Fashion & Style: Gina Rivera on being holiday ready

The busy season for stylists is fast approaching and that means it’s time, if you haven’t already, to line up some hair appointments. This may seem a bit eager but if you have a great stylist, they are in demand and, believe me, other people are making their appointments for exactly the same time you want yours.

The holidays are always super busy for stylist, with people getting primed for parties galore and all kinds of special events and winter formals.

The first in line is Halloween and while many of us opt to make that party entrance in a crazy wig, consider going as someone like Audrey Hepburn from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and get an updo that could become the “new you.” What about a variation on Marilyn Monroe’s classic wavy bob? Go as one of these iconic stars for Halloween but keep the hair for a while.

It’s not just the party season that makes this a peak time for stylists. Lots of us are still transitioning to the fall and winter looks, which include darker colors. Making a big color shift from the beachy blondes to a darker shade can take more than one visit to the salon, increasing even more the demand for stylists this time of year.

I’m looking for deep, rich reds to be popular again. I’m also expecting some warm mocha browns and I’ll be looking for some shiny black shades as well. What I don’t anticipate are the ombres, which have already given way to soft highlights instead. This move away from ombres is well underway with hair headed toward more natural, gentle, less dramatic tonal transitions.

In haircuts, wavy bobs and romantic updos are showing a lot of strength, making the Monroe and Hepburn styles even more plausible. I’m wondering what will happen this fall and winter with slick-back looks. These have been so strong on the red carpets and runways lately, including the Big Four Fashion Weeks that just finished with the fourth stop in Paris. Intermixed with these slick back hair we saw some softer, less controlled looks weaving their way in, including some really sexy, messy bobs and lots of long softer hair with center parts. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see more of this and maybe sooner than later. These shows are for selling the spring and summer styles next year but, while we’ve got to wait for the clothes to hit the racks, we can start getting those cuts now.

Remember, if you’re thinking about a transition from summery shades of honey to something dark and deep, you’ll probably need more than one appointment with your stylist to make that happen beautifully. If you’re looking to have something done for a Halloween party, better make that call “yesterday.”

As always, be open to change!