The onset of spring signals regrowth and new beginnings, and we’re not just talking about Mother Nature. Hair salons in New York City and beyond are always busy this time of year, with clients looking to switch up their look with a fresh haircut. Among the styles currently seen around the city, a few trends are standing out this spring—think non-dramatic, nostalgic, lived-in, low-maintenance cuts across all lengths.
To get a better sense of what’s in demand, we asked two NYC hairstylists to share their take on the most requested haircuts right now, who’s wearing them and what they expect to see this summer.
Featured Experts
- Zach Manning is a hairstylist and owner of Kinloch Salon
- Lorna Pollack is a master stylist and co-founder of Second Day
Less Styled, More Natural
Haircuts are a foolproof way to freshen up your look, but they don’t have to be drastic to make a big impact. Lorna Pollack, master stylist and co-founder of Second Day hair salon, notes that the most-requested haircuts right now embrace effortless, low-maintenance styles that highlight natural textures. That includes classic long layers that frame the face and give a “90s bounce,” à la Cindy Crawford and Brooke Shields, says hairstylist and owner of Kinloch Salon, Zach Manning.
Bobs and Bixies
“A mid-neck-length bob is never out of style,” Manning says, and Pollack calls short, cropped bobs “always chic.” That’s in no small part due to a bob’s versatility. “Classic, square, French, A-line…[the] possibilities are endless. A deep side part with the other side tucked behind the ear… chef’s kiss,” says Manning.
Bixies (a hybrid of the bob and a pixie that Gracie Abrams and Zendaya currently wear) with “soft textured pieces throughout the front and back” are another short style gaining momentum, notes Pollack.
Mid-Lengths With Movement
Whether you’re growing out a bob or a lob, or don’t want to maintain longer hair, mid-length styles are all about soft, long layers and internal (or invisible) layers for maximum movement, says Pollack.
“Mid-lengths can be tricky,” cautions Manning. Finding that “sweet spot” length is essential; “I find the closer you are to the top of the chest, it lays nicely.”
Nostalgia-Inspired Long Styles
There are three big trends right now in haircuts for longer styles, and each evokes the best hair of decades past. Pollack says she’s seeing clients with longer hair requesting blunt ends reminiscent of the 1970s. “Think long, heavy, beautiful hair.” On the other end of the spectrum is the shag haircut popularized in the 1980s. “Everybody played around with a version of a shag last year,” says Pollack. “Recently, I’m seeing that women are still holding onto the length, but just growing out the layers, keeping things long and soft.”
Manning notes the most popular haircut among longer lengths is long layers (Jennifer Aniston’s late-90s C-cut immediately comes to mind). “Truly, the classic long layer cut is always in demand. The front of the cut is really customizable; you can have bangs, face framing, long angles! Depending on the features you want to highlight, we are able to accentuate them.”
Best Haircuts Over 40
Before we go on, age should never choose a haircut for you. “I find that hair is more about attitude than age or face shape,” says Manning. And as with any age, it’s also about lifestyle and the commitment you’re willing to make. Pollack notes many of her over-40 clients are tired of blowing out and styling their hair; instead, they’re embracing their natural hair texture. That means more requests for layers that work well with curls or “short chop bobs” for clients with fine hair. Manning adds he’s seen “a gravitation towards a below-collar, mid-chest length” on his clients over 40. “Longer than a lob but more playful!”
Summer Predictions
As the weather warms up, Manning predicts haircut requests will get shorter. That includes bobs of all kinds, such as Italian, French or micro styles, and pixies, like Emma Stone’s. “We haven’t seen someone pull it off this effortlessly in some time. This short crop is bold, timeless and très chic!” For clients not ready for a drastic cut, the aforementioned mid-length cuts have become a “Williamsburg staple” that’s not going out of style anytime soon.
Pollack says she sees no slowdown in requests for slightly messy, undone styles that are long in length with soft, long layers on clients with straight, wavy and curly
