New York Girls Always Ask For This Cool, Low-Maintenance Haircut

Asking the girl in front of you in line at the bodega what salon she goes to is a rite of passage for New Yorkers. The Big Apple is the fashion hub of the country, and its beauty industry is equally inspiring. And as some of the top hair dressers in the world are found here, the top New York City haircut trends are worth bookmarking for fall, even if you aren't a resident.

Read more: Short Layered Haircuts Every Cool Girl Wants For Winter 2021

Angela Soto, founder of Baja Studio in Soho, uses fierce to describe the New York haircut trends across the board. "I truly think the NYC spirit can't be taken down," the hairstylist says. Whether you're a native or moved to the city later on in life, Soto says individuality is at the forefront of why you're here. "That spirit does not leave you. Walking around this city is, and will always be, one of the most fascinating places in the world."

Just like fashion trends are cyclical, hairstyles resurface decades later, too. "The '90s are fully back," Jessica Gillin, a hairstylist at Jenna Perry Hair in the East Village, says. "It’s wild seeing 13-year-olds dress and style themselves exactly how we did at 13 in 1995!" She's seeing the return of cute baby clips and scrunchies circa the '90s. "Also long shaggy '70s cuts with long fringes are big if you’re keeping your hair longer like Taylor Swift."

Erickson Arrunategui, a hairstylist at Bumble and bumble, says, "I think people want haircuts that will grow into new fun shapes, like a layered bang can grow seamlessly into a layered haircut if you can’t get to the salon in six to eight weeks for your next trim."

If you’ve become more low-maintenance with your hair over the last year and a half, you’re in luck says Neil Grupp, a hairstylist at Suite Caroline Salon in Soho, who is seeing less heat applied to the hair and, in turn, more natural, healthier locks. "In the fall, you can be more aggressive with weight removal because in New York you don’t have to deal with humidity and possibly the hair becoming too big," he adds.

So grab your phone and book an appointment stat for one of the 11 trending haircuts below. You'll be the one getting asked where you got your hair done — guaranteed.

Curtain Bangs

Take one out of Farah Fawcett’s book and go for the haircut of the moment: curtain bangs. With a few longer layers cut throughout the hair and piece-y bangs in the front, you too can achieve this chic, statement New York look.

The Undercut

New Yorkers are known for their constant go-go-go schedules, so it’s only right that their hair has to match that same energy. With the undercut hair trend, you’ll have a built-in statement making styling with minimal effort. Plus, by buzzing either the nape of the neck or sideburns, you debulk the amount of hair you have — therefore allowing it to lay flatter and drastically cutting down on styling time.

Heavy Bangs

Heavy fringe and New York it-girl go hand in hand. Whether it’s a longer style to highlight your cheek bones or brow skimming to accentuate your eyes, full bangs are a great style to sport throughout the year. To achieve perfect volume, opt for a blowdry brush to round out the bangs.

Pixie Cut

New Yorkers gravitate to outdoor dining, weekend day trips, rooftop bars, and hot summer nights three months out of the year. The other months are moderate to chillingly cold. The perfect transitional haircut, one that looks good under a beanie and that still clings onto the joys of summer: a pixie. This specific haircut has many iterations — closely tapered sides and fullness on top, heavy bang with short, piecey crown, or fun fall colors like spicy copper or chocolate brown, to name a few.

Piece-y Lob

The ultimate cool-girl, New York City hairstyle is the piece-y lob. You can wear this one while doing errands, for a business meeting, or even for a date and it will always look lived-in and cool. Best part: it hardly needs maintenance at all you’ll need is a texturing spray to lift the roots for volume.

Modern Shag

The number one haircut trend Soto is seeing is — drumroll, please — the modern shag. "It's all about a heavy 'Bardot bang,' or a full fringe falling into lots of shaggy face-framing layers," she says. "The reason I say modern is because it's all about the face frame." And because it's not a mullet, she says there aren't short layers in the back. To nail the chic look, Soto says keeping the perimeter thick and full, not thinned out, is key.

Out of the haircut trends for fall that Anthony Hernandez, a hairdresser at Rob Peetoom Williamsburg, is seeing, shaggy layered styles rank number one for most unexpected. "Many people have been embracing their natural texture more,” he says. “Because of that, people want something a little less polished and a little more lived in."

Bobs

Gillin says bobs — specifically short '90s straight and big curly triangular bobs — are huge right now in New York. "Think Dua Lipa, Kaia Gerber, Sophia Amoruso," she says. Soto is in agreement that bobs are all the craze. "They never go out of style, but right now we are seeing a lot of above collar bone, just below the chin [styles]," the hairstylist explains. "A bit more on the blunt of full side with texture." While Soto says the super short to the lip line "French girl bob" was sought-after last year, this season the look is slightly longer.

And Sally Hershberger, a celebrity hairstylist who is responsible for Miley Cyrus' hair transformations and owner of Sally Hershberger Salon, says she's been giving clients a very blunt bob. "I use these clippers that makes it so precise," she says. The result: the perfect haircut that swings like a broom.

Buzz Cut

Leona Wilson, owner of Leona Wilson Salon, says for women with natural hair, she believes buzz cuts are going to trend for fall. "A lot of people are going really buzzed, everyone is trying to keep it low-maintenance," she notes.

Layers On Layers

"One of the trends I’m seeing is people wanting more movement in their hair, so more layers or fringe," Arrunategui says. "Something that will look good air-dried or styled, but will also grow out nice,” which means you can stretch the length of time between appointments.

Bangs On Curly Hair

Now that the summer heat is over, it’s the ideal time to try out a trendy set of bangs. Anthony Dickey, founder of Hair Rules, is seeing many women with curly hair (specifically type 3 and 4 textures) trying out bangs. "Bangs on curly hair is kind of daring," Dickey says. "They tend to grow out really well because they disappear nicely as they grow out."

Down To There Hair

Edward Tricomi, co-founder and celebrity stylist of Warren Tricomi Salon, says, "Long hair trends are really popular right now.” Hershberger is in agreement, and says longer hair is easier to manage, especially in the fall when schedules are getting busier.