Every bride-to-be wants to look out of this world for her special day. And, this bride was no exception. So, one day she decided to turn up to a stylist for a makeover. When she arrived at the salon, the styling team couldn't believe what they were looking at. They had to spend about seven hours so they could work on her 2-feet-long hair. Once the transformation was over, the young bride was overwhelmed by her new looks.
An Unpredictable Change
Holly was a young bride in a race against time. She had only a few months to plan the perfect wedding.
Besides choosing the dress and the perfect location, Holly wanted to do something about her hair too. However, she could have never predicted how much her looks were going to change.
Taking a Day Off
When Holly decided to the chosen salon on one special day, the stylists couldn't believe what just walked in. For them, it was unimaginable that this lady was a bride-to-be and they know that they had a long day ahead.
Holly works as a gate guard and manages traffic flow in a plantation. But, the stylists told her that she won't be leaving the salon any time soon. In order for her makeover to be successful, Holly had to take a day off.
She Didn't Always Look Like This
You may find it hard to believe, but there was a time when Holly didn't have two-feet-long hair. Few years ago, she looked perfectly fine and she wasn't in a desperate need of a makeover.
The photo you're looking at was taken five years ago. And, as you can see, Holly looked pretty and presentable. So, what happened to her that she decided to let her hair go? Well, we know one thing for sure. She made a good decision when she chose to have a makeover.
Impressing Her Man
It is still unclear what happened to Holly and why her appearance took an extreme downward spiral. But, it was clear that she was willing to do everything it takes to change the way her hair looks.
One of the main reasons why Holly wanted to make herself prettier is because of her boyfriend, Vashon Ridgeway. These two have been together for a long time, but, Holly still tried hard to look at her best for her boyfriend. Then, Vashon did something that turned Holly's life upside down.
Ready to Tie the Knot
When Vashon got down on his knee and asked Holly to marry him, she was lost for words. Without thinking, she said "yes." After being in a relationship for a couple of years, Holly was finally getting married.
In an interview with Modern Salon, Holly admitted that she was hoping to tie the knot with her partner by the end of 2017. However, the beauty salon she chose (Avant-Garde Salon) wasn't entirely ready for the task she was about to set.
Finding the Perfect Dress
Both Holly and Vashon were thrilled about their wedding and they loved sharing their excitement with their friends. They would post so many photos on their social media accounts, making sure all their friends knew about their big news.
Holly decided to give all her followers a sneak peek of the wedding day when she posed in her wedding dress. But, out of nowhere, Holly decided to hang her dress back up. Why? What could have happened to prevent her from walking down the aisle?
Horror Hair
After seeing this photo, you may imagine how much work the team at the Avant-Garde Salon had to do. Everybody knew that it would take plenty of time and effort to make Holly's hair look good again.
According to the information from Allure magazine, before the makeover, Holly's hair was 2 feet long and reached her hips. But, the length wasn't the only problem. Her hair looked like it needed some serious conditioning.
Styling Team to the Rescue
Holly hit the jackpot when she decided to book an appointment at the Avant-Garde Salon. Furthermore, she was lucky that Jeremy Hartfield, one of the senior stylists, was there because he is the one responsible for her transformation.
But, of course, he wasn't the only one who helped Holly get her makeover. Another very important person is Sara Pestella. Sara is a young stylist and colorist who took Holly's hair to the next level.
Sara Steps In and Makes a Difference
Sara Pestella's contribution to Holly's astonishing transformation is impossible to ignore. Of course, others are important as well. But, without Sara's hair dying skills, Holly probably wouldn't have gotten the look she was hoping for.
Sara Pestella's contribution to Holly's astonishing transformation is impossible to ignore. Of course, others are important as well. But, without Sara's hair dying skills, Holly probably wouldn't have gotten the look she was hoping for.
Becoming an Emotional Wreck
Sometimes, we're not even aware of the extent to which physical appearance can affect our emotions, mentality, and confidence. For example, Holly got caught up in growing her hair so much that it ultimately took a toll on her well-being.
Sometimes, we're not even aware of the extent to which physical appearance can affect our emotions, mentality, and confidence. For example, Holly got caught up in growing her hair so much that it ultimately took a toll on her well-being.
The Story Behind Holly's Hair
Sara Pestella took things in her hands and decided to reveal the story behind Holly's hair and how it affected her. It turns out that Holly's need and desire to grow her hair so long was due to her father's pressure.
“[Holly] always felt like she needed to keep her hair long because of what her dad said: that a woman must have long hair or she wouldn’t be pretty without it,” Sara said. Sara was determined to help Holly and show her that long hair isn't necessarily a symbol of beauty.
Holly’s Styling Team
This transformation was more than just a makeover for Holly. In a way, it was also a makeover for her soul. She was lucky enough to find the right people who were not willing to only style her hair but also provide support and boost her morale. This was exactly what Holly needed before her big day.
The team at Avant-Garde Salon was more than willing to give Holly the transformation she deserved. But, they didn't have a clue that it would take them about seven hours to complete the makeover.
Hero Hairdresser
Besides Sara, there is another hero responsible for Holly's hairstyle. We're talking about the Avant-Garde Salon's senior stylist named Jeremy Hartfield. Jeremy is a seasoned pro and, besides helping his clients, he loves showing off his work on his social media accounts.
Jeremy was thrilled by the thought that he could add Holly's transformation to his collection. So, he approached Holly, sat her down on a chair and started working his magic. He started the transformation with one snip, but, boy, was it a difficult snip.
The First Snip
The first snip Jeremy had to do on Holly's hair was also the most difficult one. As soon as Holly heard the sound of the scissors, she started panicking. But, Jeremy wouldn't back down.
Actually, he made sure to document the entire process and post it on his Instagram account. The first large chunk of hair he cut off was about two feet long. He was helping Holly finally get rid of the bleached strands at the bottom of her hair. However, Holly was stunned after she saw in the mirror what Jeremy did next.
Say Goodbye to Ponytail
Jeremy told Holly to look up and after seeing what he did, Holly first gasped and then screamed. This made everyone turn around and stare at Holly. So, what did Jeremy do?
Well, nothing special. He just put her hair in a ponytail and cut it off. And, that is how a large part of Holly's hair was gone. The fellow stylists were cheering in elation while Holly was laughing nervously. She started thinking whether she would regret this decision... An hour later, the first signs of transformation were starting to show.
The First Signs of Change
After tidying up Holly's hair a little bit more, it was clear that her makeover was really underway. Holly couldn't stop staring at herself in the mirror and, as time went by, so did Holly's confidence grow. Jeremy cut off so much hair and Holly was unrecognizable.
Such a simple snip actually turned Holly into a completely different person. But, only cutting the hair wasn't enough. There were still some other things left to do to complete this transformation properly.
Dying Her Hair
Jeremy was the one in charge of cutting Holly's hair. After him, Sara Pestella stepped in to do her coloring magic. Sara insisted to dye Holly's hair after the haircut just to make sure that her hard work wasn't in vain.
After fetching all the tools she needed, Sara started turning her vision into practice and transforming Holly's dull hair into luscious locks. Shortly after, Sara noticed that she made a mistake... Would she be able to fix it?
Sara Made a Mistake
Sara dyed Holly's hair and dried it and then she noticed that the color didn't turn out the way she had envisioned it. Sara remained calm since she realized that the color was almost perfect and that her mistake wasn't irreparable.
“Due to existing red [tone], it was not quite perfect but so close,” Sara pointed out. In order for the hair color to be perfect, Sara decided to use one neat little trick and add shadow to Holly’s roots. Once the hair was done, it was time to focus on Holly's face.
Makeup Transformation Takes Place
After fixing Holly's hair, it was time to add some makeup as well. When she arrived to the salon, Holly said the following:"You know what? I’m getting married in November…do whatever you want!” This meant only one thing...
The Avant-Guarde Salon team had absolute freedom and permission to do whatever they want. When it comes to makeup, the team decided to apply eyeshadow and add dark eyelashes that would make her eyes pop. Holly's transformation was coming to an end...
Choosing the Perfect Lipstick
It's amazing how little things can make a big change. Take the right lipstick color as an example. Sara knew how important can a lipstick be and she spent some time picking out the perfect color.
Sara really loved pointing out her clients' strengths, and, when it comes to Holly those were her lips. Sara knew that applying the right color would make Holly's lips pop like never before. And, as you can see in the photo, the pink gloss really did have an impressive impact.
Stunning Makeover Overnight
For Holly, time went by so quickly. But, the makeover really did take a long time from start to finish. The styling team knew they had a lot of work to do, but they didn't expect that it would take them seven hours. What makes things even more interesting is that they started the makeover in the evening.
“I started at 7:00 p.m. and finished at 2:00 a.m.,” the stylist said. “No kidding, this transformation was indeed overnight.” After applying all the finishing touches, one more question remained: how exactly would Holly feel about her transformation?
Feeling Better Than Ever Before
And, just like that, our Holly turned into a confident young lady. Her transformation helped her realize that you don't need two-feet-long hair to be able to embrace your feminine side properly. Everyone could notice how happy Holly was, and this made the stylist happy as well. They knew that they had done more than just a makeover.
“When we were done, Holly was so excited,” Sara said. “She feels beautiful in her own skin.” However, the transformation was not the only reason why Holly was absolutely delighted…
Free Hairstyling for a Year
One of the main reasons why Holly decided to go to the Avant-Garde Salon was due to her low-maintenance policy with her hair. That is why the styling team decided to do something else for Holly.
They wanted to teach Holly to take better care of her hair. So, they decided to give her free hairstyling for a year - before and after her wedding.
Holly Becomes a Viral Sensation
Of course, it didn't take transformation like this a long time to attract the attention of thousands of people online. Both Sara and the Avant-Garde Salon posted photos of Holly's makeover on their Instagram accounts. And, so many people showed Holly love and support.
Of course, users praised the stylists for their excellent work as well. “The transformation is stunning!!! She looks beautiful and youthful,” one Instagram user commented. But, this wasn't all the love that the crew and Holly received...
Did She Really Need The Transformation?
The lovely comments about Holly's transformation just kept coming. One user was so impressed that they couldn't find the right words to express their amazement. “Wow! What else can one say? Amazing,” the user wrote. “I know she had to feel completely transformed.”
There were also some other users who praised Holly's natural beauty and who said that she didn't need any help from the stylist. But, the best was yet to come... Not even Holly nor the styling team could predict something like this would happen.
An Award Nomination
Holly's transformation was so incredible and it became even more popular after the OneShot Hair Awards in 2017. In addition, the Avant-Garde salon was nominated for the EC Top Salon award. Before the ceremony, Jeremy Hartfield, Sara Pestella and the rest of the styling team gathered to take a photo and celebrate their achievements.
Once all the preparations were finally over, the team from Avant-Garde Salon proceded to the ceremony, along with Holly, for what would end up being one of the greatest nights of their lives…
Introducing The Nominee
In order to depict as faithfully as possible how far Holly and the Avant-Garde team had come, EC Top Salon tried to make their nomination announcement as dramatic as possible.
“Meet @avantgardesalonspa’smodel, Holly Garrido,” EC Top Salon posted on their Instagram account. “The biggest thing Holly looks forward to with this event is being able to show her daughter that not only can a woman be strong, but also beautiful inside and out.”
Fierce Competition
However, Holly wasn't the only one who had undergone an unbelievable transformation. Actually, the competition was quite fierce.
We can’t wait to see the transformations this Friday at #ECTopSalon,” EC Top Salon wrote on its Instagram account. “Take a look back at the before and after photos of [the] models and see just how amazing the transformations will be.” One thing was for sure. Despite the competition, Holly still had an excellent chance of winning.
Jumping for Joy
Of course, the Avant-Garde Salon’s Senior Stylist Jeremy Hartfield attended the event as well. Jeremy, along with the rest of his team, was praying that their hard work for Holly would help them bring something home.
The team was satisfied by seeing Holly's joy, but they also hoped that they would get some recognition for the hard work they'd done. But, whatever happened in the end, Jeremy was excited just to be there. But, when he saw the split image of his transformation, he was absolutely delighted…
A Heartwarming Speech
In the end, the Avant-Garde Salon got the opportunity to shine at the ceremony. The lovely Sara Pestella was nominated for the Transformation Shot of the Year award. And, when she walked onto the stage, she decided to share Holly's story with everyone.
There is no doubt that this heartwarming story struck a chord with the entire audience. And, of course, after Sara's speech, it was Holly's time to shine and show off her transformation. The audience was lost for words!
Is It the Same Person?
Little did Holly know that her decision to cut her hair would turn her into a viral sensation and ensure her access to the OneShot Awards. And, now, she was finally ready for her big day.
The stylists from the Avant-Garde Salon couldn't believe they were looking at the same person. Not only did her looks change but also her behavior. Holly was now more confident than ever and this came just in time for her big day. But, before we get to that part, let's take a look at the iconic moment when Holly walked onto the catwalk.
Rocking The Catwalk
After Sara accepted the award and gave an emotional speech about Holly's journey, it was time for Holly to walk on stage and show off her looks and confidence on the catwalk. Holly was so mesmerizing that people couldn't take their eyes off her.
They all must have been wondering what changed and what Holly did to maintain her stunning looks. Well, we know one thing for sure. The transformation affected her confidence and everything else became much easier.
Did The Team Win?
After rocking the catwalk, Holly gathered with some of the stylists of Avant-Garde team and they all posed in front of the camera. The team was absolutely thrilled with how the night was working out so far.
The salon shared their impressions on their Instagram: “We are absolutely blown away by the support we received last night!” But, what happened in the end? Did they manage to win the award they were hoping for?
Avant-Garde Salon to the Victory!
Of course, the Avant-Garde styling team won the award. They did such an amazing job and changed Holly's life for good. Of course, they would receive recognition for that!
As you can see in the photo, Holly and the team were overwhelmed with joy when the hosts pronounced them as the winners of the award. “We won! Thanks to our beautiful model Holly and the work of our stylists,” the Avant-Garde Salon wrote on its Instagram account. “Taking home the title yet again, your #ECTopSalon 2017 is Avantgarde Salon and Spa with model Holly Garrido!” Congratulations guys! You deserved it!