If you are male and want to live like a Dutchie you need to load up on your hair gel supplies. Seriously. Next time you are out and about in the straat or stad take a good look around at the men. They either have no hair at all or a whole lot of hair gel on their head. There’s nothing in between.
At the Kapper
From their first haircut Dutch boys are encouraged to slather on the gel. The kapper (hairdresser) always asks, “Wil je gel in je haar?” and when you are three it’s hard to say no.
At first I resisted.
When my eldest son had his first haircut and he was asked, at the tender age of three, if gel should be tipped over his precious little head I looked at the hairdresser as if she had asked me whether I wanted her to roll my son in dog crap. I said no. And then I sent an indignant text to my British friend to ask whether her young son was assaulted with gel at the hairdressers. Her answer was a firm no. So, it’s a Dutch thing for sure.
Go with the Gel Flow
Eventually the kapper wears you down. By the time my youngest went for his first haircut I permitted her to slap it on my son’s head like her life depended on it. Then she started skipping me entirely and asked my sons directly. Eventually, I didn’t even need to glance up from my magazine anymore when I took my boys to get their haircut. It became my chill time, the boys got a lollipop or biscuit and their hair was as hard as hell by the time we got home. Everyone happy.
So, tip number 2 for #LiveLikeaDutchie is give in to the hair gel if you are male or a mother wanting your sons to truly blend in living in the Netherlands.
2 comments