Bored Of Blended Neutrals? Then Try TikTok’s Calico Hair Trend
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1 month ago
An ode to chunky Y2K highlights
If you find yourself craving something a little more than your current hair colour – or simply can’t decide on just one shade – then this burgeoning trend is for you. Here’s everything you need to know about calico hair, the nostalgia-fuelled colour fad blazing through salons this season.
What Is Calico Hair?
‘Calico hair resembles the fur of a calico cat, with an assortment of deep brunette, light blonde and orange red layers,’ explains Kirsty Judge, RUSH Colour Team Member. ‘The trend has been popping up all over social media and doesn’t blend into the background. The tri-coloured tones beautifully contrast one another to create a strikingly bold look, while elevating texture and movement.’
And compared to the ‘elevated yet natural’ stream of hair colour trends we’ve seen more recently, calico hair is much more disruptive. It’s all about bright, bold colours clashed together in thick strips and blocks. ‘With recent trends, you think of seamlessly blended colour that could be completely natural – calico hair is everything but that,’ confirms Kirsty. ‘It involves block colouring to achieve that bold unblended look, making the colours pop against the darker base, beautifully capturing the essence of the “undone” look.’
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If the style looks familiar too, it’s for good reason. ‘Once popular in the early 2000s with the likes of Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson, the calico colour has made a comeback in the best way possible,’ notes Suzie McGill, Rainbow Room International Artistic Director.. ‘I always think’s interesting to look at how trends come and go – and we’re beginning to see younger generations become more experimental with their colour. The calico colour trend is all about personality, giving the individual the confidence to be bold and confident.’
Alongside the added nostalgia and playfulness, Suzie pins the rising popularity of calico hair on the change in season. ‘As we move into the colder months, that internal battle of whether to go lighter or darker reappears,’ she says. ‘If you experiment with calico hair, you don’t have to choose. While calico hair is often regarded a more daring choice, it can be customised to the individual’s personal preference by toning down the colour or creating a more subtle, blended look.’
Who Suits This Cut?
According to the professionals: everyone. ‘The beauty of this colour trend is its immense versatility, suiting an array of different skin tones, hair types and face shapes,’ Kirsty emphasises. ‘Calico hair is perfect for those with warmer skin tones and the warmer colours harmonise beautifully with this skin tone. The calico colour trend also works well for those with a cooler skin tone – helping brighten their appearance and make their features pop.’
The same versatility can be applied to hair types, Kirsty adds. ‘The calico hair trend works well for most hair types, from curly to coily, straight to wavy. I personally think calico hair gives curly hair a truly luxurious feel whilst accentuating texture, volume, and movement – just gorgeous!’
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How To Ask For Calico Hair In The Salon
This depends on your base colour, and whether you’ll need to lighten or darken specific sections. ‘If starting with a darker base, ask your stylist for a mix of golden blonde, platinum blonde and auburn hues, placed strategically with highlights and lowlights,’ instructs Suzie. ‘I’d recommend bringing in a reference photo to show your stylist, too. This will ensure they can envision the colour placement you’re looking for.’
How To Style Calico Hair
As one of the more alternative hair colour trends out there, our experts recommend going all in with styling too. ‘I absolutely love calico hair with a shag haircut,’ says Kirsty. ‘It really accentuates the essence of the colour and the chunky highlights – messy, undone, bold! The sheer texture and volume of this cut harmonises with the colour placement of calico hair. This then amplifies the volume, dimension and definition of the overall look.’
What Next?
And, according to stylists, this trend isn’t going anywhere. ‘In the future, I can see calico hair evolving to use different shade and tones,’ suggests Suzie. ‘The technique and boldness of chunky highlights is definitely a trend we’ll see next season. As we step away from seamlessly perfect colour, we’ll see more calico hair on the runaway and on social media.’
Hair Inspiration
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Featured image: AW24 Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style (c) Noor-u-Nisa
