Maude Salon in Minneapolis, MN

Maude Salon is ADORABLE. Friendly staff, cute decor. And they do some wicked cool hair. It might take you a while to get an appointment, but it is absolutely worth the wait. After chopping off my amazing red 'fro a couple months ago, I felt lackluster in the hair department, so I went to see Stefanie (formerly of Hair Police). I had a vague idea of what I wanted, and she wasn't afraid to make suggestions and caution me against a style that might not be so great. In other words - she was honest. I dig that. This bubbly bundle of cuteness helped me create a fabulous mane of platinum, red, and brown pinch-braid extensions, with a shaved side a la Cyndi Lauper or that one coked-up fashion model whose name escapes me. It's totally flattering, artistic, wild, and just plain fun. She didn't even charge me extra for my massively thick hair which actually took two appointments to finish. Five stars all around!

If Urban Outfitters gave birth to a hair salon, it would be christened Maude. At least that's how I would describe the decor. I went through a pseudo-rebellious phase and had hot pink hair extensions for a few months (thanks Stefanie) and it was nice to know that I had the support of the ladies working there even though my mom disapproved. The whole staff is really cool (read their bios on their website) and they'll do almost anything...to your hair, that is. I didn't get dreads, but if I wanted to, I know where to go.

I'm reluctant to tell anyone how much I love this place, mostly because appointments are already in high demand! But, this place is a gem. It's a bit hard to find, tucked away in the Q.arma building in NE Minneapolis, but well-worth the search. The place is very friendly and laid-back. I love that you can get just about any style at Maude, from edgy to conservative, and it will be top quality. I've been a customer of Amy Jo's (Maude's former owner*) since about 1996 and have never had another stylist touch my hair since. She does awesome color, cuts and special occasion styles (she did a wonderful job on my wedding hair). They also do dreads and extensions (I can vouch for the quality of the extensions, but have never tried dreads). *The salon has recently changed ownership, so I hope it remains as awesome as it's been so far...