8 Haircut Trends Happening in New York Right Now

Bob haircuts have become a staple in the city and we predict they’re going to continue their reign in 2024. “The chin-length bob is a clean style that’s typically cut blunt, while strands lay right at the chin,” says Schmidt. “It’s going to be super popular in NYC because it’s easily styled and effortlessly elevates any look.” If you want a sleek finish, Schmidt recommends prepping the hair with a shine spray and using a flatiron at the ends. 

While many New Yorkers clearly appreciate short bobs, some are looking to grow out their locks this year. This trend features soft, flowing tresses that go past the shoulders with blunt ends. As Velasquez explains, a stylist will start with a clean trim around the ends, before creating a face-framing shape that works for your hair type and features. Once you leave the salon, adding hair oil to the mid-lengths and ends will maintain that shine and bounce at home. 

Lest you think we were leaving the butterfly cut behind in 2024, the ‘70s inspired ‘do is still going strong because it’s essentially two haircuts in one. You’ll find short layers on top (ending a few inches beneath the chin) and longer layers on the bottom (just past the shoulders for soft movement). “It’s a very urban yet Avant Garde haircut. It works well for every hair texture and requires little to no styling to look good, which is what every New Yorker dreams about!” says Priano. To style your cut, the stylist suggests prepping hair with mousse before blow drying and using a round brush to really bring out the shape. 

Va va volume has made its way into the Big Apple this season. As Hong explains, soft layers are added throughout and blended seamlessly into the rest of your hair to give it plenty of extra bounce. To style the look at home, she suggests using big rollers and texturizing spray to create a long-lasting lift and body, with a light hold and definition. Hong also notes, “[Those with] finer textured hair will benefit [from this look] as the layers will give an extra lift, while [those with] coarser textures can have the weight taken out of the layers so the hair can fall nicely without any heaviness.”

Despite newer fringe styles popping up, curtain bangs remain a top choice for city dwellers. “They’re really versatile and can be sharp and heavy or choppy and wispy,” shares Schmidt. “With shorter strands in the middle (that touch just above the eyelashes) and longer ones cut diagonally as you move away from the face, they’re always super trendy. Just think of Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada.” For more volume, he suggests using a blow dryer and a round brush—or wrap your fringe with rollers and allow them to set, as you style the rest of the hair. Once you unravel the rollers, spritz on some texturizing spray before heading out the door. 

This fringe is for all the curly gals in NYC. As Patterson shares, “It offers enough layers and removes weight to allow your natural texture to come to life.” He recommends asking your stylist to “carve out petal pieces,” while taking your hair texture and face shape into account. Consider a styling cream (or mousse) to add softness and shine to your fringe. (A helpful editor’s tip: Try the finger coiling method to define your swirls and keep ‘em uniform.) 

Yup, NYC is still very much in love with the shag haircut. In fact, Cutler has seen requests for the style spike in his salons recently. “It's sexy, cool and overall, an effortless look. It also grows out beautifully, so you don’t have to commit to the regular six-week maintenance trims,” says Cutler. “The key is to keep the overall length, while adding shorter face-framing layers, where the shortest point is at the crown. Then, blend those pieces with the exterior layers to create movement and texture.” To style the look yourself, Culter recommends mixing leave-in cream and hair oil together and raking it through damp hair before finishing off the look with a spray wax for a texturized finish. 

A pixie haircut might be the change you’re looking for in 2024.  “It's wonderful to see the abundant variations of pixies on the streets coming to life. There’s an unlimited number of techniques that can be used to bring the pixie to life, so don't be afraid to texturize the hair and bring movement to the look,” says Cutler. “The most crucial thing is that the stylist understands the comfort level of each client, so they can adjust the shape and length to help them adapt to their new cut. We have so many clients who have a desire to be bold and reinvent themselves, and these variations of the pixie, whether worn longer or softer, helps ease them into a new look.” Once you get your fresh cut, the easy part is the maintenance. Aside from monthly trims (which is the biggest part of maintaining this otherwise breezy style), all you’ll need is some texturizing paste to add definition to your look.

​​OK, I’m Ready for a Haircut. What Should I Ask My Stylist?

The best thing to do is communicate with your stylist about everything. Tell them exactly what you want and show them any visual inspiration you have in mind for the look. (Psst, we’ve got seven references above to get you started). Once you have your photos ready, march into your appointment and walk out the salon with a fresh cut that you can show off at your next shindig.