Why these are the most ageless celebrity hair styles to try now
From Jennifer Lopez and Cate Blanchett's shoulder skimming super sleek retro bobs to Ashley Graham and Lupita Nyong’o's embellished hair accessories, this season's new hair trends are already proving to be ageless, vibrant and utterly wearable.
With choppy classic bobs, easy-to-wear accessories and stand out hair colours on offer, it seems the options are aplenty when it comes to getting your locks autumn ready.
The fast fix: easy-to-wear accessories
No longer reserved for kids, hair accessories dominated the autumn/winter 2019 catwalks at stellar shows including Chanel, Balmain, Oscar de la Renta and Versace.
On the red carpet, Nicole Kidman wore a bow-adorned updo and Rachel Weisz rocked a jewelled headband; while Katy Perry attended Ellie Goulding’s wedding wearing a power headband, and Ashley Graham has tried them all, from hair clips to brooches.
Make it part of your style
So big are they right now, that hairstylist Zoë Irwin has created an Accessory Styling Masterclass at John Frieda (from £135, including an accessory of your choice) for anyone unsure of how to adopt the trend. She says the key to pulling off accessories as a grown-up is to ‘keep your whole look soft and loose’. She recommends using the ghd Curve Soft Curl Tong, £129, to create soft waves. ‘Then put your accessory on first and style your hair around it.’
Get a grip
Fidgeting with your accessory makes you look unconfident, so try backcombing for better hold. ‘Tease your hair underneath with a small teasing brush,’ says Irwin. ‘And use a texturising spray such as Larry King Velvet Texture Clay, £22, or a dry shampoo like Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk, £9, to give hair grit.’ And always take your time.
‘You shouldn’t just put an accessory on and run out the door,’ warns Irwin. Choose age-reversing colours Just like make-up, accessories can lift your complexion and change the contours of your face.
‘Blush looks great on blondes, while yellow tones lift a sallow complexion,’ says Irwin. On medium to dark complexions use gemstone hues of emerald and sapphire. ‘Shades that contrast with your eyes look more flattering and youthful,’ adds Irwin.
Complement your face shape
‘I use thicker raised headbands to give length to a rounder face, and flatter bands on thinner faces,’ says Irwin. ‘On heart-shaped faces, smaller jewelled accessories look great.’ You don’t have to spend a fortune, but choose well-made pieces in quality fabrics: Zara, Accessorize and Net-a-porter all have good selections.
This season’s ‘It’ cut: the classic bob
From actress Lily James’s jawbone-skimming crop to Celine Dion’s lob (long bob), the bob is the style hair salons are cutting most this season. A short, sharp cut works for everyone ‘with some modifications’, says George Northwood, celebrity hairstylist to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Alexa Chung. ‘If you are blessed with an oval, symmetrical face, the classic centre-parted bob will suit you best. It always looks timeless and chic.’
As a rule, long faces suit short bobs, while a flattering side parting will soften a rounder face, suggests Northwood. If you want to draw attention away from a strong jaw and chin, Adam Reed, editorial ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel and Sophie Dahl’s long-term hairdresser, suggests ‘keeping the bob slightly longer at the front with really subtle and soft graduation up towards the back’. However, if you want a few styling options, ‘then the perfect length is barely touching the shoulders. It allows you to create soft waves or to wear it sleek and sharp for work,’ he adds.
Style it for the new season
Time poor? Northwood says ‘shorter bob styles can be blow-dried quickly using your hands to bring movement into the look’. You can air-dry a bob, but Reed suggests ‘loading damp hair with L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Pli Thermo-Modelling Spray, £15.60 for a glossy finish. For extra movement, a salt spray will give a lived-in texture.’ Try Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, £41, or Bumble and bumble Surf Spray, £20.
Keep in trim
Maintain the shape of your bob with a trim every six to 12 weeks. Even better, keep it looking expensive with an in-salon treatment. Adam Reed recommends the new L’Oréal Professionnel Majirel Glow treatment (launching nationwide next month), an all-over translucent colour that lasts up to six weeks. ‘It’s like lip gloss for hair, leaving it shiny and luxe-looking,’ he says.
Most fun trend: crazy about colour
Autumn/Winter’s vivid hair colours are not for the risk-averse, but there is a way to ease into them and still look like you. While fun colours like pink can look as chic on women like Helen Mirren as they can on Generation Xers, if you’re over 40 it’s worth noting: ‘A good haircut will keep you looking sophisticated regardless of colour,’ says George Northwood.
He adds, ‘Consider how it will work with your profession, too.’ But, heck, there’s always the weekends – a wash-in, wash-out colour like L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup, £6.99, is a fun way to experiment.
Find a colour that suits you
The best way to find your perfect shade is with a salon consultation but, as a general rule, ‘the more unnatural colours like blue-green and purple are best for darker skin tones, while pinks suit a pale complexion’, says catwalk colourist Josh Wood. Pastels are ever-evolving.
‘They had a moment at Marc Jacobs’ spring/summer 2018 show and it’s carried through from Helen Mirren in Cannes to the periwinkle blue Lady Gaga wore at the Golden Globes,’ says Wood. ‘Icy shades are better suited to neutral and cooler-skin-toned people, but it’s not a strict rule,’ says Marley Xavier, colourist at Josh Wood Colour. Icy blonde is perfect to brighten up grey hair, but ‘it can require multiple processes, so you should be ready to commit to it long term’, she adds.
Prevent it from going brassy with Josh Wood Colour’s Shade Shot Gloss in Icy Blonde, £15. Vibrant reds look great on warmer skin tones but can be high maintenance. ‘You may need to pop to the salon every four to five weeks for a gloss to maintain vibrancy,’ says Xavier. Superdrug Colour Effects Wash In Wash Out in Rich Red 6.4, £1.99, does a good job of keeping colour fresh in-between visits.
Care for your colour
For all dyed hair, ‘maintaining condition is important’, says Wood. A sulphate-free shampoo such as Ouai Repair Shampoo, £22, will gently cleanse, and use a mask designed for coloured hair, such as Kérastase Reflection Masque Chromatique, £32.99, once a week.
