Hair Color Trends That Will Define Fall 2023

With every season comes a reason to reinvent your hairstyle. This is especially the case after the summer, when the fall, well, falls upon us — no matter how we might struggle to let go of the summer trends.

"When the weather changes, so does our mindset," hairstylist Michelle Cleveland tells PopSugar. "When it's warm, we think about light, bright colors and when it gets cold, we think dark, matte tones. This change helps most of us feel like we are transitioning our hair the same way we do our wardrobe. It's really just about fashion."

If you're aching for a change and prefer to stick to the color trends that will define the fall of 2023, then you've come to the right place. Definitely don't be afraid to go bold this fall and, should your stylist advise against certain colors and hues, listen to them. Not all colors can be achieved in one session depending on what shade you start with, so you may need a few rounds to reach your dream color.

If you thought that our Barbie obsession would end in the fall, how wrong you were. Although blonde is usually a color we associate with spring and summer, this year, every season is the perfect season to embrace your inner Barbie and go light — very light.

"Blondes are on the rise partly because of the new hit movie Barbie, though it's always been popular among my clients," celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham tells Byrdie. "So many of my clients want to go very blonde. You typically don't see as many clients going lighter in the fall, but the Barbiecore aesthetic has really taken hold."

But as much as Barbie blonde is definitely the look of the moment, it's important to realize that it requires maintenance, especially if your hair is naturally dark. While you can rock dark roots for a little bit, eventually, you're going to need to get a touch-up before they start taking away from those gorgeous blonde locks.

For those who don't want to go totally blonde, but still want to add some flavor to their look, there's always strawberry shade. What's so fun about strawberry blonde is that it's not quite pink, but more like a muted red that has a lot of blonde undertones — meaning if you spend a day out in the sun, you don't have to worry about walking away from the beach with magenta hair. Instead, it will look more rose gold, which, if you have any rose gold jewelry, will be a perfect match.

"Coming off the golden bleach colors and copper tones that ruled summer, a pinky hue is the perfect color for autumn," colorist and celebrity hairstylist Olivia Casanova tells TZR. "Multidimensional versions are ideal for those who prefer a light wash while a solid color can provide more intensity."

Strawberry blonde requires less maintenance than Barbie blonde, that's for sure, but you'll still want to have regular hair appointments so it stays strawberry-fresh looking, as opposed to brassy. Not that there's anything wrong with brassy, of course. It's just probably not a look you want if you've committed to strawberry blonde for the fall. 

In case you didn't get the memo, copper hair is going to be huge this fall. Although red tones are always a big hit during autumn, copper is the one that's really going to stand out because of its versatility. It works on dark hair to create subtle reddish tones or, if you really want to lean into the trend, then you can go full cowboy copper which looks just like a shiny penny. In recent weeks, TikTok has been all a buzz about copper hair with the hashtag #cowboycopperhair garnering 4.7 million views so far.

"All shades of red will be popular in 2023, ranging from fiery reds and deep burgundy to warm auburn, " hair expert Nicole Petty tells Who What Wear. "In particular, copper will be the standout color. It can act as a midpoint for blondes and brunettes who are not ready to go fully dark or light, and it's a great color to brighten up your locks." Best of all, it looks beautiful on a variety of hair types and complements a wide range of complexions. Whether you go subtle or bold à la cowboy copper, this is the season to experiment with this particular shade.

According to New York Magazine, 2022 was "The Year of the Nepo Baby" and what a year it was. There's nothing quite like watching a bunch of famous offspring of famous parents throwing tantrums and declaring that they're anything but nepo babies. But while that was then and this is now, our culture is still hanging onto the nepo baby term and using it to describe hair color — among other things.

"This high class shade showcases a true clarity of blonde," top hairstylist and forecaster Tom Smith tells Glamour UK. "Skipping intense toners and purple shampoo, this blonde is bright, clean and finely woven, creating a blonde canvas that is subtly multi-tonal while being globally much brighter than the natural base color... That is exactly what this shade requires to achieve the clarity and brightness that makes it 'nepo'... Nepo Blonde isn't Nepo if it's not healthy and strong."

If you've yet to master that Lily Rose Depp sultry stare, perhaps going nepo blonde will help you get one step closer to harnessing it. If not, you still walk away from the salon with a beautiful shade of blonde. The sultry stare may come in time. Remember, practice makes perfect.

If you thought going two-toned, especially when it involves bright colors like baby pink or blue, is strictly a spring and summer look, you were mistaken. Fall 2023 continues the drama of with high-contrast hair remaining on trend.

"It's perfect for the creative clients who want a bit more edge to their color while keeping the natural or darker color base of their hair and adding a contrasting pop of color," colorist Linh Phan tells Allure. It's also perfect for those who can't commit to just one hair color, so having the ability to create a look that involves two colors that play off each other can scratch the itch.

If you're not sure you want to go as high-contrast as Miley Cyrus — although it looks fabulous on her — you can talk to your stylist about other options. The two-toned look doesn't need to be drastic, but sometimes going bold can shake things up and might even make you realize that this look is actually who you are and who you've always been.

For those who prefer to stick to dark tones this fall, cinnamon swirl takes your average brunette and makes it richer and more luxurious through dimensional browns. "Cinnamon Swirl embodies the warm and cozy vibes of the season," master colorist Min Kim tells PureWow. "Its rich, earthy tones evoke feelings of comfort and the changing colors of the leaves. Brunettes will likely need to lighten the hair first to achieve the warm shade, while blondes need to focus more on adding depth and dimension to their hair."

No matter what hair color trend you embrace this fall, you really can't go wrong. What's great about hair color is that it's temporary, so you can always change it if you get bored or if you weren't a fan of the color you got in the first place. So consider taking a risk this fall and giving one of these colors a try.