Look to the cyclical nature of trends, and summer has long been established as the all-compassing season of ease. Pool floats! Low-key hairstyles [4]! Holiday days that aren't confined to the white-plastered walls of your tiny apartment living room. But as the last few years have shown: societal norms are shifting. Now, it's fall's turn to churn out haircut trends [5] that are equal parts breezy and bold — and they're taking some inspiration from the past.
Whereas historically the autumnal season saw an influx of polished cuts to match those crisp new wardrobes, those are exactly the types of styles to avoid these next few months. "We are seeing much more effortless, undone, messy looks this year," Seiji Kitazato [6], the creative director at The Yoshiko Salon [7] in NYC, tells POPSUGAR. Plus, "we all know fashion always comes back in style, and the same goes for hair."
From shaggy layers that bring to mind some of your favourite retro stars (cough, Farrah Fawcett [8]) to the edgy style Miley Cyrus is making cool again [9], there's a haircut du jour for everyone's taste. "This fall we will be seeing a lot of [new] takes on old-school looks, like mullet cuts [10] and shags, voluminous layers, and fringe bangs," says Kitazato. "Always remember that we must start with the hair type and face shape to make sure the look suits them too."
To help you prep for your next appointment, keep reading for a breakdown to the coolest pro-approved haircut trends worth trying this fall. Rest assured: they couldn't get any easier.
Fall Haircut Trend: the Wolf Cut
It's true: the mullet has been making a strong comeback these last two years. Luckily, the latest rendition of the faithfully divisive "business in the front, party in the back" haircut is much cooler and way more low-key this time around — and works with any texture or hair type. Enter: the "wolf cut." [11]
"The wolf cut combines two classic cuts from the 70's: the classic shag cut and a mullet," says Kitazato. "It consists of chunky, shaggy layers on top and wavy, wispy ends. Although bold, this cut is versatile [12], as you can make it more edgy and bold by going short, or make it more refined with longer layers."
Fall Haircut Trend: the Wolf Cut
Fall Haircut Trend: the Wolf Cut
Fall Haircut Trend: "Bottleneck" Bangs
Bangs for fall aren't exactly revolutionary, right? Not so fast. The latest take on the trend is called "bottleneck" bangs [13] — a curved style that goes across your forehead, with the longer ends hitting your cheekbones. It takes its inspiration from the beck of a bottle (if you close your eyes, that almost looks like a C shape across your forehead).
"Unlike the classic fringe that we have been seeing this past year, which typically hit around the eye line, bottleneck bangs are an updated spin beginning at the brow, and typically parted in the middle, the shorter pieces graduate to longer pieces that accentuate the contours of the eyes and cheek, creating a face-framing bottleneck shape," Kitazato says. "This cut is flattering on many face shapes, as it can highlight prominent cheekbones, as well as create more depth for someone with rounder cheeks."
Fall Haircut Trend: "Bottleneck" Bangs
Fall Haircut Trend: "Bottleneck" Bangs
Fall Hairstyle Trend: Farrah Fawcett Layers
Farrah Fawcett-inspired hair crept into TikTok's For You pages during the summer months, but this style is predicted to carry on well into the upcoming season. "A Farrah Fawcett and very retro look plays into the drama that I think will take over this fall," says hairstylist Anabel Santos [14] of Sally Hershberger NoMad. "Lots of volume and layers in bold, warm tones keeps the look feeling seasonal but with a twist. I especially see this look working on longer hair, with face-framing pieces and long layers blown out to their extremes to create effortless movement and bounce."
For a modern take, ask your stylist for face-framing layers you can easily blow out with a round brunch. The shaggier, the better. "This style gives a soft, subtle appearance and works beautifully with many hair types, as the ends style beautifully with both straight and curly hair types," adds Kitazato.
Fall Hairstyle Trend: Farrah Fawcett Layers
Fall Hairstyle Trend: Farrah Fawcett Layers
2021 Haircut Trend: Pixie Cut
Pros are also predicting pixie cuts will be everywhere in the next few months simply because they look chic but are easy to style. "Any time a client comes in and requests a pixie, I take my inspiration from Mia Farrow's classic pixie cut," said Travis Speck [15], hairstylist at Sally Hershberger NoMad. "Short hair is much more manageable and less high maintenance, but in order to help it grow out, you'll need to schedule routine trims."
2021 Haircut Trend: Pixie Cut
Fall Haircut Trend: Layered Bob
If you want a shorter cut, try a textured take on the bob. Unlike other trending bob haircuts [16] of year's past, this take on the classic bob [17] is decidedly softer, with lots of layers to add extra volume and movement.
"The style is simple and sophisticated, not flashy or trying too hard," says says celebrity hairstylist and Matrix artistic director Nick Stenson [18] "Using a large round brush and some texture spray, you can replicate this same soft texture too."
Fall Haircut Trend: Layered Bob
