It’s trendy, but is it suitable?
Trendy vs Suitable
and how to make each work for you
One of the most common questions I hear as a hairstylist is, “what’s trendy?”
Now, given the fact that trends come and go much faster than our hair can stand to grow, a personal goal of mine is to constantly update your look, without chasing trends too closely. While I love making sure your look stays current, it’s not only important to match the style you’re trying to achieve with your personal style and face shape - it’s equally important that we make sure your hair actually matches your lifestyle.
We don’t all have the time to spend an hour a day styling our hair, right?
That said, you’re someone who cares about keeping your look fresh and current, and I appreciate that. Let’s talk about 4 of the most common hair trends, and which might be right for you.
Middle Parts
Let’s just kick things off by discussing the elephant in the room: the middle part.
In case you had the wisdom to skip social media for the last month or so, side parts were shamed. They were so shamed by people on social media, that clients and people everywhere were immediately opting for a middle part, regardless of if it suited their hairstyle, hairline or face shape.
Don’t get me wrong - I love a good middle part. But that’s not to say that it’s for everyone.
A middle part is great for wider and/or symmetrical face shapes. For wider face shapes, middle parts serve to create length while visually thinning the face. Middle parts tend to bring attention to the center of the face, which makes symmetrical face shapes a perfect fit.
A middle part is a bit tougher to pull off for longer face shapes (remember, middle parts lengthen and elongate), or hairlines with a widow’s peak. Typically, middle parts will fight against the natural growth pattern of that widow’s peak - lending to pesky flyaways.
Now, if you’re a rule breaker and find that you’re wanting to play with a middle part, I’m all for it! Here are a few tips on how to do so:
Middle parts and longer faces: add a heavy bang! This will create a horizontal line, which widens the face.
Middle parts and widow’s peaks: it won’t be easy to create a natural part where your hair typically grows in the opposite direction, but we can force it. I’ll show you styling tricks in the salon that involve mousse and drying this area as your very first step out of the shower.
And if you’re wanting to skip the middle part and go with something a bit less fussy and flattering for a longer face shape, try a dramatic side part. That flip of your hair gives a ton of volume at the side, visually widening the face.
For a widow’s peak, try a slightly off-center, angled part. When you part your hair, you’d start off-center near your face, and then work your way to the center at the top of your scalp.
Whew! That’s a lot of talk about a simple part. Let’s move on to color!
Bold Color Placement
We’re seeing bold color placement make its appearance after the last few years of soft, lived-in balayages and root smudges. That bold color placement can come in the form of brightened front pieces around your face (picture those 90s chunky highlights), or a slightly off center, dark and blonde split.
While I love these looks, the biggest reasons for pause are maintenance, and commitment.
Maintenance
Whether you opt for those brightened front pieces or a dark and blonde split, each of those brightened sections is a bleach retouch that will need to be maintained every 5 weeks as a full bleach and tone project. Because these looks are bold, the root regrowth will also be bold.
Like, very bold.
If you’re someone who loves scheduling those regular trips to the salon and getting pampered, this might not feel like a hindrance. But if you’re busy and on the go (or have hair that grows quickly), maintenance is definitely something to consider!
Commitment
Even though the portion of hair that is bleached is smaller in comparison to the rest of your head, keep in mind that it’s just as much of a commitment to add dark hues, too.
If you’re going darker, you’ll have to go through the same multi-step removal process that you would if you went darker throughout your hair. So, if you’re a lighter brunette or blonde that wants to try those dramatic pieces or the light/dark split, you can picture the commitment as being the same as coloring all of your hair dark brown or black. There’s a definite lifting and lightening process that has to be done over time, in order to remove that color.
Now, if you’re wanting to be bold with a bit less commitment, consider:
Bold pieces, with a blended root. This approach will offer you a similar look, without such an instant show of outgrowth.
Going darker by adding some lowlights, rather than coloring your hair dark all over! Of course, coloring your hair dark will still offer challenges down the road when you wish to revert back to your natural color, but it’s nowhere near as difficult as removing those chunky pieces, or correcting a light/dark split. Additionally, you could try those fun and bolder color techniques out, but with a slightly lighter color than desired.
Fun extension placement options instead! The great thing about extensions is that when you’re done with the color, you can just remove them - no chemical work needed.
Bangs
Sigh
Bangs are a divisive and polarizing topic. Why? Well, once again, it all comes down to suitability, and maintenance.
As an example, if you’re wanting a bold bang that lands right under your brow or above your eyes, you’ll need to come in every few weeks for a bang trim (otherwise they’ll block your vision). If frequent salon visits are not something you’d like to explore, you might want to consider adjusting the length of your bangs - you can either opt for a curtain bang that can be pushed out of your eyes, or a shorter bang that leaves a bit more space to grow.
The beautiful thing about bangs is that they can be completely customized to suit your face shape, while also emphasizing your favorite features. Not sure what bang is right for you? Too far away to come and see me for a quick visit? Not a problem - email me and we’ll set up a virtual consultation to discuss your hair, face shape and morning routine so you know exactly what to ask for at your next cut appointment.
Heavy Layers & Textures or Bold, Blunt Ends
There are two trending styles: one is a cut with heavy layers and textures, and the other is a one-length cut with bold, blunt ends.
The truth is that each extreme is on trend year after year, albeit with slight changes and updates. For these two styles, I always look at my client’s natural hair texture, and examine how they style their hair.
A few factors I like to keep in mind when I'm with clients:
Are they constantly curling their hair? Do they rock the minimal waves and messy look? Layers are great for this and really show that texture off!
Do they want the “messy” look without the rocker edge? I love combining beach wave layers and blunt ends to achieve that look. Yes, you really can do both!
Are they wanting those blunt ends, but lack enough hair to achieve it? It used to be that the only way to achieve that blunt, one-length look was to go shorter. Now, you can utilize one row of extensions to add that volume prior to cutting that blunt edge.
On the other side, if they have super thick hair but want to see a ton of texture, internal layering techniques may be the way to go. There is a caveat, though - adding those internal layers will lead to extra styling time. But with the benefit of less weight and more dimension, who cares about a few extra minutes spent on styling after a fresh wash?
Maintenance, Commitment and Lifestyle
As you likely noticed, finding the right style has just as much to do with your preferences in maintenance and commitment, as it does your hair type and face shape. The truth is that the “right” hairstyle or color is the one that makes you feel like your best self - regardless of trends, have-tos or shoulds.
