Hair Trends

Bangs may be an instant way to update any beauty look, but if you're searcing for an of-the-moment haircut, you can't go wrong with a midlength style. Teetering somewhere between a lob and subtle shag, the style should hit somewhere between the collarbone and the breastbone for optimal results.

"You don't really have to fuss with it because that line, where it falls, is the style itself. You can wash and go with most hair types and it still looks good," explains Alberto VO5 hair expert Chris Lospalluto. The chic cut, which has been spotted on stars like Alexa Chung (left) and model Freja Beha Erichsen (lower right) in recent months, also proves that everything old is new again. Style icon Jane Birkin (upper right) was one of the first to perfect the flattering look back in the mid-1970s.

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Since the cut pretty much determines this style, there's no need to overdo it with flat irons or curling irons. (Healthier hair for the win!) Begin with a hydrated base. "If you use a moisturizing shampoo that has shea butter [along with a moisturizing conditioner], once you blow-dry your hair, you don't really have to do much," says Lospalluto. After rough-drying the hair, add product — like a salt spray, a volumizer, or an antifrizz serum — if even needed, and hit the ground running.

Over the past few seasons, topknots have taken on just about every texture and structure imaginable. The latest incarnation of this go-to look, however, is long and skinny, jutting out high and straight from atop the wearer's head. Think: the I Dream of Jeannie cylindrical ponytail meets Cindy Lou Who's cone-like updo. But this spooled shape somehow slants more cutting-edge than cartoonish.

This is in part to its simplicity. Celebrity fans Shirley Manson and Kelly Osbourne, who have both been spotted out in the spindly style multiple times, opted for extremely slicked-back versions. Nicole Richie, on the other hand, went for a softer, less-severe interpretation of the trend. Whether you wear it with face-framing fringe or doused in gel, be ready to turn plenty of heads with this one.

Grab your hair spray and teasing comb, because hair is reaching great heights for Fall. Oversize styles were swarming the runways during Fall 2012 Fashion Week. Vera Wang (left) incorporated teased strands into a swept-back updo, while Derek Lam (upper right) and Carolina Herrera (lower right) channeled the '60s with their perfect poufs. These ballooning styles may be a little drastic for everyday wear, but it's easy to translate this hot trend into a more toned-down style. Learn the simple secrets when you keep reading.

Changing your part is the easiest way to try a new look without the commitment, and lately celebrities have been giving us a reason to experiment. Hilary Duff, Miranda Kerr, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have all taken the middle path this week. A center part highlights the face, as it draws the eye directly downward, and it looks beautiful styled with straight or slightly wavy hair. If your natural part is not straight down the center, it's still possible to train it otherwise. Work a mousse, like Aussie Instant Freeze Sculpting Mousse ($4), into your hair prior to blow drying, keeping it away from your roots to avoid weighing them down. This will ensure that your freshly styled strands stay in place. A quick slide of the flat iron on top of your hair will also help accentuate this dramatic part.

From Alexander Wang to Theyskens' Theory, effortlessly cool straight hair was all the rage on the Fall 2012 runways. To counteract the bulk of heavy sweaters and cold-weather jackets, stylists stripped down their models' hair and kept it straight and shiny. The most important part of getting this urban-chic look right is to give your hair a good prepping. Keep reading to see how.

From cropped tops to geometric patterns and shapes, the minimalist somewhat moody fashions from the '90s popped up all over the Fall 2012 runways. And it seems this decade of grunge is influencing beauty, too. Tousled, softly spiraled waves have been spotted on the likes of Tyra Banks, Jennifer Lawrence, and Haley Reinhart in the past week alone. But this isn't the teased, ratted-out coiffure of the late '80s, which was often topped off with poufed mall bangs. This trend is all about tousled yet unrefined waves. It's a natural, effortless texture that requires little time to create.

To get your grunge on, spritz damp hair with a fixative, like Alterna Bamboo Boho Waves Tousled Texture Spray ($22). Finish by scrunching your strands with your fingers when blow-drying to create free-flowing curls. For extra wave, run a curling iron through random sections as needed.

The Birkin bag? How about Birkin bangs? She's inspired a classic bag from Hermès, and now singer and actress Jane Birkin is the inspiration behind this upcoming season's quickest, easiest hairstyle update. While Fall may be the perfect time to enrich your hair color or get a whole new cut, if you don't want to make a huge change, adding fringe is a fabulous way to go.

"Refreshing your hair [for Fall] could be something as simple as giving yourself bangs," says Alberto VO5 hair expert Chris Lospalluto. "They don't have to be the straight-across Naomi Campbell moment; they can be a '60s-Jane Birkin where they're long and fringy." That way, you have options. They're long enough that you can easily pull them over to the side, but also short enough to look wispy and cool when worn down.

And to keep that wispy style from skewing stringy by day's end, Lospalluto recommends dry shampoo. "You just want something to soak up a bit of the oil; refresh it so you can leave work and go to dinner and not feel like you have a greasy forehead." In a pinch? Try baby powder instead.

When it comes to fashion, studded shoes have been spotted on stars ranging from Diane Kruger to Emma Stone. The trend isn't just limited to feet, though. From metallic-accentuated handbags and jewelry to studded hair accoutrements, add a spike to pretty much any accessory and you have instant edge.

To adopt the look into your beauty routine, give a classically sweet ponytail an element of surprise by topping it with a spiked hair band, like the gold-toned Asos Spike Ponio ($10) elastic. And for a truly fashionable approach, try a bedazzled turban, such as the Gold Saturn Studded Turband in Black ($59). Ease into the trend with Topshop Spike Kirbies (six for $18) hair pins, or channel your inner cool-girl with Urban Outfitters Westside Spiked Hair Comb ($19), affixed off to one side. Whatever route you choose, you'll be pointedly in the know. Heh.

José Eber has styled everyone from Farrah Fawcett to Elizabeth Taylor throughout his 40-plus years in the business, so you could say he knows a thing or two about hair. The founder of José Eber Salon in Beverly Hills, Eber says, "There is nothing more attractive than a woman who knows who she is. I believe beauty comes from inside." But when it comes to the outside, Eber has a few tips for achieving your best summertime hair yet. Learn more on warm-weather hair "dos" now.