steel magnolias of polwarth

Situated down an unassuming side street in Polwarth, Edinburgh is a small shop, a room that is no bigger than most lounges. Here is an unusual hairdresser, every client and the only employee and owner, Dorcas are all over 65. One of the clients has been coming to get her hair cut for over 40 years by her, another’s family have a legacy there, she gets her hair done, as her mother and grandmother before - all cut by Dorcus. Being a one-woman show and being closer to retirement than ever before, Dorcas opens her doors 2 mornings and one full day each week. The salon is not just a functional place but a hub, a community for these women. For many it’s part of their weekly ritual of a wash and set, for others, it’s their only outing, a marker that helps the week pass. Many of them have journeyed through life, celebrating and mourning each other’s life markers.

Photographed July 2019, Edinburgh, Scotland