As the South Carolina winter slowly ushers in hoodies and beanies, USC fashion experts say it is time for the short bobs and cowboy copper tones of this year to join pigtails and perms on the island of misfit hairdos.
Here are the trends they believe will replace these cuts this winter.
'90s makes a comeback
As the cold dry air of the winter months comes in to flatten your hair, Susana Blalock, a second-year fashion merchandising student and the co-director of publications of USC’s fashion board, said she thinks the '90s style blowout, known for its abundance of fluff, bounce and volume, will be trendy this winter.
“I just love the femininity of it, the full layers (and) the volume,” Blalock said.
Caroline Keeney, a hairstylist at Milk & Honey Fine Salon, also said blowouts will be on trend this winter, particularly when including added curls around the perimeter of the hair.
“Blowouts are very elegant, very classic, perfect for wintertime,” Keeney said.
Convenience may also add to the blowout's popularity, as Keeney said learning how to style a blowout is achievable through practice.
“I would recommend ... watching a YouTube video on the basic ways of (blowing out your hair) and practicing it with no heat,” Keeney said. “Once you feel like you've gotten it down, try it with low heat ... it’s just trial and error … but once you get it, you’re set.”
Hair color trends
For hair coloring this winter, Keeney said color analysis tests can help people find their color.
The tests recommend hair shades based on a person’s skin tone, eye color and natural hair color and can be taken online or done by a hair stylist.
Auburn is the on trend shade of red this year, even darker than the already brown tinted cowboy copper tones that gained popularity last winter, Keeney said.
Keeney also said she wants so see more vivids, which is any hair color that doesn’t occur naturally, in trend this winter.
Blalock said she has seen the growing trend of unique dyed colors in men's hair.
“I feel like men have taken some risks more recently," Blalock said. "I think it’s cool because it’s individualistic."
A specific style of vivid hair coloring that Keeney said she hopes to see more of is the prism hair pattern. The prism pattern is a rainbow-style dye that is washed out and blow dried and is meant to show the pattern of the rainbow with colors blending together at unconventional angles.
“Once it's washed out and blowdried, (the prism pattern) is so pretty,” Keeney said. “All the colors flow, and it looks like whenever a light goes through a prism.”
For a more subtle look, Keeney said that blended highlights are very popular, especially with a root smudge to make the look more natural. This technique adds a color similar to an individual's natural color close to their roots, so as the roots grow out there is less contrast between the dyed and natural hair.
“When their hair grows out, it’s more natural rather than just a straight-up line,” Keeney said. "And a lot of people are liking to go back to their natural color."
The short hair debate
Keeney also said shorter mullets are a good option, but the Australian mullet, which replaces the “business in the front” of its American counterpart with bowl-cut-style bangs, should be avoided.
Keeney also said that the stacked bob, a chin length cut that is angled to be shortest in the back, should also be avoided this winter.
"Every single time I've done (a stacked bob), they look horrible," Keeney said. "I hate them."
While long layered cuts may be in style, Blalock said that long hair may not be ideal for men's cuts this winter.
“I think (long hair) can be right in certain scenarios, but it gives surfer boy vibes,” Blalock said. “So not a great choice for winter."
Second-year exercise science student Halie Stoertz also said shaved heads should be in style, especially for men with thinning hair.
“If (you have) hair that is too thin, trying to get it back using money and products, it just doesn't really work that well,” Stoertz said.
Stoertz also said that a shaved head is a way to embrace aging and look good while doing it.
"At some point you have to embrace that you are getting older," Stoertz said. "And I think a lot of guys look better bald."