The Biggest Fall 2017 Hair Trends

We survived 2016—we know to expect to unexpected. Yet we were still surprised when black ribbon and bows became the runaway hair trend in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. At Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini (left), hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and topped with a coquettish bow. Wrapped in silk, velvet, tied in a ponytail or looped above a bun, the runways proved this season that there's more than one way to wear the ribbon trend.

The giant, floppy, black velvet hair bows seen at Tory Burch's fall show kicked off the black hair ribbon trend.

At Marchesa, the hair was pulled back into a textured chignon and then a giant stiff bow (about the size of the models' heads) was pinned into the base.

At Emilia Wickstead, hair was pulled into a small half-up section and then secured with a black ribbon. The ends were left hanging loose—not knotted—for a less sweet effect.

At Temperley London, velvet hair bows complemented small black ribbons tied delicately around the neck.

The hair at Rochas was all about refined, equestrian-inspired glamour. But hairstylist Paul Hanlon didn't want to simply pull it back into a bun. Instead, he parted the hair to the side, swept it back into a low ponytail, and then rolled the hair together "like tails of Dressage horses," notes WWD. A black bow—one of the biggest hair trends of the season so far—was placed just above the base.

Jonathan Simkhai's take on the ribbon ponytail: low and wavy, but with a skinny ribbon that's actually a string. The effect is more sleek than schoolgirl.

Good news: this season's go-to hairstyle is the ponytail. Doesn't get easier than that, right? But don't think you can get away with just throwing your hair up with an elastic, like you're coming from spin class. The ponytails on the fall runway were thoughtful and chic; the mirror-like shine, sleek parts, and positioning were all meticulously and expertly executed (just look at Thierry Mugler's take, left). This is what your go-to style looks like when it's taken beyond the basics.

When hairstylist Orlando Pita caught a glimpse of the new Oscar De La Renta collection, he was most inspired by its youthful energy. "It's really Oscar for a younger girl," he says. "I thought, you know,what would be the one hairdo a young girl could wear that she's still a bit rebellious when her mother buys her an expensive piece of clothing like this? It's a ponytail. The mother would freak out like, 'You can't wear a ponytail with that!' So if the mother doesn't like it—it's good," says Pita.

At Mulberry, a center-parted ponytail served as a the perfect canvas for the statement-making earrings.

Rumpled low ponytails were held together by patent black string backstage at Olivier Theyskens.

There were actually two ponytails at Alexander McQueen: one in the front and one in the back. Backstage, hairstylist Guido Palau described the long, crimped hair as both "romantic" and "witchy." He worked Redken Braid Aid 03 through the hair before using a flat iron to create the random, uneven bends. He brushed through the hair vigorously to create a fuzzy softness. It was then gathered into a low, thin ponytail under the chin and behind the back.

The ponytails at Loewe were center-parted and finished with a hight-shine gloss.

JW Anderson made a combover look impossibly chic (it helps when you're doing it for the purpose of showcasing ear jewelry). Models' hair was flipped over to one side, slicked down, and then gathered into a low, side ponytail.

Anything other than a low ponytail with a deep side-part would have felt too glam or precious backstage at Jason Wu.

The hair at Delpozo was described as a little "futuristic." It was also a little complicated. Look closely, and you'll see that two sections of hair were tied into pigtails, with the rest of the hair falling straight behind it. Stylists then grabbed a third elastic and gathered all he hair—the two pigtails and the hair in the back—together to make one low ponytail.

The ponytails at Aigner were pulled tight, had the elastics hidden by a strand of hair, and then topped with a leather barrette that added to the sculptural vibe.

Slicked-back hair was one of the biggest hair trends for spring 2017. For fall, the trend loosened up a little. Sure, there were still a few slick looks, like the sporty, gym-chic hair at Giambattista Valli. But at so many other shows like Michael Kors, Brandon Maxwell, and Thakoon, the hair was simply brushed back or tucked behind the ears. Basically, as long as there's no hair hanging in your face—you're now on trend.

Though the weather in New York City the night of the Thakoon presentation was far from ideal—a blizzard had just passed through—hairstylist Odile Gilbert served-up a hair look that was tailor-made for crappy weather days. Inspired by the trench coats in the collection, Gilbert soaked the roots of models' hair with a mix of mousse (TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Amplifying Mousse) and creams to give the illusion of wet hair, but with far more control