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A cocktail of timeless luxury, pop star pretty, and easy bohemia make 2025's hair trends a choose-your-own-adventure affair in which all paths lead to a standout style.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that the best beauty comes with a personal touch. A menu of shaggy layers (which boast major DIY appeal, according to hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos), barely there baby lights, and lived-in cuts serve as an alternative to overwrought options, requiring as much or as little maintenance as you see fit. Meanwhile, sleek updos, gamine pixies, and rich brunettes ooze opulence—the easy sort, of course. Swirling through all of the looks is an air of effortless refinement, the sort that makes even the most undone of aesthetics seem purposeful and cool.
Meet the expert
- Dimitris Giannetos is a celebrity hairstylists whose clients include Meredith Duxbury and Demi Moore. Gonn Kinoshita is an editorial stylist based in New York City. Chris Appleton is a celebrity hairstylists whose clients include Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez. Gregory Russell is a celebrity hairstylists whose clients include Anya Taylor Joy and Jennifer Lawrence.
Here, eight hair trends that will define 2025.
Relaxed Styling
Blame the boho revival—the Isabel Marant aesthetic is back, which means studs, ruffles, and fringe—but mussed styling 2025’s answer to the bouncy blowout (which, to be clear, isn’t going anywhere). Editorial stylist Gonn Kinoshita expects a want of undone, effortless styling, “for that ‘I woke up like this’ vibe.”
Espresso Brunette
That's that me espresso…brunette. Darker shades like espresso and rich chocolate brown are dominating the spectrum. Hairstylists Chris Appleton and Giannetos both note espresso brunette's low-maintenance lean (a gloss every six to eight weeks does the trick), a factor that makes the high-impact color an easy and gentle option.
Shaggy Layers
Shaggy layers blend texture, volume, and movement—all 2025 musts. The approach's appeal comes down to its versatility. "You can keep it messy and undone for an edgy vibe or style it sleek for a more polished look," says Giannetos. He notes that the layers are ideal for enhancing natural wave and curl patterns, making them the perfect accompaniment to an air dry. "Plus, as the cut grows out, it maintains its shape beautifully and requires little maintenance between trims."
Prototypal Pixie
A elegant answer to the easy funk of the shag, classic pixies put a classic spin on the short cut. “Given Emma Stone’s industry-moving hair moment on the Golden Globes red carpet, I predict pixie cuts will have a huge moment this year,” says Giannetos. Try a slightly overgrown elvish version, or make like Stone and opt for a Mia Farrow-inspired iteration.
Lived-In Color
Color, in general, will be dynamic yet understated. “I see people moving toward subtly, more of a natural influence,” says hairstylist Gregory Russell. “If it’s a blonde it’s soft, if there are highlights in brunette hair they are very subtle and more about dimension.”
Appleton agrees. “Clients are definitely going more for that lived-in look when it comes to color and highlighting,” he says, citing soft-shadow roots as a trending, low-maintenance example. Giannetos notes that baby lights—tiny, well-placed ribbons of color—also offer easy oomph. “They blend seamlessly, need fewer touch-ups, and grow out naturally for an effortlessly polished look,” he says.
Polished Updos
While the bulk of the year's trends are about less-is-more styling, the done-up updo still has its place. Giannetos points to recent red carpets as evidence that the polished updo is making a comeback (if it ever left, of course). “When I hear the word 'demure,' this is the first look that comes to mind," he says. "Very sleek, very polished, very demure.”
French Bob
“I have a strong feeling that French bob cut will be everywhere in 2025,” says Kinoshita, who also expects blunt and flipped bobs to stay the course. The hairstylist notes that the French bob gives off an insouciant look ideal for the modern “It girl”, given the 2010s energy that the term applies). “It’s all about precision cuts with relaxed styling,” he says.
Appleton suggests looking to Lily Collins’s cut (Russell’s handiwork) for an easy example of French-girl appeal. “This cut is on the bolder side, with the bob hitting right at the chin, giving a chic and sophisticated look,” says Appleton.
Curtain Bangs
Parted, generous, blended curtain bangs aren’t going anywhere—in fact, they’re slated to be among the year’s most in-demand offerings. “This is a huge trend we’re seeing on the rise for 2025,” says Appleton, who attributes the look largely to Sabrina Carpenter's brand of bombshell beauty. “If you’re looking for a low-maintenance commitment at your next appointment, these wispy bangs are a great option!”