A stylist was a few swipes into a buzzcut when the client finally looked up and asked, ‘One and a half INCHES, right?’

Salons often keep detailed client notes so stylists can see what someone needs without having to remember every detail. A hairstylist says that system backfired after a client’s notes called for a one guard on the sides and back and a 1.5 guard on top, according to a post on Reddit by u/Delicious_Result3636 in r/tifu. The client, however, reportedly had something much longer in mind.

To the stylist, the notes clearly pointed to a buzzcut, and the stylist said they were excited because the cut is quick and satisfying. The client, whom the stylist calls Throckmorton, apparently gave off a difficult vibe from the start, clenching his jaw and acting as if the stylist were the most annoying person he had ever met.

When the stylist read the notes back to confirm, he reportedly replied, “Just do what the notes say.” According to the stylist, his tone was dismissive, and small talk about the weather or his weekend reportedly drew only grunted responses. As the stylist reached for the 1.5 guard and asked again, he allegedly didn’t look up from his phone and said, “Whatever. Yeah.”

He was picturing 1.5 inches the whole time

The stylist shaved a strip right down the middle of his head, and he apparently didn’t react at first. After a couple more swipes, he reportedly looked in the mirror and asked, “One and a half INCHES, right?” The stylist had to explain that the notes referred to a clipper setting, which leaves hair far shorter than 1.5 inches.

The pair reportedly stared at each other for a moment, with a chunk of his hair already missing. The stylist said they felt mortified, though part of them found the situation funny. According to the stylist, when asked how he wanted to proceed, he seemed even more annoyed and replied, “Yeah. Buzz it. F— it.”

The stylist buzzed the rest of his head and said the cut would be free, which apparently did little to help. By the stylist’s account, he went from looking like a white-collar office worker to someone in a mug shot within minutes. He reportedly left the moment the buzzcut was finished, without saying another word.

A later check showed the notes said exactly what the stylist followed, suggesting someone may have written them down incorrectly during an earlier visit. The stylist admitted to rushing the consultation as they wanted a quick cut and didn’t want to talk to him any longer than necessary. However, the stylist said the lesson about clarifying length has sunk in.

Commenters largely sided with the stylist, as the client brushed off repeated attempts to confirm the buzzcut. One person said the notes may have been at fault, but the blame likely shifted once the client waved off the questions. Another man said he would blame himself if he blew off a stylist and walked out with a buzzcut.

The account comes only from the stylist’s post, and the client’s side could not be verified. Salon mix-ups have drawn attention online before, including one woman who said staff called a manager over a botched Ulta salon cut.

Other salon disputes have gone well beyond the chair. Another woman said an $800 hair appointment ended with her stylist sending a lengthy, accusatory text.