This year’s ‘it’ hairstyles focus on volume, face framing, and polished blow-dries, according to industry experts. TikTok’s it-girls have paved the way for this autumn’s hairstyles, with the likes of Hailey Bieber, Matilda Djerf, and Sofia Richie influencing many of the trends.
Here, Head of Education and expert stylist at Neäl & Wølf, Laura Elliott, shares her thoughts on the top four autumn hair trends she predicts will be everywhere this A/W.
Lobs
Hailey Bieber and Zendaya have led the bob trend over summer, and as we move into the autumn and winter seasons, long bobs that sit just below the collar bone will be a popular trend according to Laura.
“Lobs are great for those clients who want to make the chop but aren’t quite daring enough to go for a shoulder grazing bob. The lob is also much easier to style and manage and is just long enough to be easily pulled back for a sleek updo,” she says.
“Shorter bobs, such as the French bob, are still popular as we transition from summer to autumn, but the lob is more wearable for the majority of face shapes.”
The Fox Cut
Last autumn, the wolf cut – a shaggy cut that incorporates choppy layers and jagged edges – was really popular. This year, Laura states that the fox cut, otherwise known as the wolf cut’s sleek, younger sister, will take the crown.
“We’ve noticed an increase in clients referencing the likes of Matilda Djerf for high volume 70s and 90s hair, which is where the fox cut comes in. The cut is great for those with finer hair as it uses traditional layering techniques to create the illusion of thicker, voluminous hair. The upcoming hair trend is also fairly easy for clients to style as it just requires a sleek blow-dry.
“And for those wanting to incorporate subtle fringes, this is the perfect cut to do so. It effortlessly frames the face to give more dimension without any choppy cuts which means it works well for those with longer faces.”
Sleek Updo's
The sleek updo has become increasingly popular, as the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ has amassed 6.1 billion views on TikTok, and Gen Z’s new it-girl, Sofia Richie, shares her polished hair tutorials.
Laura tells us: “Slicked back hairstyles, such as the sleek pony, bun, and braid, have been popular for a while thanks to influencers from catwalks and editorial fashion, and it seems they’re here to stay this autumn.
“Sleek updos are extremely versatile and can be worn in both formal and informal situations to elevate clients’ overall look. The type of brush you use is vital in order to pull back each hair strand without leaving any kinks.” Which is why Laura recommends a boar bristle brush to get the hair perfectly smooth.
She also advises to warn clients not to overdo the slicked back buns or ponytails. “If worn too often, clients will risk the hair tugging and pulling too tightly on the hairline, where hair strands are finer and weaker, leading to tension breakage.” And while they look elegant and polished, Laura says: “Slicking back hair daily could eventually lead to hair loss due to extreme tension and breakage, also known as traction alopecia.” Advise clients to apply a hair treatment or hair mask to slick it back for easy and multitasking haircare.
Curtain Bangs and Birkin Bangs
Laura says that there will be a focus on framing the face this season with the help of curtain bangs and Birkin bangs.
“With the popularity of the fox cut and voluminous blow outs, we’ve been noticing increases in requests for curtain and Birkin bangs within our salons. Birkin bangs are the perfect autumnal fringe if your clients are looking for a face framing style that is low maintenance.”
Speaking of Birkin bangs, check out our article on Birkin bangs here!
