New year, new you. That’s how the saying goes, isn’t it? One way to refresh your look – and how you feel – is by switching up hairstyles and trying something new. It doesn’t have to be extreme, nor does it have to look like much has changed, but a new cut or styling trick can make you feel like a brand new person. Here, Vogue speaks to the hairstyling experts on the hair trends that will be everywhere in 2022 – inspiration boards at the ready.
A next-level haircut
A starting point for all good hairstyles, Luke Hersheson says that getting a really good haircut – even if it’s just twice a year – is key for creating a modern shape, which can be dressed up or down, depending on your mood. “Invest[ing] in a haircut above just styling products gives hair shape – whether it’s a bob or longer – and allows you the structure and architecture to do lots of things with your hair,” he explains. “Ten years ago, people were just styling hair and not thinking about the haircut underneath it.” It’s a way of approaching your hair that allows you to embrace all manner of trends, from embracing your natural curls to air drying your layers, and gives your hairstyle its unique character.
Meanwhile, hairstylist Larry King agrees, adding that as a result of the pandemic, clients now leave more time between appointments, which means that haircuts need to have a well-crafted structure in order to look better for longer. “It’s all about sharper haircuts that last longer – texture and chopped-up hairstyles have a shorter life span,” he says. “Healthy hair is the order of the year.”
The bob is going nowhere
Undoubtedly the haircut of 2021, the bob is going nowhere for next year, either. Hairstylist George Northwood has long been the man to see for an excellent bob and says that he has never seen so many requests for the classic style. “The Alexa-style bob remains at the forefront, but there are so many new variations – changes in length, shape, volume and styling – for 2022,” he says.