Autumn Hair Inspiration: 8 Trending Cuts, Colours & Styles To Refresh Your Look For The Season
From romantic, undone waves to ultra-glossy curls set with precision, this year’s runways and red carpets provided plenty of inspiration to switch up your hairstyle to reflect the change in season.
At Fashion Weeks across the globe, hair has always played a central role in helping communicate the tone of a collection – be it polished and powerful or raw and eclectic. As collections dive into bold new territory, hairstyles follow suit.
This year, directional cuts and glossy finishes emerged as two of the season’s prominent trends; two examples of definitive styles that reinforced designers’ vision.
An article published on Forbes last month explained: “Fashion weeks across major capitals now act as commercial launchpads, where editorial ‘hair moments’ rapidly translate into consumer demand.”
The same can be said for red carpets, with Hollywood’s hottest celebrities dictating the styles of the season at awards ceremonies like the Golden Globes or the Grammys – the latter renowned for its statement-making beauty looks.
Below, we chart the defining hair trends of 2026 to date, as seen on runways and red carpets around the world.
Bixie Cuts
As seen at the Golden Globes 2026.
This hybrid hairstyle sits squarely between a traditional pixie cut and a bob, and has been a mainstay everywhere from the runway to the red carpet.
Digital moodboard site Pinterest revealed that searches for “bixie” haircuts have increased by a mammoth 335% on Pinterest and 84% on Google. The style strikes a balance between the drama of a pixie cut and the softer look of a layered bob.
The low-maintenance cut was one of the hottest haircuts to surface at this year’s Golden Globes, as One Battle After The Other’s Teyana Taylor styled hers in loose waves in a nod to 1930s chic, while Hamnet star Jessie Buckley wore hers tucked sleekly behind her ears.
Variations on the bixie cut include soft and textured styles, with shorter sides and longer, versatile layers at the back to suit different hair types. Incorporating soft blonde, bold red or pastel hues helps enhance the cut’s shape.
Deep Side Parts
As seen at Saint Laurent Autumn 2026.
Ask any millennial and they’ll argue that side parts never left, but this season the side part takes centre stage once more.
On the runway, deep side parts added extra drama, indicating a return to old-school glamour, like sleek styles at Saint Laurent that nod to the 1920s.
The style integrates seamlessly into daily life, easily wearable to Saturday sport or Saturday night drinks.
Side parts work well on all hair lengths and hair types, but your hairdresser can advise the best way to incorporate layers should you wish to wear your hair with a side part daily.
French Bobs
As seen at the Grammy Awards 2026.
We charted the rise of this endlessly chic style in 2025, but according to Pinterest Trends, the style is here to stay.
The data analyst tool showed a 92% uplift in searches for the style over the last two years, alongside other trending styles like blunt bobs (self-explanatory) or shaggy bobs (which are messier and more textured).
In Rosé’s red carpet makeover at this year’s Grammys, the pop star debuted an ultra-curly French bob. The fresh cut was styled in springy ringlets to emphasise the chop, while the creamy blonde hue complemented her pale skin tone perfectly.
Windswept Romance
As seen at Zimmermann Autumn 2026.
You can thank Margot Robbie’s hairstylist for the resurgence of this style, borrowing inspiration from Wuthering Heights and later translated for the red carpet during the film’s press tour.
The style was echoed at Zimmermann’s autumn presentation, in which deep side parts and sleek roots were coupled with ends left wild and free. The result was a bold celebration of natural hair texture that embraced gentle movement as models floated down the runway.
Dolce & Gabbana interpreted the trend with loose chignons and face-framing loose strands, for a style that oozed effortless elegance.
Polished Precision
As seen at Schiaparelli Autumn 2026.
By contrast, the vibe at Schiaparelli and Alexander McQueen was ultra-polished, with sculptural styles finished with glossy shine.
Unlike the softly textured styles elsewhere on the runway, low-slung chignons reigned at Schiaparelli – equal parts sleek and glossy, created with expert precision.
Chanel offered a more dynamic twist, instead adding glitter to incorporate an element of whimsy and fun in an otherwise polished style.
Bessette Blonde
As seen in Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette.
The 1990s remain a key reference point for runway beauty, as the decade’s influence continues to evolve.
Alongside 1990s hair icons like Cherin Clueless, or Rachelin Friends, the second coming of trending styles from the decade looks set to draw inspiration from Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette, with searches for ‘Bessette blonde’ up by 150% on Google.
The antithesis of the platinum blonde that dominated the 2010s, Bessette blonde is much warmer, channelling champagne or buttery shades set against a natural base.
To achieve Bessette blonde status, highlights are chunky yet deliberate, delivering brightness at the roots. It’s a sharp contrast to the lived-in blonde or root melt techniques that have risen to popularity in recent years.
New Brunette: Cherry Cola & Chocolate Brown
As seen at the Grammy Awards 2026 and Coachella.
Burgundy-tinted hair was huge in 2025, and the intriguing trend continues to be popular in 2026.
Dua Lipa is a long-time devotee of the low-commitment colour, which fades out beautifully when used as a semi-permanent rinse. Her colourist Matt Rez is the man responsible – he transitioned her hair from cherry cola back to chocolate brown in December 2025.
At-home colour depositing masks make easy work of refreshing your desired burgundy hue, like the IGK Color Depositing Hair Mask, $55.
At Coachella, Hailey Bieber’s chocolate brown blowout appeared polished from day to night – from the Rhode pop-up to Justin Bieber’s headline act at the mainstage.
Apricot Blonde
As seen at the Golden Globes 2026.
Enter apricot blonde: a more muted take on strawberry blonde with undertones of soft peach or copper. The lived-in shade lends warmth and vibrancy to hair, promising a result that feels ‘blonde’ but is natural-looking.
Apricot blonde looks best on those with warm and neutral undertones, or people with pale, freckled or deep complexions – a la Nicole Kidman at this year’s Golden Globes.
To maintain the vibrancy of the shade, colour-safe shampoo is a must, as is peach or warm blonde gloss to lend shine and avoid colour fade.
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