Autumn/winter 2026 hair trends: 4 cool cuts to know about now
As we prepare to say goodbye to summer, thoughts turn to autumnal style and, of course, hair. What will be trending next season? “It's all about hair that’s in great condition,” says Paul Edmonds. “Glossy hair is what everyone wants, and to be able to do lots of different things with one haircut, so you don't have to wear it the same every day.” Here, the founder of Paul Edmonds London reveals the four versatile haircut trends that will dominate autumn/winter 2026 – for women and men – and how to decide which is best for you.
1. THE EVOLUTION OF THE BOB
The look: “There are a few trendy bob variations, either with or without a fringe, but on the whole they’re very blunt. The underneath layers can be cut into, but the top layer is left blunt, so you get a slightly softer, textured look. This invisible layering makes it easy to tuck the hair behind your ear or do different things with it. There’s also the layered bob, which is more textured, and often called the 'French bob', which is slightly more rounded and cut into.”
Who does it suit? “You can make a bob fit any face as long as you've got a good stylist who looks at your bone structure, because it's usually about playing up the cheekbones and playing down the jawline. With round faces, for example, what you might do is either leave it a little bit longer or take it up shorter, above or below the jaw, depending on which length flatters the face the most.”
How to style it: “For a more edgy look a bob can be left to dry naturally or blow dried for an old money look, depending on how you want to style it. If you've got fine hair, use a volumising mousse or powder at the roots to lift it up and give it some body."
"Alternatively, if you put a little bit of powder into it, like Oway's Volume & Texture Hair Puff, put rollers in for 10 or 15 minutes while you finish your make-up, take them out and then brush your hair through, you'll have loads of body in it. For a French bob, or to enhance your tousled texture, comb it through with Oribe Priming Lotion Leave-In Detangler Conditioner, then don't touch it until it's dry. If you've got thick hair, there are some great products to sleek it down, like Oribe Heatless Styling Balm. That gets it nice and smooth and glossy.”
2. THE BIXIE CUT
The look: “Midway between a bob and a pixie cut, a bixie cut is one of those great transitional styles. You can grow it out if you’ve had very short hair, or cut it in if you’ve had a bob and you’re a bit bored of it.”
How to tailor it: “ You can vary a bixie cut, from something quite heavy and choppy, but still keeping it quite long, to a short, almost urchin cut, but leaving the layers longer and cut through. Having some layers put into it makes it a bit softer rather than structured. It's all about textured and touchable hair.”
How to style it: “The bixie is an easy-to-wear style. You just need a touch of wax and a bit of styling spray like Shu Uemura Tsuki Shape to create a sexy look that's a little bit tousled.”
3. LONG FEATHER FRAMING
The look: “Long hair at the moment tends to have fewer layers than before. People have been growing down their long layers, but there's still lots of face-framing sections or fringes. It can be worn either smooth or curly. There's a bit of a 70s or 80s revival with a slightly flicked-out Farrah Fawcett kind of look, or there's curling it inwards and making it quite smooth and tendrily.”
Who does it suit? “If they have a fringe, people are wanting a slightly shorter fringe in the centre, with the rest of the bangs swept to the side, but the main thing people want is texture and lightness around the face. A lot of people with longer hair tie their hair up often, so they want it to have some softness around the face when they do. Middle partings are still very trendy, but I'd always say take it slightly to one side, because it's much better for balancing the face.”
How to style it: “Davines Oil Non Oil is amazing for long hair. It's protective, adds shine, and has a little bit of hold, but not too much, so you get a nice kind of chunkiness to the hair. It makes the hair shiny and smells nice too. Shu Uemura Essence Absolue is also amazing for shine, and the Netsu Design heat styling cream is really good for protecting the hair, stopping frizziness, and it giving it some body without being greasy or tacky.”
4. SOFT CROPS FOR MEN
The look: “For men, we’ve got the shortish crop trend going on. It’s one of those classic looks, there's a bit of a Steve McQueen vibe, a grown-out crop that's very in at the moment. It’s similar to the bro flow. The main emphasis for men’s hair this year has been away from barbering and the short-back-and-sides look to something slightly longer and softer. There's also a lot of curly hair still. We're getting quite a lot of perms requested, especially on medium-length men's hair.”
How to tailor it: “You have to work with the face shape. You might leave some length at the sides, depending on what the jawline is like. The one thing that's quite lucky with men is that they can use facial hair to play down bad bits and play up the good bits, so you can vary the sideburns or the beard to flatter the face shape.”
How to style it: “Guys with this kind of soft crop usually don’t want to do much with it. It's just a matter of putting a little bit of sea salt spray, wax or a curly hair product in the hair while it’s wet, then leaving it to dry. Davines has the excellent Love Curl range that helps to hold the curl in. Not in a crisp way, it feels soft, but actually makes the curl form a good shape.”
Find out more: Modern men’s hair trends: 4 cuts defining contemporary style
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What are the most popular women's haircuts for autumn/winter 2026?
A: The overall aesthetic for the season is about healthy, glossy hair, with lengths ranging from bobs and bixie cuts to long hair with face-framing details.
Q: Do you need thick hair to have a bob?
A: No, you don’t need to have a thicker hair type to have a bob. Your stylist can advise on the best bob type to complement your hair type, for example, adding volume with invisible layers, and recommend the products that will add body and movement.
Q: Why is the soft crop style trending for men?
A: Men's hair has moved away from sharp barbering and the classic short-back-and-sides towards something longer, softer and more relaxed. There's a strong Steve McQueen influence in grown-out crops that require very little styling. Curly and textured hair is also having a moment for men, with perms increasingly popular on mid-length hair.
Q: What products should you use for bixie and bob hairstyles?
A: For a bob, fine hair needs a volumising mousse, while thick hair benefits from a smoothing oil or styling cream for a sleeker finish. For a bixie cut, a light styling spray will help create an undone, tousled look.
Q: Are centre partings still trendy in 2026?
A: Middle partings are still very much in fashion, but taking it slightly to one side rather than parting perfectly down the centre is far more flattering for most face shapes and helps to balance the features.
Crafting your perfect cut
If you’re itching to switch up your style now that summer is almost over, the team at Paul Edmonds London are ready to help you embrace a new look inspired by the latest trends.
Whether it’s a subtle change or something completely different, our styling team can advise on how to tailor a trendy cut – from bixies and bobs to long hair and soft crops for men – to create a flattering look that feels fabulous.
Get in the groove for autumn with a cool new cut. Book your next appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
FURTHER READING
