• Whipper Snippers

  106 Reade St., 212-227-2600

  If you’ve got a daughter, bring her to this Tribeca salon armed with two pieces of information: the name of the stylist you want (Carol) and the cut you’re after (the “elevated bob”). A variation on the Madeline look with a cleverly wedged back and dramatically angled sides, this precociously chic coif is heart-stoppingly cute. “I have never had so many people ask me where I got my daughter’s hair cut,” said the amazed mom of a recently bobbed tot. “They actually stop me in the street.” For boys, the shaggy Ashton Kutcher surfer-do is a current favorite, along with a Harry Potter mop top. Whipper Snippers also has a well-chosen selection of toys for kids to fiddle with while waiting. Two of the four haircut stations look like toy Jeeps, and all have video screens so clients can tuck into The Incredibles or an Elmo video while they sit for a trim. Haircuts are $25; stylists will craft French braids or ribbon-laced updos for special occasions ($20), and even do a quick touch-up trim on the locks of time-constrained parents ($35 and up). Sugarless lollipops and balloons included.

From the 2006 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine