I still enjoy reading annual trend forecasts, even though they are often filled with crazy New Year’s resolutions and very specific “in and out” lists. It’s important to recognize how short-lived micro-trends affect both personal style and the environment, but trends still give us a good idea of where culture is going.
I just looked into how Pinterest’s “poetcore” prediction shows that more and more people want to get away from screens and back into the real world. In another article, FJ senior editor Lara Daly looked at fragrance trends and made a connection between scent and the Lunar New Year. She said that people are moving away from vanilla and toward richer, more expressive notes.
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What’s going to happen to hair in 2026?
People have different ideas about hair. Will the bob haircut still be popular? Is the Sabrina Carpenter blowout over? Trend forecasts aren’t hard and fast rules; the best haircut is always the one you like. But for those who want to know what will happen next, I talked to four hairdressers to find out what haircut trends will be popular in 2026.
A Focus on the Fringe
Tara-Lee Mitchell, who owns the Melbourne salon Mitch Studio, thinks the fringe will be big in 2026. “We’ve seen some changes lately, but the modern fringe is going to be shorter, bolder, and more daring,” she says. “Think of hair that is sexy and inspired by Gucci.”
Tara suggests Dakota Johnson in Materialists for a long, straight fringe and Odessa A’zion for people with curly or wavy hair. She says, “A fringe instantly refreshes your look.” “It’s also great for adding shape while your hair grows. Just make sure your stylist works with your natural texture.”
The Grown-In Side Fringe Is on the Rise
Remi Jeffers, a cutting teacher at Edwards and Co., thinks the grown-in side fringe will come back. This style has long, softly blended side bangs that fall between the cheekbone and jaw. They give shape without making you commit to them for a long time.
Remi says, “Ask for long side bangs that blend in with layers that frame your face.” “It’s flattering, easy to take care of, and fits perfectly with the relaxed beauty mindset of 2026.”
Why Scandi bangs will always be around?
Edwards and Co founder Jaye Edwards supports both Tara and Remi and thinks that Scandi bangs will stay popular. “They’re the easiest way to change your look without having to do much,” he says. “They’re soft, wispy, and light as a feather. They’re a little shorter in the middle to draw attention to the eyes and cheekbones.”
Jaye says that instead of heavy bangs, you should ask for light, face-framing bangs that blend in with the rest of your hair. “They’re very flexible. You can wear them with a clean Scandi look or tousled for a more laid-back French-girl look.”
Long, feminine hair is back.
Becc Snow, a hairstylist and the owner of Alchemy, a salon in Melbourne, thinks that 2026 will be a time when beauty standards become less strict about gender. Becc says, “In the past few years, a lot of women and femme-presenting people have started wearing more masculine styles to take back control of how people see them.”
“Now, I see a return to embracing femininity, with longer, fun hairstyles and bangs.” She also thinks that hair extensions will make a big comeback.
Pixie, Bixie, or Something in Between
Becc also thinks that shorter cuts will become more popular, but on the other end of the spectrum. “I think this will be the year of the femme pixie crop,” she says. “It will open up the face and not hide behind hair.”
Remi also says that the bixie bob, which is a mix of a bob and a pixie, will become more popular. It falls between the jaw and collarbone and has a structure and a light texture at the ends. This style is shorter and more pointed than a classic bob, but softer than a pixie. It gives you movement, shape, and edge without being too harsh.
To get this look, Remi says to ask for a bob that is exactly the right length, with soft layers on the inside and a subtle pixie-like texture around the edges. “How effortlessly cool it feels is what I love most.”
