By Rebecca Norris, Brit + Co
As much as we all love a long hair look, there’s no denying that short styles are having a major moment ahead of fall 2018. Perhaps it’s the departure from warm weather and the need for something new, or maybe it’s just easier to manage when hat weather comes rolling in. Whatever the case may be, waist-grazing strands are out (save for a few head-turning celebs), and graphic ear-, neck-, and chin-grazing crops, bobs, and lobs are in. “Nowadays, lobs and bobs are short, sophisticated, and surprisingly low maintenance,” Leon Gorman, NYC-based stylist and founder of Leon Gorman Haircare says. “Stylists are taking the lob haircut to a whole new level, exploring curls, asymmetric cuts, deep parts, waves; the options are endless.” And, best of all, they’re completely universal, so long as you have a pro with the chops to tailor your cut.
The season’s three most covetable cuts, while built to enhance all bone structures and hair types, can be tweaked for ultimate head-turning appeal to fit your unique look. Not sure how to make that happen? Ahead, with help from the pros, we walk you through it. Sit back, relax, and get ready for all the hair inspo you’ll need in preparation for your seasonal strand switch.
As much as we all love a long hair look, there’s no denying that short styles are having a major moment ahead of fall 2018. Perhaps it’s the departure from warm weather and the need for something new, or maybe it’s just easier to manage when hat weather comes rolling in. Whatever the case may be, waist-grazing strands are out (save for a few head-turning celebs), and graphic ear-, neck-, and chin-grazing crops, bobs, and lobs are in. “Nowadays, lobs and bobs are short, sophisticated, and surprisingly low maintenance,” Leon Gorman, NYC-based stylist and founder of Leon Gorman Haircare says. “Stylists are taking the lob haircut to a whole new level, exploring curls, asymmetric cuts, deep parts, waves; the options are endless.” And, best of all, they’re completely universal, so long as you have a pro with the chops to tailor your cut.
The season’s three most covetable cuts, while built to enhance all bone structures and hair types, can be tweaked for ultimate head-turning appeal to fit your unique look. Not sure how to make that happen? Ahead, with help from the pros, we walk you through it. Sit back, relax, and get ready for all the hair inspo you’ll need in preparation for your seasonal strand switch.
Blunt Bobs and Lobs
Looking to Mila Kunis for a little mane magic, Chelsey Pickthorn, a NYC-based stylist and owner of namesake salon PICKTHORN, says that “strong, slightly longer, bluntly-cut bobs with sharp geometric shape and strong graphic lines are sure to make a major appearance this season.” Sound like your cup of tea? Regardless of face shape or hair texture, this collarbone-grazing ‘do can work for anyone so long as your stylist uses the proper technique. “The most import part is to have a stylist who understands your face shape, texture, and density, and is able to personalize the cut to you,” Pickthorn says. “You want to draw attention to your best feature and create lines to point to them.” If you have curls, ask the pro to snip while your locks are dry, as wet curls can look much longer. As for fine hair, opt for ultra-subtle, long layers to add a bit more volume to the overall cut.
To style, Pickthorn prefers to first apply Alterna Haircare CAVIAR Anti-Aging® Smoothing Anti-Frizz Blowout Butter ($34) and Davines Your Hair Assistant Blowdry Primer. Blow dry hair with a flat brush and lightly pass over it with a flat iron on the ends for a stronger graphic effect. And, if you want to really pump up the shine, Gorman recommends a quality hair serum. “For slicker and straighter looks, I use my Leon Gorman Seaweed Serum,” he says.
Angular, Asymmetric Bobs
What’s been widely dubbed the LA bob haircut is characterized by soft ends and a side part where the deeper side is paired with slightly longer strands for an asymmetric effect. Seen on Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, and others, this cut can work on multiple face shapes and hair textures. For anyone with an oval or heart-shaped face, the ends frame the pointed chin beautifully — especially when curled under as Hadid’s are. Gorman explains that the trick to tweaking the trend for square and rounder face shapes is to pull the bulk up top and shaping the ends with a razor to be a bit more sheer for a lighter look around the chin. These angles will create the illusion that the face is slimmer and more tapered, helping to really showcase the cut.
To style, Gorman recommends skipping out on a a barrel iron to create waves or curled ends, and opting for a thin flat iron, like the n:p beautiful Flat Iron, instead. “This style can be worn smoothed, curled, or waved,” he says. If you have a square or round face and want to focus volume up top, your best bet is to back-comb the hair in small sections before smoothing the outermost layer of the top and finishing the ends with a quick pass of a straightener. This cut also works well when you skip the heat tools altogether. In fact, Pickthorn says that air drying will help effortlessly achieve the soft, textured appeal of one of the season’s other top tress trends, messy-chic hair.
Piecey, Graphic Crops
If you want to really switch things up, it’s time to start fresh with a piecey crop inspired by the one and only Cardi B. While the “Bodak Yellow” singer flaunts an oval face shape, heart, square, and round face shapes can get in on this style by focusing texture up top, tapering down on the sides for an elongated elusion. “This short, classy shape looks sweet with the fringe separated in an anime-inspired graphic definition,” Pickthorn says. “The texture around the edges gives a unique finish that emphasizes and highlights her high points.”
When your cut is this short, the more texture, the better. If you don’t have naturally thick tresses, don’t worry! As Gorman points out, there are a ton of products on the market that can enhance texture to such an extreme that it’s as if the hair has been completely transformed. Gorman recommends his go-to product, Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, whereas Pickthorn loves Fat Boy Hair Spray Putty and Sea Salt Pomade.
See more at: Brit + Co
