​Think of the quintessential New York City girl. Maybe she's waiting in line for a $1 slice of pizza at 2 a.m.,   long glossy black hair tucked into the collar of her faded denim jacket. Or, she's looking down at her phone on the opposite side of the subway platform, with flirty platinum blonde bangs and a warm smile that shatters any misconception that Manhattanites are unfriendly. Any loyal Angeleno will tell you, the world's best hair salons are off the 405, but a real, no-BS New Yorker will counter with: "Have you met my stylist?"
 
Ahead, we're breaking down the five chicest hair trends sweeping The Big Apple this fall. And more than just photo inspiration, you'll find out exactly what you should ask for and how to style it on your own hair texture. So, even if your go-to salon is far from the city that never sleeps — in both location and spirit — take this guide to your next appointment. You'll find yourself with a cut that gives you instant cool-girl vibes.

Choppy Bob
What to ask for: A blunt cut that falls at or below your shoulders with invisible layers

Micro Bang Pixie Cut
What to ask for: A textured pixie with short, fluttery bangs

Mid-Length Blunt Lob
What to ask for: A blunt cut that falls at or below your shoulders with invisible layers

Extra-Long Cut With Face-Framing Layers
What to ask for: Long, gradual layers, plus a soft, face-framing fringe that falls between the chin and cheekbone.

Shaggy Mullet Cut
What to ask for: A shaggy lob with straight-across bangs
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​Aside from just about everyone going blonde this summer, bob haircuts have been the trend du jour in Hollywood. And with new haircuts comes the responsibility of thinking of new ways to style them, which has prompted top celeb hairstylists to create a trending look that's been dubbed "glass hair." No, it has nothing to do with actual glass, but rather a sharp cut that is styled to look perfectly polished, smooth, and shiny — resembling the reflective qualities of the material.
 
"We first saw polish and shine in a glass-like manner popularized by Vidal Sassoonin the '60s," says celebrity hairstylist Cash Lawless. "He was achieving immense levels of shine on short geometric cuts. Now, videos have began to go viral and hairstylists started picking up on the trend." From where we're sitting, the trend isn't slowing doing anytime soon. So, if you're feeling the look just as much as we are, call your stylist and click ahead for all the celeb-inspiration and tips you need.

I can live happily knowing that most late-’90s trends will never (hopefully?) be back in style: JNCO jeans and puka-shell necklaces are still buried in a time capsule. I pray they stay there. I would have said the same for guys getting highlights—I'm picturing Chris Kirkpatrick and Nick Lachey with their immortally frosted tips. But recently I’ve been seeing subtle highlights on the runway and in editorial spreads, and I have to say I don't hate it. Most recently, Chris Evans graced the cover of L’Uomo Vogue sporting a barely-noticeable-yet-definitely-lightened layer on top of his naturally darker hair.

He's not using highlights to stand out. He's using them to blend in, to add depth to his styles. “Everything we’re seeing now is understated, almost sun-soaked,” says Tyson Kennedy, co-owner of Cutler Salon in NYC. “Lately guys prefer a more natural look, working with the hair’s traits instead of forcing anything against the color, texture, and flow.”

Kennedy attributes the highlight resurgence to a ramping-down of recent hairstyle trends, like the gray and platinum hair dyeing, as well as all of the “classic, structured barbershop looks” that have dominated for the past few years. “For a while, everything was bold and demanded attention,” he says. “We had slicked-back undercuts with shiny pomades and tight fades, lots of really strong looks.” Natural-looking highlights allow guys to loosen up, to relax. (Time to channel your inner surfer, brah?)

I’ll take any excuse to look great with less effort. General chill-ness aside, it’s important to know the rules of highlights, since they don’t work for all hair types. To get it right the first time, memorize these 10 commandments before you head to the salon. And you will head to the salon, because the last commandment is the most important: Never do it at home.
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​1. You should get highlights if you want to add visual texture to your style.
Think of the verb “highlight”: It means “to emphasize,” and that’s exactly what you’re aiming to achieve. You’re emphasizing the texture and layers of your hair with small pieces of slightly lighter color scattered throughout. Typically, your colorist will paint small clusters of hair, particularly around the hairline and very lightly back from there, on top of the head. Your highlights may not be the same as another guy’s. “It’s always done based on the hairline and the way that the hair naturally lies,” says Pamella Gonzalez, Cutler’s in-house colorist. So trust that your colorist will know what looks best. Usually, less is more.

2. …And if you want more physical texture.
An added benefit of highlights is that they boost the grit of your hair, too. It’s perfect for guys whose straight hair falls limp without any styler. “We’re putting in bleach to lighten the hair, but what it’s really doing is expanding the cuticle so that your hair has more texture,” says Gonzalez.

3. Highlights should not be confused with hair dye.
Highlights are supposed to look natural. They complement your natural tone by subtly contrasting themselves against the rest of your hair. If you merely bleach parts of your hair, or if you pick a vivid or unnatural color, then you’re technically not highlighting. Anything else is designed to draw attention to itself, where highlights are devised to draw attention to the overall, mostly natural look.

4. Guys with thinning hair should proceed with caution.
Bad news for guys who are balding: While highlights usually add natural texture to the hair, it’s only the case for fuller styles. Some texturizing products can give you the illusion of fuller hair, but highlights won’t do the same. Gonzalez advises against coloring the hair, because the cuticle isn’t strong enough to take the chemicals and toner. You might compromise whatever it is you have left.

5. If you want to grow your hair out, it’s best to avoid artificial color.
Your hair can only take so much wear, and coloring it (with bleach, dye, or highlights) will really compromise its health. “You don’t want to lighten the same pieces of hair more than once or twice,” says Kennedy. “This will really thin it out and strip the hair of its properties.” So if you’re getting haircuts every six weeks and chopping it off at regular intervals, then highlights are a great choice, since they’ll add movement, volume, and variety. Otherwise, focus your attention on healthy hair growth, since you’re playing a long game.

6. Certain hair colors shouldn’t be highlighted.
“If you have dark brown hair, you don’t want to go lighter than a light brown,” says Gonzalez. “It’ll look artificial.” Luckily, guys with light brown and dark blond hair have more flexibility with tone options. You can go much lighter than one shade, because the contrast won’t be as high. (And thus it won’t detract from the overall natural look.) However, this is bad for guys with black hair: The contrast is so high that almost any highlights will detract from your natural color. Instead, you should praise the day that your natural grays start sprouting.

7. You’ll need color-preserving hair-care products.
“You need some good silver shampoo,” says Kennedy, “especially if you go for a cooler blond. It can start turning orange or gold.” You might remember, during the gray-hair-dyeing trend, that some guys’ hair was turning purple. This was because they weren’t using the right shampoo to preserve the gray tone, and the same can be said of bleached or highlighted hair: You’ve already stripped the natural color and have replaced it with an artificial one. That artificial one can fade or change if you don’t treat it properly.

8. And you must treat it daily.
Not only do you need to use a specific type of shampoo and conditioner, you’ll need to use them frequently—particularly the conditioner. It will keep the hair soft, which is critical after it’s been stripped of color and treated with toner. That grit you’ve added to the cuticle is great for styling but not terrific for the overall health of your hair. (Hence the reason guys with thinning hair shouldn’t color theirs.) Wash it every other day, and condition every single day.

9. Don’t confuse men’s highlights with women’s highlights.
“Usually with men, we put in fewer highlights,” says Gonzalez. “We’re highlighting it to see nuances that you wouldn’t see if it were all solid. With women’s hair, however, it’s about getting an all-over lightened effect.” This is fairly universal across different hair lengths, too. Women will highlight larger clusters of hair, as if to let the darker roots show through, whereas men’s highlights flatter more when scattered strategically, like light undertones.

10. Always hire a professional.
“You need to lift the color to the right tone, or else it’s going to be this chicken-fat yellow color,” says Gonzalez. “Most of the time, people who attempt this themselves will have busted-looking highlights. They’ll bleach the hair and then rinse it off without toning it. Or they’ll tone it with permanent color and lift all the natural color, making it orange.” Simply put: Just go to the professionals, and you won’t have any regrets.

This article appeared on GQ

It doesn't matter if you have waves, curls, or straight hair—just get ready to screenshot. These are the trending spring and summer haircuts to show your stylist at your next appointment.
 
1.  Angular Blunt Bob  ​

This year is all about blunt, retro-inspired haircuts. We love how Margot Robbie's angular cut is just long enough to be styled up or down.
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2.  '70s Swoop  

​Kerry Washington proves that hair doesn't have to be long or short to make a major beauty statement. That awkward in-between length isn't awkward at all, especially when parted deep to one side and styled in glossy curls.

8. The Subtle Side Bang

Spotlight on the latest men’s cutting and styling techniques, so you can up your game for 2018 in the barbershop, and create the cool new looks everyone will be wanting in no time!

If you’re following any trendy barbers on Instagram (particularly the ones based in Europe), go take a look at your feed right now.  What do you see?  Texture, longer hair and fringes?  Yes, we’re definitely at a crossroads when it comes to new shapes and haircuts for men.

The European Influence

This latest transformation for men (like so many other big hair trends over the decades!) has taken off in the U.K. more than in any other country, it seems.

“I’ve been seeing this coming out of the U.K. for over a year and a half now,” says Tay Atelier (@TayAtelier on Instagram), Redken for Men artist and Y.S. Park Canada brand ambassador. “We’re seeing hair transition from very defined side parts and undercuts to a modern crop with much more texture on the top.”

There’s a big shift in fringes coming, too. “It’s really short now, with a length of about two inches and sitting high on the forehead, definitely above the eyebrows. The inspiration comes from the Caesar haircut, but it’s done in a really modern way.”

“There’s a very fresh look in barbering right now coming from Europe,” says BaBylissPRO educator and freelance barber Sofia Pok (@staygold31 on Instagram). Traditionally, we’re used to seeing more of a square outline for men’s haircuts but now the shape is rounder and not based on cutting structure anymore. “That being said, hair is definitely longer but cleaner on the sides,” adds Pok.

Hybrid Styles

“At the salon where I work in Brampton, Ontario,” says Atelier, “we’re seeing very young, cool high school kids come in and want something drastically different they’re loving on social media that’s reminiscent of the ’80s. Perms are high on their radar and there’s a lot of movement in the hair.”

For Pok, barbering is entering a new phase and merging with more traditional hairstyling. “Yes, there’s still a bit of that old style barbering, but with a new finish and feel. A lot of the modern haircuts are not standard, and hybrid styles are really coming on strong.”

What exactly are “hybrid styles”? The merge between barbering and hairstyling techniques are still making their way in the industry, and barbers should learn how to work and perform better with longer hair, says Atelier. “For instance, if your client isn’t ready to go for a perm, start working with hot tools—say a flat iron or a wand—to create those curls.”

Texturizing is King

Pomade used to be the big thing to finish a traditional barbering hairstyle. But, according to Pok, the trend now is for a puffier haircut, which you can easily achieve with point cutting. “Hair on the forehead is bigger and worn forward. So, to balance all that, you need to create more texture on the top of the head.”

To create these looks, focus on clays, putties and sea salts, as well as curl lotions and products to retain curls while eliminating frizz.

Also fading away are pompadours, particularly for the type of client who wants the latest and boldest hairstyles. “Keep in mind, though, that it always depends on the style of the client you have in your chair. The clean cuts do have staying power for the more classic and traditional man,” explains Atelier. 

The main thing to remember is to make a point of learning something new every year that takes you out of your comfort zone. Taking classes for cutting and styling longer hair may also be prudent as it’s an important time to cater to the very specific desires of a discerning male clientele.

Fading and blending are still super important, says Pok, but the main thing is to understand the use of all the tools you have at your disposal and to practice as much as possible. “For instance, sometimes you don’t need to apply that much pressure on a clipper to get that kick-ass fade, but that’s learned [with much time and experience].”
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This article first appeared on Salon Magazine CA