Cool haircuts 101: In the same way that fashion is cyclical, what’s on trend in the world of men’s haircuts can change at a rapid pace. Predominantly inspired by whatever haircut our favourite celebrities are rocking at the time, getting yourself the latest popular haircut is a task that requires commitment. Each passing year presents a prime opportunity to try out a number of new hairstyles and following the spate of not so cool home haircuts caused by the 2020 pandemic, 2023 is an ideal time to get your hair under control.
We’re already seeing a wave of popular men’s haircuts atop the heads of some of the most stylish guys around, with everything from medium-length hairstyles, to hairstyles for men with long hair and of course, the usual array of undercut haircuts, skin fades and taper fade haircuts.
While short haircuts remain the most popular hair trend, medium and long hairstyles are starting to pick up fast. Although most of these trendy hairstyles are not really new, they continue to offer an endless styling variation that makes them remain fresh and fashionable.
From classic hairstyles like the buzz cut, pompadour, and comb-over, to modern haircuts like the quiff, faux hawks, and fringe, these are some of the most popular men’s haircuts currently doing the rounds.
In this men’s haircuts story…
How To Choose The Right Haircut For Your Head
Nailing a new haircut can be a bit of a challenge, especially for men. It is much more than going to the barber and saying, “Make me look like Brad Pitt!” Here’s the thing: Your hair type (and length), face shape, and lifestyle are some of the factors that you need to consider when picking a hairstyle.
A great haircut should complement your face shape by enhancing your best features and minimising the less desirable ones. For example, if you have a big forehead, you want a hairstyle with a fringe that can either hide the forehead or make it less prominent. On the other hand, a guy with dark hair and blue eyes will benefit from a very tight haircut that makes the eyes pop.
To make things easier:
- Check online haircut galleries or celebrity pictures to pick the hairstyle you want.
- Make sure that the star or model has the same facial features and hair type as you.
- Print the image or save it on your phone and show it to your barber on your next visit.
But, even as you pick a haircut that works for your facial features and hair, you should also bring your profession into consideration. While the traditional workplace rules are more relaxed nowadays, you still don’t want to cross over the line.
Think of the image you want to portray to your clients, mostly if you work in a conservative environment. However, if your work environment is more creative, you’re free to do as you please.
So, what men’s haircuts and hairstyles are proving popular right now? Check out the below styles for inspiration for your new look.
French Crop Haircut
Stylish and timeless, the French crop haircut has managed to hold its position as one of the most popular haircuts for men. Featuring a cropped fringe and a prime candidate for pairing with a range of fade hairstyles, this style offers an excellent option for guys who want to look elegant but don’t have the time to commit to hairstyling and maintenance. The French crop haircut has become such a popular haircut for men due to its versatility, as it can work for virtually everyone, regardless of face shape.
It is also a men’s hairstyle that can work with a variety of hair types, including thick hair and curly hair – it can look the absolute business with wavy hair – and while the French crop haircut will work without any product or styling applied, you can work in a matte paste or some wax to give it a little bit of movement.
Quiff Haircut
Probably the most fashionable and sleek hairstyle choice for the style-savvy guy, the quiff haircut requires extra length for the hair on top, combined with a fade haircut on the sides and back of the head. The only challenge with this hairstyle comes with styling, which can require a little more time and patience. That’s not to say it needs to look super preened and proper, as the quiff haircut benefits from looking a little messy, but you will still need to spend some time in front of the mirror to achieve the desired look.
The quiff haircut for men is one that can work for both thin hair and thick hair, but guys in the latter camp may find they need to spare a little more time in the morning to get the styling right. So if you’re the guy with time on your hands, you’ll need a hairdryer and some styling products, such as pomade, wax, putty, or mousse. However, if you have curly hair or wavy hair, you’ll soon realise the natural volume provided can make working it into a quiff hairstyle a walk in the park.
First, use your hairdryer to dry and provide some basic shape to the quiff, using a brush if you need help getting some height. Next, work some styling paste or wax into your hands and run them through the hair to help lock the quiff in place. Finally, finish with a light spray of hairspray to ensure your quiff holds its shape all day long.
Pompadour Haircut
With traditionally short sides and plenty of hair on top, the pompadour haircut is the quiff’s sleeker yet more voluminous cousin – and a favourite of David Beckham. However, the large volume of hair at the top (the pomp) makes it unique. Versatile and fashionable, the pompadour haircut for men can come in many forms, and can be paired with a range of fade haircut styles and various lengths of hair on top.
And, despite the images you may see of David Beckham rocking a faultless pompadour haircut with straight hair, the pompadour is a men’s haircut that can be enjoyed by guys with curly hair or wavy hair too. The end result will differ, of course, but curly hair can still be tamed into a high, voluminous hairstyle.
To style your pomp, you will need to apply your wax or pomade on damp hair, then comb all your hair back, gradually setting some volume at the top. Once you have your pomp, use a hairdryer it to keep it in shape and finish off with some hairspray.
Faux Hawk Haircut
Another haircut that has made it to the new year as one of the most popular hairstyles for men is the faux hawk hairstyle. Closely related to the mohawk, the faux hawk (aka fohawk) offers the mohawk’s edgy and trendy aspects without all the drama. Unlike the mohawk haircut, which features shaved sides and a dramatic strip of hair that runs down the middle of the head from front to the back, the fohawk has a more gradual transition between the long hair and the faded sides. A faux hawk haircut is an excellent option for the fashion-forward man who wants to play up the punk weekends and look professional in the office.
Comb Over Haircut
Simple and infinitely versatile, the comb over haircut just had to make it to this list of popular men’s haircuts in 2023. Contrary to what you’d think about the comb over (maybe due to guys like Donald Trump), this is one of the coolest men’s hairstyles and one that is sophisticated and easy to achieve. The comb over haircut is one of those men’s haircuts that has a deserved place in both formal and casual settings, and will comfortably carry you from boardroom to bar on a Friday evening.
It also offers up more than a thousand ways to wear it, whether you want a side part, a comb over undercut, or a comb over fade, the comb-over haircut is one of the most flexible hairstyles going. The haircut works with virtually any hair type, whether you’re sporting thick hair or thin hair, and even men with curly hair can have a crack at it. If it works for Justin Timberlake, it can work for you.
Ivy League Haircut
If you are thinking, “All these hairstyles are great and all, but I just need something simple.” Well, how about the Ivy League haircut? Simple, straightforward, and polished, the Ivy League – named after the Ivy League universities in the US, renowned for their preppiness – works best with a fade haircut on the sides – if you don’t want a high fade, then a taper fade is your best bet – with a bit of length at the front, which you can part to one side.
The Ivy League men’s haircut is incredibly simple to style, as it only requires a small amount of product applied to towel-dried hair and, as long as you have the length of the hair on top right, there’s really no right and wrong when it comes to the final look.
Angular Fringe Hairstyle
The angular fringe is quickly gaining momentum as one of the most popular men’s hairstyles for guys who want a youthful and stylish look. The haircut still borrows the “long top, short sides” concept, but the fringe is left hanging over the forehead, and it is cut at an angle to give texture. The haircut is ideal for guys with round faces and is also a great look to show off highlights.
Buzz Cut Fade Haircut
Hailing from military days, the buzz cut is the shortest and most drastic men’s haircut anyone can get. Back in those military days, the buzz cut – also called the induction cut – was given to new recruits to essentially remove their individuality and act as a sort of uniform… as well as not giving enemy soldiers something to grab on to during battle.
This popular men’s haircut doesn’t require much explanation when sitting in the barber’s chair, as its notoriety will mean any barber will quickly whip out their hair clippers, remove the guard – or at least set it to a number 1 – and remove all your hair. You can’t get much more low maintenance than that.
If you want to introduce a little extra flair, you can combine your buzz cut with faded sides by way of having a number 2 on top, with the hair on the sides and back of the head gradually cut down to a skin fade. What you will find with the buzz cut haircut, however, is that you’ll need to make regular visits to the barber to keep it looking its absolute best.
Skin Fade Crop
Trent Pridmore, Founder & CEO of The Emporium Barber, which has three shops in Brisbane and one in Bondi Beach, has noticed some slightly differing trends from his customers. One of the most popular men’s haircuts he’s seen is the skin fade crop, a modern haircut if ever there was one.
The skin faded crop, as the name suggests, is one that exposes a fair amount of skin on the side of the head, with just a short hairstyle – the crop – on top of the head. If you want to imitate this cut yourself, Trent says to ask: “for a skin fade as short as you can go on the sides, blended up into a 1, and with a textured crop on the top.”
The Gentleman’s Cut
A slick, suave haircut, the Gentleman’s Cut, as it is known, is one we suspect many inner-city workers will likely want to adopt for its sophistication yet stylish nature.
For this cut, Trent says to ask for a “fade from a 1 on the back and sides, blended up into a side part. Push it up and to the back and side on the top.”
“We like to taper the hairlines [in the shop] rather than leaving boxy, heavy lines so they grow out more naturally.”
“To style at home, use a matte cream of pomade on towel dried hair and comb it into your desired place.”
Slicked Back
Another hairstyle favoured by young professionals is the slick back. A high shine hairstyle, it too has its place in the corporate workspace as well as in more casual settings. You’ll need some good hair length to achieve a truly successful slick back hairstyle, so make sure you have the patience to grow it out if it’s one that’s new to you.
RELATED: Best Slick & Shiny Men’s Hairstyle Ideas That Will Get Heads Turning
When at the barbershop, Trent says to ask for “short back and sides and pushed back on the top.” And to style at home, apply your favourite pomade to towel dried hair and comb into place, but for a more natural look, use your fingers instead.
Truefitt & Hill have also seen an uptake in slicked back styles, with in-store barber Aras telling DMARGE a middle length 1940’s slicked back has been particularly popular. “Similar to the classic 1950’s side part, but without the side part. This hairstyle is for those who like more texture and volume in their hairstyle. A more modern take on this style is to fade the sides.”
“You would need a product that provides that shiny slick look and a pomade is the best for this for a high shine look. Alternatively, you could use a paste for a more medium shine whilst still achieving the slicked back look.”
For a slightly more modern alternative, Aras says a low taper push back has been asked for numerous times in the shop. “This is a modern variation of the slicked back look. It could be done with different lengths of fade on the sides, usually with medium to longer length on top.”
Classic Scissor Cut
They’re called classic for a reason. A scissor cut is oh-so-timeless as it requires the barber to go back to basics and simply wield a pair of scissors to work their magic.
Trent adds a classic scissor cut is “similar to the gentleman’s cut, but is kept a bit longer and one that uses scissors for a longer and more textured look that appears more natural and softer. Tapering the hairlines here definitely makes a difference for the better.”
“To style at home, apply a grooming cream to towel-dried hair, or you can first apply a texture spray, lightly dry your hair and then apply the cream. Then simply style with your hands until you’re happy with the result.”
Nathan Jancuaskas, founder of Men’s Biz adds he and his team have also noticed “a lot more emphasis on scissor work rather than just skin fades,” with some classic short hairstyles proving particularly popular, including “French crops and Caesar cuts.”
Mohawk Mullet
Lastly, this is Australia after all, so it should come as no surprise that a mullet features on a list of most popular haircuts. For Trent and his team, he says “we like trying to keep them a bit more high class rather than full bogan, so ask for a 4/5 on the top and sides, with a tight burst fade on the sides.”
“For a tidier look, ask for the back to tapered out.”
As for styling, Trent asks us, “does this really matter for the mullet aficionado?”
“In all seriousness, if you’re seeing your mum for a Sunday roast then use some texture powder in dry hair and style using your hands so it at least looks like you’ve made an effort.”
Jacob has also seen a preference for mullet haircuts from the guys walking through his shop doors, “this has gained huge traction with Aussies and expats alike wanting the iconic Aussie cut – with so many prominent Aussie sports stars donning one it’s easy to see why!”
Nathan adds Men’s Biz has also been “seeing a preference for longer styles with guys coming out of lockdown or not being able to get haircuts the last year, and taking advantage of the extra length.” This is something Jacob has noticed too, “During the winter months we also see chaps experimenting with growing hair out this was even more popularised with lockdown cuts. Loads of texture easy to maintain for that Manly surfer vibe.”
These longer haircuts include “mullet-inspired looks, curtain haircuts, faux hawks, pompadours and quiffs.“
For the guys at Truefitt & Hill, they’ve seen a preference for the faux hawk, as opposed to full on mullets – perhaps that speaks to the city’s political background? – “for those looking for something slightly more dramatic, this hairstyle if for them. Short on the sides with more length on top, it is edgy yet stylish.”
“You would usually style this hairstyle with a matte finish product like texture clay or for a more natural shine use a fiber hair management product.”Read Next
- Short Hairstyles & Men’s Haircuts Explained
- Fade Haircuts & Hairstyles To Wear In 2022
- Sydney Barber Shops
The post Popular Men’s Haircuts Everyone Wants In 2023 appeared first on DMARGE.
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