Things were kept simple for the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyles. Updos were few and far between, with most models rocking natural waves or simply ponytails. With the exception of some feminine pastels, the spring/ summer 2019 hair color trends leaned towards natural and warm, with most models rocking their natural hair color with pride.
The slightly more involved spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends simply required the use of a blow dryer, and perhaps some gel to get the hair looking sleek or maybe even damp. Bohemian themes of travel and wanderlust coursed through the different collections, with windswept wisps and beach tousled hair adding to that effect.
On the more extravagant side of things, we did see some fun options for formal updos in the spring 2019 hairstyles. These included top knots, braids, and if you’re feeling particularly fancy – bouffants. If you want to embody pure chic, however, keep your hair looking as sleek as possible to counter a particularly flowy evening dress.
Spring/ Summer 2019 Hair Color Trends
#1. Unicorn Pastel Hair
With so many runways inspired by princesses and fairy tales, pastel pink was a shoe in as one of the spring 2019 hair color trends. Feel free to experiment with pastels with the help of hair chalk – bleaching and dyeing is doable, but it’s a lot of work.
The gorgeous Adwoa Aboah walked for both Molly Goddard and Marc Jacobs with her closely cropped hair dyed a pastel pink. Speaking of pastel pink, that was the color of choice for the hair of most models at Marc Jacobs and Delpozo this season. We saw a similar pastel pink hair color show up on models at Ashley Williams, and a brighter pink on the runway of Matty Bovan, along with some other wild colors.
#2. Neon Hair
While the softness of pastels was much more ubiquitous, some avant-garde runways had a preference for neon colors for the spring/ summer 2019 hair trends. These bright shades were achieved both with the help of hair dye, and with wigs and hair extensions for that temporary wildness.
I’ve been describing the Matty Bovan runway as neon punk, with bright yellow, green, and pink hair really cementing that description. Disney Villains x The Blonds is a collection name that mandates colorful hair, which was mostly added as extensions in reds, purples, and greens. Villain inspirations included Maleficent, Ursula, and the Queen of Hearts.
At Nicopanda, models sported neon-colored wigs in pink, green, and blue, in some cases with the wigs even made of a glittery wrapping-paper-like material.
#3. Natural Ginger Hair
Natural redheads always attract attention, which is likely why so many red-headed models were cast for the different shows, and why red hair is absolutely one of the spring/ summer 2019 hair color trends.
Fiery ginger hair exudes confidence and uniqueness, and for the spring and summer it certainly echoes seasonal warmth. The reds we saw on the runways were deep and luxurious, but completely natural as they leaned more towards orange than red.
Laura Roth and Maryel Sousa, who both walked for Gucci really turned heads with their ethereal beauty and wavy red locks. There were many other gorgeous redheads walking runways like Miu Miu, Prada, and Sonia Rykiel.
#4. Chocolate Brown Hair
Chocolate brown is a deep, timeless hair color that easily found its way into the spring/ summer 2019 hair trends. This natural hair color looks rich and delicious when it is healthy, and it doesn’t need much beyond a touch of hair oil in order to appear impossibly shiny and sleek.
This wearable brown looked sophisticated when worn in tight buns or slicked back, like on the Dior and Victoria Beckham runways, but it also worked wonderfully with the more natural waves styled at Fyodor Golan, Valentino, and Alberta Ferretti. A few models with chocolate brown hair that really stuck in our mind included Bomi Youn, with her iconic bangs, who walked for Missoni and Dior, and Jordan Daniels who walked for Miu Miu and Prada.
#5. Ash Brown Hair
The one exception to all of the warm toned spring/ summer 2019 hair colors is ash brown, a cool toned and light take on brown hair that is sophisticated and restrained – absolutely perfect for the more minimalist looks that were embraced on some of this season’s runways.
This color is most perfect on the elegant Cara Taylor, who mostly wore her ash brown hair in a bob on the runways of Stella McCartney and Saint Laurent, just to name a few. The same muted brown showed up on almost every runway, pairing as well with shimmery evening wear at Isabel Marant as it did with boho-chic outfits at Altuzarra and Paco Rabanne.
#6. Honey Blonde Hair
The winning shades of blonde for the spring/ summer 2019 hair color trends are on the warmer and darker side of things, with just a touch of red and brown to make them look like honey. If your hair is naturally blonde, a rinse with warm toned hair toner is all it takes to bring you to that honey shade.
Gigi Hadid, who walked for Versace, Fendi, and many other brands, was the perfect embodiment of darker honey-colored hair. Kaila Wyatt, who walked for Rodarte and Celine, showed off a more red-tinted version of honey hair. Models with lighter honey hair walked almost every runway, with Fendi, Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton being just a few examples.
#7. Bleach Blonde Hair
Opposite to the natural darkness of honey blonde hair is the intensity of the bleached blonde look, which shined like beacon when most other models sported more natural spring/ summer 2019 hair colors.
Most striking were models like Mads Mullins and Anna Rubin who walked for Saint Laurent and Miu Miu, respectively, with their bleached, closely cropped hair. At Oscar de la Renta and Isabel Marant, we saw some more traditional takes on light, bleached blonde hair that was only betrayed because of darker roots.
Spring/ Summer 2019 Hairstyle Trends
#1. Big Hair, Don’t Care
With so many natural, flowy hair looks in the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends, the big bouffants were a refreshing difference that showed up in some of the season’s evening wear collections.
The pastel bouffants at Marc Jacobs reached iconic status, winning a mention in every beauty column imaginable, and for a good reason. They were clean and elegant, with a tint of pastel. We saw surprisingly similar bouffants at Matty Bovan, in much more neon shades.
The teased coifs at Richard Quinn were just as voluminous, but we also saw a bit more wildness. Most models had their hair teased and cleanly brushed back, so that the hair could hang behind the back loosely, with some movement.
Big hair was achieved with the help of a curling iron at Giorgio Armani. The mass of curls was then piled atop the head, for an intense amount of volume.
#2. Damp Hair
Maybe it’s all of the sweat from being out in the streets protesting, or maybe it’s just water, leaving the hair slicked back and moist when you get out of the pool. Either way, damp hair was the look stylists were going for in the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyles, with most looks actually leaning towards an unkempt side.
The damp hair at Altuzarra perfectly showcased the beachy vacation vibe that was so key to that collection, with hair looking wet and a little messy, as though the models had just stepped out of the ocean. There was also a story to the damp ponytail at Ann Demeulemeester, where the collection was inspired by the story of a young woman that drowned in the Seine in the late 19th century.
The damp locks at Calvin Klein were particularly unique, where only the ends of the hair were dampened and then bunched together into locks. Damp wasn’t always messy, with sharply parted and brushed-back hair at Balmain looking both moist and sleek, and cleanly swept-back hair at Marni looking severe and immovable.
Hair stylists sent models out in damp-looking hair on the runways of Prabal Gurung, Rochas, and Proenza Schouler as well.
#3. Top Knots
There weren’t a ton of updos as part of the spring 2019 hairstyle trends, so the few that were created managed to stand out. Top knots were chief among them, with their semi-casual vibe and playful yet romantic demeanor.
At Fendi, the top knots were near universally described as romantic as they were twisted and piled atop the head, with two curly strands framing the face. The top knots at Jacquemus were also romantic, a little on the wispy side. The top knots at Anna Sui were also wispy, but considerably wilder as they sat right above the forehead.
The top knots at Brock Collection were a structural marvel, since they were somehow created right at the crown of the head, while the rest of the hair was worn loose and voluminous. We enjoyed the wilder top knots at Molly Goddard, with straightended strands of hair sticking out over the face.
Top knots at Area were placed slightly to the side of the head, rather than the center, and from them flowed marvelously long and sleek side ponytails.
#4. Messy Low Ponytails
Quick, sporty, and daring are the best words to describe the messy ponytails we saw as part of the spring 2019 hairstyles. If you tend to describe your fashion sense as low effort then you’ll certainly appreciate the copious quick and messy ponytails hairstylists created for the runways.
Elie Saab is known for his magnificent evening wear, so it was a brave choice to send models out with their hair styled into loose, messy ponytails with a ton of wisps and loose hair flying around. The runway ended up channeling that end of the night excitement – how a woman looks after she has been dancing and mingling for hours.
We saw similarly messy hair on the Jasmine and Mary Katrantzou runways. At Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, of course, there were no half measures, with the messy ponytail being extremely deliberate. The strands left out of the knot were too thick to be considered wisps, as they flew around the models’ heads and gave a very wild effect.
#5. Sleek and Restrained Updos & Chignons
Sleek, tied-back hair is usually interpreted as severe and prudish, but perhaps we should examine it with a different lens. As part of the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyles, I’m choosing to interpret the super sleek hair as a practical choice – loose hair gets everywhere and can only hinder, whereas when no hair is out of place a woman can have full control of her surroundings without any concerns.
Most models at Emilia Wickstead had hair that was as sophisticated and restrained as the collection itself – it was completely brushed back into a tight ponytail that was tied off with a black bow. Sleek buns at Christian Dior (created by Guido Palau) were formed with two knotted ponytails at the base of the neck. The look was topped with two headbands, to really keep things streamlined.
With all of the scribble patterns on outfits at Moschino, the tied-back hair absolutely had to be super sleek. Other designers to send models out in slicked back and either tied- back or knotted hair also included Naeem Khan and Christopher Kane.
#6. Slicked Back and Loose
Hairspray and gel can do a great job of keeping hair away from the face, so in reality, updos and ponytails are not mandatory for that sleek look. The spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends include plenty of takes on slicked back and cleanly parted hair that was worn loose.
Sleek hair at Balenciaga was simply worn brushed back or parted in the middle, with hairspray keeping things straight and in place. The look was similar at Victoria Beckham and Tory Burch, save for a clean side part replace the middle part.
We saw a unique effect at Chloe, where hair was lightly teased before getting brushed back and gelled – meaning that the hair looked simultaneously sleek but also a touch natural.
#7. Soft, Natural Waves with Middle Part
All of the bohemian vibes on the runways this season culminated in some late ‘60s-inspired hair, like the soft waves and middle part that we saw as part of the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends.
The soft waves perfectly complemented the colorful, bazaar and travel-inspired outfits at Etro, while at Dolce & Gabbana they worked well with some of the more casual outfits.
There were a few different experimentations with air-dried hair at Gucci, but the most frequent was a simple middle part with naturally wavy hair. We saw similar takes on middle parted, naturally wavy hair at Chanel, Alberta Ferretti, Hellessy, and Jonthan Simkhai.
#8. Side Part
While slicked back and middle parted hair made for most of the basic spring 2019 hairstyles, we also saw some lovely examples of side parts on the spring/ summer runways.
Simple, blow dried hair at Brandon Maxwell was parted far to the side, and yet, thanks to the simple styling and soft-looking locks it didn’t look extreme. The styling was somewhat similar at Escada, where the side parts were most beautiful and unique on models with curly hair.
On the runway of Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, an extreme side part facilitated the creation of a type of fringe, as the front of the hair was pulled diagonally across the forehead.
#9. Middle Part with Ponytail
Most of the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyles were simple, and easy to achieve at home. Low ponytails with a middle part are definitely part of that category, as they are a great way of not letting the hair overpower a unique outfit.
Loose tendrils at the temples meant that the ponytails at Paco Rabanne also fit into the messy ponytail hairstyle trend. These ponytails worked really well with the world-traveling, bohemian vibe of the collection. The ponytails were clean and elegant on the Oscar de la Renta runway, where the middle-parted hair was not overwhelmed with product or pulled back too tightly.
#10. Baby Bangs
Retro-futurism is the expression on everyone’s lips, after seeing all the different takes on bangs as part of the spring 2019 hairstyles. Baby bangs, choppy bangs, and asymmetrical bangs were all on view, while previous years’ purely retro straight across bangs were mostly missing.
Baby bangs came courtesy of hairstylist superstar Guido Palau at both Prada and Miu Miu. At Missoni, models like Youn Bomi wore their hair in choppy bangs that reminded us a bit of ‘90s punk.
It was retro-futurist Disney chic on the Ryan Lo runway where voluminous hair with doll bangs was paired with bow-embellished headbands. We saw punk rock genre blend, with uber-choppy baby bangs at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and Dries Van Noten.
#11. Thick Braids
We saw both sleek and wild takes on braids show up in the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends, from warrior princess plates to thick and feminine braids.
The thick braids styled at Thom Browne were teased to the point of nearly looking like dreadlocks, adding a wild factor to the creepiness of the masks most models were wearing. Just as striking were the clean double braids at Alexander McQueen, which worked well with the warrior-princess-heading-to-battle vibe that the collection had.
At Atlein, a single thick braid went straight down the middle of the back, with a scarf threaded to it for both added volume and a touch of color. At Max Mara, a similar thick braid was instead decorated with a thick, cleanly wrapped cord at the base of the neck where the braid started.
#12. Box Braids & Cornrows
Box braids and cornrows or Dutch braids are a fantastic way of keeping hair out of the face – especially if it is usually curly and unruly. With so many designers showing a preference for sleek, unfussy hair, we saw box braids become one of the spring 2019 hairstyle trends.
While most models wore their hair loose, some of the models at Chanel had their hair styled into sleek cornrows. A few models of color at Peter Pilotto, Versace, Hermes and Paco Rabanne also wore box braids, while most others had their hair parted in the middle and tied back. Almost all models wore box braids on the Christian Siriano runway, showing that the style can work for both curly and straight hair types.
#13. Natural, Curly & Wavy Hair
The move by hairstylists to style the hair of women of color in natural curls was a welcomed one in a world were women of color often feel pressured to undergo uncomfortable straightening procedures in order to fit into a colonialist perception of beauty. Models looked comfortable, chic, and beautiful.
Big hair and bold curls reigned supreme on the runways of Escada, Louis Vuitton, and Pyer Ross, where hair stylists did not shy away from creating lush volume. At Paul Costelloe, we saw just how a touch of careful pinning could instantly turn large curls into an evening-ready updo.
Flower hair accessories for spring 2019 fit in nicely into curls at Dolce & Gabbana and Rodarte. Even on runways where sleek hair was the primary look, natural curls were kept intact, with Balenciaga being a good example.
#14. Pixies
We love a good pixie haircut, as it is youthful and can perfectly bridge masculinity and femininity. It is a great change to make in the summer seasons, to help you stay cool. A few models with stand-out short haircuts made the style ubiquitous across the different runways, while in some instances hairstylists gave new haircuts, cementing the pixie is one of the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends.
A few different models opened the Givenchy runway with modern looking pixie cuts, with Sohyun Jung standing out in particular with a fringed pixie cut. Her haircut was truly iconic as she walked with it at Hermes.
We also spotted a few pixies at Versace, with Edie Campbell’s shaggy, blonde-tinged cut making a particularly strong impression. There were plenty more pixie cuts to go around on the runways of Michael Kors, Molly Goddard, and R13.
#15. Boy-Cuts & Buzz-Cuts
For the bolder out there, the spring/ summer 2019 hairstyle trends suggest going even shorter and embracing a cool boy-cut or a badass buzz-cut. The latter option mostly came in rainbow pastel shades, from pastel blue to pink to silver grey.
Prada’s boy-cut looked polished and feminine regardless of the shortness and simplicity of the style. Sportmax combined the bleached blonde trend with a side-swept boy-cut that was oh-so-lovely!
To add a touch of femininity to the buzz-cuts spotted at Miu Miu, designers added bow-detail rhinestone-embellished headbands that are sure to become the next it-things among Instagram influencers come spring. The buzz-cut came in bright and bold colors at Marc Jacobs and Matty Bovan, while R13 kept it as understated and wild as possible.
Photos via Vogue, Livingly
