Beers and braids: classes teach dads how to do their daughter’s hair

Forget braids and pigtails. Many dads just want to be able to brush their daughters’ hair without any tears or tantrums. 

A Melbourne hairdresser has come to the rescue, offering workshops for fathers to learn how to do their little girls’ hair. 

Cat Allan has started ‘Beers and Braids’, a one-hour session run through her Glamzilla beauty salon in Ashwood.

Tom Elliott admitted he struggled a lot when his wife was away for a fortnight. 

‘My daughter has long and wavy hair,’ he said. ‘And I found it the most difficult thing trying to manage it each day.’ 

‘I even tried using a vacuum cleaner… like sucking all her hair in the vacuum cleaner so I could easily get the rubber band around it.’

Ms Allan told Tom the workshops are rewarding, as many fathers have never even picked up a hairbrush before they have a daughter. 

‘As long as they can get the brushing of their hair pain-free, and be able to manage a ponytail and sometimes a basic plait, then I feel like I’ve achieved quite a lot.’