cuts and color, but my vintage work is definitely where my pride and joy lies.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
You can support me by scheduling an appointment with me for all of your vintage hair needs or recommend me to someone you know who is looking for something of that style (I also do event styling). While I can’t promise my availability with my busy new mom life, I would also appreciate being contacted for collaborations for things like photoshoots, events, etc.
Contact Info:
- Email: Brianna@pincurledperfection.com
- Website: Pincurledperfection.com
- Instagram: Pincurledperfection
- Facebook: Facebook.com/pincurledperfection
