Fashion forward hair trends for Fall
by: Tonya Samples Kvapil Salon Lotus

Spring and Summer of 2008 brought many different hair trends to the scene. So what can we expect fashion trends to bring us as we are entering a new season and sooner than we can believe, a new year?

The early part of 2008 we saw lots of fringe. Fringe has been the reintroduction of the old school “bangs” that any of us who survived the 80’s era knew, oh so well. Bangs not only got a new name but an entirely new look all together. Katie Holmes helped sky rocket this more modern and fresh fringe with a sleeker, heavier look than we ladies of the 80’s remember. Katie started out the year with a classic bob, softened with just enough layers to give her style a little movement, accompanied with a heavy fringe for an extreme and distinct shape. You gotta give it to this girl. She’s not letting her look get stale and has changed course completely by transforming her look yet again. Fall shows her wearing a shattered crop. This razored and highly textured style has a sort of bed head and tousled feel that many of us busy, busy ladies could come to love as we relinquish our 45 minute morning styling rituals. So, does this mean fringe is out before it really got started? Absolutely not. Looking to 2009 we can expect to see much more fringe! Ladies… back off the Botox injections! Finally, fringe is here to help us hide those little imperfections Father Time has passed on to us! It looks like fringe is here to stay, at least for a while.

What about the bob? Is it in? Is it out? You can always count on a classic bob being just that… classic. Last year Victoria Beckham blew open the doors with her radical and sharp inverted bob. I think every hairstylist out there can agree that we all have spent many hours in recent days responding to the requests of our clients and we could all do this haircut blindfolded. Everyone wanted this cut! Actually, it was a fabulous look. Almost anyone could wear this style. Did you notice I said was a fabulous look? Even Victoria has realized that her unique trademark image has played out its role in today’s fashion, at least for now. Fall has also shown Victoria with a wispy, shorter style that has a much softer finish. It seems that 2009 will bring back a pixie inspired fashion to the hair scene. What does this mean for the ever popular angled bob? Today we are seeing softer lines with razored edges of last years stronger shapes. This simple technique changes the entire dynamic of the haircut with out removing much hair. This can be a great avenue for change for the client that is still in love with her style.

What about us ladies who have all due respect for the gals willing to take the plunge for the short and wispy world, but realize short is not for everyone. Thank goodness the fashion gods wrote something in the script for us too. Fall is showing lots of length with ribboned curls that are left natural and flowing. Fringe can also be easily introduced to long tresses. Heidi Klum is wearing this look well! This Fall she is wearing a soft golden blonde hue, her length just below her shoulders with face framing layers and a heavy but soft fringe. This look seems to be reminiscent of Goldie Hawn’s classic cut that we all have coveted for decades. As stylists, we are often asked about age and appropriate length. Goldie has shown us that there is length after 40. The days of shearing off hair just because you had a birthday are over! Today’s fashion is more about your attitude and what works for your unique image, regardless what your birth certificate says! Hair extensions are proof that many of us still crave length. Extensions have made a big splash on the scene for those who can’t quite seem to count on their scalp to produce the locks they want. Extensions are an immediate solution to add the thickness and length you may not have naturally. At Salon Lotus we have seen a huge change in the attitude of our average client understanding that hair extensions are not reserved for those few who frequently stroll Hollywood’s red carpets.

It can be so hard to keep up with the ever changing world of fashion. Even more challenging than that, to know what can work for you. How do you know what is on the ticket for today’s style? It is as simple as paying close attention to the styles being shown on current television shows, magazines, and you gotta love the internet for the endless source of info! You can become fashion forward just by embracing the idea of constant change and being aware of what the Hollywood elite is showing us. Keeping your image fresh and current can do just as much as the best of eye creams! Find a stylist who you feel comfortable with guiding you into an updated image. Show the world just how interesting and unpredictable you are!