The hair cuts and colours that are trending this autumn

Whether we like it or not, Autumn has well and truly arrived. 

We've tried to get ahead of the inevitable slump we fall into every year when the weather cools down, by Marie Kondo-ing our skin care routines for autumn, and paring back our cosmetic collections for three months of Nina Park inspired makeup looks. 

But there's one aspect of our aesthetic transformation we're yet to address — the hair cut and hair colour trends that are influencing upcoming appointments with our hair dresser.

So, if you are in the market for a hair colour refresh or a new hair cut then keep scrolling, here Jaye Edwards (hair expert and founder of Edwards&Co and Jaye Haircare) is breaking down the best autumn hair trends to try in 2026. 

"Autumn is always about warmth and richness, and this year that’s more true than ever. We’re moving into a really beautiful phase of natural, lived-in colour: think sunset blondes, burnt copper tones, lavish brunettes and deep shades that look expensive," says Edwards.

“Clients are asking for colour that feels effortless and low-maintenance, but still polished. Rather than high contrast blonding or heavy balayage, people are gravitating towards softer, more seamless blends," he tells BEAUTYcrew. "It’s very ‘your hair, but elevated’, glossy, dimensional, and tailored to the cut. When the colour works with the cut, that’s when it really shines."

The top autumn hair colour trends of 2026

1/ Carolyn Bessette Kennedy inspired Vanilla Gloss

With Ryan Murphy revisiting one of the most publicised relationships of the '90s in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette women everywhere have been remembering Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's timeless style. 

After years of pinching pennies during the cost of living crisis, her high maintenance blonde hair has reminded us that it's okay to splurge on monthly root touch ups and vanilla blonde glosses if it makes us feel good.

"For the full Carolyn Bessette Kennedy look, you want to enhance your vanilla blonde with an effortlessly smooth blowdry," Edwards advises. The hair expert likes to use O&M's Project Sukuroi PS Balm ($56.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty) to get the job done: "The PS Balm will give you that perfect base to achieve Carolyn's effortlessly undone look".

2/ Lavish Brunette

"The lavish brunette hair trend is all about ultra glossy, multi dimensional brown tones," Edwards tells us.

"Think: espresso melted chocolate and warm toffee ribbons layered with subtle highlights to create depth, shine and an expensive looking, light-catching finish," he explains. "My favourite product for styling brunette hair is the O&M Dry Queen Brunette Dry Shampoo ($43.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty), this adds life to your blowout with volume and a brunette tint."

3/ Burnt Copper

"Inspired by Emma Stone, the burnt copper hair trend blends rich auburn and smouldering red tones for a glossy, dimensional finish that feels both bold and effortlessly chic," says the hair expert. "It's the ultimate Autumn girl hair colour."

"Copper is notoriously known as the most high-maintenance colour, so I recommend incorporating the O&M CLEAN.tone Copper Colour Treatment ($43.95 from Adore Beauty) into your at home routine to keep your colour fresh," he advises.

4/ Sunset Blonde

"This colour is trending this season, and is inspired by the tones of golden hour," Edwards explains. "Sunset Blondes create soft warmth with natural dimension, so to keep your sunset blonde looking fresh, I recommend using CØR.restore Colour Lock Milk ($59.95 from Adore Beauty), and CØR.Restore Leave-In Treatment ($49.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty), a transformative new system that brings salon-level restoration into your everyday haircare routine."

The top autumn hair cut trends of 2026

1/ Graduated Bob

"The graduate bob is the perfect in between if you're growing out your pixie cut, or micro bob — it's elevated and classic," the hair expert says.

"This look is all about growing out your hair to that graduate length, so scalp care is essential," he explains. "The AMPERNA Cleanse & Rebalance Dermal Care Shampoo ($50 from Amperna) and Strengthen & Protect Dermal Care Conditioner ($50 from Amperna) is the perfect duo to get started on your hair growth journey, creating a healthy scalp is the foundation of healthy hair growth."

2/ Sculptured Curls

"I have seen an increase in clients wanting to enhance their natural curls, so this sculptured curl trend has been taking off lately," Edwards tells us. "My favourite curl styling products include the Curl Curl Cream ($45.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty) and Curl Curl Gel by O&M ($45.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty)."

Main image credit: Getty Images

Perfecting your arches is also a great way to refine your appearance and frame your face — these are the brow trends to know in 2026 according to Anastasia Beverly Hills.