All of these cuts—whether layered, cropped or nice and natural—reflect a larger overall trend, according to master colorist Krista Depeyrot, who co-owns Salon Bisoux in Del Ray with her husband.
“It comes from this ‘lived-in’ hair trend—people not washing their hair quite as much and just wanting to have a cool look,” she says. “It’s this idea of French women’s hair. How do we make our hair look good on the second and third day and embrace that natural texture?”
Depeyrot‘s clientele still request tried-and-true tresses, including long waves with balayage color, but others are eager to rock of-the-moment cuts with more texture and spunk. Read on to decide if one of these cuts is a contender for you.
Shags
The ’70s are back, complete with center parts, curtain bangs and face-framing layers. Shags call to mind rock icons like Debbie Harry (bleached and fried) or Stevie Nicks (long with fringe), and have become popular once again among celebrities like Taylor Swift and Alexa Chung—and with the industry’s leading stylists.
“My husband is a Kérastase platform artist, and this is one of the big cutting classes that they’re teaching right now,” Depeyrot says.
These throwback cuts are versatile and great for any hair texture, and the face-framing layers are especially attractive on people with long, heart-shaped faces. You can wear yours mid-length with curtain bangs or shorter with a choppy fringe. Whatever your preference, shag cuts say “put-together” with a tousled and wild side.
Natural Curls
The natural hair movement has exploded with women of African ancestry all over the world. The movement trades in chemically-relaxed styles for styles and cuts that celebrate the varying natural textures of black hair.
“On the covers of nearly every style magazine this past August and September, there was an African-American model with some sort of textured hair,” Depeyrot says. “It’s so much prettier to embrace what we have naturally. The farther we go away from what’s natural for us, the more we rob our hair of shine.”
Box braids and dreads remain trendy, but celebrities like Tracee Ellis Ross and Alicia Keys have opted for teased or wash-and-go styles in recent years to showcase curls. Though these cuts look effortlessly beautiful, using a styling gel (Kinky-Curly Curling Custard is a go-to for many naturalists) can help your curls pop.
’80s Crops
Let’s hear it for the boy cut! This season’s most adventurous trend is a far cry from the long, wavy looks popular in recent years. Boy-short haircuts, “the kind people my age would have worn in the ‘80s,” as Depeyrot puts it, are refreshingly no-fuss and structured, and they flatter people with round faces.
Look to Janelle Monáe or Scarlett Johansson for examples of celebrities nailing the look right now, or go to the source and find short styles you like from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Joan Chen’s ultra-short, slicked-back crop in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks series still evokes power and glamour today, as does Annie Lennox’s patented platinum-blonde pixie from 1986.
Once you’ve decided on a style you like, ask your stylist for product recommendations to give this cut movement and height.
