What's a good place to get a great haircut for a woman with long hair in SF?

try going to craigslist for your area and going into the rants and raves and asking there. They might be able to help.

Robin @ Vertical Clearance on Valencia

Recommendations! Ask around. I have had horrible cuts in the past when I would just go in and explain what I wanted. Never came out the way I wanted. If you happen to be at a mall, coffee shop, walking the streets or even at work. If you see someone with a nice style. Stop them and ask. it wouldn’t hurt. You were able to see the end result. After finding a place you can also take a cut out or a style you want and just tell them that’s what you want. Good luck.

Oxenrose, for sure (if you can get past the trendiness). Check the link for specific stylist recommendations.

I have a great stylist who cuts my hair – his name is Anthony – he works at the Wak Shak on Haight street. Ignore the awful name for the salon – Anthony is fabulous. He has given me awesome haircuts – I have long layers – that are absolutely no maintenence. It’s a bit pricey ($65 – but I guess that’s standard for San Francisco). In my opinion, totally worth it to splurge – you wear your hair every day. If you go there tell him I sent you! I have sent a few friends there and they all love him. Just be clear with what you want and he’ll do it for you.

Agree on Oxenrose. Also check out Edo. Lower Haight seems to have a lot of nicer salons so you could also peruse and see what you think.

Hey – just to follow up, I went to Anthony at Wak Shak today, and he gave me a pretty cut, but it was completely not what I asked for (and not to mention really not my style). I went in wanting just a really well-done little trim to clean up the ends (which might seem odd, but my wedding is in a couple weeks so wanted it extra nice), I described my likes and dislikes with the shape, etc and we agreed he’d cut less than an inch. I had really long, one-length ringlets-at-the-bottom hair, and he was really inspired to do long layers but I insisted I didn’t want anything drastic, and he convinced me that it’d be really subtle and great and I’d love it, and I very hesitantly agreed, but kept reiterating how slowly it grows, how little I wanted cut, the wedding, etc. Anyway, he chopped off a solid 4–5 inches almost all the way around, leaving only a few strands just an inch-ish shorter than the original length. Sure, a great cut (a trendy/mainstream layered deal mostly just below the shoulders)—but easily 3 years worth of hair growing and taking care of to get those beautiful long ringlets (now all gone).... and I was left sobbing this afternoon. BIG bummer and nothing to undo it but wait three years to get my hair back. So not to be a huge negative complainer or super superficial, and I’ll handle it and whatever, but I was pretty pissed that he was so pushy and flippant when obviously it matters to me at the moment.

On the upside, he gave my partner (also with long hair) a gorgeous cut that was just what he wanted (which was layers), and the other woman I saw seemed pleased with her layers. So, it seems he’s certainly great with layers!

I have been in your shoes before, so I know how you feel. What’s done is done and there is no use to stress yourself over what happen. The good thing is that it’s not permanent and will grow back.

You have a few weeks before your wedding and it will look a little different. On your wedding day I am sure you will look as beautiful as you feel. So don’t stress too much about it..your big day is coming!

I had a friend do that to my hair once. I never went to him again.

I ended up getting a recommendation from my boyfriend (at the time) to see my current hair guy. I had long hair and asked him to just take a little off. He listened and did exactly that, and so he became the only person to cut my hair for the next 18 years. And surprise…we got married 5 years ago. Now our kids and I have free awesome haircuts for life!

i disagree with Emilyrose – i hated my cut from them. if you have very straight hair then its probably good, but their twisting/razor technique is the worst for hair with some curl to it.
I went to haircandy and had and ok one. back when i had a better income, i went to Grasshopper and LOVED it.
i say yelp it.