2011 hair colors

Picking a hair colour for 2011
I've alluded to this before, but now let me put pen to paper, or at least fingers to keyboard, and come out and say it. Every year Fashionising.com works hard to provide you with inspiration for the year's trends, hence we're currently putting together the take on 2011's hairstyles and 2011's fashion trends. But hairstyles are only a part of the equation; another part is made up by the year's haircuts and another its hair colors. And what will they be, might you ask?
The rule for 2011
2011 is not just a new year, it's a new decade, and new decades bring more than just slight change, they bring about an entirely new generation of thought. It's a case of out with the old and in with the new, and such a mindset is applied to everything from society's outlook to the aesthetic styles it embraces.
This new decade will be no different. The most dominant clothing trend of the last decade, military fashion, is finally being pushed to the back of the wardrobe. And hair colors are undergoing a major change too.
You may read that and be under the impression that 2011, and the rest of the new decade, is a period of wild hair colors. That's not what we're saying at all. Clothing trends may become more liberal, but it's not the same for hair. In fact, the change leads to just one rule. It's the rule for picking your hair color in 2011 and for many of the years to come. And that rule is thus:
Just change it.
Yes, it's almost cliche to write it, and somewhere a Nike lawyer is checking to see if we've just infringed their trademark. I confess though, cliches are easy to remember and when you're picking your new hair color for the year I want you to remember that one rule. Again, just change it. Pick a color that suits you, one that gives you confidence, make it a shade that's on trend, and go make that hair color your own.
The inspiration
Where has the inspiration for the "just change it" rule come from I hear you ask. While the start of a new decade inspires change, there are also those people driving the idea of simply changing your hair color as a trend in itself.
Let us explore.
Abbey Lee Kershaw
Abbey Lee Kershaw was the first top tier model to change her hair. One day she was sporting a mousy-brown hair color, the next day we werehearing stories of her 8 hour conversion into a near-platinum blonde. Abbey Lee had "just changed it" - well, just is an overstatement. It would have been a carefully considered change. One made to redefine her. To set her apart. Give her a point of difference. It's, thus, a hair change you should take inspiration from.

Natasha Poly
Abbey Lee's change neatly segues into a change of hair color undertaken by another top model. Natasha Poly had a hair colour that complimented her Russian looks and infinite legs. She is the perfect blonde, or at least she was. Then someone at her agency decided she needed a new look for the new year. A different look that set her apart from a sea of other leggy blondes and made her feel fresh again.
So it was that our top model of 2009 cast off the dark-rooted blonde hair that she'd become known for and became a richly colored brunette in entirety.

Eniko Mihalik
Eniko Mihalik has a very rare quality - one moment she can offer up a cute-as-a-button smile, only to follow it up with a look of such sexual confidence that men have been rumoured to fall to their feet. And yet prior to 2011 she'd been a brunette; all well and good for cute-Eniko, but a plain brunette hair color has never quite driven home the sexuality confidence she can ooze and brings in so much of her work as a result.
What to do with her hair for the new year then? Compliment her bombshell attitude withbombshell red hair.

Lily Cole
Eniko's hair color change is the most personality suited we've looked at so far, with Abbey Lee's and Natasha's seeming far more dramatic. Dramatic, however, is Lily Cole. Despite so many women now coveting the right shade of red hair, 2011 is the year to change, and change it Lily has transforming her trademark red locks to a very deep brown with eyebrows to match.

White blonde hair colour
If it has ever been out of fashion I don't remember it, which is another way of saying that platinum blonde is a hair colour trend in 2011. And perhaps 2011 is the perfect year for the hair colour, after all it's the year whose hair colour trends have something of a manifesto: just change it. So if you are going to change your hair colour, if you're going to opt for a colour that shall set you apart from the crowd, consider a shock of blonde hair that draws the gaze of those nearby, consider the platinum blonde hair shade.
The way to wear platinum blonde now
With or without dark roots
I understand that this is somewhat ambiguous, but stay with me. If you'd asked me several months ago about the blonde hair with dark roots colour trend I would have told you it has had it's day. But it hasn't, and it's hung around accordingly, but I do still believe that it is coming to an end. Thus if you were to opt to change your hair colour to white blonde / platinum blonde in the near future (say, prior to the middle of 2011) I think you'd be safe to do opt for dark roots.
That said: if it's an option, forgo the dark roots and opt for a full head of platinum / white blonde hair instead. The overall impact of platinum blonde hair will be diminished should you opt for dark roots and wear it with an up do. You can get a good sense of this dimishing affect by comparing the following picture of model Siri Tollerod with a picture of her from J. Crew's catalogue above.
Without under colours
The odd inch of dark roots is one thing, but two-tone hair or an under colour is another thing altogether. Thankfully I'm not really seeing people attempt the look, but with the prevalence of two-tone hair colour over the past years it's only a matter of time.
The reasoning here is two-fold:
a second hair colour will reduce the visual impact of platinum blonde

platinum / white blonde in 2011 is about youthful elegance or a cooler-than-cool attitude; two-tone hair in 2011 lends itself more towards the punk revival

Platinum blonde: suitable hair cuts
The latter of the two last points reveals much about hair cuts and hairstyles that work with platinum blonde hair.
If you're looking for an elegant interpretation of platinum blonde then your preference should lean towards the year's longer hair styles. From there you can style the hair colour in umpteenth ways with a preference towards either bombshell waves (below) or a straight hair style.
If you're after more of a rock chic look, however, I can recommend one person you must keep your eye on for inspiration: Australian model Kate Peck. She has the look pegged, and pairs a dramatic hair colour with an equally dramatic hair cut to really set herself apart on the catwalk.
While not truly platinum / white blonde, our feature on 5 ways to style peroxide blonde should also lend some inspiration to those seeking the hair colour for themselves. That hair styling inspiration feature specifically looks at styling the hair colour when cut with a fringe.
Redhead: red hair color women's hair trend
When I penned Fashionising.com's bible of hair trends for 2010 I promised one more addition to the list of 2010 hair colours. Why? I did so not because of looming deadlines, but because this particular colour trend deserved it very own article.
For the past ~~decade~~ century, you see, most of the fashion industry has been obsessed with blondes. Be it on models or on A listers, blondes are reputed to have more fun. Make no mistake, blonde hair isn't going anywhere with 2010 seeing both peroxide blonde and golden blonde as 'on trend'. But with the end of the 2000s and the start of the next decade it's time for the blonde bombshell to make way.
Introducing the redhead bombshell.
Red hair in 2010
The redhead isn't just a hair colour in 2010, it's an attitude. If it were a formula I could mix up in Fashionising.com's offices it would end up 2 parts red hair, 2 parts personality, and 2 parts sexual confidence. Think model Coco Rocha as a redhead oozing of her playful, confident personality and you're somewhat there. Just add the bombshell sexual confidence, and you have it.
Which colour red?
As it is with any hair colour, not all shades of red hair are in in 2010. Forget the bright copper and crimson tones: red hair in 2010 is about richly coloured and natural looking red hair.
Part of the appeal of red hair is that its a rarity. It's said that less than 2% of people are natural redheads, so the more natural your red colour looks, the more it can be associated with something rare and exclusive. Hence there's only one real golden rule worth stating when it comes to red hair in 2010: it can't look fake.
A natural redhead with blue eyes: Lily Cole
Different hair colours will take to red dye in varying ways, so your best bet is always to head to a trusted salon and get advice on which colour will work best for you. Very light hair will need a subtle approach to avoid turning too orange; while very dark hair may need to be lightened first in order to achieve a rich red colour. While subtle highlights and lowlights help to achieve the natural redhead look, obvious contrasting streaks are not recommended.
Red hair trend: who it's suited to
Red hair is to the cooler months what blonde hair is to Spring. This is particularly true of darker auburn tones, or lighter reds against pale skin.
The pale redhead
Pale porcelain skin will almost always work a treat with red hair - particularly if your eyes are green or blue. This is a great Winter look.
The freckled redhead
For Spring 2010 girls with freckles and bronzed skin are the perfect neo-redheads. Go for lighter reds like natural gingers and neutral-tone coppers.
The fair browed
A perfect match to the bleached blonde eybrows trend, both pale and bronzed skinned redheads should consider lightening their brows. This not only adds to the natural-born redhead effect, but also brings the look well and truly into 2010.
Julia Hafstrom: natural red hair & blonde eyebrows
Ways to style red hair
There are of course many ways to style red tresses - as with any other hair colour. So instead of stating the obvious, let us give you three ideas of creative ways to style red hair - with the intent of creating not just a hairstyle but an overall look and persona.
The Warrior
Luisa Bianchin by Frauke Fischer
Redheads through history have also often been portrayed as fiery and fierce, yet seductive; from Queen Elizabeth I and Boudica to Cleopatra (who some argue was a redhead) making this colour perfectly complimentary to 2010's warrior trend. For the fierce warrior look go for long and voluminous cascading red waves, or add some halo-like milkmaid braids.
The pin-up
Redheaded Vargas Pinup Girl
The red-haired bombshell goes perfectly with vintage styling and a fun and sexy attitude. Go for a sleek side-part and 1940's style waves, or victory rolls. Take your inspiration from Vargas classic pin-up girls.
The Maiden
Cecile Sinclair in Lula Magazine, shot by Nicole Nodland