Prepare to See These Haircut and Hair Colour Trends Everywhere This Summer
Choppy, floaty, relaxed, undone—this summer’s most popular haircuts and colours have one thing in common: They look better the less you try.
For Summer 2026, haircuts and their colours are taking on a softer, more intuitive feel, with an emphasis on shape, movement and subtle enhancement leading the way. The focus is less on dramatic transformations and more on refining what you’re already working with.
Expect to see cuts that make an impact without doing too much—think airy, in-between lengths that blur the line between short and long, softly voluminous bobs and gently layered cuts that nod to a more relaxed shag. Colour follows suit, with warm golden blondes, richer, glossier brunettes and butterscotch-leaning coppers, all designed to add depth, dimension and a sun-touched finish.
Behold, the best haircut and hair colour trends of Summer 2026.
Short Stuff
The Bixie
The “bixie” is emerging as 2026’s most directional cut, with zeitgeist girlies like Rama Duwaji, Zendaya and Gracie Abrams fuelling its return. “What we’re seeing now is a softer evolution of the pixie—a hybrid between a bob and a pixie; it’s essentially a shorter bob, with a delicate, more fluid finish,” says Andreas Wild, a stylist based in London, England, and John Frieda UK’s creative stylist adviser. The look is a nod to late-’80s and early-’90s (hello, Linda Evangelista) silhouettes, with hair cropped close at the nape while remaining longer and softer through the front.
For styling, Wild recommends keeping things light: To enhance that soft, polished finish that isn’t weighed down, he recommends working in John Frieda Frizz Ease The Rescuer Weightless Repair Serum. Think soft, seamless layers,
Meet in the Middle
Flirty-Girl Lob
This playful mid-length style is having a moment—like Margot Robbie’s recently debuted cut at the Chanel Fall 2026 show or Hailey Bieber’s flipped-up version at the Vanity Fair Oscars party. It’s less about precision and more about movement. “It’s bold, versatile and flattering on nearly every hair type, whether it’s worn tousled for a relaxed look or sleek for polished elegance,” says Wild.
He recommends experimenting with a French bob or a cropped fringe—“think baby bangs, for a fuller, more rock ’n’ roll effect”—and playing with parting to shift the whole mood. “Deep side parts or sleek middle parts both elevate the style,” he explains, adding that subtly thinned ends or a slightly shorter front can frame the face.
Body of Work
Voluminous Bob
The bob has been holding court, but it’s entering a cooler phase. After years of glassy, precision cuts, 2026 is loosening things up with looks that feel more downtown than debutante. On recent red carpets, Anok Yai and Selena Gomez leaned into volume and shape.
Getting that body starts before you pick up a brush. “Prep is the most important step,” says Redken artist Deena Alawaid. “I’ll blow-dry the crown straight up with a large round brush and let it set in rollers while I work through the rest of the hair.” From there, it’s all about bounce and gloss—hair that moves, catches the light and never looks overworked.
The Undone Cut
Muted Shag
The shag has always had bite, but it’s trading hard edges for something a bit more romantic. Still rooted in its rock ’n’ roll past (think Joan Jett’s choppy rebel-lion), the new version filters that energy through a more wearable lens. Enter Jenna Ortega, who gives the cut a fresh, slightly dishevelled polish.
The appeal lies in contradiction—think structured layers that read as completely unstyled. “It’s the edge everyone wants, while the undone waves create that effortless on-the-go vibe,” says Alawaid. Technically, it’s controlled chaos. Disconnected layers with a heavier crown and length at the ends build shape.
Today’s shag embraces natural texture, says Wild. “It enhances waves or subtly bends straighter strands for a soft, lived-in finish with just the right edge.” And the best part? It’s versatile. “The modern shag can work for almost any hair type,” says Alawaid.
Summer 2026’s Hair Colour Codes
Tracey Cunningham, one of Hollywood’s most in-demand colourists and Schwarzkopf Professional U.S.’s creative director of colour and technique, has one word for this season’s shades: enhancement.
Barley-There Dimension
Forget chunky money pieces; this summer’s highlights are all about subtlety. Cunningham notes a rise in clients referencing the buttery blond that actor Sarah Pidgeon sports as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in Love Story. The update uses techniques like “foiled cashmere,” creating multi-dimensional depth that reads glossy and blended.
Depth Over Drama
The new brunette isn’t darker; it’s deeper. Cunningham focuses on enhancing what’s already there, layering in warmth and shine rather than contrast. The result on clients like Priyanka Chopra Jonas: hair that looks luminous, lived-in and unmistakably healthy.
Red Gets Real
Instead of the bold copper and cherry cola of seasons past, apricot and strawberry tones are emerging as the new entry points to red. On clients like Emma Stone, Cunningham is leaning into what she calls “butterscotch copper”—a warm, glossy tone that sits somewhere between blond and red. It’s rich without feeling heavy and sunlit rather than statement-making.
Golden Hour
After years of icy-blond tones (think the signature platinum worn by Anya Taylor-Joy, one of Cunningham’s longtime clients), warmth is back. “I’m seeing a lot of gold,” says Cunningham. The appeal is its versatility—creamy, sunlit blonds that feel soft, not brassy, and can often be achieved with a simple toner shift rather than a full overhaul.
This article first appeared in FASHION’s Summer 2026 issue. Read more stories from FASHION’s Summer 2026 issue here and subscribe to the print issue here.
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