Fall has fallen, the leaves are turning brown, and the temperatures are cooling… somewhere. Not here in Florida, but here we celebrate fall by trying to convince ourselves it’s going to be a good idea to leave the house in jeans, boots and a scarf in 85-degree weather.
In all seriousness, the change from Summer to Fall is my favorite time of year. It gives the feeling of anticipation, as the holidays all seem to come swiftly as the weeks pass. And of course, the seasonal change means my natural deep brown hair is trendy again (briefly) before the Floridians start to complain about the cold.
If you are thinking about changing up your hair to get into the spirit this fall season, look no further! I’ve compiled this list of the hottest hair colors for mature women. These looks trending hard in Fall 2021. These colors are timeless, flattering and will be sure to give you that touch of fall you are looking for.
Gone are the days of feeling like you have to color your grey hair. Natural hair color— darker roots mixed with high lights, low lights and silver—a beautiful blend of different shades mixed together is right on trend. It is a great way to go for a lower maintenance look yet right on trend.
This trend toward darker color has one great benefit, your hair will be in much better condition without harsh bleach. The condition of our hair is very important since older women are sporting long hair and mid length hair like never before. Because of this, we are seeing fewer bleached blond looks, and more deeper hues.
Throw out the rule book and update your personal style, ladies now is the time. If you are thinking of trying a new hair color, or rocking your gray, now is the perfect time to reevaluate your look and your coloring—our skin and eyes lighten as we age, and because of this, it’s important to adjust your hair color accordingly. If you are still wearing the same hair color you did in your youth, you may want to soften the color—especially those who once had black or very dark brown hair and are still wearing the same hue, and those who have been going for a an all over bleached blond look.
You can baby step your way into a new look by low lighting, and using semi-permanent color until you get your look just right. Nina just recently low lighted her hair and it has taken her a little time to get used to her darker hair color. It really accents her skin tone, and she has managed to blend in both her gray hair and her natural color with a brown base. It’s a pretty significant shift from the blonde color she’s had over the past year. It is much lower maintenance —with the darker base she needs fewer touch ups and it is much healthier for her hair.
You will note that darker hair is trending this season, rich chocolate browns, copper tones and caramel highlights which look great on many skin tones. Light chestnut mixed with golden brown—stunning warm colors. For women with cool undertones, a look you will see a lot of is ash blonde mixed with ashy low lights—some call it “mushroom”. It’s beautiful with face framing highlights. Colors you might want to move away from, are light buttery blond, bright colors, like flame red, or dark black—nothing bold or overt—this year it’s all about subtle dimension.
Here are some suggestions with photos to take to your stylist—don’t be afraid to show a few different pictures to your stylist so he or she can get a feel for the vibe you are going for and make a recommendation or modifications so you get the perfect shade. A professional stylist will be able to help you make gentle shifts to your look perhaps over a few sessions to get things just right.
- Soft Black with Grey/Silver Highlights
A soft black base with grey or silver highlights on top is a stunning look. It looks especially beautiful on short hair and pixie cuts. This strikes the happy medium when you’d like to control the amount of grey you see but want to showcase some of your natural silver. The contrast between the dark and light gives great dimension if you love to give your hair a little soft curl or wave. It’s also great if you are working on growing your gray in—simply increase the silver high lights as your hair grows. Remember—if you decide you don’t like what ever color you choose, you can simply grow it out or re-color.
- Chocolate Brown with Soft Highlights
Gone are the days of chunky, brown and blonde highlights. These days, subtle, blended highlights are all the rage. This gorgeous dark brown color has gorgeous, wispy, and ultra-natural mid-brown highlights. This hair color is so effortless, it looks like you were born with it. These kinds of high and low lights are also perfect for naturally straight hair, as the softness of the highlights won’t look too harsh and stripey.
- Grey/Blonde/Champagne
This gorgeous and almost iridescent color looks absolutely fabulous. Some would call this look grey/blonde, some would call it “champagne”. This color is timeless, and is another way to show a bit of the grey hairs while maintaining a youthful and bright look. This is a great update for warm blonds and those who have white hair and want to add dimension to their color. It’s also perfect for blonds who are interested in transitioning from blond coloring to silver. I think this is stunning.
- Coppery Bronze
Nothing is more fall than lovely warm toned colors like reds, auburns, and coppers. I love this copper color with the dark roots, it shows so much dimension and gives your hair an ultra-shiny appearance. This is really beautiful on women with fair skin tones and blue, green or amber colored eyes.
- Strawberry Blonde
If you’re already blonde but want to give your hair a lovely fall twist, consider going for a cute strawberry blonde color. This color brings warmth and depth and is great if you don’t want to commit to a dark auburn if you plan to lighten back up to blonde in the summertime. These copper tones will make blue eyes pop and will add life to pale skin tones.
Hair color really transcends age, so don’t be afraid to try something a little out-of-the-box this season. Life is too short to not have the hair color you want! Try this blend of copper and mauve for a subtle mix of color and fun.
6. Warm Honey Highlights
This is a favorite of Nina’s, this beautiful look has copper and caramel highlights mixed with blonde highlights for a modern take on blonde hair. These highlights will look great on women with fine hair as well as medium weight.
You will be seeing lots of “LOB’s” or long bobs, center parts and a mix of straight and wavy styles that show off this season’s high and low lights— which are perfect for older women. Keeping our hair style and color updated helps maintain the modern look we are going for—Nina’s philosophy is that she doesn’t want to look younger, just the best version of herself. She does this by adopting small tweaks to her look here and there to keep things current.
If the seasonal spirit moves you to book an appointment at the salon, be sure to check out my other blog on how to choose a great hairstylist. Did we miss any of your favorite fall hair colors? Let us know!
