Trust that develops between hairstylists and clients covers many different raw elements of life, including aspirations and secrets. Sometimes, that initial kernel of trust blossoms into lifelong friendships, as is the case of these three Nashville women.
Ali Ryan is known throughout Nashville as the chic 'blowout guru and hair hero,' but there's several other interesting layers to her life, such as serving on the board of directors for Mother to Mother, a nonprofit that provides essential health, safety and wellness items for infants and children in need. She also enjoys cooking for her own family of five, as well as hosting meals for guests.
Lauren Akins is a Nashville-based author, podcaster and philanthropist. She is the author of Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life's Changes, which was a New York Times best seller. Oh, and, she's the wife of country musician Thomas Rhett Akins.
Kailey Dickerson is the podcast host of 'Coffee With Kailey.' She's also a touring wife and artistic muse for her spouse, country pop singer-songwriter Russell Dickerson.
These three females may have met due to hair-related services — and often style their hair during the same session — however, they spontaneously bonded over seeking happiness, balancing life, handling motherhood/stepmotherhood, rejecting fear and embracing change and the unknown. In other words, they became best blowout buddies.
As creator and owner of The Dry House Nashville at a new location off 8th Ave., Ali is a stylist with 22 years of experience in Nashville, New Jersey and New York City. "The Dry House fulfilled a lifelong dream to move to Nashville and open a blowout salon with a look and feel completely unique to this one-of-a-kind city," she explains.
Since opening, Ali has developed an in-demand salon for locals, a favorite spot for Nashville’s A-listers, and a tourist destination for those visiting the city. "We're the destination for all things beauty," she quips.
Ali parlayed those salon beginnings into full services that include cut, coloring, braids, Balayage, hair repair treatments, extensions and industry-leading products for in-between appointments. Her salon house rules speak loudly about her lease on life:
- Don’t judge women. Especially yourself.
- Keep the gossip friendly and flowing.
- Profanity is permitted and encouraged.
- You will walk out feeling fierce.
Ali has worked with Lauren for the past eight years, traveling with her globally to assist with hair, makeup and assembling red carpet looks. They say they've also shared the ups and downs of everyday developments. Lauren confides that Ali is the magician behind her sun-kissed organic-but-insane glam look when a dash of drama is required, especially for award shows.
"Ali helped me understand the importance of self-love and turn it into self-esteem," Lauren says, admitting that she was a tomboy growing up so she doesn't typically struggle with her everyday appearance and is comfortable opting for a messy, fun bun.
"Every public look that I've had for the past eight years has been Ali-inspired," Lauren adds. "We look through pictures and such, then she has dreams that she brings to life with me. I'm her ongoing project."
As a nurse and humanitarian, Lauren says she believes it's essential to live with purpose and to stay grounded with faith along the way. "Friends, married couples and families can drift apart, due to political views, medical issues or differences of opinions. But there are so many rapid changes these days, what constitutes 'change' anymore?" she poses. "Change is the constant pace, so it's best to learn how to together handle the good and the bad."
Lauren writes and speaks about given that everyone is human, and that humans are not perfect, it helps to apply grace to one's own life, as well as others. "As moms or couples, it's OK to fail, that's how we learn. We can be our own hardest critics, but it's important to get scary or ugly challenges out in the open, out in the light."
Kailey says her working relationship with Ali really turned into best friendship and then into family. "Ali really gets her people, and is so passionate about making them feel and look their best. She has done that for me countless times over the eight years we've been in each others lives.
"We've been there for each other in so many different seasons, and I’m just so thankful for the way she loves and takes care of my family.”
Ali agrees that the families of all three of them are integrated, with all of their parents also knowing one another as an extended family. "And Russell married my husband and me," she adds.
Kailey and Russell have one boy, Remington, but experienced a heartbreaking miscarriage in 2022. When speaking publicly about it, she posted: "May we all give each other some more grace this next year, more kindness because we don’t know what someone is truly going through, more love because we all need it. And may Jesus be near to the broken-hearted. He sure has been for us."
Currently, though, Kailey, Russell and these extended family members have something completely wonderful to look forward to, something to help heal their souls: Kailey and Russell are expecting another baby.
"We're so excited to share our little world is getting another boy! Remington is going to be the sweetest big brother, and we can't wait to see it," Kailey beams.
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"Friends first, hair second," says Ali Ryan, creator/owner of The Dry House Nashville, regarding her bond with Lauren Akins and Kailey Dickerson.
“True friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never by heart.”
“We are friends for life. When we’re together the years fall away. Isn’t that what matters? To have someone who can remember with you? To have someone who remembers how far you’ve come?” ~Judy Blume