13 Fresh Winter Haircut Trends By London’s Top Stylists
When salons re-opened their doors earlier in the year, all manner of incredible styles were born throughout spring, summer and autumn. There was the modern curtain fringe emulated by the likes of Bridgerton‘s Phoebe Dynevor and The Crown‘s Emma Corrin. Then there was the TikTok-famous wolf cut, and not forgetting the new wave shag, popularised by Billie Eilish and Gemma Arterton.
It’s safe to say we’ve been spoilt for choice, but this winter, hair trends are shaping up to be even more Instagram-worthy. The temperature might be plummeting, however cool cuts are on the rise. Short, sharp styles in particular are taking over from the glamorous ’70s-inspired waves popularised on social media, and fringes have had a makeover, too.
Ahead, some of London’s most sought after hairstylists predict the biggest cuts for winter 2021-2022.
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The Bop
Dreamed up by London’s most sought after stylists The Hair Bros, the bop occupies a cosy space between a blunt cut bob (think Kourtney Kardashian) and a short crop (á la Kristen Stewart). “It’s shorter than a bob but it’s not a severe, short haircut,” said one half of the duo, Nick Latham. He references Gwyneth Paltrow in the film Sliding Doors. On Instagram, the style is also often referred to as the “pixie bob”, much like this cut by @Shanelthehairstylist.
’90s Layers
“If you don’t want to cut all your long hair off but want something different, then this is the perfect winter change,” says editorial hairstylist Neil Moodie. Look to this cut on Scarlett Coco, created by hairstylist Fer Porro at George Northwood. “Professionally, it’s known as ‘forward graduation’, but it’s basically layers around the front area of the haircut.” You don’t have to wear it like Rachel from Friends, though, says Neil. “This time around you can wear it in numerous ways, for example creating soft flicks around the face or soft waves or curls throughout the hair.” Adding layers in this way allows a lot more volume and fullness, says Neil, which is great considering winter weather can make hair appear limp and lifeless.
The Draped Fringe
Consider this trend a fresher take on curtain bangs. Alicia McLaughlin, creative director at Bad Apple Hair says, “This type of fringe can work well on hair types and textures 3b to 4b on the curl scale — 4b being the tightest curl,” she says. “Ask your stylist to dry the hair into the desired style then create a face frame by doing a curl-by-curl cut. Cutting on dry hair is easier to see the shape being crafted on the sprung-up curl. Your stylist will be able to shape better seeing the natural length and where the hair sits.”
The Winona Crop
“Lately we’ve been bringing it back to short hair,” said Sean Paul Nother of The Hair Bros. “At Fashion Week there were lots of Winona Ryder-esque crops, and it would be nice to see that again.” Take inspiration from this fringed style. Sean says it isn’t as simple as cutting the hair short, though, and it’s the little nuances which make it “amazing”. He suggests that your chosen stylist should look at the outline, the sides, the fringe and future styling and maintenance.
Dressed Out Curls
“Embracing natural curly and coily hair doesn’t have to be laborious,” says Alicia, who champions layered cuts and full fringes. “Diffuse the hair dry and finish by dressing out the curls using your fingers and a nourishing cream. This is the time to get the best out of natural textured hair, to showcase the real natural beauty you can achieve with minimal styling and minimal heat.”
The Rebel Cut
“We’re seeing a lot of pretty, face-framing long hair with a rebellious edge, as though someone has chopped the front themselves,” says The Hair Bros’ Nick. He mentions it would be nice to see a slightly more unruly side to the glamorous, almost perfect ’70s hair trend on TikTok. “Don’t-care-hair is charming, otherwise everyone’s hair ends up looking the same.”
Textured Fringes
“The combination of vibrant colour and texture is going to be big for winter,” says Alicia. The trend is even better when paired with a waterfall-esque fringe like this style, which is short in the middle and ever so slightly longer on each side. “We’ll see people experimenting with colour on all types of natural, textured hair to create canvasses for creativity, especially using a combination of colours on spongy afro hair types,” adds Alicia, much like this style by BLEACH London.
The Asymmetric Bob
“This is a great winter haircut, which is stylish and feels modern again,” says Neil. “It’s all about having a side parting and the bob being cut asymmetrically, so one side is slightly longer than the other. If you wear it smooth the shorter side can be tucked behind the ear, but you could also curl it or put a wave in there (again tucking one side behind the ear) for a more dramatic finish.” Take inspiration from this textured cut created by Maggie Pan on Instagram.
The Mid-Length Chop
“After lockdown a lot of people wanted to chop their hair off,” says The Hair Bros’ Sean. “Sometimes, though, the biggest change isn’t what you cut off but what you leave on.” He suggests tweaking your hair ever so slightly (whether that’s with face-framing pieces like curtain bangs or tucking front sections of hair behind your ears when wet to give them shape). “All of a sudden you have a brand new style without losing too much length.”
The Tapered Wolf Cut
“The wolf cut is a combination of the shag and mullet, and it will continue to thrive throughout autumn and winter, too,” says Sharley Butcher, stylist at Blue Tit’s Brixton Salon. Look to hairstylist Paige McNeil at Pink Dagger Studio, who has given the classic shag an update with tapered ends and a micro fringe. “The cut features a long mullet style with wispy layers to create volume,” says Sharley.
Messy Shapes
“A lot of my clients are doing face frames, shags and messy hair,” says Michael Kent, stylist at Blue Tit‘s Streatham salon. “It adds shape and distributes the weight in a flattering and fun way, so the hair can just fall into place.” Freelance session stylist April Christina Taylor whipped up this accidentally perfect, windswept layered look.
Flicky Layers
“Recently we’ve been seeing a lot of variations of layered haircuts, all stemming from the mullet and shag trends,” says Ben Rossiter, stylist at the Blue Tit Clapton Salon. “I believe we are stepping out of an era where everyone wants blunt cuts, and people are ready to add texture and move into any hair type to enhance natural texture. It also adds body, volume and movement.” If you’re over the shag, take cue from this contrasting look by Oliver Kelly at Blue Tit Streatham, which is smooth on top and mussed up at the bottom.
The Cob
You might’ve finished all episodes of The Queen’s Gambit months ago, but the copper bob is going nowhere. “I expect there to be a multitude of shorter styles, whether that’s a short bob or simply shorter layers,” says Declan Haworth, colour director at Blue Tit Dalston. This curly, copper bob was cut and finished by Kostas Flouris at Blue Tit’s Brockley salon. “Hair has started to seem boring and flat so I think we’ll want to mix things up,” adds Declan. “There is definitely a movement towards people wanting more of a ‘style’ when it comes to their hair and going short is the way to go to achieve this look.”
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