THE “NEW LOOK” IN HAIR COLOR TRENDS

This year it’s all about making a change!  Have you ever dreamed about being a mysterious brunette?  Suspected "blondes really do have more fun”, but have never found out for sure?  Has the image of that redhead on the magazine cover got you craving a spicier look?  Then it’s officially time to “go for it”.

According to Rodney Cutler, owner of Cutler Salons NYC, this season’s hair is all about “bold colors, making a change and having a look”.  Creating much of this “colorful” stir among fashion insiders was when some of today’s hottest runway models showed up on the catwalks collections with their famous manes dyed a completely new color.

Sarah Brown, beauty editor at Vogue magazine, describes the trend as “fresh, extreme color”, and that changing your hair color is all about “confidence, courage and making a statement”.  So what are these cutting edge shades that colorists around the world are buzzing about?  We put out our color antennas and here’s what we spotted:



NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL


Color that is natural (even when it isn’t) never goes out of style.  This season the natural palette goes gourmet with shades of rich chocolate brown, sweet honey or caramel, and spicy cinnamon.

DEEP HUES

With the arrival of fall’s cooler air and earthy colors, rich brunettes and smoky brown shades are grabbing attention.  Brad Johns, Global Color Director for Clairol agrees the time of year often dictates what shade are being focused on. His advice: “color should always be seasonal - lighter and brighter in the summer, darker and warmer in the fall and winter”.

There has never been a better or trendier time to go darker.  Celebrities love to reinvent their look and flaunting a brown mane signaled a new look this season for Lindsay Lohan, Nicky Hilton and Sarah Michelle Gellar.  These celebs know that today’s darker shades are much more playful and sexy than the serious browns of yesterday.  The hottest shades adding depth to brunettes include cappaccino, caramel, toffee and walnut.  While deeper tones, such as eggplant, burgundy, mahogany and ebony add rich dimension when used as “highlights” throughout the hair.

Love the allure of dark hair but don’t want to go dark all over?  Then "double-sided coloring” may be for you.  It involves dyeing the underside of your hair a shade of deep brown complimented by lighter shades on top.  This allows for versatility, as the color changes depending on how you choose to style your hair.

Brunettes that inspire us this season include Maggie Gyllenhaal, Audrey Tatou, Clive Owen and Cristina Gallardo-Domas, the Chilean soprano appearing in the new production of Madame Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera.

LUMINOUS LIGHTS

At the other end of the spectrum, clear pastel shades of pearl blondes, neutral beige and ash tones frame the face softly creating an ethereal glow, while butterscotch, wheat, and sandy shades add a touch of warmth.

Warmer blonde tones (often referred to a “buttery blondes”) are ultra-hot this year.  They look fantastic on everyone, including women and men of color.  Just take a look at Beyonce, Nicole Richie and Eva Mendes’s latest styles - a modern mix of golden blondes, caramels, and toffees that perfectly complements their eyes and skin tones.

Looking luminous this season are classic blondes - Jamie Presley and Kirsten Dunst (on screen as Marie Antoinette and off), modern blonde super model Stella Tennant, who took the runway by storm this year appearing with her signature cropped haircut dyed an intense platinum blonde and the new James Bond, Daniel Craig.


OPPOSITES ATTRACT 


The excitement of opposites attracting is what Igora Hair color referred to as their “mega trend” for 2007.  For this trend “It’s about the VISUAL STRENGTH and BEAUTY of CONTRASTS. It’s a CELEBRATION of what excites, an INCLUSIVE concept of VARIETY”.

A process called “minking” in which light, bright tones of blonde are added under layers of darker hair illustrates this theory.  When the hair moves, flashes of brightness pop through the darker strands, creating a flash of unexpected dimension.  The effect can be subtle or dramatic, depending on the amount of highlights and the intensity of the colors you add.

Placing “highlights” and “lowlights” of color throughout the hair remains a popular choice for those seeking just a boost of color.  Today’s highlights are rich and glow from within, replacing the obvious streaks of color we’ve seen in the past.  With the emphasize this seasons on “less styled” hair, the highlights and lowlights are often placed underneath and away from the part line.  This allows for a more natural, asymetrical wash of color and requires less touch ups as the hair grows out.

RUNWAY REDS

Intense reds, not as subtle as the red-browns of past years, are leading the pack.  Redken has created a new line called “runway reds” in their honor.  Shades include bold cinnamon, fiery brick, cherry and garnet.  These reds are a perfect compliment to the grays and jewel tones that we are seeing right now in fashion and this is no accident.  Redken drew it’s inspiration from the colors they saw on the fashion runways and ran with the idea that hair color is the ultimate accessory.  The color of your hair can enhance the overall impact of the colors that you wear! Hair color is an important part of your overall style package; it can and should be changed with each season!

On the lighter side of red - tones of warm copper, saffron, apricot and golden strawberry blonde add romance.

Head turning redheads of the moment include Drew Barrymore, Julianne Moore, and Marcia Cross.

EXTREME COLOR

Extreme hair colors, in past reservered only for the bravest at heart, are finding their way into a more mainstream market.  With punk rock, and the grunge music scene once again inspiring fashion, the hair colors associated with these trends are making waves - Ebony black, platinum blonde, deep burgundy and pink are showing up again.  This time around though, the colors are more sophisticated than in past generations.  Hair may still be bleached the palest shade of blonde, but instead of looking over processed and messy, a la Courtney Love, it is slicked back into a clean, feminine silhouette.  Today a model with a fire-engine red bob looks completely proper wearing couture in Vogue magazine, and even jet black hair (a color often associated with the “Goth” scene), when mixed with a few indigo highlights, looks more fashion forward than frightening.

Using these more extreme colors as an accent color can add a lot of drama to your look.  One style gaining momentum these days is “dip-dying” a technique where just the ends of your hair are dyed an intense shade.  It is a fun way to experiment with the use of bold color with out the risk; after all, if you don’t love the way it looks, you can always cut off the color.

THE BOTTOM LINE ON HAIR COLOR TRENDS

Color can update and add dimension to an already favorite haircut or be the start of an entirely new style.  A light application of color can brighten your face and soften your age, while a more intense, all-over hue can completely change your image and make a dramatic fashion statement.

Hair color trends are an exciting aspect of fashion, ever-changing and always inspiring.  This year’s trends include rich new colors, exciting new application processes and a philosophy that today the color of your hair is just as important as the colors you wear. 

Born with a natural sense of style, Julie Hoylen is a fashion stylist and consultant working in the New York City area. Julie's professional experience in both the fashion and music industries has allowed her to develop a unique perspective on personal style that keeps her clients turning to her whenever they need help defining their look personally or professionally. 

Julie is the Lifestyle Editor and Chief Style Maven.  You can see the latest from Julie on Live In Full Color.