Hair space

The First Ward and the art of context

Research on nutrition, health care and relationships points to a clear distinction between quality and quantity for life outcomes. It’s not about how much you eat, how long you live or how many friends you have, but the quality of it all that defines your experience. When it comes to services like a doctor’s visit, a massage or a haircut, it’s rare to find professionals who make their craft look effortless and leave you feeling content, connected and at your best. When you finally find a gem, you keep coming back. 

Tucked away in the Blue Dome District, The First Ward salon is one of those places. Unknown to most who walk by it, the salon has no sign, no hours posted, only a turquoise door that opens to an old wooden staircase. The threshold brings a distinct energy shift from the hot concrete outside. Owners Jessica Bond and James Sherrod joke that it’s leftover from The May Rooms, the space’s earlier incarnation as Tulsa’s longest running and most notorious brothel, which operated from 1936 to 1979. 

At the top of the stairs, the corridor gives way to an abundance of natural light spilling through the salon’s oversized windows. In an instant, the chaos and impersonal touches of a typical hair salon are forgotten. Salon Manager Cheyenne Scarborough makes each client comfortable with a seasonal cocktail or fresh cup of coffee. Bond, Sherrod and stylist Krystle Morris float with calm confidence through the airy space as conversations drift between the four salon chairs (with only three stylists, the fourth chair is usually reserved for merry guests). Though minimalist, the space feels warm and inviting. Every last detail holds the same rare and relaxed thoughtfulness embodied by Bond and Sherrod. Pretense has no place here, yet the luxury of The First Ward experience is undeniable. 

Bond got her first taste of exemplary customer service as a 5-year-old at Disney World, which she naturally thought was the most magical place on earth. When she reflected back on that visit years later, she realized that the theme park was created solely to make people feel special.

“I’ve been over it 100 times, and I’m so fascinated by that place because Disney was just a man that wanted people to be happy,” she says. “He just wanted to give people a relief, you know. I know some people think it’s cheesy, but I think that’s really nice.” 

Bond had her eye on the space near 1st and Elgin long before she and Sherrod moved to New York City six years ago. She’d even casually mentioned to a friend that if the space became available, she would open a salon there. As clients of Bond and Sherrod already know, their instincts are impeccable: In just three years as full-time stylists in Manhattan, Bond was working tents at Fashion Week and Sherrod was styling the hair of Victoria’s Secret models. They were mentored by some of the industry’s top talent, people Bond says were kind, giving and open. In most respects, they had made it in the big city.

But New York had given them a deflating glimpse behind the curtain of the industry—disingenuous product marketing, uninspired styles, cookie-cutter beauty ideals and the impersonal speed of mass production. Though their experience had been invaluable, they wanted more control over their business practices and needed a change of pace.  

By the time the First Street space became available, Bond and Sherrod had moved from New York to Austin and were traveling back and forth to see weekend clientele in Tulsa. The location was ideal—“second floor, private, in a busy neighborhood without being in your face, an apartment living room kind of feeling,” Sherrod says. “If you’re going to invite people into your space, you just treat them like they’re in your home, because that salon experience is so much more pleasant than a hair factory.” 

Initially, they enlisted Morris, an acquaintance, as a temporary stylist through the holidays to help her out of a jam. She’s since become a beloved friend, respected colleague and permanent member of The First Ward family. For the past three years, they’ve shared ideas on technique, people, philosophy and career goals. Opting for quality over quantity, the stylists have grown their clientele slowly as they’ve nurtured the salon’s culture and value.

The First Ward philosophy is about making you the best you. It’s about seeing your beauty even if you don’t, and knowing you deserve to feel good. It’s about seeing you in the context of your life. 

If you visit the salon, the stylists will get all up in your business. They’ll ask about your morning routine, your tolerance for maintenance and how much time you spend outside. They want to know you—office-dwelling workaholic, adventurous world traveler, rebel or traditionalist, structure loving or wild and untamed. Every decision they make with your hair depends on it. 

“Context, context in everything,” Sherrod says. “Why would I put this haircut on someone when they’re going to spend 40 minutes styling it? Yeah, it looks sharp and well executed, but they’re going to do it one time and never do it again, because it’s not in context with their lifestyle or look in general. You have to style to context. And we believe that first with the work we do, and that just flows through everything we create.”

The intensely personal nature of their work demands that the stylists seek out plenty of fresh perspective. Traveling to new places (Bond and Sherrod just returned from Paris and Copenhagen) and meeting the people who live there is an essential source of inspiration. In addition to giving their creative minds time to reset, travel informs their work with local and global trends and new perspectives on beauty.

Though Bond, Sherrod and the team treat their craft with the utmost respect, they also don’t take themselves too seriously. This is never more apparent than when The First Ward throws a party. Whether it’s their annual Tulsa Tough watch party or the infamous “Fist Wad”—complete with a DJ and a “pay half price or roll the dice” game of hair Russian roulette—this crew knows how to let loose.  

In January, The First Ward held an Instagram contest to treat one lucky winner to a new look. Bond was feeling restless after the holidays and wanted a project that would give her full creative license. As the entries rolled in, Morris showed Bond the women’s photos and shared what she knew about each one. They realized that all seven entrants spent their time helping others—they were social workers, nurses, counselors, advocates and the list went on. The team could think of no one more deserving of a makeover than these bleeding hearts, so they made every one a winner.  

In typical First Ward fashion, as word spread about the project, like-minded friends and community members jumped onboard: Chimera provided lunch; Spa Southern Hills gave hand and foot massages; Vintage 1740 brought Champagne; This Land Press donated magazine subscriptions and tote bags (loaded with product from The First Ward’s distributor, Modern Salon Services); local artist Sara Westover created a special painting for each person; Andey Delesdernier spun vinyl; and Cheyenne Butcher photographed the whole shindig. It’s this spirit of collaboration that has drawn faithful clients to The First Ward and made the salon a magnetic center of local creativity.

Want more from DeJon? Read her article on creative solutions to homelessness in Tulsa and her story about Death with Dignity. For more from our style issue, see Molly Bullock's adventure (non)essentials and Zac King's posture piece.