I went ‘trophy blonde’ for autumn and had so many compliments

Think blondes only have more fun during the summer? Think again. Every autumn, I'm tempted to add warm red or coppery tones to my blonde strands (to match the falling leaves – obviously). In previous years, when I've taken the plunge, I've enjoyed the pumpkin spice vibes for approximately three washes before hankering after my inner blonde bombshell.

This year, I'm determined to give my blonde barnet an autumnal upgrade – without sacrificing any brightness and preserving those all-important golden tones. That's where ‘Trophy Blonde’ comes in: it's tipped to be one of the biggest hair trends of the winter months. In fact, Tom Smith, a leading trend forecaster, previously spoke to GLAMOUR about the colour, describing it as “halfway between summer’s Barbie Blonde and autumn’s Nepo Blonde.” And yep, I'm sold.

Having booked an appointment at Larry King Hair, I searched for more trophy blonde hairspiration to show my colourist. I discovered that celebs generally save their trophy blonde colours for the biggest occasions, like – ahem – award ceremonies, galas, and movie premieres. Think Blake Lively's Statue of Liberty-inspired look at the 2022 Met Gala. The only thing that looked more expensive than her Versace Atelier gown? Her resplendent golden hair. Cast your mind back to last year's Venice Film Festival. Do you recall Florence Pugh's ~iconic~ Aperold Spritz video? Forget the Valentino fit; I couldn't stop staring at her award-worthy blonde bob.

Here's how I (OK, my colourist) nailed the trophy blonde hair colour trend…

What is the trophy blonde hair colour trend?

Anaih Warner, a colourist at Larry King Hair, describes trophy blond as “a new shade of blonde which mixes the creamy tones with golden tones.” This creates a “beautiful multi-tonal colour” that looks “naturally sun-kissed.”

While trophy blonde is all about the warm, golden undertones, the creamy toner balances out any brass. This shade is high-luxe AND high-drama.

Anaih adds, “Coming into autumn, these colours are very popular… people want the colour of their hair to compliment skin complexion, and I always find golden warmer tones of blonde are popular going into the colder darker months because it is softer against the skin.”

And if you're lumbered with overgrown, mousey roots like me? Have no fear. If you're going for a full head of highlights, your colourist should be able to bleach offending areas – as well as add some much-needed gloss to uplift your colour while prioritising the overall health of your hair.

How do you go trophy blonde?

First up, Anaih used Redken Blonde Idol with 6% on the regrowth around my roots.

She then applied a lower-level bleach through the mid band to remove the brassy colour that was previously applied to my hair.

After a good old rinse, Anaih used Redken Shades EQ Gloss to “tone the hair and give it a gorgeous creamy golden colour, shine and finish.”

The whole process took around five hours, so you'll need to put aside a morning or afternoon to really commit to the look. It's worth it, I promise.

To maintain the trophy blonde colour, Anaih recommends using a sulphate-free Larry King shampoo, as sulphates remove the colour from your hair faster. She adds, “If you find after a few weeks the hair is starting to go brassy, I would suggest a silver shampoo, but only if necessary.”

Need more trophy blonde inspo? We've got you covered…

Jodie Comer – trust a serial award-winner to have award-worthy hair

Jasmine Sanders, AKA Golden Barbie

Rosie Huntington-Whitely

Gigi Hadid

Latto

Rita Ora

Perrie Edwards

For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.

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