A bad breakup, big move, or a promotion at work are all great times to get a fresh haircut, but so is the start of a new year. With the unpredictable, stressful, and tumultuous past 12 months finally behind us, it’s finally time to move forward. And there’s no better way to escort in the start of 2021 with an entirely different look. Cindy can effortlessly achieve almost any look you are wanting to bring into the rest of 2021.
While we might be focusing on what’s ahead, 2021’s most popular haircuts will have us all revisiting the past. And if next year’s hair trends are any indication, the ’70s are back, baby. Think heavily-layered shags, and curtain bangs.
For anyone not feeling the retro vibes, low-maintenance cuts like blunt ends with minimal layers are great options that will hold up for months — especially if you’re looking to keep your salon visits minimal due to fluctuating COVID-19 restrictions.
1. Curly Bangs
’70s-style bangs are a small tweak that can make any existing haircut feel fresh for the new year. The retro look can be adapted by virtually any hair texture, including natural hair 3C curls. We will see more curly girls embrace the ’70s trend with bangs and shorter face-framing pieces that really enhance the shape of their natural curls, as with all curly haircuts, make sure your stylist cuts around the front dry and leaves it a little longer than you think so the curls don’t bounce up too much.
2. Low-Maintenance Cuts
With a lot of people still working remotely and leisure activities heavily restricted, people are going to be looking to keep things simple in 2021 with haircuts that still look good when you air dry.
For straight hair, stick with a blunt cut to make the hair appear thicker, along with a few soft angled layers around the face. For wavy hair (think Zendaya), add a few layers around the crown to give your cut some shape. Finally, for naturally curly hair (like Gabrielle Union), we recommend taking your curl pattern and shrinkage into consideration to keep things low maintenance. A little length can go a long way!
3. The Shag
Versions of the shag have come and gone throughout history, but with the return of curtain bangs in 2020, we’ll see more haircuts turn to shag territory as people get more comfortable with shorter layers around the face. This cut is amazingly low maintenance when done well, as it complements the head shape.
The shag is an anomaly of a cut because it’s characterized by layers, rather than length. That being said, it looks amazing on virtually any hair texture and with or without bangs. Selena Gomez’s curly shag with bangs is a classic iteration of the cut.
4. Shaggy Layers
For a more low-key version of the shag, opt for piecey, sultry, face-framing layers that will grow out with ease. Ask your stylist for fashion layers – you know, the kind of layers that are carved out from the inside of your cut, and face-framing layers that are perfectly piecey and unapologetically sultry.
5. The Bob
Good news for fans of the iconic cut: we predict the bob will still be going strong into 2021. Bobs really stand out when they are stick straight and glossy (like January Jones), or when you style them with a flirty edge using a flat iron to add waves. This hair cut works well with most hair types, it’s just all about tailoring it to you and your personal style. So whether it’s shoulder-length, chin-length, or somewhere in between, blunt, choppy, textured, or maybe even a little elevated, you have the opportunity to customize the perfect bob for you.
6. Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs are another 2020 hair trend you’ll continue to see more of in the new year. Not only are they super cute, but they also make way for a softer and more graceful grow-out phase than traditional bangs, meaning you can go longer between trims. Aside from being low-maintenance as far as bangs go, the major selling point of curtain bangs is that they take any hairstyle to the next level, from a messy bun to a sleek ponytail.