10 Timeless Men's Hairstyles We Love & 10 We're Glad To Say Goodbye To
A Man's Chosen Hairstyle Says A Lot About Him
The way we choose to style our hair can impact our entire face by enhancing our features or diverting from them. It's also a statement that determines (partially) how the world perceives us, exuding anything from clean-cut professionalism to edgy rebel. From man buns to faux hawks, men's hairstyles can be surprisingly polarizing. While some will never go out of style, others only had an understandably short stint in the sun. Here are 10 timeless men's hairstyles we'll always love and 10 we're glad not to see around anymore.
1. Man Bun
We know it's controversial to say, but we love the man bun. People criticize it for being "girly," but isn't that kind of thing in right now? Toxic masculinity aside, it's a convenient way to keep your hair out of your face if you have long locks.
2. Undercut
An undercut is when the hair on your head is longer than on the sides or one side. It creates some contrast and shows off your facial structure. Not to mention, it looks cool and edgy.
3. Buzz Cut
The buzz cut is as simple as it gets. It's very manly because not only does it make your face look more defined, but it's also the most low-maintenance hairstyle you can ask for.
Anastasiia Chaikovska on Pexels
4. High-Top Fade
The high-top fade is when the hair on the sides and back of the head is very short and quickly transitions to longer hair on top, which has some height to it. Unlike the undercut, the long and short hair is connected by a fade, creating a more continuous look. It's a modern and sharp-looking do, but it requires frequent haircuts to keep the fade looking tidy.
5. Pompadour
The pompadour is similar to the high-top fade, but the emphasis is more on creating height than on the continuity of the fade itself. The long hair on top is combed upwards and back to create a retro-inspired, voluminous look that frames the face.
Christopher Campbell on Unsplash
6. Crew Cut
Oh, the classic crew cut. Characterized by longer hair on top that tapers smoothly into short hair on the sides and back, we can't imagine this classic, clean-cut look ever going out of style.
7. Taper Fade
Like the crew cut, the taper fade features longer hair on top and shorter hair on the sides and back, but it emphasises a more gradual taper and a visible fade at the neckline. It offers a more blended, modern, and trendy look than the crew cut.
8. Harvard Clip
The Harvard clip, also known as the Ivy League haircut, features shorter hair at the sides and back with longer hair on top that's parted on the side. You can't go wrong with the adaptable, low-maintenance, and professional-looking Harvard clip.
9. French Crop
The French crop involves short hair at the sides and back with a fade, longer hair on top, and bangs. It's ideal for thicker hair and can hide a receding hairline easily. It also enhanced the jawline and other facial features.
10. Caesar Cut
Closely related to the French crop, the Caesar cut also features longer hair on top that's styled forward and short hair on the sides and back. The main difference between the two is the length of the fringe, which is typically shorter and more blunt in the Caesar cut.
Now that we've covered some of our favorite hairstyles for men, let's go over the ones we're thrilled to say have gone out of style.
1. The Mullet
The "business in the front, party in the back" look luckily peaked in the 80s. While it had a slight resurgence among youth subcultures over the last 10 years, it's safe to say it will never reach the same level of vogue. It's hard for anyone to look handsome in an awkward mullet.
2. The Faux Hawk
Even if we don't always think they're a good idea, we can respect mohawks for being edgy, punk-rock, and requiring a commitment. The faux hawk, on the other hand, is none of those things. It was sported by everyone from David Beckham to Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong in the early 2000s, but we're just thrilled it's fallen off since then.
3. Frosted Tips
Remember when men would murder their hair with peroxide in the early 2000s? Puzzlingly, it wasn't their whole head, though; they would just go for the tips. It often made men of the day look spotted like a cheetah or like NSYNC member wannabes.
4. Rat Tail
Somehow a popular look in the 1980s, the rait tail consisted of a long, sometimes braided lock of hair protruding from the back of the head while the rest of the hair was kept short. It was an edgy look that emerged with the punk subculture, but it was just plain unusual and unattractive.
5. Bowl Cut
While the bowl cut is seeing a resurgence in popularity these days, we hope it doesn't last. The straight lines and lack of definition are just plain unflattering on most people.
6. Spiky
It seemed like every guy in the early 2000s was trying to mimic a porcupine with their overly-gelled hair spikes. Not only did it look ridiculous, but it required a lot of time in the bathroom every morning.
Michelangelo Buonarroti on Pexels
7. Combover
Has the combover ever fooled anyone? It's better to face facts and embrace your baldness than try to hide it under a few measly strands of disappearing hair.
8. Gangster Slick Back
A slick back can look good when done correctly, but the overly-gelled slick back that's reminiscent of Italian mafia movies is not it. Not using the right comb, product, or too much product results in a great, gross, and sleazy-looking mane.
alexandre saraiva carniato on Pexels
9. Broccoli
The broccoli hairstyle is just what it sounds like: buzzed hair at the sides and back with a big curly mass on top, resembling the green vegetable. While some people embrace the unconventional look, we think it looks ridiculous and unprofessional.
10. Justin Bieber Swoosh
Justin Bieber popularized this swoosh look when he came onto the scene in the early 2000s. It consists of long, layered locks that seem to defy gravity by looking permanently wind-swept to one side. While we're nostalgic for it now, we're happy it's been left in the past, as it takes a special kind of youth to be able to pull it off.
