You only need to look at history to see how cultural trends are often governed by what’s going on in society; flower power was a symbolic protest against the Vietnam War, disco was about gay liberation and post-Civil-Rights racial integration, and punk was an anti-consumerism statement. These trends heavily affect the way people choose to express themselves through the clothes they wear and how they style their hair.

We’re interested to see what effect a year’s worth of enforced isolation will have on our hairstyles and cuts. Yes, there have been lots of lockdown locks disasters with home-dye jobs and wonky cuts but, in some ways, it’s been quite refreshing to experiment with our looks without having to worry about being laughed at. 

As salons start to reopen and socializing picks up, we hope that there will be a new wave of hairstyle exploration. The expert team at All Things Hair has come up with 12 post-lockdown hair trend predictions – think bright, think bold, think devil-may-care hair! 

Bed Head – why break the lockdown habits we’ve actually enjoyed? Looking like you’ve just got out of bed has become much more acceptable this past year and we’re keen to keep rocking it.

Buzz Cut – shaving all our hair off has to have been one of the easiest at-home hair cuts and requires little maintenance. The buzz cut can be worn very short or slightly longer by either men or women, we’re loving its gender-neutral versatility.

Head Scarves – some people have used lockdown as an opportunity to grow out dyed hair color and embrace their natural shade. However, this transition can take months, as well as creating a visible demarcation line, so we may see increased adoption of headscarves!

Fifty Shades of Gray – finally, women all over the world have faced up to one of their greatest hang-ups – their grey roots! And now the grey revolution is unfolding on social media; follow hashtags like #SilverSisters and #Grombre to see just how beautiful silver hair can be. 

Uber Long – it’s not surprising that some of us have decided against cutting our own hair after seeing just how much damage a pair of scissors can do! This has resulted in flowing tresses that are hard to cut off once they’ve reached such great lengths.

Big Bun – the best way to tame this beautiful abundance of long hair is to secure it on top of the head in a bun. When it comes to buns we like to follow the ‘go big or go home mantra…and none of us want to go home now, do we?

Braids – most of us have had a lot of time on our hands over lockdown, which is probably why our DIY hairstyling tutorials have grown in popularity, particularly the ones on how to create your own braids. Now we’ve mastered the art of braiding, there’s no telling how creative we will get.

Pixie Cut – we predict a surge in shorter, edgy haircuts because people will be looking for a fresh start and dramatic change. Pixie cuts are a great option as they flatter bone structure and can be worn in many different ways.  

Bold Colours – if you think the mermaid hair trend was adventurous, you ain’t seen anything yet. We think people will be choosing colors to reflect their joy and relief that the worst is over –  there will surely be a rainbow of hair colors to admire.

Wild Child – with more freedom to roam and connect with nature, we expect a relaxed and wild aesthetic to become popular. Many people have realized that they can do without regular grooming appointments and let their hair hang loose whichever way it chooses!

Lobs – growing out a bob can be an arduous task, particularly when it reaches that awkward neither-here-nor-there length. Thankfully, the lockdown has allowed people to come through the other side and we’ll be seeing lots of glossy, collarbone-length blunt cuts. 

Afros – a lot of women have shared their afro hair lockdown experience, saying that the break from braids, wigs, and weaves has led to an ever greater appreciation of the true glory of afros. We’re hoping to see plenty of afros, of all different shapes and sizes, on the high street.

For more expert haircare tips and inspiration visit All Things Hair