The first time I went to Gilly, I brought in a photo of the queer haircut I wanted (Emma D'arcy, y'all) and asked her, "Do you think I can pull this cut off?" And she said, "Hell yeah" and proceeded to give me exactly what I wanted. In my life, I can't recall loving a haircut more than the one she gave me. I know this sounds like hyperbole, but I truly mean it. Every day, I text my friends and say, "I still love my haircut."

I went to Gilly's because it seemed like an unintimidating salon in my neighborhood amongst so many Scary Cool shops in Portland. Her prices are also more reasonable that the Scary Cool shops.

Working with her was a joy. She's great to talk to but doesn't need to fill the silence. As she was finishing up, she kept checking in to make sure everything looked the way I wanted. And it did. I felt much more myself when I left.

This review of Gilly’s & Esther is long overdue. Gilly”s is one of the few salons that offers Henna hair coloring and open 7 days a week. It’s a relaxed and welcoming environment. Esther has been coloring and cutting my hair for 3 years. Like in other reviews she is fantastic. Henna is a labor intensive process and Esther is a pro.