Fashion Stores
W Lifestyle
The big W marks one of Toronto's favourite hair salons. On Queen St W at Tecumseth.
Honest Ed's at the corner of Bloor & Bathurst.
By Jerrold Litwinenko.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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Anyone?? Buller?
The other stylists seemed awesome too.
The decor itself makes you feel welcome and that you are somewhere that is up on fashion and not just rotating you through to get clients. Each stylist takes their time to get to know their clients and I have never seen anyone leave disappointed.
I am a faithful follower of Trancis, who has been doing my hair since we met in the late 90s. He specializes in making you look more fabulous then you ever thought you could look. Takes a drab cut and turns it into the one that you saw in a magazine, except cooler. Over this past year I have gone from long hair to the middle of my back, to a chin length bob and now to short and full of texture. Hair is his art and his lucky clients are his canvass.
Nina has been his wonderful assistant on numerous occasions lately and she is amazing. I've also had Jen Maxwell (on maternity leave) do my colour before, but only Trancis gets to take scissors to my locks.
W...is the coolest salon in the City, I'm shooting myself in the foot by writing this review because it means now everyone is going to go there...oh well...then we will all look awesome!
The cut itself was fantastic, however, $90 runs me into the poor house to maintain and then another $80 for my roots. A working class girl can't get a break when she wants style and savings:(
He is a unique individual, however, having been to places like Civello, thinking that I was getting the best cut for the price, I realized that I was being slotted in and there was no care or time taken with the cut.
Id love to hear your story...I see you didn't give your name...
This is very disrespectful of my time... I could of book 3 other appointments in all those missed times and there is usually a cancellation list of people trying to get in ...
I do not accept to do what I think will be bad for a client or there hair and you understood that with the consultation... but next time respect our time... You can ask my well over 500 happy clients.
For people looking for Jenn Maxwell you can find her at salon Tocci.
Trancis
Peace
Salon Tocci
171 Liberty st E,unit 114
416-531-4247
Can't wait to see you there!
I was told that you don't do colour anymore...true?
thanks.
My hair is so awesome from the last time he cut it and its growing in so insanely perfect I didn't need to come back for a cut.
Thanks Trancis and thx to ms Nina hardcore for talking metal and washing my hair while doing so:)
You will enjoy the ambiance of the salon and most of all the laid back atmosphere.
He is so good he can even give you leopard spots!
I'm sure he can still do it..and even though I wear a normal colour now, he always does a great job and if you take really good care of the shade (Trancis will show you the products to do that) it will last quite a while.
Have fun!
I think it depends on who you are seeing as well.
do you think trancis is still at w?i am planning to cut my long straight hair to a very short pixie cut,like andrea osvart...do you think trancis will be able to pull it off?i am really concern,because i'll be donating my hair to cancer patients from locks of love...
thanks for any info.
mary d.
And I would not trust anyone else to do what you have in mind.
Trancis has on many occasions in the 12 years that I have known him taken me from long locks to short sophisticated masterpieces.
He truly is Edward Scisscorhands!
As far as your hair goes...as long as you have never put product in it then congratulations on your donation to a wonderful charity.
Enjoy your experience with Trancis...one thing I should suggest so that you get your best cut is that you do not rush him, just as a painter needs time with his canvas, Trancis works on your hair until he believes it is the masterpiece that represents himself and W as well as the dream cut you have in mind.
Get ready to be Trancicized!
And most of all Enjoy!
Thumbs up :)
Which stylist did you see?
What specifically did they do wrong?
I highly recommend W, they'll have you checking yourself out at all the shop displays on your way home.
my only negative comment about w lifestyle is that sometimes the music is not conducive to relaxing in the chair. its a salon, not a rave!
After all the reviews I was VERY excited about Trancis, but I just read that he isn't taking on any more clients (if only I found this two weeks ago--just my luck!). Anyway, I'd like for you all to recommend a stylist at W that would suit my needs and that I can continue to visit for years to come... Help! Money is not an obstacle, but price ranges would still be appreciated so I know what to expect
Much thanks, and sorry for the very long read.
--Ashley
and is it pricy?
Regards,
Toronto ON M6J 1E6
(416) 361-9777
If i remember correctly i pay her to cut my hair the way i would like. Everything I asked she did wrong or the opposite to what i wanted, and now one week later i look like an old fashioned 50 year old because of the way she has done my layers, and i am forced to straighten my hair to make it look half decent.
I've been getting the same haircut for the last 4 years and i say the same thing every time but this is defiantly one of the most out of touch cuts i've ever had. Melissa needs to listen to her customers rather than argue with them. I do however, recommend Fringe my boyfriend when there and had the best cut in years - i could get an appointment on the day cause they were fully booked.. i should have just waited.
I got my haircut by Sydney and she was wonderful. I am in my fifties and the style she gave me was great. I provided her with some insight on my lifestyle and what I was looking for and she was great. I do not have to place my hair or blow dry it. She cut it keeping in mind the way my hair grows and moves.
Ask for her next time.
Thanks! samantha
Im planning on perming my hair. I am a guy and I want to have a hair that is a bit curly on the top and really short (almost shaved/ really tight) on the sides. I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a stylist that does men cut well. I've never been there as I always get my hair done at Aveda but they don't offer perming services there!
The prices are steep and, with prices like that, one would think they could clean up the place a bit - the floors are filthy and the bathrooms are a bit rank...but I keep trekking there to get Rowella's great cuts!
pricey too?"
Sorry to hear you didn't get a nice greeting! I think the receptionist
was asking if you wanted a cut with a junior stylist though, and not
judging you on your age!! Thanks for the heads up!
- kristi @ W
In all this time, it has not mattered to anyone at W what I look like, what I wear, what I do, etc. - it's a place where I always feel welcome and comfortable (they even let me bring my border terrier on occasion!), and where I have never, ever been dissatisfied. I can honestly say that in 10 years, there was only one time I wasn't thrilled with my hair (partly because I made the decision ;-)) and then I was invited back, for free, within the next few days. Believe me, I am not a person who pays more for the "status" of a place, and if I even sniff attitude, I'm gone. I can truly say that I have never experienced anything at W other than good value, a nice, friendly vibe, and fantastic looking hair.
Just commenting on my own experience. :-)
She really took her time with my hair and didn't rush at all (was there for a good 3.5 hours) which I really enjoyed.
It ended up being very pricy, much more than I expected! 230.00 $$ YIKES!
I would go back if it were cheaper, but for the high price I don't feel it was worth the money =(
I believe a reasonable price for hi lights/colour would be about 120-180$.... $230.00 thats just crazy!
She is very friendly and down to earth, which is rare in the industry! We talked a little bit, but she's not one to annoy you with her never ending stories.
I got my hair trimmed the first time; she respected the fact that I was apprehensive about getting too much chopped off and did exactly what I wanted.
I then went back and because my hair is so dark now, we could not go as light as I had hoped, but she gave me some nice highlights with a nice toner to complement them. It was subtle, yet people noticed the change. She even offered me to come back if in the daylight I didn't find the color deep enough!
The website's prices are not set in stone, which could be misleading- I understand each price is followed by the '+' sign but I still find it a bit random.
I like the 'coolness' of this place.
I wante to thank you for the excellent hair style you gave me for the special party ( My daughter's first birthday). As you promised the waves stayed till next day .
The colour and cut is exactly what I was looking for. can't thank you enough for the special treatment at W.
Cheers
Sumi
12 years at W was amazing but Toronto never quite felt like home so I went back home and I'm very happy about it.
Peace
Highly recommend W for both men and women.
721 Queen st w
4163619777
so i went to W salon after reading all the reviews and I am soooo disappointed with my hair.
and I will NEVER go back there again!
I got a hair cut from Alicia,
my hair was long and simple just wanted some changed and asked her I wanted something short and different than what I had at the moment. now its too short and soo piecy and somehow she cut underneath hair WAYYY to short its only 2cm and its has no style what so ever except for looking like a boy.
I would not recomend seeing alicia to anyone and I just should have sticked with Vidal Sassoon and I truly regret it! going to get a fast hair growing shampoo now sighhh T.T
I have been going to Alicia for a year now and really love the way she cuts. I have medium-long hair and have been growing it for the past two years. I see Alicia every 2-3 months and she literally spends 1.5 hours each time mostly just trimming and shaping. Since day one, she's listened to what I want and I've come out happy every time!
I think everyone at W is very friendly as others have mentioned! I will definitely be a customer as long as I live in the city.
This isn't the first time. Before Christmas I had them pressure to move my appointment ahead by four hours.
So my rating: reasonable cut (I give 30% tip)
Though, unprofessional service.
I am very sorry you feel that way.
Unfortunately what you do not know is your stylist had to call in sick on Tuesday (which she never does) and then she was stuck in Toronto for two days bc of the snow storm, working and not feeling well. We called you Friday evening to see if you could come earlier as I was not well and Saturday morning you were called first thing.
I am sorry I could not be there for you Saturday....
I did not leave to go and party