Need a hair refresh to jazz up your post-lockdown look? If DIY bangs and going blonde aren’t gonna cut it for you, try seven ways you can inject some life back to your tresses:
Bright, bold accents
Rocked most recently by Dua Lipa and Blackpink’s Jennie, streaks of brightly coloured hair dominated the runways, adding instant edge and hi-vis impact to otherwise sleek styling. If you’ve been wanting to change up your hair colour this summer, this multi-tonal trend is an easy way to let your style shine under the sun without committing to a full dye job.
At Christiano Siriano, blunt bangs and long ponytails were layered with Harley Quinn-inspired rainbow strands, while hairstylist Sam McKnight opted for feathered, fluoro-coloured roots à la Billie Eilish to create a modern punk look at Dries Van Noten.
Meanwhile, slicked back tangerine tresses completed the retrofuture visual codes at Louis Vuitton, followed by Alexander McQueen who upped the ante with fire-engine-red extensions that were wrapped around smoothly folded updos like a headband.
Bandanas, bands and bows
While headscarves took centre stage to make a full-fledged resurgence this year, other hair accessories shined in the form of simple but tasteful bands and bows to keep our necks and foreheads cool during the summer.
Various renditions of the cover-up du jour made appearances at Dior, Emilio Pucci and Gucci, demonstrating endless styling options through silk bandanas and scarves to hold (greasy or frizzy) hair in place. Fold it into a sash, wear it as a scrunchie alternative or wrap around your entire head and thrown on some oversized sunnies to go (royalty-inspired) incognito mode.
While we reached peak hair accessory style last year with the trend of more is more, the AW20 ushered in minimalist elegance in the form of dreamy bows and bands to make a statement. Think classic French-girl chic of Brigitte Bardot or the preppy, polished style of Blair Waldorf when choosing adornments for fuss-free hairstyles.
At Giambattista Valli, dreamy ribbons in various widths made for an enchanting beauty look atop rhinestone-framed eyes, while Cynthia Rowley embellished oversized bows to frame the face and keep wind-blown hair out of the way.
Retro waves
From kiss-curls to boho-waves, retro hair trends are making a comeback. Uber flattering and easy to recreate at home, as evidenced by the multitude of TikTok users experimenting with the viral heat-free wave technique during self-isolation, vintage-inspired curls suit all types of hair lengths and adds immediate allure—whether let loose or pinned back.
At Chloé and Miu Miu, stylist Guido Palau sculpted waves both soft and strong to bring the dramatic glamour of the past to the present. While ’70s pin-up curls resulted in effortlessly-fresh summer-ready locks at the former, voluminous curtain-like coifs at the front were paired with looser, messy lengths to add points of playful rebellion for the latter.
Meticulously gelled in place, ’20s-inspired finger waves were all the rage at MSGM and Erdem, with the latter sporting silver S-waved cropped bobs for enhanced glitz and glamour.
To the far left (or right)
To give your ‘do a quick and sleek fix that means business, part it low and to the side. Deep side partings stole the limelight this season, resulting in a modern boyish feel when paired with simple, timeless styles.
At Valentino and Loewe, models wore their hair ultra-glossy and parted to the side in various lengths and styles: slicked back, straight down, in a low ponytail or chic chignon sitting at the nape of the neck. The beauty looks at Versace showcased blunt mini bangs swept to the side to match the mix of super-sharp tailoring and after-dark glamour propelling down the runway.
Crystallised cuts
With shimmery, crystal-encrusted makeup in full-force, who’s to say you can’t do the same with your hair? Take cues from Gucci and Rokh with some metallic embellishments to crown your head. For an editorial-worthy spin, style bohemian waves with a dose of sparkle like the models at Alice + Olivia—all you need to do is bejewel your strands using hair glue, a tweezer and plenty of rhinestones.
Half-up, half-down
Indecisive but want to add a bit of versatility to your everyday style? Opt for some half-up, half-down styling which adds a fluid, romantic vibe, keeps hair out of the way and works for whatever shade, texture or preference. Contrast flowing locks with some creativity up top to break up your hair routine by way of a high top knot, half-pony or a flip of ribbon-secured 60’s volume.
Chanel rocked the half-do look, styled simple with natural texture and bowed barrettes to emulate what Sam McKnight penned as “misty morning romance”, while Rodarte recreated the style with cascading, long waves and a small chignon on the top of the head, anchored by floral veils and jewel-encrusted crowns to complete the designer’s gothic vampiric-themed collection.
Not your basic braids
Whether it’s a plaited power pony at Jason Wu or the petite pirate-style braids hanging loose at MaxMara, twisted and weaved styles were updated to new heights to add fine yet fierce structure to runway hairstyles—most of which are easily recreatable and highly wearable for the summer.
Hairstylist Eugene Souleiman at Dion Lee crafted perfectly placed row braids close to the hairline with some extending past the ear to lift the face and accentuate centre parts, creating a strong, contemporary take on the minimalistic style.
At Fendi, decorative woven buns stole the show with the debut of upside-down headgear by way of quilted pastel headbands in leather, suede and silk.
At Simone Rocha, glimmering, whimsical mermaid-like hair surfaced onto the runway in the form of tight figure-eight plaits woven into elegantly moussed Victorian-era rings. Some styles were crowned with shark-teeth shaped pearls and blood-drop crystals, while abstract coloured foil detailing adorned the face, completing the ultimate natural, fresh-from-the-sea look.
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