Ombre's Hope for 2016

Ombre on left by Michael Klomsue; Ombre on right by Caroline Guiney

Let's talk about Miley Cyrus. It was bound to happen eventually.

The world has quickly noticed the strikingly normal length and color of her hair, and normally that might not be such a huge deal, except the color is a pretty put-together long-bob in ombre and whether you like it or not, this could have some pretty significant implications for you as a stylist/salon owner down the road.

Photo: Cyrus with TV actor Alimi Ballard via Miley Cyrus’ Instagram

You can browse around all the fashion blogs and articles summarizing the best hairstyles of 2015, and predictions of what's to come and pretty easily conclude that the “easy and natural” look is the at the top of the fashion food chain right now. We're practically breathing balayage/ombre with gentle waves at this point. But a year of this raises the question: Will people start getting tired of this look in 2016?

As you work out what products to order and plan your promotions for 2016 (and you really should be planning them right now), it becomes more and more relevant to know if all these Ombre enthusiasts are going to stay so enthusiastic.

Well, rest easy. They aren't going anywhere. The recent, if potentially temporary, change in Cyrus's hair is two parts indication and causation of the practically minded 'dos you'll be asked to perform in the future.

As trend setters go, Miley has jumped to the forefront of shock and awe, but it's nothing new for a pop star. If you go back through a decade of female pop singers you'll discover long lists of massive changes later resulting in massively popular, if sometimes brief, hair trends. Britney Spears made the world explode with platinum blondes, and Beyonce has spent much of her career making everyone with long waves and blonde highlights feel inadequate.

But here's what's a little different about the ombre and Miley Cyrus, and why her instagram potentially booked your 2016 with color appointments: The look in the picture above is perfectly achievable. She's not in costume, there's no glamour, her hair is at a practical length. It's the kind of thing most people could walk into work with. If you forgot about the nuclear music career, Cyrus could easily be any other person on the street with well-styled hair. It's something her fan base, consisting of everything from middle school tweens to near-college graduates, can ask for at your salon and realistically expect a similar result to the picture. This opens up the world of balayage/ombre to a whole other growing generation.

So in answer to the question: Yes, Ombre is here to stay, at least for another year, and it's about seep down into younger age groups. As you get your 2016 salon promotions and stock all worked out, prepare yourself and your foil for a swarm of ex-teeny boppers trying to find their identity in a new style of grown hair with sensible coloring.