Whether you're a seasoned Pinterest pinner or have hundreds of saved photos on Instagram, chances are you're in the mood for a brand-new hairstyle this spring, which makes perfect sense: Well into the UK's third lockdown, this is the longest many of us have gone without a hair appointment. It's understandable that we're all pining for change.
Thankfully, the wait is almost over. On April 12, salons in London and across the UK will open their doors once again, and the industry's top experts are predicting tons of game-changing new haircut trends. There's a style to suit everyone, too, whether you're after a full-on hair transformation or something subtle.
Ahead, discover the biggest hair movements set to take spring by storm, according to the hair world's top professionals.
This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.
The Italian Bob
All London's cool girls go to Nick Latham and Sean Nother, aka The Hair Bros, the brains behind the city's most effortlessly perfect hairstyles. While the French bob has reigned supreme (think a jawline-grazing cut and lots of volume), the Italian bob is taking over, and it's fast becoming Latham and Nother's trademark style.
"The Italian bob is a short bob that comes up slightly shorter around the front, almost to the lip area," says Latham. Taking the hair shorter here, he explains, gives the face a youthful lift. As you can see here, unlike its polished French counterpart, the Italian bob is a lot less structured and lends an undone sort of glamour. It looks great blow-dried, but Latham and Nother encourage embracing your natural texture with mousse or styling cream and leaving hair to air-dry.
Extra Long Jumbo Braids
You can always count on Charlotte Mensah, award-winning hair artist and founder of her eponymous hair-care brand, to come through with the most show-stopping hair trends. "Extra long jumbo braids will be hot for spring and summer 2021," she says. "Thick, soft plaits will make sure all eyes are on you. Not only do they take less time to put in and take out, they's also the perfect canvas for showing off fashion accessories like rings, beads, and jewels."
The Heavy Side Fringe
"We've had way more questions about side fringes in our Instagram DMs," says Latham. "Hairstylist Guido Palau created some great side fringes a few months ago, and they were slightly heavier than average — think Jane Birkin in the '60s." If you're not big on bang maintenance, a chunky cut like this will allow you to flip your hair to one side and fashion a faux side fringe that looks just as chic.
The Shullet
Anita Rice and Stephen Buller, founders of Buller & Rice, are northeast London's most sought-after trendsetters. "We're still on the shag, but there's so much variation in this haircut," Rice says. "What we'll see is something between a mullet and a shag haircut, which we're calling the 'shullet.' It has some really cool, short face-framing layers, with much longer pieces hanging down by the shoulders."
Each layer of hair should be blended well, so it doesn't look like two haircuts in one. The shullet is actually easier to grow out, too, according to Buller, and looks great on curly hair.
Fluffed-Out Textures
"With so many of us exploring and learning about our natural hair during lockdown, a lot more women will want to let their unique textures thrive in 2021," says Mensah, who champions "fluffed-out hair allowed to do its own thing." She suggests using a rich moisturizing conditioner to smooth and nourish your hair, and to use a wide-tooth comb or paddle brush when styling. "A paddle brush helps untangle knots with ease. I recommend running the brush or wide-tooth comb through damp hair starting from the ends, working your way up to the roots to undo any snarls with minimum breakage," Mensah adds.
The Pageboy Cut
Tom Warr, head educator at what is arguably London's most innovative and creative hair salon, Blue Tit, predicts that the pageboy cut will influence hair trends more and more. Think a bowl cut, but much more chic, with a vintage twist.
"This is another evolution of the shag, with the length shorter at the front and longer at the back, but much heavier," says Warr. "This look doesn't play on texture and movement; in fact, it's the opposite. It's all cut to its heaviest form to show the hair off and give it a silhouette." This beautiful style by American hair expert Brittan White is what to aim for.
The Ultra Long Shag Cut
"This is a '70s and '80s throwback, and is almost inspired by Cher," says Rice. "Her staple was this amazing long, sleek hair with chunks cut out at the sides. It's a real mixture of '60s glamour with a cool edge and pieces of hair cut out around the jaw. It'll allow you to keep your new length, too." Take inspiration from this look, created by hairstylist April Christina Taylor at Blue Tit.
The Curly Side Fringe
Side bangs are back in a big way and look especially great with curls, according to Mensah. "The '80s retro look will be a big hit this spring and through summer. The curly side fringe in particular adds a bit of a twist," she says.
The Textured Full Fringe
Never out but never truly in, Rice predicts it might be time for the blunt fringe to make its comeback. The difference is in working in tons of texture so that it doesn't look too severe. Think accidentally perfect and lived-in, like this style created by Buller & Rice stylist Robert McPhilomey.
The Outgrown '70s Fringe
"Maintaining a fringe is difficult," says Buller — but an outgrown '70s fringe (like this one styled by Hershesons hairstylist Jordan Garrett) is so easy, making it the ultimate style if you're interested in trying the curtain bangs trend but want to maintain length. "You can part it or use styling tongs or a hairdryer to flick it out at the sides," he says.
The Curly Bob
You don't have to have poker-straight hair to rock a bob, and the trend is going absolutely nowhere fast. That said, the look is moving away from the blunt-cut vibe. "Bobs work well across all hair textures," says Mensah. Multiple layers will ensure the look isn't too heavy and has a little movement.
The Made-To-Order Cut
Personalization is key to a cut that suits you, says Nother, so find a great hairdresser and let them do their thing.
"We ask people to wash their hair the night before or morning of their haircut, and let it air-dry," he says. "Then we dry cut, and that allows us to manipulate the hair. It's more like art rather than a robot going through the motions, and we can customize the style this way." It's also a great route to embracing your natural texture, Nother adds. "It might be a scary jump to ditch heat styling, but there's no harm having a blow-dry on the weekend with a personalized cut like this. It's so versatile."
The Super Short Shag
"This has evolved from the mullet and shaggy shape: shorter at the front with more length at the back," says Warr. "Unlike the shag, though, this look moves into more of a solid, heavy finish. It's also a shorter look than the shag." While it might not be for the fainthearted, it's definitely one to try if you're after a big change and works especially well on curly hair.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Nothing makes me feel more proactive than spring cleaning, and no one makes it easier (or more affordable!) to get organized than Walmart! Here I've rounded up some simple organization finds that are not only functional, but will add a touch of style to any space.
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 27: A Stop Asian Hate rally in Koreatown on Saturday, March 27, 2021 attracted hundreds of participants. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Two weeks after the massacre of eight people — including six Asian women — in Atlanta, GA, violence against Asian-Americans is still a massive, ongoing problem. The latest, horrific example was an attack on a 65-year-old woman in midtown Manhattan in broad daylight, as bystanders failed to intervene.
According to law enforcement, the attack happened around 11:40 a.m. Monday outside an apartment building only a couple of blocks from Times Square. Surveillance footage released by police shows an unidentified man kicking the woman as they passed by each other on the street. After the assailant kicked her in the stomach, she fell to the ground, and then he repeatedly kicked her in the face before walking off. Police say the man also shouted anti-Asian insults at the woman.
A person who appeared to be a worker in the building is seen on the video witnessing the attack and not stepping in. Instead, they close the door after the attacker takes off, leaving the woman on the ground. The Brodsky Organization, the building’s management company, released a statement saying that the staff members in the security footage have been suspended “pending an investigation in conjunction with their union.” The woman, who has not been identified, was hospitalized with serious injuries. A hospital spokesperson confirmed that, as of Tuesday, she was in stable condition.
At a news conference on Tuesday morning, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the video of the attack was “absolutely disgusting and outrageous,” adding that it was “absolutely unacceptable” that no one helped the woman.
“I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what you do, you’ve got to help your fellow New Yorker,” said de Blasio.
The Manhattan attack is the latest in a yearlong surge of anti-Asian violence across the country that has been linked in part to the misplaced blame for the coronavirus and former President Donald Trump’s use of racist terms like “China virus.” The NYPD has seen at last 33 hate crimes victimizing Asian-Americans so far this year, reports The Associated Press. Across the country, more than 3,795 incidents were reported to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization that tracks incidents of discrimination, hate, and xenophobia against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, from March 19, 2020, to February 28, 2021.
We’re here to let you in on a little secret: just because we’re adults, we don’t need to leave Disney behind. The coterie of animated characters that helped us while away our childhood hours have, over the years, brought their youthful cheer to countless items of apparel, allowing us to steal moments of nostalgia as we go about our harried adult lives. The latest brand to offer up an assortment of wearables emblazoned with the likenesses of star-crossed storybook characters is American heritage brand Coach — the imprint currently boasts a selection of luxury accessories imprinted with the most coveted canon of Disney icons: the Princesses.
For some of us, the Disney heroines were the only characters who ranked. While we’ve hankered for past Mickey Mouse-themed Opening Ceremony collabs and loungewear showcasing the Disney villians, these avatars were mere supporting characters in the world of the princesses, who remained clear-headed and perfectly coiffed even when carrying out the bidding of evil step-sisters or trying to engage an errant flock of sheep in the town square. Slate put it succinctly in 2018: “There are three things the internet will seemingly never tire of: cute animals, bad takes, and Disney princesses.” Guilty!
The 35-piece collection is exclusive to Coach Outlet, and launched yesterday for customers with Coach Insider status — but if you don’t have it, don’t panic, there’s no magic wand necessary. All you need to do is enter your email address to receive birthday rewards, exclusive products, and early access to special launches like this one. (The sale opens to the public tomorrow, but be warned: there’s a chance that your most beloved princess will have turned into a pumpkin at that point.) With prices ranging from $199 for a roomy carryall to $44 for a petite wristlet, these unique, affordable-luxury accessories are truly a dream come true.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
