Photos: Getty Images Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story Comfort zones get a lot of bad press. The truth is, a little comfort sounds pretty nice right about now. Is that so wrong? As we enter fall, it’s only natural to want to retreat into a simpler way of living. And fall hair trends follow suit: easy, soft, and comfortable in the best way possible.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try something new. It just means finding a style or color that asks little of you and gives the same polish as your favorite cashmere sweater or trusty, worn-in leather jacket. A lightly textured bob haircut you can easily tuck behind your ear. Flexible, wispy bangs that don’t force you to commit to daily styling. Or a softer, gentler shag after a season of rock-and-roll edge.
For color, it means melty chocolate brunettes and toasty maple reds . But, of course, comfort looks different for everyone. What lowers one’s blood pressure might spike another's. Blondes and brondes and brunettes may be out of your wheelhouse. If you prefer a crayon-box color, cozy up to a softer bubblegum pink—fuchsia’s serene older sister.
There’s never been a better time to kick back and relax. Below, the experts dive into what colors and cuts their clients will be asking for this season.
Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Tight and tailored is all fine and good, but when fall hits, we crave something soft and worn-in like oversized sweatshirts and slouchy wool socks. Think of this airy bob as a beloved pair of boyfriend jeans. Comfortable, but still very, very cool.
“Everyone is moving away from hair that looks overstyled,” says Dimitris Giannetos , a Los Angeles-based hairstylist. “People want cuts they can air-dry , tuck behind their ears, or wear with a little bend from sleeping on it.”
The boyfriend bob fits the low-maintenance bill. New York-based hairstylist Wendy Iles , who noticed it on Charlize Theron recently, calls it “self-styling.” The length falls somewhere between the chin and collarbone, with soft ends and a little movement built in. “I always soften the interior with invisible layers or subtle texturizing,” says Giannetos. That technique gives the look an effortless, undone, “just running errands in my The Row flats, thank you very much” vibe. Perfectly polished is not what you’re going for here.
Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Bangs are a love it or hate it affair: Either you love the cheeky finish they give your look, or you spend six to eight weeks never truly getting them to stay where you want them. But temptation always calls. “Fall is the best time for giving bangs a try,” says Nashville-based hairstylist Eric Marshall Wright . “They can devastate you in the summer as the humidity makes them fussy.”
Cloud bangs could scratch the seasonal bangs itch without committing to a full style you need to tend to every day. They’re light and breezy and look just as good dancing across your brows as they do pushed to the side. “Instead of a thick, heavy fringe, they're made up of wispy pieces that gently float across the forehead and blend into the rest of the haircut,” says Giannetos. “They create softness without hiding your features.”
Giannetos recommends asking for soft, wispy, curtain-inspired bangs with feathered edges that blend into face-framing layers. “T…