Hair Trends for 2021: Colours, Cuts & Styles
At Barber Below, we don’t believe in following trends. Your hair is yours to express yourself how you choose. If you’re looking to switch up your look and go bold this year, though, current hair trends can be a fun place to get some ideas. To give you some inspo for 2021 and ahead of everything reopening, here are the styles and cuts we’ve seen cropping up in recent months that we anticipate to be all over Instagram this year.
The modern mullet
First up, the mullet. A signature trim, which is known to be loved or hated, has dipped in and out of style for centuries. The infamous mullet actually goes back as far as the 6th century but made a real name for itself in pop culture when none other than David Bowie sported his bright orange version. The mullet began making its reappearance in 2020, as we all took more risks with our DIY lockdown haircuts. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it should be that life’s too short to have boring hair - we should be styling our hair exactly how we want.
To make a real statement with a mullet, though, it should be done right. The Barber Below team always use sharp razors rather than clippers or scissors so we can carve out the trademark style for you and create a raw mullet shape while still enhancing your hair’s natural texture. Using a razor means we can manipulate your hair’s natural kinks, waves, coils and curls to condense the volume, keeping it manageable long term.
Princess cut
Another popular trend for 2021 is the ‘princess cut’. Originally worn by the noblewomen of the Japanese imperial court, made popular in the ’70s by pop star Meghmi Asaoka and worn in more recent times by anime Sailor Moon and K-Pop stars. Also known as hime katto (Japanese for princess cut), it’s a style we predict to be huge on the high fashion catwalks this year, consisting of a short and blunt bob shape at the front with longer hair at the back.
The princess cut isn’t restrictive. Though it’s usually seen with straight hair, cheek-length side locks and a fringe, it’s also a highly versatile cut suited to all hair types and textures. The trim’s main feature is the strong and sharp disconnect between the short front and long back lengths, which our team can adapt to suit your natural hair texture, whether your hair is straight, curly, or wavy.
Creative colour meets shaved heads
When we say shaved heads, we’re not talking about the egg look that 90% of men were sporting in lockdown last year. We mean the experimental works of art that are taking over social media. Think leopard print, cow print, rainbows, checkerboards; when creative colour meets a shaved head, the opportunities for self-expression are endless.
Shaved heads can be incredibly flattering and unique, providing a perfect canvas for us to work our magic and create art with bright hair colour. The Barber Below team are open to all ideas and are passionate about bringing your concepts to life, including painting a masterpiece on your shaved head.
Baby blonde
Baby blonde has been entering the scene recently as a more natural alternative to the platinum icy blonde look that has and continues to be incredibly popular. It’s a clean and Swedish-looking colour that gets its name for resembling the natural blonde often seen in babies or those lucky enough to have naturally light blonde locks. Essentially, baby blonde fakes the natural light blonde look, so it is slightly warmer than platinum blonde without being so warm that it becomes honey-toned. It’s about striking the perfect balance between cool and warm tones so it can complement any skin tone.
Baby blonde is suited to both long, short and shaved head styles. It’s the perfect colour for those who want to go light blonde without it appearing unnatural and being tricky to maintain.
Do your own thing
As tempting as it can be to go with the trends, why not ignore them altogether? Trends are temporary and depend on people copying them for them to take off. Going against the trends, whether it’s to opt for a more natural look post-lockdown or do something entirely new that you haven’t seen on anyone else, can make you feel just as confident in your own skin. Hair is about being whatever you choose to be and expressing yourself however you want to; whether that involves keeping your natural hair colour, bleaching it to the high heavens or going green, blue, pink or multi-tonal, the choice is yours.
Book a hair uplift with Barber Below
Barber Below is an anti-barbers; we do things differently by offering a welcoming, relaxed and inclusive environment aiming to break down the gender and racial barriers around hair. Our team are focused on achieving your hair goals and helping you express yourself with hair cuts, colour and styles, whether you’re after a natural baby blonde or something that completely pushes boundaries and is 100% unique.
We’re approachable, friendly and passionate about offering an environment where the LGBTQ+ community feel seen, heard and included. Get in touch to chat about your hair goals by giving us a ring on 0161 222 0200.