As we trot along into the new season, something is becoming rather apparent: hair is the new black. Seriously, in terms of accessories, it's been years upon years since hair was so front and centre of the style agenda, having historically lost out to ironically ugly shoes, bags the price of a second mortgage and massive bits of costume jewellery.

But lately, it's all we've been talking about. Last week, we reported on Abbey Lee's new charcoal-black dye job for Gucci, quickly followed by Candice Swanepoel's move over to the dark side for Blumarine, but what of the haircuts? You'll remember that for an unholy length of time, haircuts meant nothing in the fashion world. No one wanted to appear as though they'd even got one, particularly if it revealed cascading, graduating layers (terribly passé) so they stopped bothering with them altogether. Then, Alexa Chung happened and we all went potty for a messy, mid-length bob. 

It's enduring power is such that a quick tot-up shows it's easily the most dominant style that has graced the autumn/winter13 campaigns. What makes it so damn good? Well, by definition, the mid-length bob is longer than a real bob, but shorter than what you would call 'long hair.' It's also, by nature, chopped pretty bluntly, so it's the same length all the way round (making fine hair look instantly plump). Generously, It's looks bloody fantastic styled or un-styled, the bluntness of the cut cleverly negating any of the ratty, walk of shame connotations of totally unbrushed long hair. In fact, forget brushing altogether. Throw your brush away! 

The thing about this cut is that it keeps everyone happy. It's short enough to feel sort of edgy and youthful and daring, but it retains enough length to make you feel like you've still got plenty of hair to play with / hide from people behind. 

Mulling over whether to make the cut yourself? Allow the selection of mid-length bobs from the autumn campaigns in the gallery above to help you make up your mind.

(Do it! Do it!)