Fall’s Hottest Hair-Color Trends

For fall, brunette takes a darker, more cinematic turn. Barron-Hough describes the go-to shade as gothic brown, sitting somewhere between a deep espresso and stark black. “It’s a very impactful, edgy shade, heavily inspired by the ’90s, with a lot of presence around the face,” she notes. Think Liya Kebede’s rich, almost-black brunette, which looks exceptionally modern paired with a sharp bob.

Unlike the softer, multi-tonal brunettes of recent seasons, Barron-Hough affirms this shade works best as a bold, all-over color statement. To maintain its glass-like reflectivity, book in for regular salon toners or use a dedicated color-enhancing conditioner at home.

For those who aren’t ready to give up summer’s Scandi blonde (a bright, pearly pale blonde), the answer is to soften rather than darken your color. Barron-Hough calls this midway blonde. “It’s a much more toned-down blonde – the perfect solution if you want to give bright-blonde hair a rest for the winter months,” she says. “And, as summer tans fade, going even softer with color is great as it allows your hair and complexion to work in harmony.” She points to Margot Robbie as the ultimate muse. Perry agrees, heralding a shift toward “warmer and more lived-in blondes” defined by creamy beige, champagne, honey and soft golden tones, rather than anything icy.

“There’s a huge difference between warmth and brass,” she explains. “The right amount of warmth makes a blonde look healthy, reflective and expensive.” She suggests adding dimension with subtle lowlights, a soft root shadow or a warmer gloss. “If someone is naturally darker, I love leaving more of that depth in the hair instead of fighting it. On naturally lighter blondes, you can keep the brightness but shift the tone slightly warmer or more neutral. The goal is to make the blonde belong to the person wearing it.”