If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we all love a haircut. A trip to the hairdressers can transform our look, but also, even more importantly, our mood. Truth be told, we missed this form of glow up in 2020. When we were eventually allowed back into the salon, many of us opted for the “safety cut” in preparation for future lockdowns, and the bob became the most requested cut of the year. What to expect next year? Here are the five biggest 2021 hair trends, as predicted by the professionals.
The air-dry cut
This year we’ve become slaves to our tracksuits, forgone our morning make-up routines, and the lockdown bun has taken up permanent residence on our heads. As a result, Luke Hersheson, CEO of Hershesons, says the low-fuss air dry cut will be all the rage in 2021. “It’s a haircut that uses invisible layers that vary in length, and means that you can leave them to dry and embrace your natural texture, as opposed to having to rely on straightening or tonging,” he explains. “It brings out the best hair in everyone, and works on every individual texture.” Historically, he says, we’ve thought of new haircuts as something we need to continue to style afterwards, but in the age of low-fuss everything, we want cuts that fall into place and require very little work on our part.
The undone bob
“We will undoubtedly continue to see more of the undone bob, which began as a bit of a fleeting trend but is now a staple classic,” says hairstylist George Northwood, who is the man responsible for many of Alexa Chung, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and the Duchess of Sussex’s best hair looks. “Most popular is set to be a ’90s bob that has no shape at the front and is all one length along the bottom – it’s an androgynous take on the style.” Rather than anything too “twee”, Northwood insists the bob of 2021 will have more of a grunge vibe.
