I have a little special occasion coming up this weekend and was trying to decide where to go to find that perfect little outfit.

I did some thinking and then I came up with a great idea - one of my favorite all-time stores, the Le Chateau outlet store.

I love Le Chateau, I have always been a big fan, but sometimes the prices at the regular store are a little high for my taste.

I could completely understand heading there if you work in an office and want some youthful, modern workwear or heading to a gala and want a great formal dress, but if you just want something quick and inexpensive but still high quality and fashionable, the outlet store is the place to go.

Don’t get me wrong the prices at the regular retail outlets are definitely reasonable, with almost no item of clothing being priced higher than $70 or so.

You basically get top designer clothing at very affordable prices, and I am certainly looking forward to spending a couple hundred there and getting some great pieces to add to my wardrobe.

It was the outlet store on my mind today however. There are a few different Le Chateau outlet stores out there, and from what I hear several more are going to be in business very soon.

I live near Toronto in Ontario, Canada, and so the one I motor to when I’m in search of a great deal on a great piece is in Barrie. Located at 411 Bayfield Street in Barrie, you can also visit the Le Chateau website if you want to view some of their latest styles.

Few pieces at the outlet store are over the $20-$30 range, which is fantastic and perfect for this weekend because I am completely broke but hey, a girl’s still gotta look great.

Keep in mind that you will usually not be able to buy these same styles at the outlet store, but it will help to give you a better idea of what the company has to offer and what direction their fashion taste is going in.

We have all been there - we head to the salon thinking we know exactly what we want and looking forward to leaving looking like a star, until…

It has probably happened at least once to you. On your way out of the salon you are wishing to yourself that you could just invent that time machine and go back a couple hours, maybe rethink your decision.

To avoid this from happening again, there are a few tips that I would like to offer to help you choose the right hairstylist, one that you can trust and feel safe with, so you no longer have to clench your nails into the side of the chair when you see them reaching for the scissors.

Look Around

One of the first and most important steps is going to involve you taking a bit of time to look around and see what is out there. Finding a good hairstylist is going to take some searching, but it will be more than worth it in the end.

You may even want to make a list of all the available hairstylists in your immediate area, and make sure that you stick pretty close to home because after all, you are not going to want to have to travel for hours every time you need to get your hair done.

Once you have made your list, you should start narrowing the selection down by crossing any off that are too cheap or too expensive. Sure there may be some fantastic hairstylists in both categories but trust me, you can find affordable hairstylists that are very reputable and very good at what they do.

Go For the One With the Good Reputation

You are going to want to do some background research on the stylists left on your list. Check to see how long they have been in the business, how much total experience they have, how many salons they have worked in, and find out what their clients have to say to them.

Any reputable, qualified hairstylist will be more than willing to offer you a few names on their list of clientele, and you may even know someone who already goes to them which would be fantastic because then you could get a firsthand opinion on the stylist and on what they have to offer that keeps their clients coming back.

Check the Salon

One of the most crucial things to do is check the salon the stylist works in. It may be anything from a fancy upscale salon or a basement in their home, but either way it is important for you to have a look at their work area and how well they take care of it.

While you are there, check out the products and tools they use and sell, and if you can, pick a stylist who specializes in your type of hair because they will offer specific products and tools that are going to work best with your hair type and leave you with the best results each and every time.

The best salons are those that are kept very neat and tidy, because they will want to make sure they are giving a good impression and want to make their clients feel welcome.

Okay, so a few hairs here and there doesn’t mean you should kick them to the curb, but there is a standard that you should have in terms of cleanliness and ensuring this is a salon you are going to look forward to coming back to time and time again.

Make a Consultation Appointment

Once you have dropped your list down to a few respectable names, it is going to be time for you to get up close and personal.

Consultation appointments are going to be incredibly helpful, and will allow you to speak one-on-one with the different stylists, see what they have to offer, what their opinion on your hair is and what they would advise to do with it, and what they expect you to pay for them styling your hair.

If you are a risk taker you may even want to ask them to give you a haircut right then and there, so you can see what their style is, what they have to offer and whether you would be interested in returning to them in the future.

The best hairstylist is going to be one that understands and meets your needs, someone who transforms your hair as you want it but only if they know it is going to look good, and who is going to listen to what you like and dislike about your hair and always make sure you are happy before you leave the salon.

Choosing a hairstylist is a very important and often lengthy process, but this is someone you will be able to rely on for all hair dilemmas and dos for the rest of your life, so you will be more than glad that you did it.