Forget fads and focus on you: That’s the word from top stylists around the country who are forecasting fall’s hair trends. “There’s no one style that everyone will emulate,” says Chaz Dean, a Los Angeles-based salon owner who caters to numerous celebs. “Nothing will be ‘the look.’ We’re coming into the new millennium when there will be a movement towards customized cuts and colors that work with your hair, not against it. Fall hair is all about being an individual.”
What does that mean? “Curly hair should be allowed to curl; straight hair should remain sleek and shiny,” says Shin, a stylist with Mark Garrison Salon in New York City. “Perms will be passé. Bleaching your hair or wrapping it in rollers will become obsolete. In the past, the grass was always greener — you usually wanted the opposite of what you have. But come fall, women will be learning to appreciate their hair’s natural beauty.”
The runways reflected similar trends, Dean says, and stylists took their cue. “Fall fashions were all about getting back to basics and nature and wearing clothes that felt as good as they looked. We saw raw materials and earthy tones, simple shapes and textures. With such unfussy fashions, hair has to be equally easy-going.” This autumn, you won’t need to agonize over what style will be “in,” adds Shin. “With a little guidance, you can simplify and get back to basics, and the result will be prettier, healthier hair that requires almost no effort.”
A Cut Above
“There will be ,” says Dean. “The texture will come from within the cut: fine angling from underneath as opposed to shaggy, scissor-happy fringe. Hair will have direction and movement, body and bounce. Think swing — not severe.” What this translates into, says Shin, is “wash-and-go” hair that works for women on the run. “No ‘dos,” she says. “Finally, it should be easy to replicate the way your hair looks when you leave the salon.”
Go to All Lengths
Like hemlines this fall, hair will be all lengths — from ultra-long (à la Cher), to pixie-short, to every inch in between. “There’s a freedom this fall,” says Shin. “The most important thing is to find a length that flatters your face shape. If you have a wide forehead, you can go for bangs; if you have a round face, go for an angled mid-length that frames; fine features benefit from a short style swept behind the ears.” And if you want to let your hair grow “down to there,” then just do it (or fake it with extensions)! “Whatever makes you feel great — that’s the length you should choose,” she adds. “Chop it, crop it, grow it out. You call the shots.”
A Hue That’s You
“Take what you have and make it better — that should be fall’s hair color mantra,” insists Dean. “Red hair can go more fiery or copper; brunettes should opt for rich chocolate tones; blondes should emphasize depth and tonality — less heavy highlights, more softer, warmer shades in the honey family.” Keeping within your own natural shade will make maintenance (not to mention telltale root lines) minimal. “And the less chemicals you have to put on your hair, the healthier it will be,” he says.
Good-bye to Goo
In keeping with the less-is-more theory, Dean says the styling tools you use should be lighter. “Heavy conditioners weigh hair down,” he warns. “Switch to a light leave-in one, designed to boost shine and moisture.” Choose one styling aid that works well with your hair type (a frizz-free gel if hair is curly, a volumizing mousse if it’s fine and straight) and resist the urge to pile on products. “Women often feel the need to ‘glue’ their hair with gels and sprays,” he says. “You shouldn’t be using more than a quarter-sized drop of any product. Rub it between the palms of your hands then distribute evenly through your hair. The key word for fall is touchable — hair that moves and grooves. Your mane should never be stiff and sticky.”
The Finishing Touches
What better way to play up autumn’s au natural
trends than with barrettes, bands and bows made from raw materials? “Yarn, string, and rope woven through the hair is sexy,” Dean says. “The prettiest new clips and head bands are made from wood, shells and beads. Anything earthy is interesting.”
Shin loves designing casual upsweeps for her clients and fastening them with a pair of ivory or wooden chopsticks or even twigs. “Rather than decorating an evening ‘do with little rhinestone clips — last year’s look — I’ll place a few feathers here or there. It’s dramatic, yet delicate.”
