Autumn/Winter Hair Trends 2009

By Phil Smith -  With over 20 salons throughout the world, an ever-increasing list of high profile clients and five nominations for the prestigious British Hairdresser of the Year Award, Phil Smith truly is a British hairdressing phenomenon.

The new season is all about interaction of style – suitability is key, knowing your personality and what works with it, from your style of jeans, shade of lipstick, to your hair cut and colour – every detail matters!  Keeping it relaxed with a ‘non-tried-to-hard’ approach, but with uber-luxe undertones, seen in conditioned hair, glossy finishes and well maintained colour.     

The Cut
‘The Cut’ this season represents a collision of editorial and commercially driven shapes that are progressive and tailored to the individual.  Following the idea of ‘suitability’, cuts will work with a whole image, but without graphic extremity – short and classic, with texture as a focus, long and luxurious or choppy mid-lengths, anything goes as long as it goes with you.

Uplifted
Volume remains something that emulates classic glamour and femininity, think 1950’s pin-up girl style – root-lift and plenty of sex appeal, but with a contemporary, lived-in texture.  Long layered bobs and eye skimming fringes, with a good old fashioned blow-dry. Use – Phil Smith - Xtreme Style Xpressive Firm Mousse which will lift and condition the hair at the same time.

Rule Britannia
Brit-chic, long tresses are definitely hot for Autumn/Winter, but with a slightly broken exterior – long, dishevelled, tousled layers, perfect for creating distorted texture representing that Brit-cool attitude.

Fringe Frenzy
Fringes remain the signature fashion-focus statement, and as usual they work on a suitability basis, keep them long and weighty, below the eyebrows, poker-straight or to the side, softening any bluntness by introducing texture with products.   

Versatility
Embracing femininity, cutting techniques this season focus on creating texture and softening the silhouette - undercuts are a classic foundation, but are built upon with diverse length layers that overlap for movement, achieving an almost 3D effect.  Think ‘pretty in punk’, versatile dependent on your mood and very wearable - weighty, double-based and serrated edges give that rock’n’roll vibe, but less about androgyny and more about lived-in and uniquely stylised. Use – Phil Smith - Xtreme style Thickening Cream and Be Gorgeous Dry Shampoo to add texture and body.    

TEXTURE
Products for the season will be ones that help achieve a care-free texture, with a very ‘comfortable in your own skin’ feel, whether this be groomed and glossy, or slightly more distorted and grunge-led, emphasis is on an effortless finish, with your hair helping emulate your personal image.  
 
COLOUR
Hair colour exudes a very expensive and indulgent image for the Autumn/Winter season, perfect for rich and luxurious palettes seen on the catwalks, and an ideal tool for expressing personality and creativity.  Colour reverts back to the beautifully seamless, with high-shine, polished finishes.

Reds 
Red continues to be a popular choice - rich and intense, red is an indulgent colour choice for an Autumn/Winter statement image, boasting shades of deep damson, plum and burnt umber and copper. Regal and important, reds are slightly more delicate and subdued from past seasons, it is all about the texture and finish rather than being bold and brash. 

Brunette
Brunettes have depth and detail, appearing in cooler hues – cocoa and peppercorn, clashing with the warm richness of catwalk collections, with icy and polished finishes. To create a high shine look use a product which will dazzle and illuminate your hair with a glass like finish. 

Blonde