I Asked Top Stylists How to Have Expensive-Looking Hair This Fall—These 7 Colors Are Key

In my humble opinion, fall is the best time to switch up your hair look. The season as a whole is buzzing with new beginnings, so why not embrace that palpable back-to-school energy with a brand-new 'do? That doesn't mean you must commit to an edgy pixie or chic French bob (but if you do take the leap, more power to you!); a simple balayage or set of babylights can give you that "wow" effect without too much maintenance. As for the chicest hues to ask for? I consulted top stylists on the biggest fall 2025 hair color trends—and discovered some rather surprising takes.

"Instead of embracing the traditional 'pumpkin spice' color trend this year, hair color across the board will be darker, and we’re going to see more rich and golden neutral tones," Cassie Cohen, celebrity colorist at Chris McMillan Salon, tells me. (Translation? Bye, copper!) For more info on specific fall shades, scroll on—your new expensive-looking hue lies just ahead.

Rooted Blonde

Rooted blonde, lived-in blonde, "recession" blonde—whatever you call it, know that this low-maintenance hair color is very much here to stay. "[It's] essentially embracing the grow-out while choosing a hair color to apply at the root for a more seamless-looking growth," celebrity hairstylist and Schwarzkopf global color expert Jonathan Colombini shares. By applying a different, lived-in color to your roots, your colorist can essentially nip those harsh grow-out lines in the bud.

"Colorist tip: Be sure to only apply color from root to the exact grow-out line of demarcation so as not to cover your blonde entirely," he advises. "Just before the last five minutes of your processing time, using a fine-toothed comb, flick or drag the hair color no more than a quarter of an inch past grow-out. This technique will reinforce the perfect 'melt,' avoiding any harsh roots."

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Bordeaux

Move over, copper—bordeaux is hot on your heels. Rich and warm, this deep red hue with brown undertones is a bold yet classy choice for fall, says Colombini. "Deep red conveys confidence, passion, and individuality. In months that feel muted, it provides an energizing, mood-lifting choice," he adds. "The depth of wine, burgundy, and crimson mirror fall/winter tones in fashion and nature, creating harmony with darker wardrobes and seasonal palettes." Essentially, bordeaux is poised to become a major fall color trend across categories—fashion, nails, and hair looks included.

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Golden Ribbons

No matter your base hair color, Cohen says a smattering of golden highlights will suit you well. "Blondes will feature more dimension through the use of deeper lowlights, richer golden highlights, and a greater incorporation of the hair’s natural root color for added depth and contrast," she explains. For brunettes, on the other hand, some golden-brown highlights around the face and on the ends of hair will look positively radiant. "Reds will take on more red/brown tones with a dark golden undertone," she adds. "All of these colors make for 'expensive-looking' hair."

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Dark-to-Light Balance

Darker hair colors skyrocket in popularity come fall, "but rather than a dramatic 'all-or-nothing' shift, blondes, brunettes, and redheads will embrace a balanced blend of light and dark," Cohen explains. Think subtle, dark-to-light transitions—aka modern ombré hair—that, according to Cohen, always look expensive. "With this combination, all three hair colors will continue to glisten in the sunlight," she adds. Bonus points if you use a shine-inducing hair gloss every few washes.

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Cider Lights

Add a hint of spice to your hair color with a few cider lights, or a warm, shiny balayage featuring multiple tones. "Think of cozy tones of warm cinnamon, golden-amber, and spicy bronze," shares colorist Diana Mildice of Chicago's Maxine Salon. "It doesn’t overpower the face; it anchors it. And honestly, it gives grown-up drama in the best way." Again, make sure you opt for a gloss to really lock in that shine.

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Ethereal Blonde

Bella Hadid certainly broke the internet this summer when she swapped her signature espresso hair color for a warm, honey blonde, and recently, she debuted another stunning—albeit far subtler—transformation: a soft, ethereal blonde perfect for fall. Mastered by colorist Jacob Schwartz (who was also responsible for the supermodel's previous honey-blonde locks), the look features creamy, luminous highlights with seamlessly blended lowlights for a dreamy halo effect around the face. If you're a natural blonde (like Hadid), it helps if you can use your childhood hue as a reference, as "hair in its most natural and angelic color state screams luxury," Cohen shares. "For every tone of the hair color spectrum, it produces the most shine and right amount of dimension."

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Rich Mocha

For those with darker hair, stylists recommend leaning into that richness with a chic chocolaty hue. “The mocha mousse [shade] is really popular,” celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton previously told WWW. It's versatile, relatively easy to maintain and deliciously on-trend. (Pantone’s Color of the Year still holds sway!) “I think people are going for that mixture of cool and warm tones and a combination of light and dark," he adds.

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