We’re talking chocolate silk, nepo blonde, cowgirl copper, and more.
Autumn is a season full of changes. The temperature is beginning its slow descent into negative numbers. The leaves are falling and turning from summery shades of green to moody shades of orange, yellow, and red. And there’s just something in the air that makes us feel like we’re due for change, too. And what better way to welcome said change, than with a freshly dyed head of hair.
As far as 2023 hair trends go, we’ve seen the rise of red hair and its many hues, have been on an endless pursuit to achieve the perfect slick back bun, and of course, we’ve seen a surge of blonde, too— courtesy of Barbie. This fall’s hair colour trend forecast includes but isn’t limited to: silky chocolate brown, nepo baby blonde, and cowgirl copper. Feeling like it’s about time to book your next hair appointment? Let these fall-ready hair colours serve as your inspiration.
Chocolate silk
As the moody atmosphere of the fall season sets in, is there any better time of year to be a glossy brunette? The universally gorgeous “chocolate silk” hair trend sure makes a case for going—or staying—dark this season. This rich shade of chocolate brown is able to remain relatively low maintenance due to its darker hue, while it still looks sophisticated and soft as silk. If you’re naturally brunette, booking a chocolate-coloured hair glaze treatment can help bring out that silky shine. Or, if you’ll be needing a full-on dye job, consider asking your hairstylist for a warm-toned dark brown shade with a subtle golden balayage for a bit of extra dimension, and more of a milk chocolate finish.
Nepo blonde
It costs to be blonde. No, really. Due to its expensive-looking (and truly expensive) glow, this trendy shade of bubbly blonde has earned itself the title of “nepo blonde.” You can’t tell exactly how many trips to the salon (or how much money), it may have taken to achieve this bombshell blonde, but the answer was probably a lot. Not to mention it has been spotted on real-life nepo babies like Lily-Rose Depp, Sofia Richie and Hailey Bieber. Nepo blonde seeks to bring that old money look to the rest of us.
“Very much moved on from Barbie blonde, now nepo blonde has a cleanness and clarity — but it’s still got shadows and dimensions through the hair,” shares celebrity hairstylist Tom Smith in a TikTok post. “This is all wrapped up in that quiet luxury, old money trend. So, this is actually utilizing foil work to get blonde all the way through your hair and then carefully shadowing different areas down and making sure that the condition is perfect.” The good news? Once you’ve committed to going nepo blonde, there are a ton of brass banishing hair products like purple shampoos and conditioners that’ll help us non-nepo babies stay bright and blonde on a budget.
Cowgirl copper
All year long, from the runways to the salon, we’ve been seeing red. And this fall calls for a particular shade of auburn now known as “cowgirl (or cowboy) copper”. Taking inspiration from the colours of the Wild West (think: rustic, worn-in leather) and current fashion trends like the return of cowboy boots, this copper shade lies at the intersection of red and brunette with a dash of bright blonde strung throughout. Loving this look already? Take notes (and screenshots!) from pros like Hair by Chrissy on TikTok who shared her *exact* cowboy copper formula with her millions of TikTok followers.
With Megan Fox taking the plunge and transforming her copper tresses into a “red velvet bob” earlier this week, we wonder if cowgirl copper is the last step for redheads before winter brings in even bolder, cherry-coloured shades for the holidays.
The new bronde
As its name suggests, bronde is the colour trend that’s not quite brown, but not quite blonde either. Instead, it finds a happy medium so that you can truly have the best of both worlds. “The new bronde that we’re seeing for autumn is really inspired by what we’ve seen from ‘expensive brunette’ and ‘expensive blonde,’” shares hair expert Smith in another TikTok post. “It’s got that real finely woven, multitonal characteristic. But whats most interesting is rather than more caramelly auburn tones that we were seeing in bronde previously, this is shifting much more into the deeper golds.” With this more blonde-leaning bronde expected to trend this season, anyone who went Barbie blonde this summer can seamlessly transition to this shade next. “The previous bronde might have been more suited to natural brunettes or people who wore their hair quite dark but wanted to play with going a bit lighter. The new bronde is more about showing blondes what they could have if they were a little bit deeper,” says Smith.
The subtle money piece
If you’ve been wary of trying out the money piece hair trend from the ’90s that involves streaking face-framing pieces of hair with high-contrast highlights, this next trend may be the more to your taste. Introducing: subtle money pieces, a more approachable take on the statement style as seen on celebrities like Beyoncé this year. What truly separates this softer version from the OG is its intensity. Instead of that chunky highlighted look you may envision when you hear the words “money piece”, ask your stylist for subtle highlights that still shine around the perimeter of your face, but continue to melt into the rest of your hair to create a softer look. With Queen Bey as your inspo, you can’t go wrong.
