Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Saso.
Melanie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up singing Patsy Cline and Leslie Gore songs into my hairbrush with my big sister. Those two worlds would collide again when I opened Bombshell Beauty Boutique in my rural hometown of Mendota, IL in 2014. It’s a funky little vintage inspired studio. This gem is roughly 90 miles southwest of Chicago. There isn’t much of a Rockabilly scene this far out, so after 3 1/2years I decided it was time to make my next move. I was going to be a Chicago hairstylist. I reached out to Twisted Scissors in Logan Square. You can find me cutting, coloring and styling there on Fridays and Saturdays. I still live and work in Mendota. My family is here. I have a 12 year old daughter and my son is a senior in High school this year so we are moving after he graduates. For now I make the 2+hour commute as I chase my dream of being a Vintage Hair Artist and working at one of the coolest salons in the city. This was the first of many moves I made to get my work to the right set of eyes and really take my career in the direction I want it to go. Eventually I’d like to only do styling. I started making connections through social media and the classes I would take. I started to collaborate with like-minded artists. I freelance for weddings, offer onsite styling for pinup contests and car show enthusiasts across the Midwest, work with Tokyo Rose Pinups as a hairstylist for photo shoots and have plans to become an independent educator offering vintage hairstyling classes in the near future.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This has been the most difficult yet rewarding decision I’ve ever made. I was so scared. I didn’t know if I could own and operate a salon, but I tried and it turned 4 this past July! I didn’t I was good enough to be a Chicago hairstylist or if I could handle the shift it would cause in my life. But here I am, doing it! I hold that on a pedestal in my mind. Chicago is so taboo where I come from. It’s literally a different world out here. I dealt with questions and concern from my loved ones. Afraid I was making a bad choice. Worried about how far away I was traveling, how much I’d be gone. I’ve had to be absent from my children and boyfriend as I chase my career. I’m doing this for me. No one was going change my life for me. I had to do it. I just knew that everything I wanted was on the other side of fear and I had to just do it. Now people seek me out for Vintage styles and I’m literally living my dream.
Bombshell Beauty Boutique / Bombshell Mel / Twisted Scissors – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
This one is tri-fold. My brick and mortar business is Bombshell Beauty Boutique in rural Mendota, IL. I offer a full range of hair care services for men and women alike. I built my business by offering cuts and color in a fun, laid back environment. I’m educationally based. Meaning, I educate my clients on how to maintain their styles at home. I don’t just do their hair, I teach them how to do their own hair. I’ve had countless people tell me that is what sets me apart. I can give someone an incredible cut but if we don’t teach them, I don’t think it’s a good style. If a client can’t recreate it at home, what is the use? I specialize in Vintage hairstyling. So I looked for a place where I could showcase that skill set. I work in Logan Square at Twisted Scissors. This place is known for its elite stylists. Some of Chicago’s best hair comes from Twisted. People drive from all around to get there, myself included! I also freelance as “Bombshell Mel” doing on location Vintage hairstyling at car shows across the Midwest.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I will feel successful when I am able to only do Vintage hairstyling as the base of my career. That will define success for me. In general I feel like success is visible in progress. When small goals are achieved on the path to larger scale ones, we should celebrate the small victories. Even failures can be considered successes in the long run.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2001 N. Point
Chicago, IL 60647 - Website: www.twistedscissorschicago.com www.melaniesasoartistry.com
- Phone: 773-227-1077
- Email: pinupstyle82@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miss_bombshell_mel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BombshellBeautyBoutique1313/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/twistedscissorschicago/
Image Credit:
Photo of me and my Suitcase: credit Aga Dondzik
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