The mention of the word "fall" often brings to mind visions of auburn tresses and gleaming chocolate brown locks but, for girls with curly hair, the seasons of the year transcend trends. By heeding the wisdom of the "Color Doctor" Shari Harbinger — color director for New York City's DevaConcepts and Devachan Salons and Departure Lounges (which specialize in curls) — all curly girls can get the looks that flatter them best as autumn approaches.

Prepping the Tresses
Curly girls should begin their highlighting and hair-coloring adventures by first having the right cut, Harbinger advises. This should involve very little cutting and more "nipping the ends like you would nip beautiful flowers," she says. By sculpting top layers when the hair is dry, length isn't compromised and the triangle effect — which can be the bane of a curly girl's existence — is removed.

While many curly girls might prefer to show up at the salon with their hair in a less-than-stellar state and wait for the colorist to work his or her magic, that's actually one of the worst things a curly girl can do. "Wear your hair as you would on a daily basis," Harbinger says. Gals, this means no ball caps, ponytails or extra styling products so the hair designer can get a clear idea of where the curls fall. "You're presenting the canvas that we're going to paint," she explains.