S J Forbes Top Trends for Autumn/Winter 2016

Hayley Gibson-Forbes, Director of S J Forbes, reveals the top women’s style and colour trends for autumn/winter 16.

Styling

Wet-Look Locks

Slick, wet-look styles were a huge hit for S/S16, and it looks like they’re set to stay for another season. Evolving from the sportier styles of summer, the new season wet-look has taken on a smarter, chicer and better groomed appearance.

At Fashion Week A/W16, a sleek, highly-glossed look was the foundation for a chic ponytail or bun. At Saint Laurent and Dries Van Noten, wet-look, low ponytails dominated the catwalk, while at Valentino, slicked back locks were pulled in to a neat ballerina bun. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this look is limited to poker-straight hair – Prada showed that wet look curls look equally gorgeous.

Side-Parting

Central partings step aside – the side-parting will be one of the standout trends of A/W16. Paul Smith, Stella McCartney and DAKS’ models wore low ponytails with deep side partings, and at Erdem, side-partings were paired with 30’s style chignons. Side partings can be super flattering; it’s a look that works equally well on both rounder faces and long face shapes, helping to create a slimmer facial appearance on the first, and creating the illusion of width on the latter.

Colour

Au Naturel

This is the season to put away the coloured chalks, steer clear of the pastel tints and return your Ombré locks to their original shade. Last season was a season of contrast; natural colours were paraded next to bright pastel hues, whereas this season, natural tones will prevail. Think neutral brown and mousey shades – the kind of colour you would normally see at your roots and want to colour over – and look to Burberry, Joseph and Christopher Kane for inspiration.

Red Alert

Want to make a bold colour statement that is fiercely on trend? Try a shade of red. Roksanda and Alexander McQueen were just two of the LFW shows where models sported crimson locks. There are so many shades of red – from blood orange and cherry pink to dark burgundy and rust – that your colourist will be able to help you find a shade to suit you. Coloured red hair is notoriously difficult to maintain, and has a tendency to fade fast, so ask your colourist to suggest products that will reduce colour fade and keep your scarlet locks looking vibrant.