If the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns taught us anything, it was to put the box dye down. Or should we? Whilst we’re now able to sit back down in the salon, the explorative and creative hair styles and colours that were born from having to do it yourself are slowly filtering back into the hair trends of today. Coupled with the rise of a few key brands who have specific, consistent styling, a love of nostalgia and a wider shift into maximalism, it’s an exciting time to debut a new hair colour, cut or style. Let’s take a look at some of the trends you’re about to see everywhere.
RACCOON / SCENE HAIR
As with lots of trends nowadays, TikTok is spearheading the revival of the scene aesthetic – and hair is no exception. Also dubbed ‘raccoon hair’, this trend sees horizontal, chunky highlights take the limelight, often one part dark, one part bleach. Emulating the rings on a raccoon tail, the object is to not be too perfect – the messier the better.
ROUGH CUT FRINGE
Speaking of (intentionally) messy – this seems to be a prerequisite for a lot of the hair trends about to pop. Iris Law just debuted her new cut, which sees a roughly cut short fringe, and the cautious return of dip dye on it. Making up the rest of the cut is a mullet, with close shaved sides, and a whole load of bleach.
BRIGHT BLEACH
This one has stood the test of time, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it – sometimes a simple all-over bleach is the way to go. From bright blonde box braids, to buzzcuts, to longer styles, this is one for everyone, and if you don’t fancy bleaching your natural hair, there’s always wigs.
BALENCIAGA SLICK
Balenciaga’s current favoured aesthetic is oil-slicked hair – given a major moment at its AW22 show, as well as being adopted by attendees to its most recent showcase at the New York Stock Exchange. This one’s a pretty easy one to replicate – douse it in product, separate strands, add sunglasses.
MONOGRAM SHAVE
Buzzcuts dominated the 2010s, but the 2020s have taken the style and updated it. On the runway, we saw Gucci monogram buzzcuts – with the brand’s logo shaved into models’ heads and forming a standout detail from the show. To try this, get your artiest friend, a pair of clippers and your favourite brand – but you may run the risk of looking like a walking ad.
WOLF CUTS
Are wolf cuts still cool? According to hairtok, yes. Slightly more edgy than the colour of the moment, auburn, but now mainstream enough for your local salon to offer them out, the wolf cut is the perfect softer alternative to a full on shaggy mullet, which has had its time.
ANIMAL PRINT BUZZCUTS
Back to the buzzcuts, and we’ve seen variations of leopard print and tiger print hit the scene. This one is one for experimentation – go colourful, with contrasting coloured spots, or keep it classic with a contrast bleach tiger stripe, like this one. Your choice.
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