Although we secretly hope that autumn won’t come around too quickly (we need just a little bit more sunshine, please), we can’t hide our excitement for the forthcoming season’s hair trends. There’s something extra special about autumn hair: we often see popular hair trends in autumn mirror the season’s symbols of abundance and wealth, translating to rich, cosy tones and layered cuts.

Breezy blonde, the short shag and terracotta wash are all on the cards for autumn 2024 hair trends, and trust us, they’re good. So start getting your ready now ahead of your salon appointment for when the season changes. 

The French bob has been around for a while now, but according to Jordanna Cobella, creative director of Cobella salon, it’s not going anywhere. “When styled with effortless ‘I woke up like this’ texture, and scrunched and kinked into shape, it will exaggerate the silhouette and show off the neckline and décolleté,” says Cobella. “You can also style it with choppy fringes, sweeping fringes and curtain bangs, which are all set to be on trend and can be embraced by all hair textures.” 

Inspired by Daisy Edgar-Jones, Samantha Cusick, hairstylist and salon owner at Samantha Cusick London, says breezy blonde is the style we’re going to see everywhere come autumn. She describes it as a blend of sunkissed blonde (ideal if you’re not quite ready to say bye to the sunny months yet) with light brown tones. If you want to = take all the inspo from Edgar-Jones, Cusick recommends pairing this colour with a “soft shag hair cut styled into fluffy textured waves”. She says its “effortless, breezy vibe makes you look like you’ve just spent a summer by the beach, but still giving chic autumnal vibes for cosy season”. Sign us up. 

“After the sharp short bobs of the summer, this slightly longer, less perfected version is a welcome change,” says Ryan Forsythe, artistic education director at Trevor Sorbie. He says to ask your stylist for a jawline bob with a little graduation at the back and a “curve-shaped fringe style using flat clips placed onto the natural waves, air dry or slowly with a diffuser”. 

Introducing our new colour obsession: terracotta wash. “We’ve seen a huge movement towards sunnier, brighter, golden tones this summer, which is why terracotta wash is set to be one of the defining colours of autumn/winter,” explains colourist Grace Dalgleish. “It’s perfect for blonde clients who’ve embraced warmth over the summer and are now looking to take it a step further for winter.”

Even better, it’s far more low-maintenance than other copper hues like cowboy copper, as it’s not a root-to-tip colour. The clue is in the name, this is far more of a wash of colour that is customised to suit your specific hair type and skin tone. For this, we recommend seeing a colourist rather than trying it out at home as they’ll tailor it based on your natural or previous hair colour. 

“Yes, it’s been around in one form or another for some time but in my opinion, it’s only growing in popularity,” says Sam Burnett, owner and creative director at Hare And Bone. Clearly, it’s what the people want. 

Burnett notes that because of its verticality, it’s adaptable to different hair textures, lengths and face shapes, making it one of the most popular cuts. He explains that it’s also a style you can switch up depending on your mood, offering a lived-in look or a big hair blow-out that’s proving popular right now. 

“Ask your hairdresser for a version of the shag cut that works best with your natural texture and face shape,” Burnett explains. Ask for lots of irregular, freehand layers throughout and a face-framing fringe to get the best result. Burnett says that if your hairstylist cutting with intuition is the best way to get a style that suits you specifically. 

It’s also important to note that the definition of ‘short’ depends on your hair type with curls and coils, so shrinkage needs to be considered. 

Oyster blonde is going to be trending everywhere in autumn, according to hairstyling expert Chlöe Swift. More than just a cute name, this trend follows on from the expensive-looking blondes we’ve been seeing over the summer. “Oyster blonde is that perfect concoction of beige champagne tones and iridescent violet tones, which cancel out any excess warmth, instantly giving blondes a softer feel radiating light,” Swift explains. The result is an incredibly luxe-looking colour that feels like a fresh start for the cooler weather. 

For those who want deep, rich shades for autumn blackforest berry is the one. It’s a “rich autumn tone perfect for those who suit a deep cooler hue”, explains Nathan Walker, brand education director of Trevor Sorbie International. This is great for those with naturally darker hair and can be tailored depending on how deep you want to go. You can go for it with a full head of blackforest berry or add thread accents of the colour through the lengths that catch the sunlight to show off the berry hue. 

Images: courtesy of Jordanna Cobella