by Alyssa Wernham

Fall is upon us, and as the leaves start to change, so do hairstyles. But why wait until the fall to see the new trends? We talked to the experts at Patrick McIvor Color Studio who gave us the up-do preview! A combination of sleek and shiny with naturally textured hair is what’s up for fall, according to Fashion Director, Nathan Rosencrantz. ” So you will see smooth sides accented with loose, rough ends.”

Here are a few takes on this intriguing look:

The side-parted ponytail – Hair is parted to either side, and brought up into a tight ponytail. The hair leading up to the ponytail is slick, shiny, and flawless, while the ponytail itself looks more untamed, natural, and untouched. This style can be worn for any occasion: a date night, a day at the office, even a night at home (with company, of course). Use a mousse to give your ponytail more volume, and a light touch of hairspray to slick the rest smooth, and take care of the fly-aways.

The chignon, or bun – is similar to the side-parted ponytail, the chignon is worn around the nape of the neck. While the hair is tied up in a loose chignon to the side, the rest of the hair is again, slick and smooth. The actual chignon is loose and messy, and gives the appearance of fuzzy loose ends. Wear this style on a night out on the town for a sleek, but relaxing look. Again, mousse will help with the rough, loose look of the chignon, while hairspray makes the rest look smooth.

Another trend this fall is medium-length hair, usually just around the shoulders. Up until now, the trend was either very short, or very long. Again, hair is worn in a loose and natural way. Long, natural waves define and shape medium length hair. This is a great natural look, and the loose waves can be created with a mousse specifically for creating waves. Let your hair air-dry so the waves have time to set.

And don’t let the leaves be the only thing changing colors this fall! Mimic the natural rich fall colors with your hair. Bright summer blondes can make a switch into coppery-gold, while brunettes can enhance their hair with red-brown tones.

Not quite ready to take the plunge into a full color? Use these rich natural colors just as highlights to reflect the fall changes.