Bottom line? “People are heading into autumn braver and more willing to try new things and to throw caution to the wind,” says Larry. “Saving glam for something special can move aside, glam can be for any day now,” he adds.
Historically, autumn has always been a period of renewal. That back-to-school energy won’t shift, even past our teens. This autumn though? Phewf. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.
“People are enjoying being out again and being allowed to socialise. Glamorous hair is all a part of that,” says top London hair stylist, Larry King. “The new twenties can be likened to the old ’20s,” he adds. “Lockdown felt a bit like the prohibition era, and now we all we deserve a bit of the roaring twenties glamour,” he says.
We couldn’t agree more. Glamour, rebellion and experimentation are all on the menu for this season’s major hair trends. So, question is, which autumn cut will you choose? We asked leading hair stylists for their predictions.
Choppy cuts
“Choppy cuts became very on trend throughout the summer and this will continue throughout autumn and winter 2021,” predicts Callum Standen-May, creative stylist at Bond Shoreditch. “These cuts are great for those who want something a little less high maintenance, where you can simply add some texturising spray to your cut to enhance your look and have it looking fabulous in no time,” he adds.
“More visible layers have made a come back and this enhances natural movement and texture. I love how curls are everywhere now,” agrees Larry. As for straighter strands and looser curls, “long choppy layers with face-framing pieces is the perfect cut to leave hair soft and with extra volume, lift and oomph,” explains Adam Reed, top hairstylist and editorial ambassador for L’Oreal Professionnel.
Dramatic fringes
Jason Collier, celebrity hairstylist and brand educator for Jerome Russell has called it, the “waft fringe” is the cool-girl fringe to know. “The wavy sweeping fringe is long and grown out with a shorter inner centre. The unfussy ’70s sweep and wave is going to really popular,” he says.
That said, fringes in general are always a hit for autumn. “Whether it’s a blunt, choppy fringe, or soft ’70s inspired bang-style fringe, we are really seeing a revival of fringes,” says leading session hairstylist and Babyliss ambassador, Syd Hayes. “Combining ’70s bangs at the front with one long-length hair everywhere else is super chic and provides a confident change to long hair without having to chop it all off,” Syd adds.
The “Wolf Cut”
“The wolf cut is somewhere in the middle of a shag and mullet,” explains Syd. “It’s effortless and free-spirited, and we’re really seeing people embrace this modern take on the shag. They key is sliced out and choppy layers with the length kept throughout the back,” he says. “I definitely feel like the wolfs cut is something we will see more and more. It’s very ’70’s meets 2021,” agrees top hair artist, Chris Weber. It’s brave, but it’s one to consider if you’re in the mood for a rebel cut.
The “Crop Bob”
Bobs aren’t just for autumn, we’re addicted all year round, but for autumn a shorter rendition is a great shout. It sounds counter-intuitive for a season that’s getting colder, but longer bobs work best in summer so you can tie them up on mega hot days.
For autumn, a chop that sweeps your roll neck is super chic. “Crop bobs with various lengths above shoulder length,” are going to be big, predicts our fave LA hair stylist, Sal Salcedo.
“Especially shorter versions with more of a ’90s heartthrob feel,” he adds. “I really love a sharp chin length bob with a middle part,” agrees Chris. “It’s such a great cut and looks fantastic styled multiple ways. Likewise, Syd is a fan of the French bob “cut short, cute and tight into the neck with a blunt fringe,” he says. The beauty is you can wear them dead straight and glass-like or soften them up with a loose wave.
The “Soft Shag”
Even though shags have been around for a while among the trailblazers, now we’ve let the guinea pigs go first, we’re ready to get in on the action. “Shags are finally becoming one of the most requested haircuts,” says Jason, and one in particular to watch out for is the curly shag.
“It’s a long grown-out version of the traditional shag, which allows for more intense curl,” he says. In general, natural waves, curls and texture help to soften the look and make it more wearable.
The ‘70s Flip
“From a style perspective, the ’70s have been a big source of inspiration this year,” says Larry. “We’ve seen the shag, shorter layers, big bouncy volume and bold brave crops all on the agenda,” he adds. Of course we can’t forget, Farrah Fawcett, a major ’70s hair icon, whose flipped, voluminous flicks cemented the style for a whole decade. Now Gen Z want in and are giving it a modern makeover, so expect to see a more subtle rendition of it everywhere.
The “Mixie”
The “mixie” is pretty much as cute as it sounds. It’s a mix of the mullet and the pixie – so think short, dainty crops in the front with a little extra length at the back. Sal, first brought “pixie’s with a mullet air” to our attention at the end of 2020, but since he’s always a year ahead of the trends, we’ve started to see them come through in a major way more recently. And, if you’re even more daring straight-up mullets are trending. “People are being more adventurous and trying all variations of length,” says Sal. “Especially baby bang mullets. ”
Glossy midi
When in doubt, a midi cut offers the best of everything. It’s perfect if you want to go shorter, but not too short, whilst providing the versatility that a little extra length gives (braids, ponytails and updos are still possible). To freshen the style up heading into autumn, the midi’s getting glossier and bouncier.
“This autumn, anything ’90s-inspired is still going strong,” says Sal. Think “BIG midi and long voluminous hair reminiscent of Rachel from FRIENDS as well as ’90s supermodels,” he adds.
“This cut looks even more perfect with a super high shine glossy finish,” says Adam who recommends spritzing L’Oréal Professionnel’s Tecni. Art Ring Light (£12. 79) over the hair for silky, luxe-looking strands. For body, fullness and bounce, Syd’s a fan of the upcoming BaByliss Cordless Hot Brush (launching 15th September). “It’s the perfect partnering tool when it comes to creating volume and maximum style in minimum time,” says Syd.
