There’s nothing more infuriating than walking out after a fresh blow-dry only to have summer heat and humidity ruin the look. While most women resort to living in top knots, plaits or ponytails for the duration of the season, our savvy panel of stylists will have you know that there are chic ways to flaunt your locks even in the peak of heat. We spoke to Lahore’s go-to girl Natasha Saigol and the edgy, intrepid Shammal Qureshi who regularly works as part of the international Toni & Guy team at London Fashion Week and asked them to not only forecast hair trends that will be big this summer but also the cuts and colours that will be dominating the local and international circuit. Are you ready to say hello to your new hair?

Natasha Saigol predicts that in terms of length and cut, mid-length will reign supreme, though variations of the

asymmetrical bob or lob can also be found aplenty. She suggests going shorter for the summer, just enough to expose the nape of the neck but letting the length remain long enough to be tied or styled for a night out. Galaxy hair, which is a dying technique that places a bright spectrum of colour in a manner that each shade blends into the other seamlessly to replicate the kaleidoscopic hues of the universe, will finally be making an appearance in our neck of the woods. Other than that, Saigol states that summer will see hair returning to solid tones but more towards the warmer shades of ash and honey. Stylists will also be embracing the natural texture of hair but volumized blow-dries will be making a comeback. Braids and plaits will also be abundant, enjoying an extended period of remaining on trend but instead of full-fledged ones, miniature versions will be added for detail. Lastly, the Vidal Sassoon trained stylist says the just out of pool look and S wave will also be making a comeback this season.

For Shammal Qureshi, summer hair is heavily influenced by the hippie ’70s and the dirty grunge of the ’90s. Fringes are back but with blunt, chewed off ends that don’t look polished or neat. He opines that most women will grow their winter cuts out in the summer, opposite to what happens abroad but agrees that hair will remain mid-length and the focus will be on enhancing and utilizing the hair’s natural texture rather than focusing on heat styling. Qureshi claims that the volume blowout is taking a bow this

year, being replaced by messy waves and loose curls cut in a face-framing manner. The quintessential

rocker hair-cut, the Shag is also having a moment. The pretty, manicured "I’m about to go to a shaadi" look is out, replaced by

hair that looks effortlessly cool and undone. In terms of colour, Qureshi says the demand is moving from ash, silver and shades of blue to more pastel shades like mauve, peach or lilac but there is a shift from brown towards warmer shades like banana milk shake and burnt caramel.