It looks as though the days when we could simply pull our hair into a tight, slicked-back bun, call it a trend and get on with our lives are over. This season, we're being asked to put in a little more effort and choose a look with real personality.
From the wolf cut's shorter cousin to rich chocolate-brown hair and a side part straight out of the early 2000s, here are three hair trends worth knowing before your next salon appointment, and how to figure out which version is right for you.
Gallery
From right: Taylor Hill, Nara Smith and Nicky Hilton sporting side parts
(Photo: Gettyimages IL/ Aurore Marechal )
Short, sculpted and stylish: The cub cut
Not long ago, we pointed out that this season's hair trend was all about exaggerated length. The longer, the better. But if that doesn't appeal to you, here's a gorgeous alternative.
The cub cut is the shorter, more compact and slightly softer version of the wolf cut. It retains the wild, choppy layers but brings them into a shorter bob silhouette.
The haircut features a somewhat boxy structure, with clearly defined layers framing the face. It is characterized by plenty of volume at the crown and a carefully balanced combination of lengths that fall around the face, creating a particularly flattering frame for the cheekbones and jawline.
A model sporting a cub cut at the Elisabetta Franchi show during Milan Fashion Week
(Photo: GettiImages IL/ Rosdiana Ciaravolo)
British hairstylist Luke Hersheson explained the appeal to Vogue, describing the cub cut as a style that takes the traditional edginess of the shag, a 1970s haircut built around choppy, uneven layers, and transforms it into a more compact, wearable bob.
Before you try it: The cub cut is ideal for women looking for something fashionable and daring. It draws attention to facial bone structure, adds definition and creates an effortlessly cool look without appearing overly styled.
A color that's impossible to ignore: Chocolate espresso
This season's hair color palette takes its inspiration from the culinary world, and the shade expected to stand out most is chocolate espresso brown.
What does that mean in practice? Ideally, you'll leave the salon with a deep, rich and exceptionally glossy brunette shade.
Pamella Gonzalez, a senior colorist at New York's BENJAMIN Salon, explained the appeal in an interview with the American edition of Marie Claire. The shade creates a natural-looking glow and a sophisticated finish, adding dimension and texture without losing the richness of dark hair.
Rather than introducing a dramatic color change, the look is designed to give brunette hair greater depth and shine.
From right: Shailene Woodley, Cara Delevingne and American model Betsy Gaghan with espresso-brown hair
(Photo: Gettyimages IL/ Arnold Jerocki , Aurore Marechal)
Before you try it: This color is perfect for anyone with naturally brown hair who wants a relatively low-maintenance change. Still with us?
British actress Esmé Creed-Miles with espresso-brown hair
(Photo: GettiImages IL/Hanna Lassen)
Straight out of the early 2000s: The deep side part
After years of Gen Z insisting that a middle part was the only acceptable way to divide your hair, the side part is making a major comeback. Clayton Hawkins, the Hollywood hairstylist responsible for looks worn by stars including Olivia Rodrigo, explained the trend to InStyle.
"Gen Z may have tried to declare that side parts were only for older women, but we're now seeing a clear return to the early-2000s aesthetic, and the deep side part is an essential part of Y2K," he said. "A side part adds sex appeal and movement to the hair that you simply can't achieve with a precise, symmetrical middle part."
Celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan also championed the look in an interview with Elle. A deep side part, beginning just above the outer edge of the eyebrow, instantly brings back the glamour of the early 2000s, she explained.
Pamela Anderson sporting a side part
(Photo: GettiImages IL/ Valentina S. Frugiuele)
Before you try it: The modern twist is all about texture. Today, the deep side part looks best with natural, loose waves and movement rather than the flat, heavily straightened hairstyles that defined the trend the first time around.