The Karlie

I live in New York City, which is really the Center of the Universe (people in Seattle may think their Fremont neighborhood is the center of the universe but they’re wrong), so when I see trends on the streets, in the subways, and on the runways of Fashion Week I take note. And sometimes pictures, although people are a little weirded out with random iPhone photographers such as myself so I don’t do this as often as I would like.

The Karlie
Karlie Kloss. Photo Credit: Jamie McCarthy for Getty

Consider this slideshow my trend reporting for what’s hot in hair right now, based on red carpet perusing, magazine readings, and the fact that I live in New York City and am an avid people watcher.

Let’s start with The Karlie!

Vogue named model Karlie Kloss’s haircut, pictured here, “The Haircut of the Moment” in 2012, and then the New York Times wrote about it (check it out). It seems this cut — which falls in that perfect space between the shoulders and the chin — has everyone going ga-ga because it’s so casual and so chic at the same time. It’s so very washed and wear, which is trendy because Fabulous people love to talk about how they spend very little time making themselves appear so Fabulous. I know this from reading the blog “Into the Gloss” on a regular basis. Everyone on that blog is Fabulous and everyone talks about how they don’t wear makeup and never wash their face or their hair. Yeah. Right.

You may be looking at this cut and thinking, “Huh. It’s a bob. On a beautiful person.

Therefore it’s trendy.” And you’re right. This cut is a shaggy bob and you can have it too, although I’m warning you, the Karlie won’t look so Fabulous on everyone. It could look blah and hum-drum if the rest of you isn’t pretty darn Fabulous.

So here’s the background on this haircut. Supermodel Kloss got it in early 2012, and it launched her career. It then inspired many copycats and is so hip that I launched a slideshow of shags that you can find here: Shag Hairstyles: 19 Amazing Shags.

Read more about Karlie in the New York Times article and see the Vogue article which details her cut.

Don’t miss the Hottest Hairstyle Trends of 2014.

2. Great Gatsby-Inspired Hair & Accessories

Hair Accessories
Katy Perry. Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown for Getty

Since Baz Luhrman’s Great Gatsby movie was released in spring 2013, 20s hairdos are all the rage. Everywhere you look there are vintage hairpieces and feathers, pinned curls, and red bow lips. Proms hearkened back to the 20s, weddings too.

3. As Blonde As You Can Get

Blonde hair
Cindy Ord. Photo Credit: Kate Lanphear for Getty

Oh, how I love this haircut and color. I see platinum hair color on the most fabulous people in New York City and I have to say it takes guts to pull it off. My boyfriend and I like to people watch in the subways and he’ll point out someone with platinum hair and ask what I think and as long as the hair color works with the skin tone I’ll give the whole she-bang a thumbs up.
Can You Get Away With Platinum Hair?

4. The Hottest Length of the Moment: Somewhere Between Chin and Shoulder

Hottest Length hairstyle
Catherine McNeil. Photo Credit: The magazine, Numéro, from their October 2012 issue

OMG. You want this haircut don’t you? I do. And I want Catherine McNeil’s eyes … and nose … and lips.
This is another version of “The Chop” or the “Karlie” that the New York Times mentioned in my first slide and it’s absolutely fabulous. Thick, wavy, and brown. I just love it.

See Shag Hairstyles: 19 Amazing Shags.

5. Blunt Bangs, Long Waves

Blunt Bangs Long Waves hairstyles
Naomi Campbell was photographed by Thomas Whiteside for Elle Magazine’s February 2013 magazine. Photo Credit: Elle

Like her or not, Naomi Campbell has rocking hair these days. I’m so fascinated by her blunt bangs and long hair that I want to go out and get blunt bangs myself. I just might do it, however, the upkeep on blunt bangs is HELL. You pretty much have to live across the street from a salon or figure out how to cut them yourself because when you have hair like mine that grows like weeds, you are going to have a hell of a time keeping your blunt bangs at just that perfect brow-skimming length.

That said, blunt bangs have been popping up everywhere and I mean everywhere, including on Beyonce and the First Lady. More on that in a bit.

See more of Naomi’s blunt bangs in this article and see more blunt bangs in my slideshow 20 Photos of Blunt Bangs.

6. I Told You Blunt Bangs Were a Trend

Blunt Bangs Trend
Michelle Obama. Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla for Getty Images

You know blunt bangs are a trend when the First Lady gets them for her 49th birthday and everyone goes crazy. She’s not the only one who got them. So did Beyonce. And Kim Kardashian. Then there are the girls who’ve been sporting them for awhile now like Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson’s daughter, that actress on that show “2 Broke Girls” and Jessica Biel (now Mrs. Justin Timberlake in case you haven’t been reading US Weekly).
Want more blunt bangs?

Have I got you some blunt bangs! See 20 Photos of Blunt Bangs.

7. Rock ‘n Roll Bangs on a Pixie

Pixie hairstyle
Elisa Nalin. Photo Credit: Kirstin Sinclair for Getty Images

I love rock’n roll bangs paired with a pixie and I’m seeing them a lot here in New York City and on all the fabulous fashion blogs where they take photos of people you and I don’t know but who have great jobs in fashion and get to sit on front rows at fashion week and have their picture taken in sky-high shoes that no normal person who takes the subway wears. Of course, there are famous people who got pixies this year and everyone goes crazy for them, like Anne Hathaway, who debuted a rock’ n roll pixie at this year’s Golden Globes (see it here).
Love me a good pixie.

And after this photo gallery of pixies, you will, too.

8. The Pompadour

Pompadour hair
Audrey Marnay. Photo Credit: Pascal Le Segretain // Getty

When Miley Cyrus chopped off her long hair into a pompadour this summer, everyone went crazy for it and it became such a hit that I made a slideshow of pompadours. All of a sudden the terms “faux hawk” and “quiff” hit the beauty vernacular. Elvis would be so proud if he were not dead.
And so here it is a few months later and pompadours are still a hot trend. So here’s to you brave souls out there who are willing to go all bang-y bouffant on us.

See Miley’s haircut and other fabulous pomps in my slideshow of Pompadour & Quiff Hairstyles.

9. Add a Little Bit of Color in Your Life (& In Your Hair)

Colored hair
Christina Aguilera. Photo Credit: Christopher Polk for Getty

I would never do this to my hair because when it comes to my color I’ve gotten the same blonde highlights my entire adult life and it just works for me, but many cool people are into dip-dye hair color including Christina Aguilera and my friend Rachel’s mom.
There I was on New Year’s Eve visiting my friend’s childhood home and her mother — a well-known author — came and sat down next to me for a chat.

I love your haircut, I told her. It was true, her hair was a wonderful bob with bangs, modern yet a little bit edgy. She looked great for her age, which I’d guess is around 70.

“I’m going to try something new in the new year,” my friend’s mom told me. Then she grabbed at her hair, pulling out a section along the side which was about half an inch thick. “I’m going to dye this piece of hair purple,” she said, wagging her hair at me.

Fantastic, I told her. You go girl.

Inspired to dip-dye yourself? All the cool kids are doing it. See my gallery Dip-Dye Hair Color: 20 Amazing Hairstyles.

10. Ombré Hair Color: Dark on Top, Light on the Ends

Ombré Hair Color
Jamie Chung. Photo Credit: Kevork Djansezian // Getty Images

The hair color is actually purposeful, even though it looks as if 2 summers ago this woman had blonde hair and never went back to the salon for touch-ups. It’s called ombré hair color and it’s a style that’s been around for a few seasons and is here to stay. Some magazines are trying to freshen this trend by calling it “sombre” hair color, which is just a tad more subtle than ombre but is really the same darn thing.

You’ll see more of this style in the coming months. Trust me.

Missed my dip-dye gallery in the last pane and are kicking yourself for it? Well, here it is again! Photos of 20 Amazing Ombré Hairstyles.

11. That Perfect Medium Length: Not Too Long, Not Too Short

Medium Length hair
Alexandra Golovanoff. Photo Credit: Francois Durand for Getty

Bedhead. It’s just plain cool, especially when it’s on hair that’s not too long and not too short. TV host Alexandra Golovanoff is a Woman to Watch and she has the most fabulous effortless hair. She used to have really long hair, then she cut it off and now it’s at this perfect length moment and I’m in love with it. I suggest we all get our hair cut the length of Catherine McNeil’s in the picture before this one and then when we get sick of it, which we all inevitably do, we can just let our hair grow into this haircut.

Kapische?

Learn more about Golovanoff and her hair in this interview on the amazing blog Into the Gloss.

12. Let Your Natural Curls Go

Natural Curls hairs
Salma Hayek. Photo Credit: Francois Durand for Getty

I live in New York City, which is really the Center of the Universe (people in Seattle may think their Fremont neighborhood is the center of the universe but they’re wrong), so when I see trends on the streets, in the subways, and on the runways of Fashion Week I take notes, lots and lots of notes. And sometimes pictures, although people are a little weirded out with random iPhone photographers such as myself so I don’t do this as often as I would like.

Consider this slideshow my trend reporting for what’s hot in the hair, based on red carpet perusings, magazine readings, and the fact that I live in New York City and am an avid people watcher.

Let’s start with curls! I have seen so many fabulous wild heads of curls in New York that it’s been brought to my attention that natural is in, in, in. I love it so much when women stay away from hot flat irons and let their natural self shine like Salma Hayek does so beautifully here.

Got curly hair? You are gonna love this article, 10 secrets to styling naturally curly hair.

13. The World’s Most Amazing Natural Hair

Amazing Natural Hair
Wynter Gordon. Photo Credit: Cindy Ord for Getty

If I had a loss like this, I’d wear my hair just like this as I’ve noticed many women in NYC are doing these days. Fabulous. Also-freaking-lute-ly fabulous.
For the very best in black hairstyles, check out Blufashion.com’s Black Hair Website run by my colleague Del Sandeen.

14. The Curly, Stacked Graduated Bob

Curly, Stacked Graduated Bob
Kelly Framel. Photo Credit: Michael Buckner for Getty Images

What do you get when you have thick wavy hair and a graduated bob? A hair trend, that’s what! Check out this haircut on blogger Kelly Framel of The Glamourai Website. You’ll be seeing more and more of it this year as women chop off their long hair for the casual-chic trend. More on that up next.

15. The Sleek Bun, Hair Parted in the Middle

Sleek Bun, Hair
See hair trends for 2013. Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison for Getty

Not everyone can get away with the sleek bun (like January Jones as seen at the 2012 Emmys), but if you have great cheekbones and pretty much a face like this model then you might just practice this look in your bathroom mirror. According to fashion magazines, it’s hot, hot, hot because some designer sent about 20 models down a runway in this exact hairstyle during the Spring fashion week in NYC. So it’s a trend. I happen to like this one, so I included it in this gallery.
PS: I’ve noticed another hot trend is to part your hair in the middle, so keep that in mind as you play in the mirror. You’re welcome.

See more sleek buns here.

16. Braids Are Here to Stay

Braids hairstyles
Elle Fanning. Photo Credit: Andrew H. Walker for Getty

I’m not a big fan of braids on women over age 16, but braids are here to stay. It’s a trend and a lot and I mean a lot of celebrities are wearing them on red carpets, so here you go. If you like braids, you’re on-trend, my friend.
For about 20 great ways to wear them, see this photo gallery and start braidin’.

17. The Super Casual Wavy Side Ponytail

Super Casual Wavy Side Ponytail
Cheryl Burke. Photo Credit: Christopher Polk for Getty

I peruse so many red carpet photo galleries and hair like this pops up over and over again so I made it a hairstyle trend for 2013. You can braid it, wave it, muss it, twist it, as long as it looks a bit mussy and falls over one shoulder, you will look like a red carpet walker. Fabulous you.

18. The Mussy Bun: So Casual & So, So Fabulous

Mussy Bun Hairstyle
Jennifer Lawrence. Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison for Getty. The Top Hairstyle Trends.

So we saw the mussy side ponytail, now take in the very popular-on-red-carpets mussy side bun modeled here by the uber-trendy Jennifer Lawrence.
For more mussy side bun inspiration, behold this gallery: Messy Updos: 20 Casual Prom Hairstyles I Fell For.

19. The Messy Topknot

Messy Topknot hairstyle - Top Hairstyle
The Top Hairstyle Trends. Rachael Taylor. Photo Credit: Lisa Maree Williams // Getty Images

Another messy hairstyle, you say? Yes, another messy hairstyle has made it onto my hot hairstyles list. Messy is in, so get with the plan, people, and don’t brush out your bedhead.

Sounds like a lot of work. But topknots are super popular, I’m seeing a bunch of them on the subway and I saw a great one on a salesperson at the Anthropologie on 5th Ave yesterday, so maybe it’s time to start practicing your own in the bathroom mirror?

More on hair trends:

  • The 6 Hottest Short Hair Trends
  • Hair Color: 6 Trends
  • Long Hair: My Favorite Long Hairstyle Photos
  • The 9 Best Bob Haircuts
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1 Comment

  1. laurenmullin on

    Just when I thought Karlie Kloss’ style couldn’t get any better, she takes on the dare to chop her luxurious brunette hair into a modern, edgy cut. The new style is easily pulled off by Kloss, and sets a new trend for women everywhere to try something new and exciting with their hair. Garren’s styling of her new cut is perfect for the season and fits with Kloss’ renowned style.

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