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Jen Atkin’s Fall Hair Forecast Is Shorter, Shaggier, & More Fun
Single-length cuts are so over.
Jen Atkin is ready for hair to get a little more personality. “One thing I really want to bring back is haircuts,” she tells me over Zoom. “A lot of my friends’ daughters, who are Gen Alpha, just want long, one-length hair. I would love for people to really cut into the hair and have layers again.”
If anyone can convince you to stop growing out your hair, it’s Atkin. The celebrity hairstylist has spent decades creating cuts for everyone from Kylie and Kendall Jenner to Bella Hadid and Chrissy Teigen — and now she wants the rest of us to pick up the scissors, too.
She’s also taking her own advice. Since I last spoke with Atkin nearly a year ago, she’s traded her long curtain bangs for a shaggier, more layered cut — and she’s already planning another chop. “My hair is a little long right now,” she says. As soon as we get off Zoom, she’s planning on taking off another two inches. Thankfully, after partnering with Swiffer on its new Hair Magnet, she doesn’t have to worry about what comes next. “I love hair, but I don’t love it on my floor.”
For fall, Atkin wants the rest of us to switch things up, too — but that doesn’t mean adding a 10-step styling routine to your morning. Her favorite looks are refreshingly low-lift, from shags and short bobs that let the cut do the heavy lifting to claw clips and makeup clips that can pull a look together in seconds. In other words: less perfect, one-length hair; more personality.
Ahead, Atkin breaks down the six hair trends she’s betting on this season — and how to actually wear them.
1Cropped Fringes
Bangs are getting shorter this fall, but the rest of your hair doesn’t have to. “I love a short fringe with longer length,” Atkin says. “It’s really cool, very French.”
The style might sound specific, but there are a couple of directions you can take it. Greta Lee’s recent haircut makes the case for keeping bangs sharp and disconnected, while adding face-framing layers will help everything look more blended. Either way, the fringe should land above your brows — short enough to flaunt some forehead.
2Makeup Clips
If you’ve ever been tempted to leave your makeup clips in after getting ready, you’re in luck. They’re the unexpected hair accessory this season, according to Atkin.
“Mane just came out with these really cute bow clips, and I kind of love wearing them out,” she says. Wear them with your hair down for a little something extra, or use them to pull back face-framing pieces when you want your style to look intentionally undone.
3Glossy Finishes
Nothing pairs better with fall fashion than glossy hair that “reflects the light,” says Atkin. “It makes you feel like you have your life together because you feel a little more polished.”
The key is making the shine look intentional rather than greasy. Atkin says the biggest difference comes from what you do between styling: regular masks, less tension on your hair, and generally “taking care of it like you would your skin.”
4Soft Shags
For anyone with mid-length hair, there’s one cut to try this fall — and Atkin is already wearing it herself. “It’s close to a mullet, but not,” she says. “I love shaggy, thinner ends with lots of layers around the face.”
The best part? A soft shag looks best when it’s a little messy. Instead of trying to keep it contained, lean into your natural texture and go easy on the styling — the cut already gives you plenty of shape and movement.
5Scandi Bobs
Bobs might have a reputation for being high-maintenance, but the right cut can do a lot of the styling for you. Atkin’s pick this fall? Something “really short, precise, and clean” that looks good after it’s air-dried.
To get there, ask for a blunt, chin-length cut — and if you have thicker hair, invisible layers to remove some of the weight without losing that clean line. Then, a little product goes a long way. “I love using our Ouai Wave Spray and kind of scrunching it in, then using a little bit of hair oil from the mid-lengths to the ends,” Atkin says.
6Undone Updos
“I’m such a sucker for claw clip updos in the fall,” Atkin says. “With a turtleneck and a latte — that’s my fall vibe.”
To make it feel a little more put-together, she recommends leaving out a few face-framing pieces. If you’re due for a haircut, ask your stylist to take a small triangle section in the front and layer it on an angle from the cheekbones down. That way, when the rest of your hair goes into the claw clip, you can still pull out a few pieces. “It doesn’t have to be a big section,” she says. “Just a few pieces. It always looks kind of flirty.”
